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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	wonderful_a	work_n	world_n	86	3	3.7584	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A03698	The shield of the righteous: or, The Ninety first Psalme, expounded, with the addition of doctrines and vses Verie necessarie and comfortable in these dayes of heauinesse, wherein the pestilence rageth so sore in London, and other parts of this kingdome. By Robert Horn, minister of Gods Word.	Horne, Robert, 1565-1640.	1625 (1625)	STC 13825; ESTC S104237	130,560	160

repentance to flee vnto when a floud is sent the wicked hauing no such consideration stand naked by sinne in the face of euery storme that is sent and perish in it The summe of all is this they that be Christians indeed must and will take a true inuentorie of Gods fauours and iudgements and set downe in their minds by deepe obseruation as with a pen of iron what he hath strangely done where Christians in face onely haue no such notes about them of his strange acts and forget all his workes as if they had neuer bene Let vs therefore not forget Gods acts his strange acts neither Gods workes his fearefull workes worthy to be had in remembrance And put it in your bookes what he did so lately one yeare in a spring of no raine and the next yeare in a sommer of so much raine take your bill or booke of tables and write what God did scarefully in that great Plague Luke 16.6.7 and strangely in remouing it Also what desolations he made by the sea in those West-country flouds or if we haue forgotten let vs remember how God set his heauen as brasse against our faces of brasse and made it to weepe day and night in raine of long continuance because wee would shed no teares for our sinnes Let vs not forget the signes which he sent among vs and which haue not bene few nor his tokens on earth nor his wonders in the sea nor what strange lights he hath set with his owne hand in the firmament nor what a graue was made for vs by Spaniards once and once by men of our owne nation and how we were at both times deliuered and they throwne in as our ransome nor how often the sword hath bene set to our very heart in practises against our mother in Israel and our father now Gods end in causing the righteous to see the Plagues of sinners is to assure them the more in their weake faith and patience that he will ratifie what he hath spoken and here we learne That the Lord knowing whereof we are made Psal 103.14 doth dispense with his owne right to beare with our infirmities So he did not onely burie the Aegyptians in the sea but did it his people looking on Exod. 14.30.31 who saw them to go downe quicke to those graues and Dauid saith When the wicked shall perish thou shalt see Psal 37.34 His meaning is that the wicked shall die strangely and that the godly shall see their strange death they shall perish as God hath said and the other see it that they may not doubt or they shall perish that God may magnifie his truth vpon his enemies and his people see it that he may be magnified in his children The smoke of Sodome mounted vp as the smoke of a fornace and Abraham must see it Genes 19.28 Sedome was wicked and destroyed and Abraham the friend of God beheld her destruction Likewise the fiue Kings of the Amorites appointed to the sword could not be hid but were found and brought out to be executed before all Israel that same day Ios 10.24.26 it must be done and Israel must see it done For the man of power shall be destroyed and the man of wisedome the righteous man shall see it Psal 52.5.6 The reasons Our graces of faith patience perseuerance spirituall fortitude Reason 1 and the like are very weake many times without the vphold of the outward senses and therefore hee that for our weakenesse hath added Sacraments as seales to his word to beare it vp is content to vphold his promise in other things with these sensible helps And now as there is no sense more helpefull and certaine then this of seeing none that imprinteth deeper affections in the passiue part of the soule then it So the Lord chuseth in such cases to confirme and settle vs rather by seeing then by heare-say He that is able to say that he is an eye-witnesse to a thing may better resolue himselfe and perswade another in that thing then he that can onely say he heard it Secondly if God did not thus to beare with his children by Reason 2 dispensation giuing them for the helpe of their weake faith in him proppes of sense to hold by they would quickly not stagger onely but fall downe in a despaire of his promises but God will not see the fall of his people and his people shall see the saluation of their God Reason 3 Thirdly beholding in others with our eyes the recompence of sinne it will make vs if we belong to God in a fright to forsake that way that casteth such troubles vpon those that trauell in it Now the Lord knowing that such frights are sometimes necessarie for his children to the helpe of their conuersion to him doth set the wicked before them in the recompence of their