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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	know_v	life_n	lord_n	8,945	5	3.7338	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A73841	Two sermons on the third of the Lamentations of Ieremie preached at Hanwell in the first yeare of his Maiesties raigne, 1602. / The one by I.D. the other by R.C.	Dod, John, 1549?-1645.; Cleaver, Robert, 1561 or 2-ca. 1625. aut; Winston, John, fl. 1614-1634.	1608 (1608)	STC 6951; ESTC S118445	50,535	72

2 This is for singular comfort vnto Gods people in that no crosse can befall them to hinder their prayers but all shall quicken and inflame the spirit of prayer in them The issue of their trouble must needs be good when they are watered with many holie teares and sanctified by many holie requests If they can waite till their haruest come such a seede time must needs bring them a plentifull and blessed croppe of comfort Obiection Oh but what if the pestilence should enter into the familie and the house should be shut vp that no body could come to me Answere What of that The question now wil be whether you be a hypocrite or a Christian If you bee sure that you are no hypocrite then though no bodie come vnto you yet God will come vnto you and though you cannot goe to your friends yet you may goe to God and that will serue the turne well enough the spirit of prayer will neuer faile you Rom. 8. and if you can make your requests knowne vnto the Lord he will cause all to worke together for the best and giue an happie issue either by life or death vnto all your distractions doubts and feares Vers 55. I called vpon thy name This was it that stirred them vp to prayer euen the knowledge of Gods name his maiestie is so glorious that it would make them flie from him and his essence is so incomprehensible that it is a light that none can haue accesse vnto and a huge sea that will drowne such as will aduenture to wade into it but the knowledge of Gods sufficiencie to helpe and of his mercie and free fauor whereby hee is readie to helpe and the like is it that incourageth them to come before the Lord. Which affordeth this doctrine Doct. 2. The right vnderstanding of Gods name very helpfull in prayer That the name of God is the onelie cause that brings Christians into Gods presence and makes them to call vpon his name with strong cries and comfortable requests This is euident Psal 9.10 where the Prophet sheweth how they come to seeke vnto God They that know thy name will trust in thee for thou neuer failest them that feeke thee How come they to seeke God They first trust in God And how come they to trust in God By the knowledge of Gods name which till men doe know they can neuer trust in God nor seeke to God Therefore it is said in the songs of Salomon Thy name is an ointment powred forth Cant. 1.2 like vnto that ointment mentioned in the Gospell which filled all the house with the odour of it No ointment can so delight the naturall sense as the name of God doth the hearts of the faithfull in which regard it is added in that place Therefore the virgins loue thee That is such as do not goe a whoring after fleshly lusts and after the vanities of the world They must needs loue Christ because they know that there is no euill but in this name they shall haue a medicine against it No doubt but there they shall finde a resolution for it no good thing but there they may get a certaintie of obtaining it This name of God is notably and comfortably set downe Exod. 34.6 and Isa 9.6 In Exodus thus The Lord the Lord strong mercifull The name of God and gratious c. 1. Jehouah The first thing that wee may for our comfort here consider of is the word Iehouah signifying the essence of God and his absolute perfection in all his attributes and shewing his constancie in all his properties that follow as hauing his beeing in and of himselfe so that this preuents an obiection concerning all that which followes For one might say God indeede hath shewed himselfe strong mercifull and gratious c. But what is that to vs now Why he is Iehouah the same for euer and therefore looke what he hath beene in the daies of olde you may bee assured ●ee will be the same still But because this part of Gods name is handled else where it shal be needelesse at large to intreat of it in this place See Mr. Dods exposition of the Command the preface thereof I am Iehouah 2. Strong 2 The second thing to bee considered is the strength of God the Lord the Lord strong c. Whence wee are to learne that all power is in him and from him and for him And in like manner is Christ called the mightie God Thereby implying not onelie that hee is mightie in his owne nature but that hee hath his might to vse for our saluation and our enemies destruction and that hee doth and will vse it to that purpose Isa 9.6 In which regard it is said in that place that hee is giuen to vs. Reuel 1.13.15 And in the first of the Reuelation hee is said to walke in the middest of the seuen golden Candlesticks