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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	bring_v	good_a	king_n	1,792	5	3.4864	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A54870	Excellent encouragements against afflictions, or, Expositions of four select Psalmes the XXVII, LXXXIV, LXXXV, and LXXXVII, containing [brace] 1. David's triumph over distresse, 2. Davids hearts desire, 3. The churches exercise under affliction, 4. The great charter of the church / by the learned and laborious, faithfull and prudent minister of God's word, Mr. Thomas Pierson ...	Pierson, Thomas, 1622-1691.	1647 (1647)	Wing P2216; ESTC R33408	298,930	421

drawing back is unto perdition Heb. 10.38 39. and such fearfull ones are set in the first rank of those that must be cast into the burning lake Rev. 21.8 The second Reason Secondly Gods children must do as much for Gods glory in a good cause as wicked men do to his dishonour in that which is evill now they encourage themselves in an evill matter Psal 64.5 and hearten one another to doe wickedly Is 41.6 7. They helped every one his neighbour and every one said to his brother be of good courage So the Carpenter encouraged the goldsmith c. about their idols Say thou therefore with Nehemiah should such a man as I flye Nehem. 6.11 Remember that the spirit of glory and of God is glorifyed when we shew courage in suffering for a good cause 1 Pet. 4.14 Yea and our weak bretheren are much heartened by our example as Philip. 1.14 Many of the bretheren in the Lord waxing confident by my bonds are much more bold to speak the word without fear whereto old Eleazer had great respect in his sufferings ●2 Maccab. 6.18 24 25. The third Reason Thirdly courage is needfull under afflictions in respect of the reward which not of our merit but of Gods bounty is no lesse then a Kingdome even the Kingdome of heaven and the crown of life See 2 Thess 1.4 5. Paul tells the Thessalonians that through faith and patience in suffering they shall be counted worthy the Kingdome of God and 2 Tim. 2.12 If we suffer we shall also raign with him Rev. 2.10 Be thou faithfull unto the end and I will give thee the crown of life Now what courage will men shew for earthly Kingdomes and what will they not endure to get them And much more should we do so for that Kingdom which is undefiled immortall and fadeth not a way reserved in heaven 1 Pet. 1.4 The fourth Reason Fourthly God is with them that suffer for well-doing and if they be couragious for his glory he will strengthen their hearts as it followeth in this verse Psal 91.15 I will be with him in trouble Herewith he encouraged Paul at Corinth Acts 18.9 10. and David herewith did notably encourage himself Psal 118.6 The Lord is on my side I will not fear See Rom. 8.31 If God be with us who can be against us Thus the Angell encouraged Gideon Judg. 6.12 Jeremie encourageth himself Jer. 20.11 God encourageth his people Is 35.4 and 41.10 This serves for instruction and admonition The use for instruction For instruction it shewes what manner of persons the professors of true religion ought to be for truth strength of grace namely not babes or children but men of stature and courage in Christ Jesus even perfect men Eph. 4.13 14. Children are so fearfull and not fit for warre but Christians must sight the Lords battells against spirituall enemies Eph. 6.12 and endure hardnesse as good souldiers 2 Tim. 2.3 Few do think on these things but the most content themselves with the shewes of godlinesse and want the powers thereof 2 Tim. 2.5 But wisedome is justified of her children Mat. 11.9 The Use for admonition For admonition according to this charge every one should give all diligence to get this spirituall courage into their hearts which will enable them to wait upon the Lord in times of distresse The way to get spirituall courage The way hereto is to make sure of two things first that the state of our persons towards God be good Secondly that our godly behaviour expresse the same That the state of our persons may be good before God three things are required repentance faith and sanctification Repentance is that grace of God whereby we considering our owne wayes in our hearts do humbly confesse our wicked wayes unto God and praying for mercy and pardon do forsake the sinnes wherein we have lived And this is needfull unto true courage because the guilt of every sin brings fearfulnesse as Gen. 3.8 10. Deut. 28.66 Thou shalt feare day and night Prov. 28.1 The wicked flye when none pursueth neither shall any man strengthen himself in the iniquity of his life Ezek. 7.13 Faith is that grace of Gods spirit whereby we rest and rely on Gods mercy in Christs merits for justification and salvation hereby we are justified and be at peace with God Rom. 5.1 and the righteous are bold as a Lyon Prov. 28.1 Hereby we are in Christ the son of God Gal. 2.20 and in him we shall be strong and couragious as Ephes 6.10 Phil. 4.3 Thirdly sanctification is the work of the spirit abolishing corruption and renewing grace more and more every day Now they that are in this estate have the spirit dwelling in them Rom. 8.11 which is the spirit of strength Is 11.2 the spirit of power and of a sound mind 2 Tim. 1.7 These graces bring quietnesse and confidence which are the strength of the godly Is 30.19 The godly behaviour needfull to true spirituall courage is threefold First to make sure our trouble be for a good cause for if we suffer for righteousnesse sake we need not be affraid for any terrour 1 Pet. 3.14 Let none of you suffer as an evill doer but if any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed 1 Pet. 4 15 16. So the Jewes strengthened their hands for the good work Nehem. 