Selected quad for the lemma: christian_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
christian_n	call_v	church_n	society_n	1,435	5	9.0715	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A43579	Israel's lamentation after the Lord, or, A discourse, wherein every well-wisher to Zion is excited, and directed how to lament after the Lord with prayers and tears, to maintain the ordinances of God, or God's presence with his ordinances amongst us being some meditations upon 1 Sam. 7.2.	Heywood, Oliver, 1629-1702.	1683 (1683)	Wing H1768; ESTC R22352	67,400	163

converted they will draw others to God in his Worship and give a lively example of it in practice Obj. But this practice is uncouth this path is untrodden few it use in the place where we live we shall be laughed to scorn for our labour It 's Answered ver 22. Yea many People and strong Nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem and to pray before him God will greatly multiply Converts and so take off the scandal of paucity of Worshipers it 's not a few giddy headed factious Spirits but it's Nations many and strong Nations rich and potent Gentile Converts flock like Doves to the windows not by compact and frand but by peculiar operations of the Spirit in the Ministry of the Word People of Divers languages at great distance The same Spirit acts in all Gospel-worshippers to flock to God in Ordinances Yea warlike Nations and Islands afar off unapproachable or invincible by men shall be conquered by the Gospel as 't is said of Britain Romanis inacessa Christo vero Subdita though the Romans could scarce come to it yet our Lord Subdued it You need not fear want of Good company Yea your zeal may provoke others One forward Christian in a place shall have companions in Gods work in due time And how dost thou know but thou wilt find some spark of goodness in some of thy neighbours that thy invitation may blow up and draw forth Try them by a gentle call thou mayst find more of God in them than ever thou wast aware of possibly bashfulness sense of weakness want of acquaintance with Christians Want of a call and opportunity have kept Some lights under a Bushel which if called out of their retirements and alittle snuffed might shine bright in the Church Obj. But alas I am a person of weak gifts cannot lament after the Lord in any societies can be of no use but a burden Ans Thou needest help so much the more Hence the Text saith ver 23. That ten men shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew Like little Children that are not able to go of themselves afraid to fall will get hold of the hem of their Fathers garment to hold them up from falling and strengthen them to walk more securely or to direct him in a way that he hath not known Sincere proselites will look after communion of Saints The Apostle mentions fellowship in the Gospel from the first day Phil. 1.5 And there 's great advantage by it for Solomon saith Two are better then one Eccl. 4.9 10 11. Which he Illustrates there in several cases which I must not inlarge upon But 't is certain you may find great help in communion of Saints But how shall I know they are Saints or fit to joyn with I may be deceived and misled into by-ways of errour Ans We have heard that God is with you with his Apostles by strange signs gifts miracles holiness in conversation What appearances of God for you by you in you You may safely joyn in with such as God thinks fit to own and communicate himself to I am convinced from the bright beams of Gospel-light and from the powerful influences and convictions of the Spirit that this is indeed the way of God I am therefore resolved to inquire after God in it and joyn with them that travel in it heavenwards Thus much for the second head who are the Persons concerned in this work 3. Another Head is the helps and furtherances in this lamenting after the Lord. What course shall we take both to perform this duty aright and to obtain what we lament after viz. either the God of Ordinances or the Ordinances of God Here I might repeat what was mentioned in the Explication by way of Instruction As 1. They were inclined after the Lord. It were well if poor Sinners would but stop their vain career stand still pause upon it bethink themselves have a tendency God-wards this is the first step to Repentance See Jer. 8.6 2. Settled after the Lord. Oh that men were well resolved upon good grounds that their hearts were well fixed inflamed designed for God! as our Saviour that stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem or as Paul Acts 21.13 3. Congregated gathered united together to go hand in hand after the Lord Zeph. 2.1 Gather your selves together yea gather together O Nation not desired Gather your selves by mutual accommodation and sincere repentance to get under the wing of God as Chickens under the Hen or as the allusion in that Text is that ye be not as Chaff that is dissipated by the wind v. 2. for there 's an affinity in the words sincere Repentance unites to God and his People 4. Groaned complained bemoaned themselves after the Lord as Israel Jer. 31.18 I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself Oh that I should by my sin forfeit God's presence and for sin lose it how miserable am I in this so sad and astonishing loss 