Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	presence_n	society_n	sweeten_v	160	3	16.8485	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29709	A word in season to this present generation, or, A sober and serious discourse about the favorable, signal and eminent presence of the Lord with his people in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers : with the resolution of several questions, concerning the divine presence, as also the reasons and improvements of this great and glorious truth ... / by Thomas Brooks ...	Brooks, Thomas, 1608-1680.	1675 (1675)	Wing B4970; ESTC R11759	200,185	248

this providence kills and that providence makes a live O but this Divine presence sweetens every providence 7. It sweetens all other presences it sweetens the presence of Friends it sweetens the presence of Relations it sweetens the presence of strangers it sweetens all Civil Societies it sweetens all Religious Societies 8. It sweetens the thoughts of death the arrests of death it turns the King of terrours into the King of desires Job 14. 5 14. Cap. 30. 23. Job 17. 13 14. How does Job court the worms as if he were of a family with them and neare of kin to them How does he look upon the grave as his bed and makes no more to die than to go to bed It was this Divine presence that made the Martyrs as willing to die as to dine But Fifthly To move you so to order demean and carry 5 Motive your selves as that you may enjoy the gracious presence of God with you in your greatest troubles and deepest distresses consider that in great troubles deep distresses and most deadly dangers you will most need the favourable signal presence of God with you We alwayes stand in need of the Divine presence but never so much as when we are under great troubles and deep distresses For 1. In dayes of trouble and distress mens affections are most apt to be greatly disordered and their hearts discomposed as you see in Job and Jonah 2. Now their Job 3. Jonah 4. fears doubts and disputes are apt to rise highest when the wind rises high and the sea roares men are most apt Jonah 2. 2. to 7. to be afraid 3. Now Satan commonly is busiest Satan Job 2. 9. Jam. 1. 12. loves to fish in troubled waters when the hand of God is heaviest upon us then Satan will shoot his most deadly Gen. 34. 25. Deu. 25. 17 18 19. darts at us The sons of Jacob fell upon the Shechemites when they were sore and Amaleck fell upon Gods Israel and smote them when they were weak and feeble and faint and weary and Satan falls foul upon Christ Mat. 4. 1. to 11. when he was in the wilderness and when he had fasted forty dayes and forty nights and was a hungry And as he dealt with the head so he still deales with the members 4. Now unbelief is most turbulent strong and mighty in operation as you may see in the Spies We be Num. 13. 31 32. not able to go up against the people for they are stronger than we The Land through which we have gone to search it is a Land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof and all the Verse 33. people that we saw in it are men of great stature And there we saw the Giants the Sons of Anak which come of the Giants and we were in our own sight as Grashoppers and so we were in their sight So 2 Kings 6. 33. This evil is Vide 2 Kin. 7. 1 2. 19 20. of the Lord what should I wait for the Lord any longer So David Psal 116. 11. I said in my hast all men are lyars the Prophets have all deceived me and Samuel has deluded me they have told me of a Kingdom a Crown but I shall never wear the one nor possess the other So 1 Sam. 27. 1. I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul Thus his fear is got above his faith and his soul wherried about with unbelief to the scandal of the weak and the scorn of the wicked besides his own particular disadvantage 5. Now fainting fits will be most strengthned increased and multiplyed Now fainting fits like Jobs Messengers or like the rolling waves will come thick one upon another Prov. 24. 10. Job 4. 5. Lam. 1. 12 13. 6. Now conscience will be most startled disquieted Gen. 42. 21. cap. 50. 15. 1 Kings 17. 18. Great troubles and deep distresses are many times like strong physick which stirs the humours and makes the Patient sick very sick yea heart sick Conscience commonly never reades the soul such sad and serious lectures as when the Rod lyes heaviest upon the back By all which you see what high cause the People of God have so to order demean and carry themselves as that they may find the gracious presence of God with them in their greatest troubles and deepest distresses for then they will certainly need most of the Divine presence But Sixthly To move you so to order demean and carry 6 Motive your selves as that you may enjoy the gracious presence of God with you in your greatest troubles and deepest distresses consider this Divine presence will make you Divinely fearless in the midst of your greatest troubles deepest distresses Psal 23. 4. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me thy rod and thy staff they comfort me Psalm 46. 2. We will not fear though the Earth be removed and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea Verse 3. Though the waters thereof rore c. Why God is in the midst of her she shall not be moved God shall help her and that right early Verse 5. The Lord of Hosts is with us the God of Jacob is our refuge Selah Vers 7. Num. 14. 9. Neither fear ye the people for they are bread for us their defence is departed from them and the Lord is with us fear them not Deut. 7. 21. Thou shalt not be affrighted at them for the Lord thy God is among you a mighty God and terrible So Heb. 13. 5. I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Verse 6. I will not fear what man shall do unto me There is no such way to keep down all base slavish fears of men as to keep up the presence of God in the midst of you you will not fear the power of men nor the policy of men nor the threats of men nor the wrath of men if you do but enjoy this gracious this signal presence of God that is under our present consideration mens fears are never so rampant as when God withdraws his presence from them 1 Sam 28. 15 20. But Seventhly To move you so to order demean and 7 Motive carry your selves as that you may enjoy the gracious presence of God with you in your greatest troubles and deepest distresses consider that there is in God a very great unwillingness to withdraw his presence from his Isa 1. 2 3 4 16 18. Ezek. 18. 31. Cap. 33. 11. Jer. 3. 13 14. People when they are in great troubles and deep distresses Ezek. 8. 6. Son of man seest thou what they do even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here that I should go far off from my Sanctuary Of all sins the sin of Idolatry drives God farthest off from his Sanctuary when God goes off from a People he goes not off rashly he goes not off suddenly but he goes off gradually he

shy of them nor strange to them whom Christ lyes daily in his bosom O be not unkind to them with whom one day you must live for ever But Sixthly Will the Lord be signally present with his 6. Inference People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers then never give way to base slavish Psal 51. 12 13. Pfalm 46. 1 2 3. Matt. 10 2● ●● fears there are as many fear nots in Scripture as there are fears take a tast of some of them Hebr. 13. 5. He hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Verse 6. So that we may boldly say The Lord is my helper and I will not fear what man shall do unto me This Text is taken out of Psalm 118. 6. The Lord is on my side I will not fear what man can do unto me Some read it by The Earl of M●rray speaking of Mr. John Knox said Here lies the body of him who i● hi● life time never feared the face of any man way of Interrogation What can man do unto me There is some difference in the Apostle's quoting the Text betwixt the Hebrew and the Greek The Hebrew thus reads it The Lord is with me or for me or as our English hath translated it The Lord is on my side The Greek thus The Lord is my helper but the sence being the same with the Hebrew the Apostle would not alter that translation The alteration which is in the Greek serves for an Exposition of the mind and meaning of the Psalmist for God being with us or for us or on our side presuppofeth that he is our helper So as there is no contradiction betwixt the Psalmist and the Apostle but a clear interpretation of the Psalmists mind and a choice instruction thence ariseth viz. That Gods signal prefence with us for us or on our side may abundantly satisfie us and assure us that he will afford all needful help and succour to us the consideration of which should abundantly arm us against all base slavish fears God is not present with his Saints in their troubles and distresses as a stranger but as a Father and therefore he cannot but take such special care of them as to help them as to succour them and as to secure them from dangers in the midst of dangers and therefore Isa 43. 2. why should they be afraid The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is translated helper in that Hebr. 13. 6. according to the notation of it signifieth one that is ready to run at the cry of another Now this notation implieth a willing readiness and a ready willingness in God to afford all succour and relief to his People in their greatest troubles and deepest distresses herein God shews himself like a tender Father Mother or Nurse who presently runs when any of them hear the Child cry or see danger near Isai 8. 10. God is with us Verse 12. Fear ye not their fear nor be afraid The Divine presence should arm us against all base slavish fears of mens power policy wrath or rage Kings and Princes compared with God or with the signal presence of God are Isa 40. 