Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	word_n	work_n	wrath_n	108	3	6.8702	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A27353	Nehemiah the Tirshatha, or, The character of a good commissioner to which is added Grapes in the wilderness / by Mr. Thomas Bell ...	Bell, Thomas, fl. 1672-1692.; Bell, Thomas. Grapes in the wilderness.	1692 (1692)	Wing B1804; Wing B1803_PARTIAL; ESTC R4955	138,914	254

his People bring them with 〈◊〉 the bond of his Covenant and give them a free ●●spensation of his ordinances whilst he doth not to others and loves them that are of themselves may be the least lovely Answer The Lord loves and chooses because he loves and chooses ●eut 7. compare the 7 and 8. verses Question 8. ●●w comes it that the Lord surprises his Saints any times with such unexpected kindness and ●ercies as distress their wits and dash their mo●sty so that they are equally ashamed and ignorant of that kindness wherewith they are so loaded ●d weighted without wearying that they are ●terly at a loss to express let be to requite it hence is all this I say Answer Because Gods way with his People is not the manner of man And what can David say more to it 2 Samuel 19 20. Question 9 But how is it that the Lord withdrawes his comfortable presence many times ●om his People when they are most earnest to keep ●m and solicitous to entertain him Answer ●hat is as he pleases Cant. 2 7. It becomes us well to ●ait his Dyets and it as well becomes him to be ●aster of his own Dyets Question 10. Why is it ●at the Lord gives many of his finest and most ●oly Saints such a sad inward life of desertions ●ears Tentations that are able to distract even a ●ise Heman from his youth and to make them ●iferenters also of such Exercises Answer I find ●is Question made by Heman Psal. 88 14. but I ●nd no answer to it And it may be the Lord would have said it is ill speired The just answer to this and such like Questions is Job 33. 13. G●● gives not account of any of his matters Question 11. ● dispensations how is it that either all things f● alike to all or if there be any odds of Lots the worst falls to the Saints in this life And that som● times men that are singulary Holy are strangely afflicted as Iob. Answer Job 9 22 23. This ●● one thing therefore I said it he destroyeth th● perfect and the wicked if the scourge slay suddainly he will laugh at the tryal of the innocen● O Soveraignity becoming him only who doth ● Heaven and Earth whatsoever he pleaseth Th● next property and attribute of God observable i● his works is wisdom and this sweetly influence the former for albeit God always will not yet always he well can give a good account of his ma●ters known unto God are all his works from the beginning Act 1● 18. Yea the Lord som● times manifests the wisdom of his works evidentl● and eminently to his Peoples admiration rath●● than satisfaction and lets them see more wisdom in his dispensations than they can fathom O th● depth Rom. 11. 33. I dare not cast my self into the depth of this wisdom of God in his dispensations lest I be not able in haste to recover my self Only let us mind that what we know not now ●● God 's mind in his dispensations it may be w● shall know afterwards to our great satisfaction We should likewise observe in the works of God Power Holiness Justice Goodness whereo● more in the sequel of our discourse and particularly we would observe the Truth for which the Psalmist so much commends the judgements and ●nd works of God we should observe how every work of God verifies some word of his book and ●ow all fulfills the whole We find it frequent in the mouth of Christ and his Apostles and sure it was first in their eyes thus and thus it was done that the Scriptures might be fulfilled The works of God are an enlarged Commentary of ● daily new edition upon the Word of God And be sure this shall not be an Orleans gloss that will overturn the Text nor will the only wise God so far forget himself in the least to counter work his Word And if thus we observe the correspondency of Gods Works with his Word our Song shall be as we have heard so have we seen in the ● City of our God And that according to his name so is his praise to all the ends of the earth Psal. 48 8 10. Only let us be sure to have the Word on our side if ever we would expect good of the Works of God for if Gods word be for us himself is on our side if God be for us who shall be against us who is the man what is the thing neither death nor life c. The Fourth thing to be observed in the works of God is the voice of them Gods words have a hand and are active working words his Works have a tongue and are speaking works his words may be seen Ier 2. 13. O generation see ye the word of the Lord and his works may be heard Mica 6. 