5. They cryed called after the Lord by earnest supplication expostulation and it becomes a Child to follow his Mother with bitter out-crys to fetch her back Jer. 31.9 They shall come with weeping and with supplications will I lead them Marg. with favours so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 misertus gratificatus doluit That 's the best Prayer that flows from love and follows God with grief and tears from an earnest good will to God without outward constraint and slavish fear 6. They betook themselves to the Lord by Faith Repentance Reformation Oh what efficacy is in this course Judg. 10.13 God saith I will deliver you no more but bids them cry unto the gods whom they had chosen v. 14. For they had cryed to the Lord v. 10. and confessed sin yet God seems peremptory in denying aid then they reinforce their confession and supplication and withal added Reformation v. 6. They put away the strange gods from among them and served the Lord and see the blessed effect his Soul was grieved for the misery of Israel and he delivers them No way like this 7. They acquiesced in the Lord were fully contented and satisfied with the Lord both as to the object of worship and manner of worshipping And oh for such a frame as that Isa 26.13 O Lord our God other Lords besides thee have had dominion over us but by thee only will we make mention of thy Name i. e. by thy Precepts according to thy Institution will we worship thee our fear towards thee shall be no more taught by the Precepts of men we will worship thee only in thy own way and by thee i. e. in thy strength by the assistance of thy grace thou alone shalt be the Author and object of our love desire pleasure and delight Ashur shall not save us we will not ride upon Horses neither will we say any more to the work of our hands ye are our

by Means Be thou our Portion in this and another World or of all men we shall be most miserable our loss will be more dreadful our torments more intollerable as we read of one of our own degree in Sacred Writ that in this World was clothed in Purple and fine Linnen and fared sumptuously every day but in the other World was found in Hell and being in torments was denied one drop of Water to cool his Tongue Oh Lord suffer us not to riot and rant it here and be cast out from thy presence hereafter but let us lament after thee now that we may everlastingly enjoy thee 7. Let Christian Churches Congregations and Societies lament after the Lord. Our dearest Lord seems to depart from these Oh that once at last we could discern the sad Symptoms of his Removal This is the case in the Text 1 Sam. 7.5 Gather all Israel to Mizpeh v. 6. and they gathered together to Mizpeh and drew water and poured it out before the Lord and fasted on that day Why they met in Mizpeh whether because Samuel judged Israel there or it had an Altar or place of Prayer I shall not dispute Or what this drawing out Water was whether it was the Water of Trial or a Ceremony used at such Solemnities or Water of penitential tears which is most likely These tears running from their Eyes betokened and accompanied their affected and affectionate hearts running after the Lord one while mourning for the sins that banished him another laying to heart their loss of him and with a greedy eager heart breathing in prayers after him This was their practice Judg. 2.1 5. Where an Angel of the Lord doth 1. Reckon up God's kindnesses to them 2. Their duty to God 3. Their ill requital of God by disobedience 4. God's displeasure against them upon which the People lift up their voice and wept and so great was that weeping that the place received its title from it they called the name of that place Bochim i. e. Weepers they were baptized in their own tears Oh! cryed they one to another Brother Neighbour do not you hear these heavy Tydings God is angry the Almighty commenceth a Suit against us he hath sent a Summons to us drawn up an Indictment against us who is able to contend with him We are conscious to our selves that we are guilty deeply guilty we deserve to be forsaken of God for we have forsaken him Thus they lookt at one another with grieved hearts seeing others weep they fell a weeping and cryed bitterly with an harmonious out-cry Lord come come again leave us not into the hands of these cursed Canaanites who bear a mortal grudg against us a bitter and hasty Nation a People cruel and skilful to destroy Another Instance you have in Exod. 33.1 6. where God chides them seems to disown them as if they were not his People but Moses's tells them he will send an Angel but he will not go with them for they are a stiff-necked People The Text saith When the People heard these evil Tidings they mourned no man put on him his Ornaments Alas alas say they doth God take his leave will he depart and not go with us but substitute an Angel in his room What can an Angel do Can an Angel bear our manners forgive our sins and supply our wants No no all the Angels in Heaven cannot do that for us that we need An Angel of the Lord may do much in opposing and destroying our enemies defending us but we are conscious to our selves that we are a rebellious People have a stiff Neck that none can break or bow but God and though it 's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a