Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	call_v	dead_a	zion_n	20	3	9.0000	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93085	Subjection to Christ in all his ordinances, and appointments, the best means to preserve our liberty. Together with a treatise of ineffectual hearing the word; how we may know whether we have heard the same effectually: and by what means it may be come effectual unto us. With some remarkable passages of his life. By Tho. Shephard, late pastor of the Church of Christ in Cambridge in New-England. Now published by Mr. Jonathan Michell pastor of the said church in New England.	Shepard, Thomas, 1605-1649.; Mitchel, Jonathan, 1624-1668.	1652 (1652)	Wing S3141; Thomason E1245_2; ESTC R209199	106,113	223

these words answers an Objection which the Jewes ever conceited of their own knowledge might make We know the Father as well as you and yet we know no such testimony that he gives Christ answers You do not know him for the certain knowledge of a thing is either by seeing or hearing now you never saw him nor heard him you have therefore no acquaintance with him So that the words contain 1 Christs fearful accusation of the Jews to beignorant of God 2. The aggravation and extent of it at no time i. e. not only at Baptisme but at no other time in any Ministery or in any Scripture c. Quest 1. What is it not to see his shape nor hear his voice Quest 1 Answ Some think they are metaphorical speeches Answ to expresse their ignorance of God Now though this be the scope and the general truth yet I conceive the Lord speaking particularly and knowing what he spake intends something particularly and it is a rule never to flie to metaphors where there can be a plain sense given There is therefore two degrees of true knowledge of God in this life or 't is attained unto by a double meanes 1. By heating of him for hence our faith comes by the Word 2. By hearing thus from him the mind also comes to have a true Idea of God as he reveals himself in the Word and Means by the Spirit Iob 42.5 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee and this is the shape here spoken of not bodily and carnal Now Christ doth professe that they did want both Carnal and unregenerate hearts neither hear Gods voice nor have a right Idea of God in their mindes but become vain in their mindes though they have meanes of knowing and their foolish hearts are darkned the wiser they be the more foolish they grow 2. At no time i.e. neither at baptism nor else in any mans Ministery nor in any of the Scriptures which you read and where the Lord speaks 3. But did they not hear the voice of God at Christs baptism and at the Mount when Christ preach't when the Scriptures were opened every Lords day and at other times amongst them Answ No they never heard it It 's a strange thing Answ that such men that read heard preach't remembred the Scriptures and could tell you mysteries in titles never heard the voice of God and yet it is most true Observat That mans men may a long time together know and heare the Word of God written and spoken Observ yet never hear the Lord speaking that Word no not so much as one word title or syllable no not so much at once at any time This was the estate of the Jewes and this is the estate of all unregenerate men Hence Christ Luke 19.41 laments and weeps over Jerusalem saying Oh that thou hadst known in this thy day c. 1. Quest How did the Jewes heare and yet not heare God speaking 1. Quest Answ There is a twofold word or rather a double declaration of the same word Answ 1. There is Gods external or outward word containing letters and syllables and this is his external voice 2. There is Gods internal word and voice which secretly speaks to the heart even by the external word when that only speaks to the eare The first the Jewes did hear at Christs Baptism in Christs Ministery and in reading the Scriptures and when they did hear it it was Gods word hey heard full of glory and so they heard the word spoken but only man speaking it the other comes to few who hear not only the word spoken but God speaking the word Rom. 10.18 19. Israel did hear but Israel did not know Christ speaks in parables Hence in seeing they did not see Luke 8.10 And this is one way how 't is true that Christ sayes They never heard his voice As 't is with a painted Sun on the wall you see the Sun and Stars but there is a difference between seeing this and the Sun and Starres themselves wherein is an admirable glory go to a painted Sun it gives you no heat nor cherisheth you not so it is here c. 2. This inward word is double 1. Ineffectual though inward 2. Effectual 1. Ineffectual is that which hath some inward operation upon the heart but it attaines not Gods end to bring a man into a state of life and thus Heb. 6.2 5. Many tasted of the good word of God yet fell away And such a heart is compared to a field which a man plowes and sowes and raine falls on it and yet the end is not attained it brings forth thistles and this many Jewes did hear and hence had some kinde of faith in Christ 2. Effectual is that which hath such an inward efficacy upon mens hearts as that God attaines his end thereby Isa 55.11 and brings men to a state of life of which Christ speaks John 6.45 and this voice none but the Elect hear and of this Christ speaks here as appears verse 38. Him whom he sent ye beleeve not Hence it is you have heard God at no time Hence he speaks of such a hearing and knowing such a hearing outwardly as is accompanied with such a hearing inwardly Joh. 14.17 so that many men may hear the word spoken outwardly but never inwardly they may hear it inwardly but never effectually translating them from state to state from death to life from life to life and glory No sense of the Majesty of God speaking nor effectual hearing of the word spoken When the Sun is down the Moon may arise but yet a man is cold and dark but when the Sun ariseth on it warmes nourisheth and cherisheth c. nothing is hid from it so it is here when the Lord speaks inwardly and effectually to the heart Reas 1. From that great distance and infinite separation of mens soules from God that though God cals Reason 1 yet they can't hear no more then men a 1000 mile off Eph. 2.1 men are dead in sin Now what is spiritual death but separation of the soul from God God from it A dead man cannot hear one word at no one time he was not dead if he could Mens minds are far from God hearts also that they are neither stricken with the sight of his glory nor sense and savour of his goodnesse but must be vaine and have worldly hearts in the Church nay adulterous eyes or if they listen God is gone from them and from his Word also Hos 5.6 Reas 2. From the mighty and wonderful strange power of Satan Reason 2 which blindes their eyes they cannot see nor hear 2 Cor. 4.4 never such clear light never such an effectual Word as that of the Apostles yet it was hid why The God of this world blinded them either he will keep such a noise and lumber in their heads that they cannot hear God speaking for the noise or else turn himself