2● but as so many Grashoppers skipping and leaping up and down the field and does it become Christians that enjoy this Divine presence to be afraid of Grashoppers Isa 41. 10. Fear thou not for I am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with th●●●ht hand of my righteousness God expects that his signal presence with us should arm us against all base fear and dismayedness ●salm 23. 4. Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me The Divine presence raised David above all his fears Psalm 27. 1. The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear the Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid Who is the Enemy that I should be afraid of where is the Enemy that I should be afraid of by what name or title is the Enemy dignified or distinguished that I should be afraid of I look before me and behind me I look round about me and I look at a distance from me and I cannot see the man the Devil the Informer that I should fear or be afraid of for God is with me Where God is said King Herod in Josephu● lib. 15 a speech to his Army there neither wants multitude nor fortitude we may safely readily and cheerfully set the Divine presence against all our Enemies in the world When Antigonus his Admiral told him that the Enemies number far exceeded his But how many do ye set me against said the King Look about you and see who is with you Ah Christians Christians look about you look about you and see who is signally present with you and then be afraid if you can But Seventhly Will the Lord be signally present with his 7. Inference People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers then certainly there is no such great evil in troubles distresses sufferings c. as many conceive fear dream think judge many men look upon troubles afflictions sufferings in a multiplying glass and then they cry out there is a Lion in the way Prov. 22. 13. Cap. 26. 13. a Lion in the streets But Sirs the Lion is not alwayes so fierce as he is painted nor afflictions are not alwayes so grievous as men apprehend there are many who have been very fearful of Prisons and have looked upon a Prison as a Hell on this side Hell who when they have been there for righteousness sake and the Gospels sake have found ●●●ns to be Palaces and the imaginary Hell to be a little Heaven unto them Many fear afflictions and flee from afflictions as from Toads and Serpents as from Enemies and Devils and yet certainly there is no such great evil in affliction as they apprehend for the Lord is signally present with his People in their greatest troubles and deepest distresses Now what evil can there be in that condition wherein a man enjoyes the Divine presence that makes every bitter sweet and every burden light and that turns Winter nights into Summer dayes c. yea many times the Saints enjoy more of the singular presence of God in their afflictions in their day of adversity than ever they did in the day of prosperity or in the day of their worldly glory What Bride is afraid to meet her Bridegroom in a dark entry or in a dirty lane or in a narrow passage or in a solitary wood and why then should a Christian be afraid of this or that afflicted condition who is sure to meet his blessed Bridegroom the Lord Jesus Christ in every estate in every condition who is sure to enjoy the presence of Christ with him in every turn or change

removes not at once but by degrees now a step and then a step as Lot did when he lingred in Sodom Gen. 19. 16. Lot was not more loth to depart out of Sodom than God is loth to leave his People he goes first to the threshold Ezek. 9. 3. And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the Cherub whereupon he was to the threshold of the house Then over the threshold Cap. 10. 4. Then the glory of the Lord went up from the Cherub and stood over the threshold of the house Here is a second step this is the second time of resting before God departs The Lord had his ordinary dwelling-place in the Holy of Holyes Now Gods first remove was from the most Holy place his second remove was from the Holy place 1 Sam. 4. 4. Psalm 8. 10. Isa 37. 16. his third remove was higher towards Heaven Verse 19. And the Cherubims lift up their wings and mounted up from the Earth in my sight then to the door of the East gate or foremost gate of the Lords house To note Gods total remove from his house Then to the midst of the City Ezek. 11. 23. And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the City and then he stood upon the mountain which is on the East-side of the City This is Gods last stop in his departure by which is signified that he was willing to make one try●l more to see if the People would in this present danger call him back by invitation and lively repentance God is greatly troubled when it comes to parting H●s 118. 