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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	old_a	testament_n	word_n	5,024	5	4.1361	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85487	The saints support, set out in a sermon preached before the Honourable House of Commons assembled in Parliament. At a publick fast, 29. Iune, 1642. By William Gouge.	Gouge, William, 1578-1653.	1642 (1642)	Wing G1397; Thomason E107_1; ESTC R9775	26,314	47

Die Mercurij 29. Iunij 1642. IT is this day Ordered by the COMMONS now assembled in PARLIAMENT That Sir Thomas Barrington doe returne thanks to Doctor Gouge for the great pains he took in his Sermon this day preach't at St. Margarets in Westminster at the intreaty of the COMMONS House of PARLIAMENT this being the day of the publike Fast and that he be desired to Print his Sermon and that no man presume to print it but such as he shall appoint till the House shall take further Order H. Elsynge Cler. Parl D. Com. I Appoint Ioshua Kirton to Print the fore-said Sermon WILLIAM GOUGE THE SAINTS SVPPORT Set out in A SERMON PREACHED Before the Honourable House of COMMONS assembled in PARLIAMENT At a publick Fast 29. Iune 1642. By William Gouge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ECCLUS 49. 13. Among the Elect was Nehemiah whose renown is great LONDON Printed by G. M. for Joshua Kirton at his Shop in Pauls Church-yard at the Signe of the white Horse MDCXLII TO THE HONOVRABLE HOVSE of COMMONS assembled in PARLIAMENT Most worthy Patriots THE Wise-man among his many approved Proverbes Prov 25 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iuxta modus suos Merc. Quibus modia dici debet V●t Tempore suo 〈◊〉 hath this choyce one A word spoaken upon his wheeles so runnes the Originall or set upon his measures that is as our English not unfitly hath translated it fitly spoken A word fitly spoken is the like Apples of Gold in picutres of silver pretious and pleasant Pretious as golden Apples pleasant as yellow Gold curiously wrought and artificially wrethed in white Silver This Proverbe turned my minde to thinke of some seasonable Theame after notice was given me that by your Order which to mee is a Law I was deputed to preach before your Honourable Assembly And I thinke I have hit upon a fit Subject were I fit and able to handle it as it is meet to be handled in such an Assembly It is the Patterne of a good Patriot A point pertinent in Generall and Particular In Generall a Patterne or Example registred and approoved in Sacred Scripture shews 1. What is the good and acceptable will of God 2. * Si inveniuntur exempla quae nos per rectan ducunt viam sequen da sunt Hier. ad celant What in like case others are bound to doe 3. † Excitamur in ipem qua nos etiam ita posse vivere qui homines sum ex eo quod aliqui homines ita vixerunt minimè desperamus Aug de Trin. l. 8. c. 9. What may be done by such as will thorowly set themselves to it 4. VVhat when it is so done may be pleaded in an humble-self-denying manner before God In Particular this Example of Nehemiah shewes 1. VVho is a good Patriot 2. How he ought to behave himselfe 3. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut de Lib instit VVhat difficulties and dangers attend him 4. VVhat opposition and contradiction hee is like to meet with 5. VVhat resolutions become him 6. On whom his confidence is to be placed Our times are in many things not much unlike to the time wherein Nehemiah came to Jerusalem Grievances in State Corruptions in Church He did as much as in him lay and that indeed was very much for redressing of the one and removing of the other His patterne is not onely an Instruction to teach what is to be done or an Incitation to stir up such as know what is to be done but also a Iustification and Approbation of such as doe as he did And they may looke for such an end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Ioseph An●iq Iul. l. 11. c. 5. as Iosephus testifies that Nehemiah had His testimony is this When Nehemiah had done most magnificently many good things worthy of praise being an old man he died and lest behind him the name of a gracious just and bountifull man toward his owne Nation The Lord encline our great Kings heart to you as he did the heart of Nehemiahs King to him and so worke by you as he did by him that every of you may with such confidence say to your God as he did to his Thinke on me my GOD for good according to all that I have done for this People This is this shall be the prayer of Your daily Oratour William Gouge A SERMON PREACHED Before the Honourable House of COMMONS at the celebration of a FAST 29. Iune 1642. NEHEM 5. 