sin-revenging Judge yet there 's some incouragement if we have in the midst of us a covenanted God yet yet we have hopes thou wilt be a tender-hearted Father Lord we follow thee naked quite stript of any Aid but thine our late guilt hath made us naked as to defence and we make our selves naked as to Ornaments and have no manner of excuse for our wicked act Whip us O Lord upon the bare but forsake us not We broke off our Ear-Rings to make a golden Calf now we put off the rest of our garments as not worthy of one ragg and forfeiting all our mercies However our fine Attire shall go we will strip our selves in an holy revenge that having put off our cloths we may follow the faster after thee with sighs and tears Oh that we could also put off our sins with our garments and so put on the Lord Jesus But this is that I urge that Christians in their Societies and Assemblies do unanimously socially joyn together to lament after the Lord. God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the Saints and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him Psal 89.7 Let Christians provoke one another to this love of God Let them bring spurs to quicken Yea let them shoar up one another by mutual Supports in this holy pursuit of God with prayers and tears as Iron sharpens Iron so let us sharpen one another taking each other by the hand Let us every one call his neighbour under the vine and under the Fig-tree As Philip found Nathaniel under the Fig-tree and tells him the joyful tidings of Messiah Let Persons in the same family get together in Gods solemn Worship and lament after the Lord Husbands apart and Wives apart Children a part and Servants apart and sometimes all together let families neighbor houses get together humble themselves and say Come neighbours God is gone or going let us lift up our voices hands and hearts together to fetch him back Alas We have conversed about our Farms Oxen Sheep Trades together shall we not at last begin to converse with each other as Christians We have drunk shots feasted played been sinfully merry together and by our sins banished God and shall we find no time to mourn for our sins and lament after the Lord together Let Villages Towns and Cities gather into assemblies and Christian Societies and do as those Zech. 8.21 The inhabitants of one City shall go to another not stay till they come to them saying they are not dumb images but lively monitors let us go let 's Travel for it to the place of Gods Solemn Worship speedily alas we have put off such exercises too long till God be almost past calling back to pray before the Lord not go to such a City to buy and sell and get gain and to seek the Lord of hosts Alas We have lost him him who is the God of Armies who arms our foes against us I will go also i.e. I will put you upon no other work then I will undertake my self I will contribute my best assistance to further this so good a design All this shews great zeal for God and flaming charity to each others as when men are

Sam. 4.21 2. Because the obscuring and obstructing of Ordinances is an heavy Judgment worse than all other Plagues both absolutely considered in it self and comparatively if it be compared with other Judgments God threatens to do by Jerusalem as he did by Shilo Jer. 7.14 How that was this context shews And Ezek. 24.21 I will prophane my Sanctuary the excellency of your strength Many other threats speak God's hot displeasure in this case and the evil is greater because it reacheth to the Soul which is the best part of man Hence Amos 8.11 12. Behold the daies come saith the Lord that I will send for a Famin in the Land which surely is a dreadful Judgment worse than the Sword Lam. 4.9 But what a Famin Not a Famin of Bread or a Thirst for Water but of hearing the Words of the Lord This this is the forest Judgment this Judgment on the Soul is the Soul of Judgments when poor sinners are in danger inevitably to die and be damned in Hell without means or remedy Where no Vision is the people perish Prov. 29.18 Hos 4.6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge 3. Because there 's much advantage in the injoyment of Ordinances Herein consists the Kingdom of Heaven so is the Preaching of the Gospel frequently called and this Word is the Word of the Kingdom and Gospel of the Kingdom because it is an introduction or means to enter Persons into the Kingdom of Grace and so of Glory and that 's a dreadful Threatning Matth. 21.43 Therefore shall the Kingdom of God be taken from you and be given to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof If any ask me as Rom. 3.1 2. What advantage hath the Jew so the professing Christian under the Gospel-dispensation or what profit is there of Circumcision or of Spiritual Priviledges I answer much every way chiefly because that unto them were committed the Oracles of God and so Salvation is of the Jews as our Lord faith even so those that have Gospel-Ordinances have great helps for the conversion edification and salvation of their Souls for Christ hath set up his Ensign among them for Souls to flock unto These are Wells of Salvation a Feast of fat things breasts of consolation where Souls may milk out and be abundantly delighted here are the Keys of the Kingdom by which Heaven-gates stand open continually the