2.18 Secondly we must store our hearts with the word of God both for direction in carriage and consolation in distresse So did David Psal 119.11 hide Gods sayings in his heart and hereby kept himself from the paths of the destroyer Psal 17.4 This is my comfort in mine affliction for thy word hath quiekened me Psal 119.50 And in particular know God is present with us Deut. 31.6 1 Chron. 28.20 2 Chron. 32.7 8. Hag. 2.4 Thirdly beside all the former we must ever joyn humble and earnest prayer for strength and courage from God as Nehem. 6 9. They made us affraid Now therefore O God strengthen my hand Acts 4.29 Now Lord behold their threatnings and grant unto thy servants that with all boldnesse they may speak thy word And he shall strengthen thine heart The reason whereby he Prophet doth encourage himself and his godly bretheren to the former duties of waiting upon God and being of good courage in the time of affliction drawn from the great benefit they shall reap hereby namely God will strengthen their hearts he will put strength and courage into them and make them resolute or stedfastly minded as this phrase is translated Ruth 1.18 and able to hold out untill they have a blessed issue The third observation Mark then They that wait on the Lord and encourage themselves so to do in the times of affliction shall have the Lord in mercy to put strength into them for their better enabling to wait on him Psal 31.24 Be of good courage and he shall strengthen your heart all yee that hope in the Lord. This David

repentance for our sinnes and our saith in Christ Jesus so did the Jewes and found help for deliverance Judg. 10.10 15 16. So did Jehosaphat and was preserved 2 Chron. 20.3 c. This renewing of repentance and faith is for a Christian with ●od as the sounding an alarme on the silver trumpets was for the old Israelites when they went out to warre it causeth remembrance before the Lord that we may be saved from our enemies Numb 11.9 Lastly we must make conscience of new obedience and do that which the Lord commandeth then will he be an enemy to our enemies and an adversary to our adversaries Exod. 23.22 If herein we approve our selves the children of Abraham we shall receive from God the blessing of Abraham God will blesse them that blesse us and curse them that curse us Gen. 12.3 For false witnesses are risen up against me and such as breath out cruelty The reason of Davids former request that he might not be delivered to the will of his enemies drawn from their unconscionable behaviour and deadly hatred towards him Their unconscionable behaviour they rose up against him in false witnesse bearing their deadly hatred in breathing out cruelty or violence Both which may be referred to the same persons for a man that beareth false witnesse against his neighbour is as a mawle and a sword and a sharp arrow Prov. 25 1● all which are evidences of great violence Yet because these two sentences are in the originall in divers numbers for the latter is expressed in the singular number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that breatheth out cruelty therefore I take it in the latter he pointeth out Saul himself and in the former such as did falsly accuse him unto Saul For David elsewhere pointeth out Saul by the terme and phrase of a violent man Psalm 18.48 Thou hast preserved me from the violent man and Psal 140.4 Preserve me from the violent man Here then wee have to consider two grievous evills that befell David from his enemies the first from Sauls flattering followers the second from Saul himself The third Observation For the first false witnesses did rise up against David such as without all conscience accused him of evills whereof he was not guilty See Psal 35.11 False witnesses did rise up against me they layd to my charge things that I knew not Psal 56.5 Every day they wrest my words Ps 57.4 My soule is among lions I lye among them that are set on fire even the sonnes of men whose teeth are spears and their tongue a sharp sword Psalm 59.7 Behold they belch out with their mouth swords are in their lips Ps 64.3 They whet their tongue like a sword and bend their bowes to shoot their arrowes even bitter words Such a one was Cush the Benjamite of whom he complains to God Psal 7. see the title and such was Doeg the Edomite Psalm 52. the title The first Reason The reason hereof is two-fold First Gods divine providence disposing that under this affliction of sustaining false accusations David should be a type of Christ who was thus wronged Mat. 26.59 60. The second Reason Secondly this proceeded from the dominion of corruption in Davids enemies themselves who wanting the feare of God as Psal 54.3 and hating David without a cause Psal 59.3 4. even becavse he followed goodnesse Psalm 38.20 and knowing Saul desired to hear evill of David as 1 Sam. 22.7 8. that he might have some colour at least to put him to death to which purpose false witnesses served fitly as 1 Kings 21.10 therefore to please Saul and to procure Davids hurt did they thus beare false witnesse against