Selected quad for the lemma: law_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
law_n	heart_n	put_v	write_v	8,223	5	5.9548	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66475	A sermon preached before his Grace the King's commissioner, and the three estates of Parliament: June the 15th. 1690. By David Williamson, Minister of the Gospel at Edinburgh	Williamson, David, d. 1706.	1690 (1690)	Wing W2796; ESTC R219573	24,635	21

may endanger ●f not well advised As David in an humour would not be put off to number the people 2 Sam. 14. Notwithstanding Joab told him it might provoke God and produce sad effects for 70 thousand died for it Princes in their resolutions and purposes would have a reserve to change measures on second thoughts especially in what concerns secular Affairs so did David when provoked by an unmannerly Cloun 1 Sam. 25 But for things directly tending to God's Glory constancie is a commendation David never changed his purpose of building the house of God and paying his Vows Psal 66 14 15. Psal 119.106 1 12. Psal 13● 4 5. 2. The wisdom of Magistrats stands in acquainting themselves with the word of the Lord which makes the simple wise some are Branded Jer. 6.10 The word of the Lord is to them a Reproach for they have no delight in it they mock Piety and Scripture the rule of Piety such are in the highest Classe of Sinners who are in the seat of the Scorner as some translate it the Chair of Pestilence importing as such are plagued in their own Spirits so are they the plague of their Generation Ah! This plague is too rise among us But be ye not Mockers least your bands be made strong I● saiah 28.22 God will cast a Chain of his wrath about such which if Mercy and Repentance prevent not will grip and smart them to all Eternity But I say Magistrats who would be truely wise not only for Eternal Life but for Humane Affairs and Government would acquaint themselves with the word of God where the Rules of Government are insert the sins of Governours related with the Snares they have fallen in by committing such Sins the examples of good Governours for imitation are set before them and the examples of the bad as Beacons to warn of Dangerous Rocks on which others have Split 3. The wisdom of Magistrats stands in the right ordering of the Kingdom the State in Civil Affairs the Church in Religious Matters promoting Religion and the right ordering of their Persons and Familie● 1. In right ordering the State in Civil Affairs for it will never be well with the Church if not well with the State for the wicked Will walk on every side when vilest Men are exalted Psalm 12. last When the wicked rise Men hide themselves Prov. 28.28 When the righteous are in Authority the people rejoyce when the Wicked bear rule the people mourn Prov. 29.2 David was of a good mind Mine eyes said he shall be upon the faithful of the Land who walk in a perfect heart that they may dwell with me and I will destroy Evil doers from the City of the Lord. Psal 101.6 8. There be four sorts of Persons Dangerous in a State and who endanger Crowned Heads and runs them on Precipices 1. Sycophants and Flatterers such were the 400 false Prophets to Achab 1. Kings 22. 2. The Envyous such were the Courtiers about Darius Dan. 6. 3. Selfish Ambitious and Covetous Men who seek the glory of their own House such a one was Haman Esther 3. 4. Heady and Young Counsellours like Rehoboams who occasioned the Revolt of the ten Tribes 1 Kings 12. Now then it is the wisdom of Kings to make a right Choice of Favourites for Trust and to have such in the Government as are described Ex●d 18.21 1. Able men for Greatness Resolution Courage and Constancy of mind the best preservative against Partiality and corruption in Judgement 2. Men fearing God that will restrain them from all injustice even when they have Ability and Opportunity to injure 3. Men of truth Faithful such as love the Truth and diligently labour to find it out in all Causes and pass true and right Sentence without respect of Persons 4. Men hating Covetousness Gifts and Bribes the great Corrupters of Judges and Judgements overthrowing them Prov. 29.4 For when Gifts gets hold on the Heart they blow a Dust in the Eyes of the wise to blind them It is the great Wisdom of Magistrats to be careful that Justice be Dispensed discreetly speedily expeding Causes not fretting the Spirits of people by undue delays impartially and universally to all resolutely couragiously righteously exactly soberly and diligently And thus Judgment returning unto Righteousness and all the upright in