Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	blood_n	grace_n	zion_n	27	3	9.0099	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86936	A brief exposition on the XII. smal prophets the first volume containing an exposition on the prophecies of Hosea, Joel, & Amos. By George Hutcheson, minister at Edenburgh.	Hutcheson, George, 1615-1674.	1654 (1654)	Wing H3823; Thomason E1453_1; ESTC R202497	435,098	550

should point out that as these waters flowed out from the Temple with the blood of the sacrifices So these Gospel-refreshments and graces do flow out unto the world from the death of Christ Which is a truth of it self that Christ is to be acknowledged for all of these whatever be said of the allusion Or it may be conceived thus that as of old the Doctrine of the Gospel conveighing these graces and refreshments came from Zion and Jerusalem Isa 2.3 so after the conversion of Israel and their becoming the house of the Lord these same refreshing waters should flow out again from them And this leads to the third thing to be explained which is the extent of this benefit that it shall flow out as a river to water not only Judea but the country about signifying that there should not only be abundance of saving doctrine and of graces and refreshments in the Church of Israel but that fountaine opened up among them should flow forth to other Nations to water them and make them fruitful And in particular the valley of Shittim is named which is a plaine in Moah Numb 25.1 Josh 2.1 which it seemes was barren and the waters thereof unwholesome by reason it lay so near the Dead-sea or lake of Sodome And yet it is promised that this fountain shall water it and make it fruitful See Ezek. 47.8 Doct. 1. Piety hath indeed the promises and is the shortest cut to do well every way and where the Lord cometh and is entertained in spiritual benefits he will give what is good in other things for converted Israel shall get an ample proof of what God is able to do in all ages if it were for his peoples good In that day the mountaines shall drop down new wine and the hills shall flow with milke and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters 2. It is the great fault even of the Lords people that their estimation of mercies decayeth because they are common and ordinary whereas Gods hand should be seen dispensing them in a peculiar way to them And to prevent their miscarriage he doth so order their outward mercies as his special providence may be seen in giving them Therefore doth he make promises concerning these temporal things that they may see more then others in his giving thereof to them And he did so order matters concerning their land as the having abundance of water which is a very common benefit among many others should be a special favour to them 3. When the Lord lets out much plenty to his Church there is great need of much of the grace of God and spiritual things of his Kingdome therewith to season and sanctifie the use thereof unto her Therefore is there a spiritual promise subjoyned to the former albeit it was said before they should be holy Without this prosperity is but a snare and it is an evidence of an ill condition when much plenty doth not put men to it to presse after the enjoyment of God and after grace so much the more 4. As the graces and blessings held out and conveighed by the Gospel are the great refreshment of the children of men and therefore compared to a fountain of waters which quencheth thirst and refresheth and watereth the earth So where they are once received they will never utterly decay and will still be refreshful and comfortable Therefore are they compared to a fountain coming forth or a spring which never runs dry and the waters thereof are still fresh 5. Spiritual Gospel-blessings are twice mercies when not only they refresh and do good to these who receive them but do make them instrumental to make the same spread to others for it is the advantage of this fountain that it shall come forth not only to water themselves but others 6. As at the first the riches of the Gospel flowed out from among the Jewes and by the Ministery of the Jewes to the Gentiles So again converted Israel will be made instrumental to propagate the Gospel and the Kingdom of Christ to other Nations For then a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord and shall water the valley of Shittim See Rom. 11.15 7. The Doctrine of the Gospel and the graces and refreshments communicated thereby are able to cure and recover them whose condition is most deadly and to make them fruitful who have been most barren And in particular converted Israel will be employed to bring in Nations to Christ who have layen still under the curse during the rime of the Gospels spreading among the Gentiles though possibly at the first going forth thereof many of them have heard somewhat of it So much seemeth to be signified by this fountaines watering even the valley of Shittim though it be probable that even then some will be left still in their former condition See