door of Faith the ministration of the Spirit the day of Salvation c. And is not all this worth lamenting after the Lord to enjoy then what is 4. Because this is the character and property of a Child of God to lament after the Ark and Ordinances of God I have saith David loved the habitation of thy house Psal 26.8 Therefore makes this his unum magnum one Thing which he desires of the Lord to dwell in the house of the Lord Psal 27.4 Two things put on a Christian Spirit to lament after God for the Ark 1. His Principles 2. His Experiences 1. He hath a gracious Principle an enlightened Eye to see what others cannot discern the Christian calls such places and waies Beer-la-hai-roi as Hagar Gen. 16.14 The Well of him that liveth and seeth me So the Christian sees God's way in the Sanctuary there he beholds the beauty of the Lord. They have seen thy goings O God even the goings of my God my King in the Sanctuary Yea the devout Soul hath a stomach and tast suitable to what he meets with in the Ordinances of God Faith Love Desire Joy as new-born Children have a natural instinct to their Mothers Milk for conservation of life so 1 Pet. 2.2 The Saints as new-born Babes desire the sincere Milk of the Word that they may grow thereby The Law of God ingraven in his heart bears proportion to the Word he hears opened by Ministers Christ within him by his Spirit and Graces as the hope of Glory prompts him to a love and longing to Christ in the holy Supper and all other his Institutions 2. Add to this the frequent Experiences the believing Soul hath had of the sweetness of Divine Grace in Ordinances which cannot but set him a longing for the like Experiments again Psal 63.1 2. My Soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty Land where no water is to see thy power and thy glory so as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary So Song 2.3 4. I sate down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my tast yea he brought me into his banquetting house and his banner over me was Love No wonder if she was so sick when she wanted him This leads me to the next Head 2. That Christians must lament after the God of Ordinances or God in Ordinances so saith the Text The House of Israel lamented after the Lord. Why 1. Because God is infinitely more worth than all Ordinances his presence is prizable for it self The Ark is but to be esteemed for his gracious presence In his favour is life Psal 30.5 His loving-kindness is better than life Psal 63.3 This is the marrow of Heaven the want of this is Hell Woe also be to them when I depart from them Hos 9.12 And this the Child of God knows 2. God purposely withdraws that men may lament after him as a Mother steps out of the Child's sight that it may see she 's gone and cry after her Hos 5.15 I will go and return to my place till they acknowledge their offence and seek my face in their affliction they will seek me early 3. Because due lamenting after the Lord may fetch him back he purposely hovers waits and expects that his people should call him back by their prayers intreaties moanings not as though God were moved or changed by mens pitiful complaints and out-crys but that such an earnest lamenting qualifies the subject capacitates for mercy and puts Souls into the condition of the promise Jer. 29.12 13. Then shall ye call upon me and shall go and pray unto me and I will hearken unto you and ye shall seek me and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart 4. God blesseth his People usually in and by Ordinances with his best blessings Psal 133.3 There the Lord commanded the blessing Even life for evermore Eph. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in heavenly places things means in Christ It would be needless to reckon up all the blessings that our dear Lord conveys to his People by Ordinances and that it becomes us to lament after the Lord for in his Appointments for now I joyn them together 1. Sometimes God gives outward blessings with his Ark. So the Lord had blessed the House of Obed-edom and all that pertained to him because of the Ark of God 2 Sam. 6.12 The Gospel of Peace oft brings outward Peace and Plenty though

formed us Deut. 32.18 19. Therefore when the Lord saw it be abhorred us because of the provoking of his Sons and of his daughters Oh our wretched ingratitude rebellion covenant-breaking our sins have reached to heaven therefore our judgments are unparallel'd We may say as Dan. 9.12 Under the whole heaven hath no been done as hath been done upon us It 's well if we have not reason to add also ver 13. That all this evil is come upon us yet made we not our prayer Heb. intreated the face before the Lord our God that we might turn from our iniquities and understand thy truth It 's true we have prayed but it 's well if we have so prayed Is not the accursed thing to be found amongst us to this day We have been long in the fire but are we cleansed Alas alas May not that sad complaint and charge be brought in against us as in Jer. 6.28 29 30. They are grievous revolters walking with Slanders brass and Iron they are all corrupters the Bellows are burnt the Lead is consumed of the fire the Founder melteth in vain for the wicked are not plucked away Reprobate Silver shall men call them because the Lord hath rejected them