heart shall follow it Psal 94.15 2ly Good Laws which are the Sinews of Societies would be Enacted the greatest perfection whereof stands 1. In their conformity to that prime and eternal Law of God the Law of Laws 2ly In their vigour when they are put in execution written Laws are for direction and the living Law that is the Magistrate is for Action to see that direction obeyed Laws are not made for Theory but for Practice and the best Practice on the part of the People it obedience and on the part of the Magistrat Execution when Rewards and Punishments are duely applyed wrong application of either is hurtful Laws would be well resolved before Enacted and ill grounded ill resolved Laws would be Reseinded such as the Law of worshipping the King's Image under the pain of the fiery Furnace Dan. 3. The Law discharging praying to any but the King for 30 days under the pain of being cast into the Lions Den Dan. 6. The strait Commands against Preaching in the Name of Jesus Act. 4. and 5. Many such grievous Laws have been made under which the Lord's people has smarted fore and many has built themselves upon their ruines by the Laws of Forfeitures and Fines those would be reduced which would ease the grieved minds of these best affected to the Government in the Nation the doing whereof would make the Government lightsome The gain of Oppression has a Curse in its bosom there is a Worm at the root of such Gourds the belief whereof would make the Possessors of other mens Estates and goods part with them without a grudge To prevent the making and Execution of bad Laws and for the enacting and execution of wholsome Laws it is the wisdom of Kings to choose single-hearted self-denyed and pious men for Trust such as preser the Interest of the Prince of the Kings of the earth before a Kings interest on earth and the Kings interest before their own and the saving of their own Souls before the raising of their Fortune and advancing of their Honour 3ly The wisdom of Magistrats stands mainly in this in bending their chief care about Religious concerns promoting of Piety advancing Zions welfare David says Psalm 132. By Vow and by Oath he would not come to the Tabernacle of his House nor go up into his Bed nor give sleep to his eyes nor slumber to his eye-lids untill he found a place for the Lord an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob Psal 137.5 6. If I forget thee O Jerusalem let my right hand forget her cunning that is Let me never do a right turn if I do not remember thee Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my

Word of God Deut 17.18 19. It 's enjoyned to a king when he siteth on the ●rone of his Kingdom that he shall write a copy of this Law in a book out of that which is before the Pr●ests the Levites And it shall be with him and he shall read there in all the days of his life that he may learn to fear the Lord his God to keep all the words of this Law and these statutes to do them That his heart be not listed up above his brethren and that he turn not aside from the commandment to the right hand nor to the left ● To the end that ●e may prolong his days in his kingdom he and his children in the midst of Israel It 's injoyned Jeshuah a Governour Jeshuah 1. 7 8. Only be thou strong and very ●●urogro●●s that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law which Moses my servant command●d thee Turn not from it to the right hand or to the lest that thou mayest prosper whi●●er soever thou goest This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth but tho● shalt meditat therein day and night that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein for thin thou shalt make thy way prosperous then thou shalt have good success This word is able to make the Man of God Magistrat or Minister wise to Salvation perfect and throughly furnished for every good work 2 Tim. 3.15 17. By this word P●vid ●av●●g it ever with him was made wiser than his enemies bad more understanding than the detients and his Teachers Psalm 119.98 90 100. Alas There are but too sew among our great Once that have acquaintance with the VVord that may be applyed to many Jer. 3.99 They have rejected the word of the Lord and what wisdom is there in them Quest VVherein stands this VVisdom Magistrats should Studie Answ Solomen says Prov. 4.7 VVisdom is the principal thing therefore with all thy getting get understanding It is supposed Job 38.2 Some darken Counsel by Words without Knowledge● True VVisdom stands not in VVords I consess good Diction and Expression acceptable VVords with Eloquence are