19. Thinke upon me my God for good according to all that I have done for this people THose two motives which enduced the good Patriot Nehemiah to preferre this Petition to his God have enduced me to choose it for my Text to handle it before so many worthy Patriots as are now met together to present their humble supplications to their God The two motives were these 1. The many great good things which he had done for the Church and State 2. The many great desperate dangers which he had met with and knew he should further meet with in prosecuting his good beginnings Whether there be not at this time the like occasions for the representative body of this Kingdome as one man to pray and say Thinke upon me my God for good according to all that I have done for this people let the times judge To this Text the more diligent heed is to be given in that it containeth the last memorable matter which the Holy Ghost saw meet to commend to his Church in the old Testament For the former part of it wherein the maine substance of the whole lyeth is repeated in the last clause of this Booke Neh. 13. 31. which is the last Booke of the old Testament For all the Prophesies registred in the old Testament were before Nehemiahs time which thus appeareth All but the three last were before the Captivity of the Iewes in Babylon Two of those last three Ezr. 5. 1. Hag. 1. 1. Zech. 1. 1. 7. 1. Haggai and Zechary uttered their Prophesies about the time that the Temple was finished in the foure first yeares of Darius his reigne Malachi who is the last of all the Prophets prophecied anone after the Temple was built Malachi id est Esdras post Aggeum Zechariam qui sub Dario prophet averunt fuisse credendus est Hier in pro in Malach. Lege Clem Alex Strom. l 1. as is evident by the maine scope of his Prophecy So as he may well be thought to have uttered his Prophesie in the daies of Darius or in that time of Artaxerxes reigne wherein Ezra came first to Ierusalem For Malachi is supposed to be Ezra and called Malachi because he was the Lords Messenger As for the booke of Hester though it be placed after this of Nehemiah yet is it an History of many yeares before for the things therin recorded were in the reigne of Ahashuerus Host 1. 1. of whom mention is made Ezr. 4. 6. He

ended his daies fourescore yeares before Nehemiah came to Ierusalem The compiler of the bookes of the old Testament had more respect of the order of matter then of time in placing Ester after Nehemiah For Ezra and Nehemiah are one continued History which sets downe the restauration of the Iewes after their captivity Both were written by Ezra and of old called the first and second booke of Esdras Apud Hebraeos Esdrae Neemaeque sermones inunum volumen coartantur Hieron in Esd Neem praesat Ezr. 2. 2. 3. 8. yea by the Hebrewes they were both brought into one Volume For the foresaid end of setling the State of the Iewes there were three solemne commings of three famous persons to Ierusalem The first was of Zerubbabel who being a young man laid the foundation of the Temple in the reigne of Cyrus and being an old man finished it in the reigne of Darius The second was of Ezra 6. 15. a ready Scribe in the Law of Moses 7. 6. whose comming was * After the returne of the Iews Cyrus raigned nine years One Darius 36. Ahashuerus 22. One Artaxerxes 40. Another Darius 19 Another Artaxerxes 7. before Ezra came Neh. 5. 1. c. 13. 4. about one hundred thirty and three yeares after the first in the seventh yeare of Artaxerxes He came to instruct the Iewes in the Law of God The third was of Nehemiah thirteene yeares after Ezras The end of his comming was to build up the City of God and the wall thereof that Gods people might therin more freely observe Gods Ordinances and live in safety and security from their enemies When he came thither he found many Grievances in the State and corruptions in the Church Those he redressed these he remooved and withall setled the Sabbaths Sanctification Ne. 13. 15 c. To shew whence he received his courage to doe what he did notwithstanding the strong and great oppositions against him it is oft noted in this book that his heart was on his God to whom on all occasions he preferred his prayer in the beginning progresse and end of all So soone as he heard of an occasion of going to Ierusalem Neh. 1. 4. c. he made his prayer to God It was the first thing he did Ever and anone was his heart lift up unto God in the Progresse * Neh. 2. 4. 4. 4. 4. 9. 5. 19. 6. 14. 13. 14. 22. 29. Eight particular instances therof betwixt his first and last prayer are expresly noted in this History This History is concluded with the same prayer that is in my Text. Thus you see how my Text is inserted in the midst of this History as a Demonstration of the Support whereon this Patriot rested and whereby he was encouraged in his good great difficult dangerous attempts May I in this Auditory have leave to give meo more modo after my ordinary and plaine manner the Grammaticall Interpretation and Logicall Resolution of the Text a more ready way will be made thereby for raising and prosecuting proper Theologicall Observations thereout First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore of the sence The word translated Thinke properly signifieth Remember Neh. 1. 8. 6. 14. 13. 14. 22. 29. 