Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
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A62904
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Christ's ministers must shortly put off their tabernacles set forth in a funeral sermon preach'd at Hungerford at the interring of Mr. Ric. Moor, late minister of the Gospel there / by Samuel Tomlyns ...
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Tomlyns, Samuel, 1632 or 3-1700.
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1694
(1694)
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Wing T1857A; ESTC R32812
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18,504
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42
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the Hand of Christ may be on your Hearts and Hands as the Hand of the Prophet Elisha was on the Hand of the King of Israel when he did draw the Bow to shoot 2 Kings 13.16 17. If Christs hands be not on our hands when we draw the Spiritual Bow we shall neither shoot far or hit right or wound deeply when we have affected and wounded the hearts of those that were secure let us display the banner of Christs Love to encourage drooping disponding and sinking Souls Let us bind up the broken hearted and comfort the Mourners Brethren our work is great and difficult it is no easy matter to level Mountains of Carnal Confidence Isa 40.4 and then to fill and lift up Valleys to chear relieve and encourage Doubting Dejected Despairing Souls the Lord must give us the Tongue of the Learned to speak a word in due season to him that is weary Isa 50.40 Let us plead Christs cause with all our might and let us attack and storm Satans Kingdom with our utmost strength O that we might wound and crush the head of the old Serpent and destroy his works and build a Temple and Habitation for God through the Spirit We may see Peter making this use of the Doctrine of Mortality and thus to improve the thoughts of his approaching death 2 Pet. 1.12 13. I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things Yea I think it meet as long as I am in this Tabernacle to stir you up by putting you in remembrance Though Death quenches Life yet the thoughts of it quickens Christs Ministers to their work though the putting off their Tabernacles doth stop their Motions and end their Labours yet the clear apprehension and daily consideration of this doth enliven and hasten their spiritual Motions and double their diligence in the work of Christ John 9.4 I must work the Works of him that sent me while it is day the night cometh when none can work 2. I would speak a word of Exhortation to you the Auditors that hear me this Day Peter would put those in remembrance to whom he did write O give me leave to put you in remembrance of some great and weighty truths that may affect your hearts and benefit your souls I must shortly put off my Tabernacle therefore I would earnestly address my self to you about the weighty concernments of your Souls and of Eternity 1. Let me mind you of your Reconciliation to God We are Ambassadors for Christ as tho God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ's stead to be reconciled to God 2 Cor 5.20 Will you not dread the Enmity and desire the Favour and Friendship of an Infinite Maiesty O let not the breach be kept open and the Enmity be kept up between God and your Souls Will you not fear an Immortal Adversary and an Eternal Anger will you not tremble when the storm of Vengeance hangs over your heads the Ax of God is laid to your Root his Arrows are levelled at your hearts God hath committed to us the Word of Reconciliation and we must press and urge your Reconciliation to God We are the Lord's Agents and Ambassadors Is not this a wonderful Condescention that the King of Glory will send Ambassadors to his Subjects that the God of Glory will send to his Creatures an infinite offended Majesty will send first to Rebels and Enemies Will you listen to our Message and be reconciled to God Consider God hath been at great cost and charge he hath made wonderful preparations to establish peace God's Anger could not be quenched nor our Pardon written out in the Blood of his Son Enmity could not be slain except Christ were crucified the controversie between God and us could not be buried but in the Grave of his Son a City of Refuge could not be built for us if the Temple of the Godhead were not pulled down to the ground God's Sword could not be sheathed or sleep towards us if it did not first awake smite and cut off his Son Zech. 13.7 The debt could not be remitted to us if not first exacted of Christ God hath delivered up his Son to the death Rom. 8.32 that he might deliver us from the wrath to come 1 Thes 1. last Hath God done so much and acted â—o far that he might lay aside his Righteous Enmity against us and that we will not yet be perswaded to lay aside our wicked Enmity against him 2. God hath no need of your Friendship neither doth he fear your Enmity 3. Your Enmity is most foolish Shall Stubble challenge consuming Fire or Potters Vessel dare to contend with a Rod of Iron 4 Your Enmity is causeless God is the habitation of Justice Jer. 50.47 but sin dwells in us Rom. 17. Our ways are perverse but God cannot take a wrong step draw a crooked line nor do an act of injustice his very strength loves Righteousness Psal 99.4 God is love 1 John 4.8 but your arn al mind is enmity against God Rom. 5.7 O will you not be ashamed will you not be humbled that you have such hard hearts such rebellious wills that though God is willing to be reconciled by the Death of his Son yet you are not willing to