Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	truth_n	zeal_n	zealous_a	20	3	8.8436	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85887	A treatise of prayer and of divine providence as relating to it. With an application of the general doctrine thereof unto the present time, and state of things in the land, so far as prayer is concerned in them. Written for the instruction, admonition, and comfort of those that give themselves unto prayer, and stand in need of it in the said respects. By Edvvard Gee, minister of the gospel at Eccleston in Lancashire.	Gee, Edward, 1613-1660.	1653 (1653)	Wing G451; Thomason E1430_1; ESTC R209520	284,427	526

despised vilified and distrusted persons in the Land while those who are but reputed Temporisers are the men looked upon received into the bosom promoted and entrusted Now where Religion is talked of and the ground and band of all correspondency and confidence is mens absolute flexibility and giving up themselves to any publique interest for private and self-respects sake even Charity her self will judg Religion is taken in but upon design It being thus manifest that many mens forwardness for Religion hath been to serve base carnal ends we may gather thence both what intolerable abuse hath been done to Religion and what guilt is then contracted 1. Religion hath grosly been abused and sadly suffered thereby and that many ways It its life and being whilest overgrown and overtopped with hypocrisie and worldly-mindedness in its honour whilest exposed to scandal and reproach and in its advance and growth whilest the Reformation intended and begun hath been by no means so much undermined retarded and blasted as by this All the professed contradictions and oppositions of the Papists and prophane have not so availed to crush and strangle this work as these self-designers like the Samaritans in Ezra Ezr. 4.1 2 coming in to joyn with the children of the Captivity in building the Temple on purpose to cross it have done 2. A great trespass is thereby committed Jer. 22 14. See our English margent Et lacerat sibi fenestras meas tectum cedrinum deinde pingit Iudici Junius i. e. Rerum e domo mea amocarum in usum suum loco obducit colorem floridum Jud●ci ne fraus manifesta sit Id. this is for men with Jehojakim as our margent and Junius read that place in Jeremiah to cut out Gods windows and his Cedar-sieling out of his Temple therewith to build and deck our own houses and to paint over the breach they have so made in Gods house with Vermillion that is to bestow upon Religion a vain flourish or colourable complement and under pretence thereof to dispoil it of its solid and substantial furniture For that fact of Jehojakim the Lord pronounceth a wo upon him Wo unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness and his chambers by wrong that saith Ver. 13 14 15 An Regnaturus es quia tu misces te cum ista Cedro Jun. i. e. Res sacras admisces tuis an his artibus regnum tuum stabilum iri existimas Id. I will build me a wide house and large chambers and cutteth him out my windows and Cedar-sieling and then paints it over with vermillion and in particular tells him Shalt thou reign because thou closest thy self with that Cedar Let the false pretending dissemblers to Religion that seek and set up themselves and enlarge their houses and estates thereby take to themselves this woe else it will certainly take hold on them Let us go on to other particulars Here is a decay cooling dying of Religion we are all generally baptized persons professed Christians we bear the name of Christ own the Religion of his Gospel in opposition to and distinction from Heathenism Judaism Turcism yea and Popery We declare for Protestantism and Reformation but where is the soundness life vigor and efficacy of these things If any sense or power of these things moved in us at first unto the embracement of them what is become of it The Lord may say of us as of Jerusalem I remember thee the kindness of thy youth Jer. 2.2 the love of thine espousals In the beginning of Reformation in King Edwards Queen Maries and Queen Elizabeths days there was some zeal and forwardness expressed for the truth and for the pure worship of God in acting for the abolition of Popery and for Church-Reformation and in sufferings unto death but from that time how soon were we departed How continuedly have we degegenerated How far are we now fallen from that life and fervor Where are the forward actors Where are the resolute Endurers for the Cause of God A zealous strict gracious and fruitful course of life and conversation hath all along by the most been layd aside loathed hated denyed and persecuted We have of late begun high attempts and engagements as if we would not only recover but exceed and out-strip our first settings forth for Religion but this rise hath seemed to be but like that of a body mortally sick or wounded which in the approaches of death well have one or a few starts and liftings up to recall as it were its departing Soul but is not able to hold up when it is raised and therefore yields presently again to the seizure of death May we not fear that the late stirrings and sticklings for Reformation were but as sprints or struglings before death considering how little these are seconded yea how quite flat these are layd down yea what intentions studies and practices clean contrary to them are taken up and practised Methinks when I consider the story of Gideon I see a lively portraicture of the men of these times Gideon at first when in his low condition when he threshed wheat by the wine-press to hide it from the Midianites and when he confessed his family was poor in Manasseh and he was the least in his fathers house and the Lord set him to throw down the Altar of Baal and cut down the grove by it and to build an Altar unto the Lord and to offer thereon a burnt sacrifice with the wood of that grove he was very forward zealous and couragious both in the removing of Idolatry and erecting the worship of the true God But when he had accomplished his great conquests and the deliverance of Israel from the Midianites and Amalekites how then proceeded he in reference to Religion Why he makes a request to his people for their golden Ear-rings Judg. 6.11 15. cap. 8 24 c. accordingly they grant and spreading a garment every man therein casts the Ear-rings of his prey and he makes an Ephod thereof and puts it in his City and all Israel goes thither awhoring after it Even thus have men the Gideons the mighty men of valor now delt with Religion At the first when they were little in their own sight then down with the Altar of Baal and the grove down with Idolatry Superstition and all humane Innovations and Inventions in Religion Then for nothing so much as for Reformation and purity in the Worship of God and in the Ministry and Government of his House but when the Wars are over and Victory is obtained then the conclusion about Religion is this Let every man bring in his golden Ear-ring the uncouth and extravagant Notions and Opinions which he hath taken up during the War an employment which hath often proved not more hurtful to mens bodies by bringing diseases wounds and death then to their minds and souls by breeding Error and vice and make a many-coloured changeable Ephod that is an interwoven mixture and free Toleration