that is in the midst of his Church and to haue feete of burning brasse Not onely to tread downe all inward and outward enemies but to consume them when they are downe for in that respect are his feete said not onely to bee of brasse but of burning brasse Ill weedes when they are cut vp if the rootes be left behinde will quickly spring vp againe therefore will Christ burne vp roote and branch that there may be no feare nor danger of their second growth So that if we knew this part of Gods name to wit his alsufficient power what affliction or triall should make vs faint The least temptation or affliction Rom. 4.19.20.21 if God support vs not in it will bee too strong for vs the greatest yea all rushing at once vpon vs if this mightie God bee on our side shall not he be able to hurt vs or daunt vs. This was it that confirmed Abrahams faith as the Apostle Paul witnesseth Though Sarahs wombe were dead hee knew God was not dead but that he was able to giue him a sonne of her And that that God who shall at length raise vs out of the dead graue could and would raise him vp a sonne out of her dead wombe And so Moses Exod. 16. 17. when hee had sixe hundred thousand and vpward to prouide for in the wildernes where he had neither bread not drinke for them yet hee trusted and relied on God who could bring water out of the flint as well as out of the riuer and bread out of the clouds as well as out of the barne Canaan hee knew could not maintaine them without Gods blessing and with it the barren wildernes could So Jonathan when hee went against a great manie thousand Philistimes 1. Sam. 14.6 he knew Gods name to be Mightie For hee flood resolued of this that God could deliuer with few as well as with many And yet Asa went further for when hee had a very huge armie comming against him and no equal forces in any proportion to

contrarie to the Law and if I die I die But our Lord Iesus Christ goes beyond them all for when hee was in supreme excellencie hee was so affected with the wofull case of his Elect into which they had brought themselues by their owne rebellions against him that hee humbled himselfe Philip. 2.6.7 and tooke on him the state of a seruant and submitted himselfe to many sorrowes disgraces and sufferings not onely while hee liued but principallie when hee dyed as hath beene before in part declared that so he might deliuer his people from the wrath to come and from eternall death which they had deserued and must haue els indured Reasons 1 And there is great reason why the affliction of the Church should so affect vs and that first in regard of the communion that is betwixt God and them for they are called the Lords flocke his chiefe treasure vnder heauen his first borne yea the very apple of his eye and therefore being so deere vnto the Lord they should be deere vnto vs and we should haue a tender care of them and mourne in our hearts for any euill that befalls them as Ieremie did chap. 30. that the Lords flocke should goe into captiuitie Secondly we should be thus affected in regard of the communion that is betweene them and vs for they are our members yea neerer vnto vs then our bodilie members and wee should haue greater care of the whole Church than of our selues because it more concernes Gods glorie Howbeit indeede in caring for them wee care for our selues too labouring to preuent their afflictions wee preuent our owne and weeping for others miseries we get armor that will keepe off miserie from our selues And that there is no danger in dealing for the seruants of God may appeare in Exodus One would haue thought there had beene some great euill neere Moses and Aaron when they must fetch out of Egypt such a people from such a King not onely by petition but by command and threatning if hee would not yeeld wee would haue imagined that Pharaoh a proud man would neuer haue indured this at their handes and yet wee see they were in perill but of all others most safe 3 Thirdly the affliction of the church must needs work most vpon the hearts of Gods chosen because of the insultations and triumphs of the wicked against them when they cry out where is now there God Exod. 32.1 Numbers 1416. And that was it that Moses did vrge to moue God to spare his people when he threatned to destroy them for their Idolatry he intreats God to remember his great name and to spare them lost the Egyptians should say that hee had brought them out maliciously to slay them in the mountaines and to consume them from the earth or that hee was not able to bring them into the land of Canaan This is it that goes to the heart of the faithfull when they heare profane persons reuilling the hoast of the liuing God Oh these are your professors say they these are they which runne with their bibles to sermons these are they that were wont to brag that prayer would preuent or remoue Gods iudgements doe you not see that they are swept away by the pestilence as well as others that they were pinched with pouertie and necessitie as well as