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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	day_n	great_a	time_n	4,794	5	3.3956	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A79461	The watch charged. Or, a warning to God's watch-men. Being a sermon preached at Bridge-water in the county of Somerset on the 29. day of September 1658. which was a day set apart for ordination, and the generall meeting of the associated ministers in that county. / By John Chetwind, Mr. of Arts, preacher of the gospel, and one of the joynt-pastors for the city and parish of Cuthberts in Wells.	Chetwynd, John, 1623-1692.	1659 (1659)	Wing C3798; Thomason E1862_1; ESTC R210179	30,162	96

a good man Thou art the man Iohn Baptist must tell Herod Matth. 14. though a bloudy tyrant Non licet tibi the greatest must hear the smallest must be lookt to Psal 119.46 Feed my lambs Onesimus though a run-away servant yet must have pains taken with him 5. Diligence Watchfulnesse care sollicitousnesse Thus Iacob when he kept Laban's sheep sleep departed from his eyes How much greater care lieth then on spirituall watch-men and shepherds who of all men must not be slothfull in businesse but fervent in spirit having earnest care for the churches wellfare 2 Cor. 7.12 cap. 8.16 1 Tim. 3.5 2 Phil. 20. Watch-men then and ministers must be diligent sollicitous and carefull and that on these three grounds 1. Their work is difficult 2. Their adversaries are watchfull 3. Their own charge are carelesse 1. Their work is weighty and difficult now hard work will not be done with lazy endeavours great work calls for great industry the weighty work of winning souls will never be discharged with lazy hands and carelesse hearts thence those counsels Be instant in season out of season stir up the gift c. 2 Tim. 4.2 2 Tim. 1.6 Paul's practice in labours more abundant 2 Cor. 11.23 2. The adversaries are watchfull 1. The adversaries of truth ly in wait to deceive Seducers compasse sea and land to gain proselytes It was while the servants slept that the enemy sowed tares 2. The adversaries of holinesse the world flesh the Devil they are watchfull Satan hath wiles devices methods in which he useth diligence and industry your adversary the Devil goeth about c. 1 Pet. 5.8 3. Their charges are carelesse The generality dead in trespasses and sins not minding nor fearing nor being sensible of their danger and therefore ministers have more need to be sollicitous Epaminondas a Theban Duke when his citizens gave themselves on certain festivall daies more licentiously to their pleasure he alone sober and serious Arma lustrabat maenia perlustrabat lookt carefully to the wals and being asked why he did so Answered therefore because the citizens were lesse sober was he the more carefull Now have not ministers great cause to do so for their charge Thus Iob did for his children Iob 1.5 while they feasted he rose early and sacrificed Well then the ministers work is great the adversaries many and their own charge carelesse it much concerns them then to be diligent carefull sollicitous and industrious in their places that as from Iacob's tending Laban's flock the sleep may go from their eyes while they with Paul watch and warn every one night and day with tears Acts 20.26.31 that they may take their hearers to record that they are pure from the bloud of all men having not shunned to declare unto them all the counsell of God And thus Reverend Fathers and Brethren though you know these things and are establisht in them yet according to my duty I have made bold to put you in remembrance of them that thereby I may as St. Peter speaks 2 Pet. 1.12,13 stir up your pure minds And though I question not but your own consciences will apply and improve the doctrinall truths you have heard yet least I should be wanting to my duty and your expectation I shall endeavour as the time will bear particularly to presse them home You have heard that ministers are watch-men and as watch-men must be thus qualified viZ. with courage understanding prudence faithfulness and diligence Suffer then the word of exhortation and in the stations that God hath set you remember that you are his watch-man and therefore resolve with the prophet Heb. 2.1 To stand upon your watch set you upon the tower and watch to see what he will say unto you and what you shall answer And in your so doing that I may presse home particulars in the doctrine mentioned 1. Be couragious Fear not their faces nor be dismayed I have shewn you in the doctrinall part of my discourse why I shall now lay before you some