him This serves for instruction admonition and comfort The use for instruction For instruction see in Davids enemies into what fearfull evills and horrible sinnes the corruption of nature will bring naturall men whom God doth leave to themselves even to bear false witnesse against their neighbour which is a most heinous and horrible sinne even against the light of nature which teacheth that men should not do to others what they would not have done unto themselves and the very heathen have most severely punished this sinne And the Word of God accounts false witnesses to be the children of the devill for who is meant by Belial 2 Cor. 6.15 but the devill So the Syriac renders the word by Satan Now false witnesse bearers are the children of Belial 1 Kings 20.10 Prov. 6.12 and 16.17 and 19.28 they do the lusts of the devill John 8.44 in a most horrible thing even putting upon God the person of the devill to be the patrone of a lye The Use for admonition For admonition to wicked men that dare be bold upon such ungodly practises consider the heinousnesse of this sinne as proper to the wicked and the dreadfull judgements it must needs bring upon them being so dishonourable to God and abhominable in his sight See Prov. 6.16 19. Psal 52.4 5. Thou lovest all devouring words O thou deceitfull tongue God shall likewise destroy thee for ever and root thee out of the land of the living The Use for comfort For comfort to the godly that are thus wronged it hath befallen better then thy self Christ Jesus David Stephen c. See Luke 23.31 and let the godly consider that the devill is the false accuser of the bretheren Rev. 12.10 if they can find that they have repented truly and doe rest upon Christ for pardon and walk in new obedience they may rest assured of mercy upon Gods promise Prov. 28.13 1 John 1.9 and so prove the devill a false accuser in their consciences as he was to Job chap. 13.16 For when God hath pardoned sinne he doth not behold it Numb 23.21 his sinne is covered Psalm 32.1 The second branch of the reason why David desires to be kept out of the hands of his enemies is because of their deadly hatred towards him The fourth Observation Saul Davids arch-enemy breathed out violence against him 1 Sam. 21.31 send and fetch him unto me for he shall surely dye therefore doth David so often stile him by the name of the violent man Psal 140.1 4. and means him and his followers when he saith mine enemies hate me with hatred of violence Psal 25.19 In heart you work wickednesse you weigh the violence of your hands in the earth Psal 85.2 Magistrates should dispense justice and mercy Psal 101.1 but Sanl and his counsell became the tradesmen of violence violence covered them as a garment Psal 73.6 The 1. reason The reason hereof in Saul was twofol First envy at Davids honour for when the women sang to his renown Saul hath slain his thousand and David his ten thousand Saul was very wrath and the saying displeased him and he eyed David from that day forward and shortly after cast a javelin at him to kill him 1 Sam. 18.7 9 10 11. plainly verifying that of Solomon wrath is cruell and

Lord bee thou my helper The first Reason The reason hereof is twofold First their partaking of Gods mercy was necessary for the removall of the cause of their misery which ordinarily is sinne that brings death and all evils that before-runners thereof Rom. 5.12 Now there is no way to have sinne removed but through Gods mercy in Christ as David shews Psal 51.1 2 14. The second Reason Secondly mercie and kindnesse in God is properly the moving cause of his saving us both temporally in this world and eternally in the world to come for preservation which is temporall salvation see Psal 6.4 David being sick and weak prayes thus O save me for thy mercies sake and so when he was in danger of his life by enemies he makes the same prayer O save me for thy mercies sake Psal 31.16 Psal 44.3 Their own arm did not save them but thy right hand and thine arm and the light of thy countenance because thou hadst a favour unto them This the people say of Gods dealing with their fore-fathers bringing them out of Egypt into Canaan and thereupon being in misery they flye to the same ground of help verse 26. Arise for our help redeem us for thy mercies sake so David as a type of Christ in his passion prayes Help me O Lord my God O save me according to thy mercie And for salvation eternall it is wholly founded on Gods mercy in Christ Tit. 3.5 Not by workes of righteousnesse which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us c. Psal 141.4 Lord bee mercifull unto me heal my soul for I have sinned against thee This serves for instruction for admonition and for comfort The first Use for instruction For instruction two wayes First they that have no good title to Gods mercy can have no good assurance of Gods salvation either temporall or eternall A point very considerable of wicked men that hate instruction as Psal 50.17 and encourage themselves in a wicked course as Deut. 29.19 20. blessing themselves in their hearts saying we shall have pence c. such the Lord will not spare see Prov. 1.25 26. Hereupon Psal 119.155 salvation is farre from the wicked It is true wicked men flatter themselves in their own eyes with this O God is mercifull But who so is wise will consider whose word shall stand Gods or theirs as Jer. 44.28 The second Use for instruction Secondly see here the true Church seeking Gods salvation pleads mercy not merit and so did Paul professe and teach 1 Cor. 4.4 Phil. 3.9 Tit. 3.5 So Psal 115.1 Isa 64.6 The first Use for admonition For admonition two wayes First to all that look for Gods salvation temporall or eternall to make sure they stand rightly entitled to Gods favour and mercy for salvation followes mercy Now Gods mercy is onely had in and thorough faith in Christ Jesus whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his bloud c. Rom. 3.25 The second Use for admonition Secondly in the use of lawfull meanes for preservation to renew our title to Gods mercy The want hereof hinders many times the fruition of Gods blessing as in Asa 2 Chron. 