Oh that this were not our case and that Character also given of that professing people Jer. 9.3 7. But I shall leave Christians to this heart-searching work beseeching requiring and charging all persons to deal faithfully with their own Souls find out the Achan that troubles the Camp stone it Cast lots to find the Jonah that raiseth this tempest cast it over-board confess bewail reform get pardon of Sin and who knows but we shall have a calm 4. Get your hearts sensible of the evil of God's departure from us Otherwise you will not think it worth the while to spend time in lamenting after him Come to an heart an house a society a congregation or the nation and make inquiry is God there If it be answered no he 's gone in whole or in part what 's then left that 's good Surely if God go all good goes and all evil comes 2 Chron. 15.3 6. Now for a long season Israel had been without the true God and without a teaching Priest and without Law whether this was under Jeroboam and his Successors or some other time and in those times there was no peace to him that went out nor to him that came in but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the Countreys For God did vex them with all adversity Mark it when God goes all evil comes They that were without the true pure publick Worship of God and with a standing Ministry to teach publickly plainly powerfully but had in their places false Prophets lying Rabbins or graceless Loyterers and it may be the People loved to have it so No wonder if they had Civil Discords Forein Invasions Ecclesiastical Dissentions all things going to wrack setting up one Ruler against another so joyning in Parties Factions using barbarous cruelties imbroyling all in sad contentions imbruing their hands in one anothers blood When God goes he breaks down the hedg of his protecting providence so that the Boar out of the Wood wasts his Vineyard Then it 's eaten up trodden down it shall not be pruned nor digged but there comes up Briars Thorns yea he commands the clouds that they rain no rain upon it what then will become of it Surely the inclosed Vineyard of the Church soon becomes a a wild Common of barbarous Infidels When God removes his Candles darkness comes but when he removes Candlesticks also Mahomet fills up the room The famous Asian Churches are a dreadful instance If the sun set night comes on If the King be absent what Court can be kept If Christ stay not where 's the Church If God should leave his glorious mansion in heaven It would instantly become a dark dungeon of hell Yea if God depart from a People as a friend he comes against them as a dreadful foe If he go away he tears as a Lion consumes as a Moth If he hide his face in Love he comes in wrath and fury to slay them Jer. 33.5 Saul was in a woful plight when God was departed from him and the Philistins were upon him Yea if God depart the Devil comes When the good Spirit went from Saul an evil Spirit from the Lord troubled tormented him 1 Sam. 16.14 23. Satan was from God as framing his nature commissionating him to punish Saul but his wickedness and malignity in his designs and actings from himself Oh how glad is the Devil to take up that room that God leaves truly then saith the Lord Hos 9.12 Yea woe also to them when I depart from them There 's a wo of sinning and suffering attends God's departure Whither will not men run when God forsakes them If the hand withdraw the staff falls if the glass without foot be not held up it falls and breaks and the liquor Spills the very best man is no more dayly but as the Lord makes him Sampson David Peter will fall if God go Much more they that have no hold of God or God of them in a covenant-way they 'l not stop till they commence at the height of Sin and fall into the depth of Hell Hos 9.17 My God will cast them away because they did not hearken to him Hos 7.13 Woe unto them for they have fled from me yea destruction to them because thay have transgressed against me Yea everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power 2. Thes 8.9 Were we kindly affected with all this we should lament after the Lord We have reason to tremble left it prove our case and removing his ordinances is a great step to all this And if we knew what it meant we should with old Eli have trembling hearts for the Ark of God 1. Sam. 4.13 5. Study the advantages and benefit of having God present with us as fear of evil is one motive to avoid it so a desire of the contrary good adds wings in seeking earnestly for it When God goes all good goes So when God returns or continues with a People they enjoy all good inward outward The People that have God with them have a strong Guard to defend them a wise Guide to direct them rich Grace to supply them high Honour to advance them full Rest to content them an abundant Reward in the enjoyment of him They have enough they need no more Happy is the People whose God is the Lord. Luther 's Psalm that Song upon Alamoth Psal 46. is admirable for this for when the Church can say God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble vers 1. She builds great confidence and comfort on this solid foundation vers 2. Therefore will not we fear though the Earth be removed c. Yea she stands upon this impregnable Rock triumphing over all dangers and enemies