considerations that may support strengthen and encourage you and all I shall say I shall reduce to these three heads 1. You have Gods commission 2. You have Gods assistance 3. You are sure of good successe 1. You have Gods commission Son of man I have made thee a watch-man And shall we not be bold when we have this warrant for what we do Do we not see mean men Heralds Trumpetters carry themselves boldly on Princes and Generals commissions And shall not Gods commissions make us couragious what though we be as sheep among wolves yet he sends us True it is Brethren were we without commission we might very well be without confidence If we could not answer who made thee a watch-man as it was supposed Moses could not Act. 7.27 Who made thee a Ruler and a Iudge over us we might very well fly and fear as he did But if we can evidence our commission to our own consciences we may with boldnesse manage that which God hath trusted us with It is not my purpose neither will the time bear it to handle the doctrine of Gods commissionating watch-men That by a Reverend Brother in the hearing of most of you and on the like occasion was performed whose Sermon is now made publick Mr. Norman of Bridgewater at Somerton Iune 9. 1658. I shall only at present mind you what Luther formerly we may now observe four sorts of spirituall watch-men 1. Only from God and not man 1. Prophets 2. Apostles 2. Only by man and not God unlearned unworthy 3. Neither by God nor man false prophets Enthusiasts wolves in sheeps clothing 4. Both by God fitted and man ordained as the Elders of Ephesus and others in the primitive and now the ministers in the reformed Protestant churches Acts 20.28 Acts 14.23 Now then when we speak in Gods name in his stead by his commission as his Embassadours shall we not speak boldly 2 Cor. 5.20 Isa 58.1 Yea cry aloud and not spare 2. You have Gods presence and assistance Loe I am with you to the end of the world Now if an Herald in the absence of his Prince Mat. 28.20 being thereto authorized will proclaim war against defy another Prince even in the head of his forces How much greater reason have Gods Heralds to deal undauntedly since they have him with them When God sent Moses Exod. 3.11,12 and he drew back God tells him I am with thee and this indeed may suffice us against the multitudes of enemies and likelihood of oppositions As when Antigonus's Admirall told him that the number of his adversaries far exceeded his own forces he answered True but how many do you set me against So when our faithlesse hearts discourage us prompt us that our oppositions are greater then our strength Let us then consider how many do we set God against and if he be with us as he is with his

2 Cor. 5.11 as knowing the terrour of the Lord. Hence God stirs up the prophet in this context to warn c. for if he did not their bloud should be required at his hands Ezek. 1. O Beloved the bloud of souls will lye heavy one day upon the account of carelesse watch-men If Abel's bloud lay so heavy on Cain's heart Gen. 4. that his countenance fell O how will wretched carelesse ministers look God in the face when he shall ask them where is thy Brother wher 's such and such that I have committed to thy charge Heb. 13.17 and for whom thou must account O Deal not then with your charge with your flock as the Ostrich with her eggs leave them and forget that Iob 39.14,15,16 the foot may crush them that the wild beast may break them she is hardened against her young ones as though they were not hers Consider what God threatneth against such idol shepherds that leave the flock wo be unto him Zech. 11,17 the sword shall be upon his arm and upon his right eye his arm shall be clean dried up and his right eye shall be utterly darkned Since God speaks to every minister what that man of the sons of the prophets told Ahab was spoken unto him 1 Kin. 20.39 Keep that man if by any means he be missing then shall thy life goe for his life O how many may say to many ministers concerning their perisht relations as Martha did to Christ O Sir if you had been here if you had been faithfull and carefull and painfull in your charge my Brother sister friend had not died Consider then I pray you that dreadfull curse on him that doth the work of the Lord negligently Ier. 4.8.10 what 's due to him then that doth it not at all consider the threatning in this text His bloud will I require 'T is dangerous for watch men to be out of their stations it 's dangerous for such to sleep Consider how it fared with that sentinell his Generall found sleeping he thrust him through and left