16.12 In his disease he sought not to the Lord but to the Physitians and so died But the practise of it by Hezekiah procured the reversing of the sentence of death Isaiah 38.2 c. The Use for comfort For comfort to those that are truly entitled to mercy and yet lye under affliction they may assure themselves of a better deliverance as Heb. 11.35 Gods mercy shall be magnified in them whether by life or death Phil. 1.20 If deliverance be good they shall have it if they want deliverance their affliction shall be sanctified unto them The fourth Observation The second thing to be noted in this last petition is what kind of salvation or deliverance the people of God do desire when they are in misery namely that which comes from God Gods people in misery desire the deliverance which is of Gods sending Psal 60.11 Give us help from trouble for vain is the help of man Psal 20.7 Some trust in charets and some in horses but we will remember the name of the Lord our God verse 9. Save Lord Psal 106.47 Save us O Lord our God The first Reason First they know that salvation belongs unto him Psalm 3.8 He is the God of salvation Psal 68.20 with him is plenteous redemption Psal 130.7 The second Reason Secondly they know that without him the strongest helps do faile as Job 9.13 If God will not withdraw his anger the proud helpers do stoop under him and Isaiah 30.1 c. Woe to the rebellious children c. They were all ashamed of a people that could not profit them nor be an help c. The third Reason Thirdly they know that deliverance is easie unto him when distresse and danger is most grievous Jer. 32.27 there is nothing too hard for him He can save with many or with few 1 Sam. 14.6 with weak meanes Judges 7.20 without means Isaiah 63.5 by his bare command Psal 44.4 as Mat. 8.3 I will be thou clean Yea by destroying meanes as Israel thorough the red sea Exod. 14.26 c. and the three servants of God in the fire Dan. 3.25 27. The fourth Reason Fourthly they know that God stands bound by promise in the covenant which he makes with his people to deliver them out of misery and distresse when they humble themselves and pray See Psal 50.5 15. 2 Chron. 7.14 This serves to discover their impiety which use unlawfull means to help themselves from under miseries and afflictions as the help and direction of witches and wizards like to Saul 1 Sam. 28.7 and to Ahaziah 2 Kings 1 2 3. forbidden Lev. 20.6 Isaiah 8.19 Also theft oppression bribery perjury lying c. This is not the practise of Gods people help and deliverance by such means as these is not of God but of the devill and such persons should think of Christs speech to the Jewes John 8.44 You are of your father the devill for the lusts of your father you will do The Use for admonition Secondly to admonish us in all miseries to imitate Gods people in seeking only that help and deliverance which comes from God Consider herein the practise of the godly that would not receive deliverance by unlawfull means Heb. 11.35 alluding to 2 Machab. 6.23 30. Verse 8. I will heare what God the Lord will speak for he will speak peace to his people and to his Saints but let them not turn again to folly The meaning of the words IN this verse and those which follow to the end of the Psalme is contained the third and last part thereof shewing the Churches godly behaviour after she had made her complaint and prayer in promising to wait upon God for a gracious answer whereof she layes down sufficient

the foundation of these evils for affliction followes sinners as Jer. 9.12 c. Who is the wise man that may understand this and who is he to whom the mouth of the Lord hath spoken that he may declare it for what the land perisheth and is burnt up like a wildernesse that none passeth through And the Lord said Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them and have not obeyed my voyce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peccatum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 danum neither walked therein c. Sinne brings in death it selfe and all evils that forerunne or accompany the same By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Rom. 5.12 Yet Gods dear and fatherly love to his Church comes in as a moving cause of the Churches afflictions that thereby he may bring them to repentance and to escape condemnation see Rev. 3.19 As many as I love I rebuke and chaster whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every sonne whom he receiveth Heb. 12.16 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep When we are judged we are chastened of the Lord that wee should not be condemned with the world 1 Cor. 11.30,32 Herein it is with our