they are put into a book of remembrance and a day is to come of differencing betwixt them and others by consuming Judgments upon the proud and the wicked and the Sun of righteousness arising with healing and satisfying mercies unto the fearers of his Name To this example I will further observe That the practice of Sorcery and Enchantment in which in a sort men do call upon God and the Vulgar think they only go to him and that religiously it is one of the grossest ways of tempting God that is yet this sometimes takes place and attaineth its expected end and that even in opposition to the prayers of the people of God There is a time indeed when there is no Enchantment against Jacob nor Divination against Israel Numb 23 23 but thus it always is not When Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon was upon his expedition against several Syrian Countries in the which he destroyed Jerusalem and carryed Judah away captive for seventy years he fell to his Enchantment the Text saith Ezek. 21.21 22 Jer. 14.19 cap. 18.20 Ezek. 9.8 Jer. 36.6 9 The King of Babylon stood at the parting of the way at the head of the two ways to use Divination he made his arrows bright he consulted with Images he looked in the Liver at his right hand was the Divination for Jerusalem c. There were at this time those faithful ones in Judah who did earnestly pray for that people of God to have saved them from the Babylonian So did the Prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel and doubtl●ss many others yea there is no question but the people universally sought unto God in that strait and in this case they of Judah thought that as Nebuchadnezzars course was impious so his successes would be unprosperous And it shall be unto them as a false Divination in their sight Ezek. 21.23 to them that have sworn Oaths but he shall call to remembrance their iniquity that they may be taken Yet nevertheless the event was Nebuchadnezzar carryed the enterprise and Judah fell miserably into his hand I above noted 〈◊〉 devoutness of the persecuting Pharisees and unbelieving Jews we may here reflect upon their success as they were devout towards God so were they bitter adversaries to Christ his Disciples and Doctrine they reckoned their persecutions of them among their services done to God Under this their enmity On the one side Christ Joh. 16.2 and his Apostles and other Disciples as the History of the Gospel and the Acts fully manifest prayed much and in prayer commended their cause to God On the other side those Pharisees and Jews prayed often and no question as their counsels and other proceedings so their prayers were bent against Christ Psal 109.17 18 20.28 and Christians These two parties thus oppositely praying it is well known how th● success went Indeed in spiritual efficacy and progress our Saviour and his Disciples had the better the Gospel spred and the Church of Christ encreased but in outward and earthly power and prevalency which is the matter now stumbled at it went quite contrary Christ himself even immediately after he had shut up his ardent and reiterated prayer poured out with sweat and blood in the Garden Luk. 22.44 to the 48. John 18.3 and whilest he was exhorting his Disciples to arm themselves with prayer was apprehended and led away to his passion by the band of men and officers sent from the chief Priests and Pharisees and when they had crucified him they insult over him his prayers and confidence in God as being in their own eyes masters of thei●●espiteful desires Matth. 27.41 c. Psa 69.10 22.1 2. while he himself and his prayers in his own present apprehension are relinquished of God After his Ascension his Disciples are persecuted by the Pharisees and being layd hold on inhibited and threatned by them they unanimously set to prayer their prayers indeed are followed with a fulness of the Spirit Acts 4 24 5.18.33 40 and heavenly courage against all opposition but they escape not the molestations of their persecutors these yet return and grow upon them At their next appearing in publique they are taken put in prison and designed to slaughter Acts 7.58 8.1 3.9.1 26.10 11 Gal. 1.13 Acts 12.1 c. and hardly come off with scourging Shortly after one of their company is stoned to death then followed a general persecution by prison Synagogue-censures dispersion and death which stayed not at Jerusalem but pursued them thence to strange Cities A while after Herods hand the Jews instigating him riseth up to the vexing of certain of the Church and Martyrdom of James and almost of Peter his designation to death went on very far even during the incessant prayers of the Church unto God for him he was brought out of prison by the Angel but that very night before he should have been brought forth by Herod to his death but though he survived yet persecution stayed not The Jewish rage against Christianity still proceeded and as the Church of Christ grew so their persecutions multiplyed and were more intense witness the Envy Conspiracies Tumults Expulsions Stonings Imprisonings Beatings Accusations unto Authority Scourgings Capital Tryals and Judgments which the blindly zealous and religious Jews procured against Paul Barnabas Silas and others mentioned in the Acts besides the rest of the Persecutions and Martyrdoms they brought upon them other Christians related in Ecclesiastical Story In sum He that shall look over those Evangelical Records and view the outward conditions and successes of these two opposite parties viz. Christ and his followers on the one side and the unbelieving Jews on the other he cannot but acknowledg that Providence seemed to answer the desires and prayers of the then greatest adversaries to Christianity and to overlook the prayers of his people I mean for a time and as to temporal Interest In the Insurrection of Absalom against David we find them both having recourse to God As David prayed and penned one Psalm of prayer on that occasion Psal 3.2 2 Sam. 15.12 so Absalom as was even now observed offered Sacrifices at Hebron when he was carrying on his Conspiracy and mark what followed how strong did Absalom grow how far did he go on and prevail immediately it 's said the Conspiracy was strong the people encreased continually with Absalom And David cries out Lord how are they encreased that trouble me many are they that rise up against me All this while David flies before him in a sad posture leaving the City and the Ark of the Covenant of God and the Priests behind him to the Enemy he flyeth his Friends bewailing his Foes cursing his chief Counseller conspiring and advising against him his Rebel-Son seizing on the City his House and Wives all the people all Israel choosing and following Absalom David not only gives ground a little but he and they that were with him lest they should be swallowed up by the Enemy are fain