him with this sarcasme Mortuum inveni mortuum reliqui 2. From Hope Thus the Apostle Paul from arguments drawn hence encourageth himself from the 13. verse of the fourth chapter of the 2 Cor. to the 10. of the 5. chapter Now Gods watch-men bave a double hope 1. Of successe 2. Of reward 1. Of successe because God is with them in their work The woman of Tekoah 2 Sam. 14. was subtile and powerfull to perswade and prevail because the hand of Ioab was with her So are Gods ministers powerfull to perswade to throw down strong holds to hit the heart to convince the conscience because the hand of God is with them 1 Cor. 14.24 so that those who are convinced shall confesse that God is with them of a truth Cambyses being charged with drunkennesse by Prexaspes a noble Counsellour commanded this Counsellours son to be set before him as a mark and calling for his bow and arrow shot the lad through and opening of him found the arrow in his heart asking his father what he thought the sorrowfull father answered the Gods cannot shoot better And thus indeed Peter's hearers found Acts 2. who having in the beginning charged the Apostles with drunkennesse but at length were hit so right that they found themselves pricked at the heart and had good cause to say none could shoot better And so it is still however carnall and secure sinners mistake misjudge yet those that are indeed wrought upon will acknowledge that God was in his word 1 Cor. 14.25 and with his messengers of a truth Though ministers many times draw their bows at adventure as that man that killed Ahab 1 Kin. 22.34 yet God directs their arrows Psal 45.5 yea many times into the heart of Christs enemies 2. Of reward Isa 49.5 Though Israel be not gathered yet shall I be glorious Dan. 12.3 Mat. 24.46 They that turn many unto righteousnesse shall shine as the stars for ever They that be faithfull servants shall be blessed when their master comes and finds them so doing Consider 1. God hath honoured ministers in imploying them in his choicest service as his Embassadours and in some sort to represent him It was an excellent speech of Luther's that may encourage all ministers in the discharge of their duties Summa summatum haecest inaestimabilis gloria conscientiae nostrae contra omnem contemptum in mundo quod Christus nos praedicatores quasi deos plane creat dicendo qui vos recipit me patremque meum recipit Mat. 10.40,41 2. God hath engaged for their protection while they doe his work Christ holds Rev. 1.16 the stars in his right hand dogs may bark at them but ther 's no reaching of them Satan and his instruments cannot harm them without Christs commission we know that the devil could not enter the Gadarenes swine till Christ suffered them much lesse harm Christs ministers 3. God owns their quarrels revenge all their wrongs Psal 105.15 Touch not mine anointed do my prophets no harm They that do shall be sure to smart for it Mat. 25. Inasmuch as you have done it against these little ones you have done it saith Christ against me David sent Embassadours to Hanun and he abuseth them cuts their garments shaves their beards but you know how severely David revenged that indignity that was done to them he brought forth the people and 2 Sam. 12.31 put them under saws and under harrows of iron and under axes of iron and made them passe through the brick kills God now sends his Embassadours unto sinners to speak kindly to them and to proffer terms of peace but how many are there every where that cut their garments shave their beards rob them of their rights and wrong them in their names but what will be the issue such may read it 2 Chron. 36.15,16,17 2 Cro. 36.16 They mocked his messengers and despised his word and misused his prophets untill the wrath of the Lord arose against them till there was no remedy nor healing 4. God will be their pay-master Their reward is with him and unto him they are a sweet savour he will not be unmindfull of any labour of such love What though we have none or inconsiderable reward from men yet let us know that both our work is it self a reward and we are sure of a good reward if not here which yet usually God affords he being a good master that delights in the prosperity of his servants yet assuredly hereafter when we shall shine as the stars in the firmament for ever 2 Cor. 4.17 Our light afflicting labour for the present working out for us a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glorie Well then Reverend Fathers and Brethren let hope draw us let fear drive us but especially let love as the soul act within us 3. From love Let the