31. So it is in other places translated even by these Translators and that six times in this book applyed to God It importeth two things 1. To keepe and hold fast in mind and memory what is once knowne So it is opposed to forgetfulnesse as where the Law saith Remember and Forget not Deut. 9. 7. 2. To call againe to mind and memory what was once knowne but after forgotten in which sence saith Pharaohs Butler Gen. 41. 9. 40. 23. I doe remember my faults this day He had forgotten his faults his imprisonment his dreame the interpretation and issue therof all which are implyed under this phrase The chiefe Butler did not Remember Joseph but forgat him But by the wise mens ignorance of the meaning of Pharaohs dreames hee remembred and called to mind his faults and what followed thereupon In these two respects a word derived from this root is put for a Memoriall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 28. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Est 6. 1. and for Records by which matters are so kept and retained as they are not lost or forgotten and by which if matters be forgotten they may be againe called to mind as Mordecais faithfulnesse to the King being forgotten was by the Kings hearing the Records brought to his mind This act of Remembring is in sacred Scripture applyed to God and man To man properly in both the fore-mentioned acceptions As the two proofes doe shew For to man it was said Deut. 9. 7. Gen. 41. 9. Remember and forget not and he was a man that said I doe remember my faults To God it is most properly applyed in the former signification For he ever fast holds in memory and never forgets what he once knowes Act. 15. 18. And knowne unto God are all his workes from the beginning of the world Yea also in the latter signification it is oft attributed to God Ier. 44. 21. as where it is said Did not the Lord remember them and came it not into his minde The latter phrase sheweth that the act of remembring attributed to God in the former clause is ment of calling to mind what was formerly known Iob oft calleth on God to remember him in this sence Iob 7 7. 10 9. 14 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In this respect God is said to have Remembrancers to whom he thus saith Put me in Remembrance and to this end he is said to have a booke of Remembrance See Margin on Isa 62. 6. Isa 43. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mal. 3. 16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But surely these things cannot be properly spoken of God They are to be taken tropically by way of resemblance after the manner of man When men having forgotten a friend neglect him doe nothing for him suffer him to want to be oppressed to lye in prison or remaine in captivity but being put in mind that he is such and such a friend doe good to him and succour him are said to remember him So God when after long suffering his children to want such and such a blessing or to lye under such and such a crosse hee bestoweth on them the blessing which they so long waited for or freeth them from the crosse under which they lay so long though he never forgat them but knew and saw their want and pressure is said to remember them Thus he remembred Rachell Gen. 30. 22. Exod. 2. 24. who had long wanted a childe and the Israelites who had long lien under bondage In briefe Nehemiah by this phrase Thinke upon or Remember intendeth that God would so deale with him as he himselfe might have assurance and others evidence that God did thinke upon what he did and well remember it This

Petition he makes not as doubting of Gods good-will to him but as resting on God for some evidence thereof For what beleevers expect from God they pray for and what they pray for with confidence they expect to receive To give further evidence of his speciall assiance on God he restraineth this act of Gods good-will to himselfe in particular 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by this clause upon me and it carrieth this Emphasis that though the Lord regarded not them who testified no hearty affection to himself his house or people yet he would thinke upon him whose heart was set on all these Thinke on me The next clause my God doth yet further set out that his speciall affiance on God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My is an appropriating particle yet such an one as admits others that are of like quality Nor this nor the former particle of speciality nor Me nor My is to be taken exclusively as if he exempted all but himselfe from these priviledges for before this he desireth God to think on others like himself Neh. 1. 11. thus O Lord I beseech thee let now thine care be attentive to the prayer of thy servant and to the prayer of thy servants who desire to feare thy name And though a Neh 28 18. 6. 14. 7. 5. 13. 14 15 29 31. sometimes he expresse the relation betwixt God and himselfe in the singular number my God yet b Neh. 4 4 9 20. 13. 18 17 other times in the plurall number thus our God yea and in the second and third persons thus c Neh. 8. 9. your God d Neh. 13. 