errour by some notable destruction that they may take heede in time Vse 1 This dispensation of Gods mercy to his children in a time Pestilence or other publick visitation bearing with them and not suffering them to come vpon the scaffold where others are cut off by death should teach them from such matter of his patience toward them and seuerity to others to gather benefit to their amendment and not boldnesse thereby to doe euill Rom. 2.4 If God be terrible in his works that is if he visit with a wonderfull Plague with strange sicknesses and yeares with disorderly springs and summers with dearths and death it is that the world the godly at least should worship him and sing vnto his Name Psal 66.3 4. or that they should turne to him and not turne wantons For they are not spared by chance or because they are worthy nor doe they ouerliue the calamities of those who in times of mortalitie come sooner to deaths house then they that they should flatter themselues in an euill custome because God hath beene more fauourable to them then to these but they see the destruction of others in their owne safetie that by such a sight they may be made more fearefull to offend and more carefull to please God in his commandements now then before And this good vse must all Gods children make of his sparing hand to them or theirs not carrying the grace of it into wantonnesse for God doth it in loue to their benefit and they must apply it in wisdome to the cure of their vnbeliefe and purging of their wickednesse Some as if the Lord did punish at aduenture in such cases and not directly for sinne hold on their prouocations neither changing their skinne nor altering their spots Ier. 13.23 And these are more sensles then the sensles beast for the Beast feareth exceedingly when hee seeth one of his fellowes knockt downe before his face and pitifully roareth out when he senteth his fellowes blood but these are sensles of Gods strokes lift vp vpon men like themselues and are not moued where the beast is so greatly moued neither pitie Christian blood It is said of

that caused it Rom. 6.23 but this hath bene spoken 〈◊〉 This is the deliuerance propounded the same further proued followeth VER 8. Doubtlesse or onely with thine eyes shalt thou behold c. WHat was before propounded is here earnestly affirmed concerning the deliuerances of Gods people in daies of trouble when thousands fall For the Prophet saith Thou shalt behold these Plagues vpon others to wit with eyes of faith and seeing or God will lay them before thee and not vpon thee prouided that thou feare before his anger and loue his goodnesse And he speaks of seeing because the experience bringeth peace vnto the godly and many good things but then they must haue eyes to see his iudgements and an eye of faith to obserue his loue his iudgements vpon the wicked his loue to them Where the Doctrine is Gods children must not passe ouer Gods iudgements vpon others Doct. 1 with a carelesse eye nor be without eyes to behold his goodnesse vpon themselues When they meete with such an experience by day or night they must haue their day-booke and night-watches for a remembrance of it So Dauid marked diligently as it were with a Selah Gods proceedings in mercie to him and his Church Psal 32.4.5.7 for where he had done any notable thing for his people or for his King he as it were foulded downe a leafe at it and committed it to tables of memorie Neither lost he by the hand nay the obseruation was gainefull to him for it ministred great courage to him against that brauing monster Goliah 1. Sam. 17.37 Abraham also was comforted in God by the same obseruation of Gods former wayes when out of him he could haue but small comfort to offer to death his best sonne Isaac in whose bloud the whole world might seeme then to haue bene drowned Genes 22.3.8 Further it was the practise of that excellent Author of 119. Psalme who in like case of Gods speciall doings meditated in his precepts and considered his wayes that is carefully considered them or wrote them downe The flesh is dull in these matters therefore Dauid summons his soule vnto them saying O my soule praise the Lord and forget not all his benefits Or let no benefit of his be forgotten Psal 103.2 as if he had said write them vp in thy memorie and let not thy forgetfull sense keepe the booke of them or trust not thy senses with them but write them in thy heart In another Psalme the same Prophet for he was a great obseruer of things in his time doth not onely penne these mercies of God as in a booke for his owne memorie but calls others to the meditation as if hee would helpe their remembrance also by reading these things out of his booke to them and therefore saith Come and behold the workes of the Lord Psal 46.8 as if he should haue said I haue noted them and do you obserue them As if one of vs should say to another Come and see what times haue bene and how they be changed what sicknesse raigned once and what health raigneth now what want of fruites at some times and what abundance at other This yeare great stormes