others that these and the like despitefull and bitter speeches and taunts doe wound the verie hearts of such as loue Gods glory and desire the prosperitie of his Saints and so cause them much to bewaile the tribulation of the Church Vse 1 Here are to be reproued all carelesse persons who so it goe well with themselues regard not the Church at all let it sinke or swimme all is one to them So they may bee free from the contagion and sitte quiet in their houses whatsoeuer becomes of their neighbours it skills not They drinke wine in bowles Amos. 6.6 and giue themselues to all excesse but no man is sorie for the affliction of Ioseph This is a great fault in these daies now many Christians are taken away and the sword of the Lord is stretched out still and many are smitten downe on euery side yet there is as much feasting and sporting and frequenting of wakes and that on the Lords sabboth as if all thinges went well with vs. Which argues strange infidelitie and is such a sinne as the Lord will pursue euen vnto death if it bee not reformed Isa 22.12.13.14 as the Prophet Isaiah threatneth In that day saith he did the Lord of hostes call vnto weeping and mourning and to baldnesse and girding with sackcloth and beholde ioy and gladnesse slaying Oxen and killing sheepe eating flesh and drinking wine eating and drinking for tomorrow we shall dye and it was declared in the eares of the Lord of hostes And what followes therevpon Surely this iniquitie shall not bee purged from you till yee die saith the Lord God of hostes Which being so it stands Magistrates vpon to vse their authoritie for the redresse of such things as are so dangerous to the whole state of the land But there is yet another greater fault amongst vs than this that hath beene named For many do not only walke securely in the affliction of their brethren but desire the continuance and increase of it in hope that they shall enlarge their possessions and better their estate by meanes thereof as if scarsitie of people did bring abundance of riches whereas in trueth it is quite contrarie But howsoeuer those that haue but a glimpse of Christianitie in them would rather haue the societie of others than liue alone in the middest of the earth 3 There is yet a third and worser sort than the former which come iustly vnder this reproofe Such I meane as long for sturs and mutinies and insurrections Poore men say they can get nothing but some fewe great ones carry away all and so they grow to murmuring and repining multiply speeches of discontentment grieuing and lamenting that at the taking away of the former Prince al things should bee so quiet and peaceable Downe say they with these Magistrates and with these Preachers this too much plentie yeelds vs nothing and therefore they could also bee glad of vnseasonable weather that through scarsitie of things there might arise some tumults and so they might get prouision from such as fall into their hands These haue bloudy hearts 4 Yet others there are that are worse than these who doe not onely wish for such troubles on the Church and Common-wealth before they come but reioyce at them when they are come And when others eyes are full of teares their mouths are ful of laughter as Ieremie chargeth the Moabites Hee magnified himselfe against the Lord Ieremie 48.26.27 Moab shall wallow in his vomit and hee also shal be in derision For diddest thou not deride Israell as if hee had beene found among theeues For when thou speakest of him thou art moued This was

is quite dead Rom. 7. Paul was once aliue before the Law came and so are all vnregenerate men in their owne conceite they can heare the word without feare and trembling they thanke God and bee neuer troubled in their consciences as some are Doe you thanke God for this senslesnesse Nay doe not so for that is a shamefull taking of his name in vaine but rather repent before God and craue pardon for the same For they that feare least are the most hard-hearted people of all other and they neuer succeed well The like may be said of them who are alwaies alike affected in prayer Pro. 28.13 they neuer yet knew what a faithfull prayer meanes Vse 2 Secondly this is for comfort to those that see how they thriue and marke when they speed well or ill when they come to the word to prayer or the Sacrament if they find a good effect they may bee assured that God loues them and so be thankefull for his mercie and confident thereof for afterwards If they goe away without an answere and without comfort as many times the Saints of God doe they shall gaine a greater measure of humilitie and bee more broken hearted and though they cannot end with thanksgiuing yet they may end with the prayer of the Publican Lord be mercifull vnto mee a sinner And there is as great gaine by humiliation at sometimes as by consolation and sweet feelings at other times For if wee should haue alwaies a present answere wee should grow secure and contemne these answers of God For such is our vile nature that when