26. his God e Neh. 12. 45. their God He useth the first person and singular number my God to testifie the full assurance he had of his own interest in God He useth other persons and the plurall number His God Our God Your God Their God to intimate the strong perswasion he had of others like interest in God The former is judicium certitudinis an assured knowledge the latter judicium charitatis a charitable belief That these two may stand together is evident by these phrases joyned together f Ruth 1. 16. Thy God shall be my God g Ioh. 20. 17. I ascend to my God and your God By the way take notice that the mention which I made of the singular number hath respect to the translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De istis decem nominibus lege Hier. Epist ad Marcel See also the Churches conquest on Exod. 17. 15. Sect. 72. rather then to the originall especially in the title GOD. For the Hebrew word is one of those ten titles which in sacred Sacred Scripture are as names attributed to God and it is of the plurall number As all the other titles have their significations and mysteries so this It importeth a plurality of persons yet so as in construction it intimateth an unity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verbatim Dij creavit Gen 1. 1. an unity in nature the unity of the Deity For it is joyned with a verbe of the singular number as in the first sentence of the Bible which in other languages may imply some Grammaticall incongruity but it expresseth a true Orthodox Theologicall Mystery which God from the beginning would have to be knowne for his owne glory and Churches good For even our enemies worshippers of false gods being Judges our God is such a God as no other God could ever be imagined like unto him Many of Gods incommunicable properties and workes have though most unjustly and falsly beene attributed to false gods as h O Pater ô hominum ●ivumque aeternae pote ●… Virg. AEneid 10. eternity i Teque omnipotens Neptune invoco Cic Tusc l. 4. omnipotency k Ovid Met l 1. creation of Heaven and Earth l Ovis nutu arbitrio coeum terra martque reguntur Cic ac Fin. divine providence and other the like But it never came into the mind of any Idolater to imagine his God to be three in one The Trinity in Vnity is a mystery of mysteries making much to the honour of him that is knowne and believed to be such a God By it also we know and beleeve that the Spirit which proceedeth from the Father and the Son and helpeth our infirmities enableth us to doe the will of God and establisheth us against all assaults is true God and that the Sonne of God the only begotten of the Father the Mediatour betwixt God and man is true God and that the Father to whom we have accesse for all needfull blessing is true God Thus we have not many gods for many purposes but one God for all turnes One to enable us to goe to the throne of grace One to mediate for us there One to accept us there all one God Is not this a comfortable mysterie But this by the way That for which he desireth his God to thinke upon him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Sam. 7 28. 1 Kin. 8. 66. is for good The Hebrew word properly signifieth goodnesse and is so translated in sundry places oft in the Psalmes and Prophets Some therefore here take it for a property in God and the cause or ground of his saith and hope and of all blessing as if he had thus expressed it Thinke on me for thy goodnesse sake This is in it selfe a good sence and answerable to this of David Remember thou me for thy goodnesse sake ô Lord. Ps 25. 7. But in my Text the particle of relation to God Thy is not exprest and the proposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expressed admits not that sence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In bonum Therefore the LXX Greeke Interpreters the ancient Latine and sundry other translate it as our English for good in like manner is this very word with this preposition turned Gen. 50. 20. unto good Thus it sets downe the end why he would have God to thinke on him namely some good benefit blessing to himselfe That this is here intended is further evident by that which followes according to all that I have done c. Looke upon your books and yee will finde this word according in another character which sheweth that it is not in the Originall as indeed it is not Some therefore joyne these two words In bonum omnium quae feci good all together thus for good of all that I have done This exposition might well stand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Distinguit mediam sententiam respondet colon but that there is an accent or pause annexed to the former word which distinguisheth sentences or at least the parts of a sentence Something therefore must be understood to make up the latter part of this sentence and surely our English hath hit upon the fittest supplement as the ancient Latin Secundum omnia and sundry other languages The particle according here supplied is oft on like occasions expressed Ps