of trouble and the next a great calme of peace v. 9. The reasons Reason 1 Gods children must be thankfull for Gods benefits which cannot be long if they forget them nor longer then they be remembred therefore God hath commanded that his high Acts should not be forgotten as where he hath beene extraordinarily good to his people or seuerely sharpe to his peoples enemies Deut. 6.12 and 25.17.19 Reason 2 Secondly the Lord doth these great things that they might be remembred Psal 111.4 and shall we by our neglect of them frustrate his ends Reason 3 Thirdly if men threaten vs we remember our danger and count it a dishonestie if they do vs good to forget their loue and shall Gods threatnings not moue vs nor his loues make vs thankfull Shall a heathen Monarch keepe a Chronicle or day-booke of good turnes done to him by his subiects Hest 6.1.2 And shall Christians keepe no memoriall of so wonderfull things done to them by the soueraigne Lord of all worlds Lastly the faithfull consideration of Gods iudgements vpon Reason 4 others mercies to vs will make vs to feare his anger and to loue his goodnesse Habac. 3.2 Exod. 14.31 Iudg. 5.1 Psal 78.35.40.42 A reproofe of the slumbring multitude that passe no obseruation Vse 1 vpon Gods doings let him be angrie or pleased they are one kind of men still and neuer care to draw any thing from his anger or kindnesse for their amendment Let him thunder maruellously with his voice Iob 37.5 it is but a voyce that passeth by and when the earth is moued they are not moued If hee bring the sea out of his place as lately he did to punish our disorder what great thing doth he worthy noting His iustice in punishing with so long and fearefull a Plague is not in our minds and wee haue forgotten his maruellous goodnesse in the discouerie of the Powder-plot which is past as if God had done nothing The earth hath trembled vnder vs the heauens haue bene vnquiet and much distempered ouer vs our houses haue bene tossed and shaken with winds the staffe of our bread hath bene broken the enemie hath threatned vs at our doores and God hath taken away the wise man and the Counsellour yea the righteous perish and who hath considered Esay 57.1 Hath the Lord done any thing to wit in our opinion in all this or have we learned ought by it more then if nothing had bene done Haue not his wonderfull works lately done deserued the pen of a readie writer in euery of our hearts but we haue prepared them not as bookes of remembrance but as graues to burie his kindnesse An admonition to Gods faithfull Ministers the louder God Vse 2 is in his iudgements the louder to sound the trumpet of exhortation in their preachings Our admonitions must not runne alwaies in one tenour but haue the point put vpon them as the Lord is more or lesse prouoked Esay 58.1 For he hath placed vs in the watch-tower of his Church that wee might haue an eye to his iudgements The like admonition to all the faithfull to obserue Gods doings and to vse the eyes that he hath giuen them to see his workes and not to behold vanitie It hath beene said of the righteous that they see the Plague that is as they thankfully score vp blessings when they come so they dolefully record the curse when it commeth Prou. 22.3 Neither do they see it onely but hide themselues from it in a pure heart and innocent life where the wicked not fearing the shot of God neither the artillerie of his iudgements go on still to wit after one fashion and in their old way of impenitencie and hardnesse till they be destroyed Good men will deepely imprint Gods doings and be sure to haue an arke of prouidence builded by

the waters that they saw God and were afraid Psal 77.16 and of the earth that it beheld his lightnings and shooke verse 18. these see him in his iudgements and feare nothing and in times of Plague behold him in many deaths which are lightnings before their owne death and shake neuer a whit But Gods children being taught in a better schoole must make another and a better vse of his patience towards them and iudgements in the world not imputing their safetie to chance or proudly to their worthinesse as if they had beene no such sinners as they vpon whom the tower of those deaths fell slew them Luk. 13.4 but ascribing all to God that spared them and confessing before him and the sonnes of men how iustly he might haue donne as much or more to them but that hee would haue them to liue to praise his name and to confesse his truth that had made them to follow others to their graues who might haue followed them to theirs Secondly this example of Gods bearing with vs should be an Vse 2 inducement to vs to beare one with another If he forgiue vs in the ten thousand talēts we must not tak our brother by the throat in the hundred pence Mat. 18.27 28. nor where God setteth vs at liberty for great matters imprison our brother for a trifle my meaning is where God beareth with our weake faith and accepts vs in it notwithstanding that we will not trust him further then we see him nor without some paune it is our part much more to beare with