be reconciled to him by the death of your Sins 2. I would put you in remembrance of a Fountain that is opened Zech. 13.1 it is opened where we could never have thought of imagined or expected it did ever enter into the Heart of man that God should open a Fountain in the Pierced side in the wounded heart of his own Son that a Laver should be provided a Bath be made of the Blood of the Son of God O will you neglect will you despise the Fountain that God hath opened the Blood of Christ hath such an everlasting Virtue to purge Consciences to cleanse from sin and uncleanness that it may well be compared to a Fountain flowing and never dry Christ hath offered a Sacrifice of an Eternal virtue and brought an everlasting Righteousness O finners will you not be convinced of your great need of this Fountain is there not an unclean corrupt pernicious Fountain in you Jer. 6.7 As a Fountain casts out its water so Jerusalem casts out its Wickedness God doth not speak this of Babylon of Memphis of Damascus but of Jerusalem that professed to be the Servants and Worshippers of God Do not flatter thy self be not deceived though thou art a Christian by Name yet thou art a Child of Wrath by Nature thou hast a Fountain of iniquity that flows still to defile all that thou dost yea to pollute all the good Creatures of God that thou enjoyest A Fountain is flowing continually day and night it is venting its Waters so out of the evil Treasure of thy heart thou art still bringing forth evil things Mat. 12.35 Out of the heart proceeds evil thoughts Murthers Adulteries and many more evils Mat. 25.19 and shall the guilt of
over your Neighbours to have on Eye towards to instruct exhort warn reprove as opportunity is offered or Necessity requires The work that God calls you to is great you must prune weed water improve your Vineyard The work is Noble and Honourable to render your own Souls and the Souls of others fruitful Vineyards to God to yeild such Wine as he delights in as will cheer the heart of Christ and of Saints The work is profitable you will record in Heaven what you do on Earth for his glory by your diligence and faithfulness Fruit will be brought forth that will abound to your account in the great day of the Lord Phil. 4.17 Suffer not therefore your Vineyards to be over-run with Nettles Briars or Thorns or to lie open and unfenced 6. I would mind you of your Race Heb. 12.1 2. as there is Hope set before you Heb. 6.18 so there is a Race set before you Heb. 12.1 Keep your eye stedy on the Mark and bend your course directly towards it The Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I follow on I press forward in a strait line towards the mark 1 Cor. 9.26 I do not sometimes move one way sometimes another this would be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to run as if we were uncertain what course to steer what mark to aim at what Prize to run for He that is a double-minded man and pursues Two Objects doth run so obscurely sometimes inclining to one Object sometime following another as if he were uncertain which is the best Master which is the chief Good Again persons may be said to run as uncertain or not to run with any Evidence when they make no visible progress when they do not get ground and advance in the way everlasting Persons run 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 darkly when they do not manifest any proficiency in the Knowledge and Grace of Christ when they neither root deeply in him or manifestly grow up into him 2 Col. 6.7 Ephes 4.15 look to it that you not only hold out as Travellers but also that you may hast as Racers as you are to beware of wrong steps out of the way so also of slow steps in it the mark is perfect Holiness the prize is glorious Happiness there is an excellency in the Mark as well as in the Prize yea the very Mark here may be accounted a Prize we profit and advantage our selves when we have our fruit to Holiness Rom. 6.22 O! therefore forget what is behind and reach forth to what is before Phil. 3.13 14. let not any attainments in Grace slacken your pace cool your Zeal abate your diligence or fervency but be as earnest as if you had but just now started or were taking your first steps in the Spiritual Race this is properly to forget what is behind tho the Eternal Inheritance be properly a Legacy bequeathed in Christs Testament Heb. 9.15 yet the Lord to encourage and honour our diligence and to reward our obedience proposeth it as a Prize to be won by us Phil. 3.14 tho we live move and act by the strength and influence of Grace continually 8. Let me put you in remembrance of your Account we must all stand before the Judgment seat of Christ and every one of us must give an account of himself to God Rom. 14.10 12. the account is long and large there are innumerable thoughts words actions to be accounted for there are Registers and Records of all kept above Isa 65.6 behold it is written before me God would not have been a Lawgiver if he design'd also to be a Judg The Divine Records must be 〈◊〉 viewed the Books must be opened the Accounts of Sinners stated and the Sentence pass on them Rev. 20.12 2 Cor. 5.10 Our Lord will come and reckon with his Servants and summon Stewards to give an account of their Stewardships Luke 16.1 2. O! therefore let not your Lords Stock Talents or Pounds lye idle and dead in your hands as one Candle will tind or light a thousand Candles so let that knowledg you have received be improved to enlighten many others let the Love of Christ so burn in your Hearts so flame out in your words and Actions that all those may be heated that come near to you or Converse with