things grow common they grow by degrees out of reckoning and estimation with vs therefore God will not suffer vs alwaies to haue present hearing Question What is the difference then may some man say betweene the regenerate and vnregenerate sith both of them pray and neither of them haue hearing Ansvver Here is the difference that the one sort are not dead as the other are He that feeles an ague or any other disease and is vexed and pained with it any simple bodie will say surely such a one is aliue and so it may be concluded of euerie Christian that is troubled in his soule that his prayers finde no better accesse vnto Gods throne it is sure such a one hath the life of grace in him which is an euerlasting life But as for wicked men that neuer feele their sicknesse but grow to comparisons that they can pray as well as the best of them they are dead in sinne and without repentance shall perish in their sinnes Doct. 4 Vers 56. Thou hast heard my voice therefore stop not thine eare Whence this doctrine may bee gathered That those whom God hath once heard in mercie hee will alwaies heare preuaile with God once and euer VVhom God once heares in mercie he euer heares With men it is not a good argument to say Sir you paid such such a debt for me you holpe me out of prison such and such a time therefore doe it againe for it may be hee hath by that meanes so weakened his estate alreadie that he is not able to doe the like againe But it is otherwise with God all his former benefits are of so many bonds for new biessings if hee inclined his eare vnto vs such and such a time when wee powred out our prayers and teares before him wee shall finde the like successe againe vpon the vse of the like meanes Reason The reason hereof is drawne from Gods nature He is Iehouah yesterday to day and the same for euer Heb. 13.6 If hee haue receiued vs vesterday he can and will doe it in like sort to day yea and hence-forward for euer there is no change in him There remaines the same cause of mercie still in his nature hee had as much reason to loue Peter after his sall as before And when Christ prayed that Peters faith might not faile that proceeded from Christs goodnesse not from Peters If our prayers haue beene once a sweet smelling sacrifice in the nostrils of the Lord they shall neuer bee reiected by him once welcome to him and alwaies It is an argument that will surelie preuaile with God Heb. 12.2 Lord thou drewest neare once therefore doe it still To this purpose it is said that Christ is the author and finisher of our faith where once he hath laid the foundation hee will reare vp the building and bring it to perfection So is it said in the Psalme Psal 90.2 From euerlasting to euerlasting thou art our God If euer God should haue refused to shew vs fauor it would haue beene then when wee were dead in sinne but euen then hee sought to vs ere wee sought after him and before wee imagined any such matter hee was at the cost to bestow his sonnes bloud vpon vs that his spirit might bee shedde abroad in our hearts that wee might haue experience of his loue that wee might haue title to his sonnes death and merits and beeing once his sonnes and daughters might still bee fauoured relieued and succoured by him Let vs consider what wee doe and be thorowly grounded and perswaded vpon good warrant before we take comfort to our selues in Gods mercies but when wee haue a good foundation to build our assurance vpon let vs know that all Gods mercies are euerlasting mercies Vse 1 First this doctrine makes for the reproofe and terror of such men and women as hope that if the pestilence or death or any other heauie affliction should come they should bee in case good enough and doe as well as the best And why They will make many good prayers and desire God to bee mercifull to them and to forgiue them Well what wil they answere to this They haue made good prayers as they call them heretofore but what entertainement did they find with God They haue heard manie a sermon but what grace haue they gotten thereby They haue come to the Sacrament as often as their neighbors but what mortification haue they gained by it Nay surelie they cannot say much for such matters they are thigns that they neuer marked Then their case will bee hard when trouble comes If they haue no old store they will bee shut out as the foolish virgins were Math. 15. A Christian hath an old stocke which he liues vpon God hath heard him often hee hath giuen thankes to God as often or at least verie often hee hath gone through the pikes but still God hath beene at his right hand the remembrance whereof will much sustaine the heart But as for them that haue no experience of Gods former fauors in answering them in the daies and times when they haue called vpon him they can haue little hope that they shall finde any kindnesse from him when afflictions take hold of them If a prisoner that hath deserued death should say hee hopes well and lookes for fauor And why He hath euerie day put vp two or