some things in our weake brethren being men as wee are subiect to like infirmities Iames 5.17 hee that is strong ought to beare the infimities of the weake Rom. 15.1 the Apostle saith ought or must as if he had said it is his duty and part to beare them And one of the commendations and not the least that Eliphaz giues to Iob is that he strengthened the weary hands and knees that bowed downe Iob. 4.3 4. as if hee had said he refreshed them being wearie and being weake was a piller of stay vnto them or he was tender of them and did not breake them in their brusings for the way thus to beare is to haue tender bowels which the Apostle Saint Paul intimates where in doing of this hee bidds vs to consider our selues Gal. 6.1 as if hee should say that this consideration of our frailtie if it be impartiall and earnest as it should be will make vs to practise this duty with meeknesse for then wee consider our selues in them that their case may bee ours and that as they haue fallen so may we but when wee consider that God in reproouing and afflicting man doth descend to his weaknesse Psal 78.39 and that Christ became like to vs in all things that we might be touched with a sense of others infirmities as he was of ours Heb. 4.15 how can we but handle their Soares gently and with the spirit of meekenesse whose wounds bled before vs and should not bee strained but bound vp with our tenderest compassions And here spirituall men should remember that they were once carnall and old men not forget that once they were children they that haue passed the temptations of youth should call to minde what difficulties they mett with in the passage and they that haue gotten the shoare think of the sea which they haue escaped for thus beholding others in the glasse of themselues not as they are but as they haue beene they shall bee better able to shew this meeknesse to all men because they themselues were Doct. 3 in times past vnwise disobedient deceiued seruing lusts and diuers pleasures hatefull and hating one another Tit. 3.2 3. But when God visits his Church with a Plague wee may not call it as here the Plague of the wicked and if he then make vs rather to behold it in others then to see the worke of it in our selues it is that wee should bee the more compassionate toward them in that humiliation where we learne to shew pitie to those whom God hath any way humbled in his Church for we must behold their miseries otherwise and with other eyes then wee see the Plague of the wicked Moses had this pitifull and tender heart whom the glory of a Kings Court could not make to forget his brethrens burdens Exod. 2.11 Heb. 11.25 26. So though Ruth might haue gon backe to her countrie with her sister-in-law yet would she not let her mother-in-law go alone in her affliction but went with her foot by foot in all her trouble from the Land of Moab to the Land of Israel Ruth 2.15.17 Daniel in the captiuitie was in no bondage himselfe but highly in fauour with the King yet so long as Gods people were in distresse and Gods Temple in desolation hee could not bee merry but sorrowed and wept Dan. 10.2 3. and Zealous Nehemiah a great man in the Kings Court and fauour and in an Honorable Office very neere the Kings Person could not hide the griefe of his heart from breaking forth in his countenance nor take any comfort in those great Honours he held from the Kings immediate Grace and bounty then so long as his brethren were in aduersity the house of the Sepulchers of his Fathers lay waste Nehem 2.2 3. the like tender bowels had worthy Vriah vnworthily dealt with by Dauid 2 Sam. 11.11.15 and Mordecai a man of sorrowes for the sorrowes of his Nation and Hester the Queene who was in great heauines for Mordecai for them Hest 4.1.2.4 The reasons Reason 1 We should be followers of God Ephes 5.1 and practise mercy as he is mercifull Secondly that affection which is naturall to the eye doth teach Reason 2 vs this duty for the eye that is made to see the griefe of the creature is made to weepe for it so it is in the naturall bodie and so should it be in the mysticall of Christ Thirdly we are one anothers members 1 Cor. 12.27 now members of one body should all suffer together reioyce together v. 26. Reason 3 Fourthly if we beleeue the communion of Saints we cannot Reason 4 denie to take part with them in weale or wo. For as when two or mo are partners in a Trade they partake indifferently with the losse and gettings that arise of that society so Christians in this society and trade of spirituall members should recken the Churches good their good and the Churches miserie their Plague and that which is spoken of the whole holdeth in euery member therefore if a neighbours house bee visited as in time of Pestilence it should moue vs as if ours were so if our neighbour be in trouble as if we were troubled in him and if he mourne as if we sorrowed A reproofe of the incompassionate and vnlouing priuatenesse Vse 1 that hath been in many toward a Citie or Towne shut vp with the Plague as with Gods owne Key For some haue had no bowels