heavenly Father as Solomon saith of earthly parents Prov. 13.24 He that spareth his rod hateth his son but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes Hence David pronounceth them blessed whom the Lord correcteth Psal 94.12 and acknowledgeth it was good for him and that God did it of very faithfulnesse Psal 119.67.71 75. Before I was afflicted I went astray but now have I kept thy word c. This we are to note to prevent rash judgement against our selves and others under the crosse whereto how apt we are against our selves see Is 49.14 Zion said The Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten mee against others If. 53.3.12 He is despised and rejected of men a man of sorrowes and acquainted with griefe and we hid as it were our faces from him he was despised and wee esteemed him not Hee was numbred with the transgressours The first use for admonition For admonition two wayes First to give all diligence to become true members of the Church that so wee may have part in Gods speciall love wherein stands true happinesse And hereto two things are required first that we know the true Church and secondly that we be not only in it but of it For the first where the true Church of God is what people professing religion be Gods true Church is a great question of large extent and much disputed between Protestants and Papists For our direction and resolution briefly let us learn this That the true Church is Christs mysticall body Eph. 1.22 23. Gave him that is Christ to be the head over all things to the Church which is his body That spirituall building which consist of spirituall living stones built upon the foundation Iesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 6 7. Mat. 16.18 1 Cor. 3.9 That is such professours of the the faith of the Gospell as by the work of the spirit are indued with true faith and adorn their profession with new obedience Now then those that professe Religion and have communion and fellowship with Christ through the work of the spirit in grace undoubtedly are true members of Christs Church But those that be evidenced to want fellowship with Christ through faith are no Church of God nor true members thereof Now they of the Church of Rome are cut off from this fellowship by their ido atry Col. 2.18 19. Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of Angels intruding into those things which he hath not seen vainly puft up by his fleshly mind and not holding the head c. By their opinion of justification by works Christ is become of none effect unto you whosoever of you are justified by the Law ye are fallen from grace Gal. 5.4 By making the Pope the head of the Church for he is Antichrist and those that so hold are Antichristian the true Church hath not two heads The way to become true members of Christs Church for sure title to Gods speciall love is humbly and reverently to receive the word of the covenant and conscionably to yeeld obedience thereunto as Deut. 33.3 Mark 16.26 The right receiving is by faith 1 Pet. 2.7 And the truth thereof must be testified by obedience For true faith worketh by love Gal. 5 6. And this is the love of God that wet keep his Commandements 1 Iohn 5.3 The second use for admonition Secondly the wicked of the world must hereby be admonished to beware of wronging Gods children for God that loves them above others will require and requite it Psal 10.14 as Psalm 105.14 15. He suffered no man to do them wrong yea he reproved Kings for their sakes saying Touch not mine annointed and do my Prophets no harme He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye Zech. 2.8 Therefore it will be good to regard and follow the counsell of Gamaliel Acts 5.38 Refrain from these men and let them alone lest we be found fighters against God and it be said to us as it was unto Paul Acts 9.4 5. Saul Saul why persecutest thou me c. For consolation it makes greatly to every true member of Gods Church in any distresse for certainly they have a speciall part and portion in Gods love from which no afflictions can separate them see Rom. 8.35,37,38,39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distresse or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword Nay in all these things we are more then conquerours through him that loved us c. Having loved his owne which were in the world hee loved them unto the end John 13.1 Therefore even in affliction they may say Rejoyce not against me O mine enemie when I fall I shall arise when I sit in darknesse the Lord shall be a light unto me Micah 7.8 Verse3 Glorious things are spoken of thee thou City of God The meaning of the words A Third thing setting out the happinesse of the Church that though her present outward state be not alwayes comfortable and glorious yet even then her future hopes upon divine prophecies and promises are great and excellent In the words note two things First the description of the place Secondly the declaration of her happinesse in the ground of her hopes For the first the place here spoken of is Jerusalem thus described thou City of God so called because of Gods sanctuary here seated on Mount Sion which place God chose and desired for his habitation saying This is my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have desired it Psal 132.13 14. Whereupon in the new Testament it is called the City of the great King Mat. 5.35 Now the earthly Jerusalem