not Despicable Gists But the main pitch Beauty and VVorth of VVisdom consift in Action Joh. 13.17 Christ says If you know these things happy are ye if ye do them Psalm 111.10 Good understanding have all they that keep his Comm●ndments James 3.13 Who is a wise Man and endued with knowledge among you Let him shew out of a good Conversation his Works with meekness of Wisdom All would he called Wise and the most part pretend to it even a Fool thinks himself wiser than seven Men that can render a reason Prov. 26.16 But would Men be what they affect to be reputed truly wise then must they Study prudent Meekness in Co●versation and Pronour Knowledge with Practice Prov. 8.12 I Wisdom dwell with Pruaence Deut. 3.6 Keap these Statutes for this is your Wisdom There be sour sorts of Persons scored by here 1. The Worldly wise who are cunning to effectuate their Carnal purposes 3. Such as content themselves with Humane Knowledge and can Reason in Natural Things but know not God nor themselves such do but go Wisely to Hell Sapientes sapienter descendunt in Infernum Hieron 3. Such as hunt after Notions and Sublime Speculations knowing only that they may know 4. Such as are sinsully Crafty to devise wickedness 1 Cor. 14.20 Be not Children in Understanding but in Mali●e be ye Children happy Souls who never enters into sins secrets Honourable Worthies in Charity I judge I need not offer Instruction to many for Information yet there may be some what ever smack they have of Homane Policy would be no worse to learn more Morality and the Elements of Divine Wisdom and sure all needs upstirring to more Practise Now I will tell you wherein the Wisdom of Magistrats stands not and then wherein it doth stand 1. It stands no● in unseasonable undue contending ●●ieing and deve●ing one another least ye he consumed one of another Gal. 5.15 The beginning of strise is like the opening of the waters to overflow Prov. 17.14 I confess there is a lawful contending not only for Truth and the Faith of the Gospel Jud. 3. Phil. 1.27 but even for inferiour things Joh. 31.13 14 15 23. he admits his hyrlings to plead their Right and offer their Grievances If I did despise the cause of my man servant or of my maid servant when they contended with me what then shall I do when God riseth up And when he visi●eth what shall I answer him Did not he that made me in the womb make him and did not one fashion us both in the womb For destruction from God was a terrour to me and by reason of his highness I could not endure As if he had said if I had used my power to overthrow his just right I heard them patiently and indifferently and did them right even against my self if by any misinformation or passion I had done them Injury What Apology shall I make when I am call'd before God's Tribunal Who will examine all my Actions and particularly what is betwixt me and my Servant altho he was my Servant yet my fellow Creature made by the same God after God's Image as I am and therefore one of God's Subjects whom I could not abuse without the Injury of his Supreme Lord altho by Power and Interest I had little reason to fear Man I stood in a we of God and of his Judgement and made it my Business to please him so he admitted their Debate I confess there would be examination of the principal and rise of Debates if from pride and envy then confusion and every evil work may be the consequent James 3.16 there is due season and right methods and measures that would he followed the miss and mistake in these may marr a very cleanly Design and Essays for Peace ill managed in stead of being water to quench the fire may prove oyl to increase the flame It is observable and commendable although Abraham superior and elder than Lot avoided unseasonable contendings when the Canaanites were in the Land Gen. 13. and yielded to Lot whose choise proved his punishment It is no disparagement to the highest to Princes Clemency and Condescendency to these below them even supposing some Transgression Prov. 19.11 It is the glory of a man to pass over a transgression and his discretion to defer anger and far more is it the bound duty of inferiours to yield and not unnianntely to prig with these above them where yielding may be without manifest prejudice to Truth and Peace Secondly it is not wisdom in Kings and Magistrate to exerce a despotick and Arbitrary power to Rule with Tyranny and Opp●●stion what is spoken of Natural Parents Ephes 6.49 is applicable to the Fathers of the Republick they would not ●rovoke to wrath but avoid inhumanity in their dealings Relax and Moderate