Ezek. 47.8 Verse 19. Egypt shall be a desolation and Edom shall be a desolate wildernesse for the violence against the children of Judah because they have shed innocent blood in the land 20. But Iudah shall dwell for ever and Ierusalem from generation to generation The sixth promise is that their inveterate enemies such as Egypt and Edom had been of old shall be utterly destroyed because of the injuries done to them Whereas the Lord shall not only establish but continue them a Church to him from age to age after their conversion Whence learn 1. Inveterate enemies to the people of God and such as do cruelly oppresse them after the manner of Egypt of old and do prove false brethren to them as Edom did of old will certainly be destroyed and that utterly that so an end may be put to their opposition for Egypt shall be a desolation and Edom shall be a desolate wildernesse or made void of inhabitants This is oft repeated again and again that others who trace these steps may see their own danger before-hand and study to prevent it and to assure the godly that this is not a rash sentence but such as he will not recal it 2. A peoples opposition to the Church of God and their violence and cruelty toward them is a special controversie which God will prosecute for this sentence is given out for the violence against the children of Judah because they have shed blood c. 3. The Lords controversie against his people for sin because of which he lets enemies loose upon them doth not make the quarrel of enemies the more just nor doth his peoples blood which they shed cease to be innocent blood for all that and to cry for vengeance upon them For saith he they have shed innocent blood 4. If this that they have shed blood in their land be referred to Egypt and Edom that they were cruell to such Jewes as lived in exile among them It doth teach that mens cruelty is so much the more odious before God when it is exercised on these who are already broken with afflictions But it seemes rather to

be understood of the Jewes land which these enemies invaded and so it holds out that cruelty is odious when men exercise it upon these who have given them no provocation as they did on Judah when they were staying at home and not troubling them 5. Albeit the Church do oftentimes seem to be furthest behinde of any society for outward prosperity yet the time will come when she shall see her own mercy in the misery of others and shall be in good condition when they are gone for in opposition to what shall come on Egypt and Edom it is added But Judah shall dwell for ever c. See Isa 27.7 Exod. 14.30 31. 6. The Lord will perpetuate a Church of Israel after their conversion and restitution till the end of time for it is his expresse promise Judah shall dwell for ever and Jerusalem from generation to generation Ver. 21. For I will clense the blood that I have not clensed for the LORD dwelleth in Zion All these promises and particularly that of perpetuating the Church of Israel are confirmed by a new promise wherein the Lord undertakes to purge her by Justification and Sanctification from the pollution wherein she had layen so long and that he will do this because he dwells or that so he may dwell among them by his Word and Spirit with no lesse blessing then of old Whence learn 1. Sin when it is rightly looked upon will be found a very vile and loathsome thing and they will so judge of it whom God is about to deliver from it Therefore is not only the bloody crimes but all the iniquity of these whom he is about to purge called their blood as Ezek. 16.6 2. There can be no assurance of obtaining other favour till this pollution be done away Therefore this promise cometh in as a confirmation of the former and making way for them For I will clense their blood 3. There can be no purging of sin to fit us for other mercies till God interpose in it and till he apply the merit and efficacy of the death of Christ to take away the guilt and pollution thereof and this he will do to his own he will send this mercy to fit and prepare them for moe I will clense their blood saith he The endeavours of such as are most convinced of sin will not availe without this and till they imploy him for this end 4. The Lords former rejecting of a people and giving them up to walk in their own wayes will not hinder his respecting them and purging their sin in a time of love For albeit Israel have now for many ages not been clensed yet saith he I will clense their blood that I have not clensed 5. As it is the Lords presence in favour with a people and not their merit that assures them of his purging their sin for this is done for the Lord dwelleth in Zion So his clensing of a people from sin doth assure them more and more that he will abide with them for so will the words also read I will clense c. and the Lord or so shall the Lord dwell in Zion AMOS The Argument This Prophet was raised up by God and sent from Judah to preach unto Jsrael much about the same time with Hosea who in executing of his Commission after he hath threatned