our best mercies our choicest and dearest liberties If ever the Lord Jesus which mercy forbid should take his doleful and final farewel of the English-nation as when he laid the tomb-stone upon Jerusalem such as these wil be his mournings over us Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets and burnest them that aresent unto thee as they did in the time of Popery how often would I have gathered thy children together by my Word and Spirit therein even as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under the wings of my special Government and Protection but ye would not behold your house is left unto you desolate But the Lord who doth not only make the day dark with night but also turneth the shadow of death into the morning even the Lord avert these evils and the Lord make the English nation his Hephsibah the land Beulah which is the prayer of his Mourners in Sion and of Thy Servants in Jesus and for Jesus sake William Greenhill Samuel Mather TO THE Christian READER THe precious memory of the Author of these ensuing Sermons needs no reviving to any gracious heart that had any knowledge of him Yea the world knows in part though but in a little part by some pieces of his formerly printed while he was yet with us who this Author was what it owes to God for him and how justly it might sigh over his grave with that of the Apostle Of whom the world was not worthy His praise throughout all the Churches is farre above any addition by so mean a pen as writes these lines But it is not fit that the first page of any thing published after his death for I doubt not but his death is long ago publickly took notice of should go without some witnesse of a mournfull remēbrance therof which indeed no tears can sufficiently lament We who sometimes sate under his shadow were fed from God by him the poor flock of this Shepherd among whom he lived testifying Repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ and whom he somtimes exhorted comforted and charged every one of us as a father doth his children we cannot but carry sorrow in the bottome of our hearts to this day that we must here see his face no more Neither do we believe that his losse remaines with us alone or only within the limits of this remote wildernesse the benefit and consequently the want of such a burning and shining Light is of more general concernment then we easily apprehend especially in this Age wherein not only many sit in utter darknesse but which is more the new Light thereof is darknesse and the Love of many waxing cold But we must all be silent before Him whose judgements are unsearchable Neither may we presume to say to him What doest thou It is instantly and not without cause desired by many that such reliques of his Labours as do survive him may be at least some of them imparted to the publick To effect any thing considerable that way is not an easie or sudden work But this small piece being at present attained it seemed not amisse to let it passe the Presse These were some of his Lecture-Sermons Preached most of them in the year 1641. They are now transcribed by a godly Brother partly from the Authors own notes and partly from what he took from his mouth The subject in both the Texts is of great use and needfull for these times wherein there is more Liberty then good use of it and much more common and outward then saving and effectual knowledge of the word of God These posthumous editions are farre short of what the Author was wont to do and of what the Sermons were in preaching But though the sense be not every where so full nor every thing so thorowly spoken to nor the stile so good by farre as the Authors manner was yet the intelligent Reader will finde a precious treasure of truth in it not fit to be buried or neglected The Prophets do not live for ever but their words do The Lord make them such ever-living words as may take hold of all our hearts not for judgement but for mercy for one of these wayes they shall live yea rise up at the last day March 29. 1652. Imprimatur EDM. CALAMY A wholesome Caveat for a time of LIBERTY 2 CHRON. 12.8 Neverthelesse they shall be his servants that they may know my service and the service of the kingdoms of the Countrey THe greatest part of this Chapter is spent in setting down that famous Warre which Shishak King of Egypt made against Rehoboam King of Judah The cause of this War in regard of Shishak is not set down probable conjectures there be Jeroboam probably might be treacherous who having a party in Egypt lest Rehoboam should grow too great together with some other pretended wrongs might awaken this Bear from his den but in regard of God you may see the Reason set down Vers 2. Because they had transgressed against the Lord. The time of this War is set down in the 1. Vers When he had established the Kingdome by wholesome lawes erecting Gods worship and countenancing godly men 2 Chro. 11.16 17. which continued three years and strengthened himselfe by fortified places and munition fit for war as in the foregoing Chapter appears Now when he had most peace and quiet he and all Israel suddenly forsake the Lord which was the fourth year and in the fifth year comes Shishak and with a mighty hoast wastes all before him untill he come to the chief City Now in Vers the 5. and 6. is set downe the repentanee of the people with their Princes especially Shemajah who no doubt had spoke against their idolatrous courses before takes his season when they were low and tamed and tells them the true cause of their misery Vers 5. Many sins there were in the Land as Idolatry and Whoredomes c. yet the venom was They had forsaken the Lord Let the sin be what it will be yet let it be such a one as men forsake the Lord by it that 's the provocation hereupon they humble themselves some effectually some hypocritically yet all outwardly and say the Lord is righteous they extenuate not their sinne they lay not the blame on man no not on Shishak but see the Lord justifie his proceedings The Lord is righteous we unrighteous although it were more heavy then it is Now in the 7. Verse and in the words read is see down the mitigation of Gods plague and the moderation of his chastisement I will not poure out all my wrath yet I think it not fit to shew perfect deliverance I 'le make them servants to let them know c. There are two parts in the words read 1. The punishment or chastisement on Judah for forsaking the Lord and backsliding from him which is bondage and privation of the liberty they had they must be Shishaks servants 2. The Lords end it was very gracious