8. How shall I give thee up Ephraim how shall I deliver thee Israel how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as Reb●im Mine heart is turned within me my repentings are kindled together This is spoken per anthrop●patheian and not properly because diverse thoughts and repentance are not incident to God Jam. 1. 17. who is without all variableness or shadow of change The Lord seemeth here to be at a stand or at strise with himself about the destruction of this People Howbeit God in the bowels of his mercy yearning and taking pity of his Elect amongst them spareth to lay upon them the extremity of his wrath and is ready to save them for his mercies sake Observe how fatherlike he melts and mournes over them and how mercy interposeth her four several How 's Here are four such pathetical interrogations as the like are not to found in the whole Book of God and not to be answered by any but God himself as indeed he doth to each particular in the following words My heart is turned within me that is the first answer The second is My repentings are kindled together The third is I will not execute the fierceness of my wrath The fourth is I will not destroy Ephraim And why First I am God and not man Secondly the Holy One in the midst of thee God is mighty unwilling to break up house and to leave his People desolate Now is God so unwilling to withdraw his presence and shall not we do all what we can to retain him in the midst of us When dear Friends are unwilling to leave us we are the more earnest in pressing them to stay and abide with us God is marvellously unwilling to go and therefore let us with the Church cry out Leave us not Jerem. 14. 9. But Eightly To move you so to order demean and carry ● Motive your selves as that you may enjoy the gracious presence of God with you in your greatest troubles and deepest distresses consider that troubles will be no troubles distresses will be no distresses dangers will be no dangers if you can but secure the presence of God with you Mountains will be mole-hills stabs at the heart will be but as scratches upon the hand if the Divine presence be with you Gods signal presence will turn storms into calms winter-nights into summer-days prisons into pallaces banishments into enlargments The favourable presence of God will turn sickness into health weakness into strength poverty into plenty and death into life It can never be night so long as the Sun shines no afflictions no tryals can make it night with a Christian so long as he enjoyes the presence of God with his spirit 2 Ti● 4. 22. That Courtier needs not complain that this man slights him and that the other neglects him who enjoyes the delightful presence of his Prince When Sampson had the presence of God with him he made nothing of carrying the gates of the City with the posts and bars to the Judge 16. 3. top of an hill So whil'st a Christian enjoyes the singular presence of God with him he will make nothing of this affliction and that of this trouble and that of this loss and that This presence makes heavy afflictions light 2 Cor. 4. 16 17. and long afflictions short and bitter afflictions sweet It Heb. 11. 33. to 19. was this presence that made the Martyrs set light by all the great and grievous things that they suffered for Christs sake and the Gospels sake Gods gracious presence makes every condition to be a little Heaven to the believing soul A man in misery without this gracious presence of God is in a very hell on this side hell there is nothing there can be nothing but Heaven where God is signally present But Ninthly To move you so to order demean and carry 9 Moti●e your selves as that you may enjoy the gracious presence of God with you in your greatest troubles and deep●st distresses consider that the worst of men cannot fasten a curse upon you whil'st you keep the prefence of God with you Num. 23. 21. The Lord his God is with him Num. 23. 23. and the shout of a King is among them There could be no enchantment against them for the Lord their God was with them the shout of a King was among them that is God reigneth as a King among them Hereby also is meant the faith joy boldness courage and confidence of Gods People in their King as when a King comes amongst the Armies of his People he is received with joyful shoutings and acclamations and when he goes forth to battel with them he goes accompanied with the sound of trumpets and shouts of the People signes of their joy and courage So it fared with the Israelites because of that signal presence of God that was amongst them which was evident by his protecting and defending of them 1 Sam. 4. 5. And when the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord came into the Camp all Israel shouted with a great shout so that the earth rang again Here is a valorous shout of a puissant People encouraging each other to the battel and a victorious shout as having obtained the victory in the battel So 2 Chron. 13. 12 And behold God himself is with us for our Captain and his