some Nations about for their sins and spoken against Judah also he falls expresly upon Jsrael and chargeth upon them and sometimes upon Judah with them the many sins of idolatry oppression incorrigiblenesse wantonnesse and the like for which he threatneth that God would destroy them to chap. 7. After which by divers types and representations he confirmeth that this sentence of their destruction was irrevocable threatning the false Priest at Bethel who opposed him in his ministery And then closeth the Prophecy with some promises relating to the times of the Gospel which are sub-joyned for the comfort of the godly who should live in these sad and calamitous times that were ensuing CHAP. I. IN this Chapter after the inscription of the Prophecy v. 1. and the generall summe thereof v. 2. The Lord by his Prophet denounceth judgements to come on several Nations about because of their many and multiplied sins and namely on Syria v. 3 4 5. On the Philistines v. 6 7 8. On Tyrus v. 9 10. On Edom v. 11 12. And on the Ammonites v. 13 14 15. Verse 1. THe words of Amos who was among the herdmen of Tekoa which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Vzziah King of Judah and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash King of Israel two yeers before the earthquake The inscription of this Prophecy holds forth first That Amos who carried this message was but a meane man of Tekoa in Judah of which 2. Chro. 11 5 6. Jer. 6.1 and of a mean employment being but an Herdman and of the meanest sort not one who had herds which were kept and fed by others as the word here used somtime signifieth 2. Kings 3 4. but one who was either a mean servant to others or at best a mean man who fed his own cattel as appeareth from Chap. 7.15 Secondly it holds forth that he was sent especially to Jsrael though he deale also with others upon occasion And thirdly that he received his Divine message and began his preaching in the days of Vzziah and Jeroboam the second two years before that earthquake of which mention is made onely here and Zech. 14.5 Some conceive it to have been in the year of Vzziahs death and that it is hinted at Isa 6.1 4 Others that it was at the time of his presuming to offer incense 2. Chron. 26.16 as another testimony beside his leprosie 2. Chron. 26.20 of divine displeasure against his course But at whatever time it was this is certain that hereby the Lord gave warning of great and dreadful commotions and alterations that were to be among these Nations as accordingly came to passe on Israel after the death of Jeroboam the second Doct. 1. The word of the Lord ought not to be rejected in the mouth of meanest instruments nor is their authority to be suspected or condemned because they are meane for Amos who was among the herdmen of Tekoa hath the words which he saw concerning Israel 2. Albeit that men ought not to usurp the ministerial calling nor leave their mechanick and servile employments to intrude themselves upon it for Amos had an extraordinary calling and albeit men who are called to that office ought not to tempt God by neglecting lawful means appointed for their enabling to discharge their calling for the endowments of Amos who was not bred for that calling Chap. 7.14 were by extraordinary dispensation Yet such as are called of God and are conscious to themselves of much insufficency and inability though they use means such I say have notable encouragment to come to God for teaching and furniture in an ordinary way who hath given such

will take them under his protection he will let them see ground of hope in himself and furnish them with hope to lay hold on it and with strength to bear them out 8. What the Lord hath been or will be at any time to his people Israel in performing spiritual promises that he will be to all who are indeed his people Therefore doth the promise run generally both to his people whoever they be and to the children of Israel Ver. 17. So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion my holy mountaine then shall Jerusalem be holy and there shall no stranger passe thorow her any more The second promise is that by these and other experiences of his love they shall be confirmed of his interest in them and care of them no lesse then when of old he resided among them in the visible signes of his presence The third promise is that for fitting them to enjoy his presence he will make them holy by sanctification And upon this shall follow their preservation from the invasion of open enemies and that they shall not be exposed as a prey to them as formerly they had beene This also in Scripture-language is understood by their being holy as it is observed in Obad. v. 17. partly because of the ceremonial pollution that of old did accompany the invasion of their land by heathens beside that it did obscure their priviledge of being the Lords peculiar sanctified and set apart people But chiefly because as is usual in wars when prophane Nations invade the Cuhrch they did overturne holy ordinances and cast all loose and in