you let your Loins be girt work strenuously and diligently let your Lamps be burning act wisely and skilfully Luke 12.35 yet when you have done all confess your selves to be unprofitable Servants that you have not merited that any reward or profit should redound to you from such sick Service from such defective and imperfect Obedience Lay all your Offerings on Christ as an Altar let all your sins be drowned and your Service washed in Christ's Blood how else can you account with God for Years Months or one Day the Lord Jesus will certainly return to take an account Luke 19.12 He is the Nobleman that is gone into a far Country 〈◊〉 receive a Kingdom and return and shortly your Spirits must return to God to give an account Eccl. 12.7 All you have done will follow overtake meet you in another world Think on prepart for your account set this Sentence on the Head of your account The Blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God cleanseth from all sin 1 John 1.7 then this passage may be put at the Foot of it There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 I have done with the Text of Scripture that I pitched on and I shall now proceed to speak something on that Text of Providence that the Lord hath chosen to be the Occasion of this mournful solemnity Two things I would propose to you on this Occasion 1. O consider of reflect upon and be duly affected with this sad sudden and unexpected stroke of Providence should not this make deep impressions on your hearts that a faithful and skillful Labourer is in the midst of his days discharged from his work when a great Door is open for Service and the Fields are white to the Harvest when the Necessities of Souls are so great and the Labourers are so few to attend them Pause and stay your thoughts on this sad dispensation a Star is taken down from the Orb and Firmament of the Church a Lamp of the Sanâ—â—uary is put out a Shepherd is removed from his Flock an Ambaâ—â—…dor of Peace is recalled by 〈◊〉 King of Glory It is true the hand of the Lord hath done 〈◊〉 but may not your sins have been the meritorious and procuring cause of it have not many of you heard the Word from him with drousie Ears cold Hearts unconcerned Spirits have you not made light of the Travel of Christ's soul of the purchase of his blood of the Legacies of his Testament have not your hearts been frozen within you tho with respect to the warm dispensation of the Gospel among you you have liv'd in the Torrid Zone of Love have not some of you drawn out the Fatal Web of your iniquity even under his Ministry and so provoked God to cut short the precious thread of his Life and have not the looseness of some and the barrenness and unthankfulness of others snatch'd your Pastor away out of the World silenc'd and laid him in the dust have not your Ears and Hearts been stopt from hearing the word and so you have provoked God to shut his mouth from Preaching it any more among you do not sooth or flatter your selves this is a loud speaking reproving rebuking Providence to you 2. O! cry earnestly and fervently to God to supply your wants and to fill up this breach plead with the great Shepherd to raise you up a Pastor according to his own heart to feed the flock of God among you with knowledg and understanding Jer. 3.15 it is a great work skilfully to feed the Flock of God rightly to divide the word of truth and to give every one his Portion terror to sinners comfort to saints instructions and exhortations to both pray to the Lord of the Harvest to provide you a Labourer Matt. 9. last so great are the discouragements to this sacred Function from an ungrateful World that the Lord of the Harvest must thrust forth Labourers Matt. 9. last And so great is the Carnality and averseness of People from the Feast of Jesus Christ that Ministers must compel guests to come in it is the Lord of the Harvest that must fit and furnish men to be Labourers it is he that must enrich them with Grace and fill them with the Spirit It is such Pastoâ—◠〈…〉 that become an Exalted Glorified 〈…〉 bestow on the Church Eph. 4.10 11. Christ 〈…〉 take them in his own Net as Fish and then fit them to be Fishermen he must first gather them into 〈◊〉 own Fold as Sheep and then render them meet to 〈◊〉 Shepherds he must first espouse them to himself 〈◊〉 then Enlighten their Minds and inflame their 〈◊〉 to Wooe others for himself he that hath not 〈◊〉 Embraced Christ's Offers and consented to match 〈◊〉 him will but coldly Prosecute Christs Suit to gain others to the Lord of Glory In the judgment of a learned man * Dr. Stilâ—â—â—â—leet in 〈◊〉 Irenicum Ministers Pastors and Teachers are called Saints Ephes 4.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he thus renders For the perfecting or fitting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry that is for the perâ—â—â—â—ing or fitting of Ministers that are or should be Saints for the work of the Ministry As the Priests Court 〈◊〉 in the Temple by some steps higher than the Peoâ—â—â—… Court so Christ's Ministers should be higher and 〈◊〉 above the People both in Knowledge and in 〈◊〉 Be earnest Solicitors to the Father of Merâ—â—… that he would not leave you desolate as sheep withâ—â—… shepherd as in some Games among the Grecians 〈◊〉 did run carrying a burning Lamp and then deliâ—â—â—'d it to another to run also with it so this Servant of the Lord how deceased did in his Life-time run aâ—â—â—â— you carrying the sacred Lamp of the Gospel O 〈◊〉 to God to raise up another to take his Lamp and 〈◊〉 it further before you to direct your hearts into the 〈◊〉 of God and to guide your Feet in the way of Peace FINIS