confusion Doct. 1. Interest in God is the great ground of the Churches encouragement for it is held out as their great mercie I am the Lord your God 2. This interest is yet more sweet when it is evidenced by his presence and the gracious effects thereof among his people and he is not provoked to forsake them though they be his Therefore it is added I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion 3. It is an addition to all these mercies when not only matters stand so but the Church knoweth it and is convinced of it And this must be Gods own work without whose help they will neither see interest nor presence who yet in reality enjoy both Therefore he undertakes it to make their comfort and mercy compleat Ye shall know that I am the Lord your God c. See 1 Cor. 2.12 4. The Lord will in due time make his interest in and presence with his people convincingly clear by visible dispensations and actings for them for so by what I will do for you shall ye know that I am the Lord your God c. 5. Where God takes up his dwelling among a people all that concernes them becometh his and he takes care thereof for then it is my mountaine to wit Zion where he dwelleth 6. Gods presence with a people must be entertained and proven by their holinesse for then it is my holy mountaine and Jerusalem is holy See Psal 93.5 7. It is God only who can undertake for making his people holy and it is their duty to deny themselves and imploy him for that end for it is his promise then shall Jerusalem be holy 8. Where a people have real sanctification as a fruit and evidence of Gods presence they have also the promise that he will preserve them from the invasion of enemies for then shall Jerusalem be holy in this respect also that no stranger shall passe thorow her to wit in an hostile way And albeit this seeme to be a peculiar promise to converted Israel and albeit others even Judah it self when they have been upon the amending hand have met with sad stormes from enemies Yet certainly such have the promise of this mercy when it is for their good and what they meet with which seemeth contrary to it is but to stir them up yet more to the study of holinesse and in that respect they get a blessed issue from their troubles and will come to a compleat issue at last 9. It is a sad ingredient in the trouble of the Lords people when they are invaded by profane Nations that not only their priviledges are obscured thereby but that their invasion and the confusions occasioned therreby together with their corrupt principles and practices do cast l●●se and overturne Religion and bring in a deluge of prophanity Therefore is the mercy of their deliverance from strangers set forth under the name of being holy as is before explained 10. Such as have been long molested by enemies though they will meet with trouble in one kinde and degree or other while they are within time yet they may attaine to this mercy to be free of molestation and trouble from invading enemies and not meet with it any more in the measure that formerly they have had for such is the promise to Israel and Jerusalem being converted there shall no strangers passe through her any more Whatever troubles they may meet with from enemies after that great day of vengeance formerly mentioned yet they shall not any more passe through them as formerly to subdue or rul● over them or carry them into captivity So that their greatest hazard then will be that quietnesse may breed security Vers 18. And it shall come to passe in that day that the mountaines shall drop down new wine and the hills shall flow with milke and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the LORD and shall water the valley of Shittim The fourth promise is that God shall be so bountiful to converted Israel th●● they shall not want abundance and variety of temporal benefits which are instanced in their mountaines and hills abounding with vines and with good pasture for the herds and flockes that they may afford much milke and that they shall have abundance of water which was oftentimes scarce in that land To this is subjoyned the fifth promise that this plenty should be accompanied with spiritual graces and refreshments conveighed by the Gospel and flowing forth not only for their own quickening and comfort but for the good of the Nations round about even of those whose condition seemeth most desperate To clear this promise a little we have first 1. The benefit it self compared to a fountain of waters flowing out whereby as is cleared on Zech. 14.8 is understood all spiritual graces and refreshments which are held forth and instrumentally communicated and conveighed to sinners by the Doctrine of the Gospel and applied and quickened by the Spirit 2. We have the fountaine and rise of this benefit it shall come forth of the house of the Lord. It is conceived that the speech alludeth to some conduits that conveighed water to the Temple some whereof came by the Altar to wash away the blood that was poured out there and so ran out again with it See Ezek. 47.1 and so it