9. the Lords voice cryeth to the City and the man of wisdom shall see the thy name hear ye the rod and him that hath appointed it There is both a visible Voice and name and an audible Rod. Men have no ears for Gods Word or if they hear it they dally with it and make i● but what they please darkening it with the du● of their Carnal self-pleasing glosses but God hath another Voice the heavy voice of a bloody lashing rod that Voice will cause men hear and i● speaks so distinctly that it will make the meaning of a despised Word so plain that it shall be even visible what God would say to such hearers As the Apostle sayes 1 Cor 24 10. there are so many kinds of voices in the World and every voice hath its own signification So the several works o● God have their several signifying voices to the Sons of Men. Some Works of God have a Voice o● Instruction some have a voice of Lamentation Jesus once weept over the City Ierusalem with the proper voice of his Body Jesus often weeps over Cities Churches Provinces and Kingdoms with the Metaphoricall voice of his Dispensations some works of God have a voice of gladness and singing Psal. 9. 4. thou Lord hast made me glad through they work Some have a voice of Victory and Triumph and dividing the spoile I will triumph in the works of thy hands ibidem in that same verse Miriam sang Exod. 15 1. the Lord hath triumphed Gloriously and Psal. 47. the Lord is gone up with a shout the Lord with the sound of a Trumpet Sing praises to God sing praises sing praises to our God sing praises Some Works of God have the voice of a Lyon roaring some of a thunder cracking some of waters rushing some Works of God have a still whispering voice some have ● clear speaking voice some have a loud crying voice The still voice whispers in the Conscience the plain clear voice speaks in the Word and the loud voice cryes in the rod the Lords voice cryes to the City hear ye the rod and who hath appointed it Now they hear and observe the voice of God's Works

Word Remember whereby they referr particulars to him who is able to do abundantly above all that they are able either to ask or think David sayeth remember me Ieremiah sayeth remember me Hezekiah and Nehemiah say remember me and Augustine sweetly rendereth Psal. 8. 4. ver Domine quid est homo nisi quia memor es ejus Lord what is man but that thou art mindful of him And happy he whose name is written in that Book of Remembrance that is before the Lord Mal. 3. 16. And when each man comes to be rewarded malicious opposers of reformation and profane corrupters of Religion and the Covenant of the priesthood may readily come to be remembred Chap 6 14 and 13. 29. 2. In his retreat he goes off with an eye to himself Remember me c. The Ruler who would make a honourable retreat and come fair off would look to 5 Things chiefly that concern himself 1. His conscience Can he say with Nehemiah chap. 5. 19. Remember me O my God for good according to all that I have done for this People and chap. 13. 14. Remember me O my God concerning this and wipe not out my good deeds and I have done for the house of my God and for the offices thereof Or with Hezekiah 2 King 20. 3. I beseech thee O Lord remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight Or with Samuel 1 Sam. 12 3. I have walked before you from my Child-hood to this day behold here I am witness against me before the Lord and before his anointed whose ox have I taken or whose ass have I taken or whom have I defrauded whom have I oppressed or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith and I will restore it you Or if in any thing as a man he hath erred for that he must say to God with Nehemiah chap. 13 22. Remember me O my God and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy A good conscience is a strong comforter but Gods sweet and tender mercies are the sinners last refuge and sure salvation and it is Bellarmines own Conclusion Tutius tamen est adherere Christs Justitiae And if so why should unhappy men so voluminously dispute against their own mercy Psal. 119. 77. Let thy tender mercys come unto me that I may live was the suit of the man according to Gods heart the pattern of Rulers And truely this Generation would be advised to amend their manners before they change their Religion lest under the gilded large net of Popery by the Doctrine of merits they be involved and held in the inextricable grin of desperation Or if indulgence and pardon in end must do it what ails them at Gods which is infinitly better than the Popes and incompareably surer beside that it is manifestly cheaper But for the Conscience of a Ruler who can say with Titus that darling of mankind Non extare ullum suum factum Paeniteneum excepto duntaxat uno 2. His soul The Soul and Conscience are of such affinity that he who destroyes the one cannot save the other And what doth it profit a man though he should gain the whole World and lose his own Soul Or what is the hope of the Hypocrite though he hath gained when God taketh away his soul The soul is the man and he hath got his prize who gets that for a Prey The end of our faith is the salvation of our souls Psal. 119. 175. Let my soul live and it shall praise thee was the rare and suit of that excellent Ruler And what a pitty is it to see a Ruler upon a retreat from the World and from the Body going off with such a amentable Dirgie as did Adrian the Emperour in Aelius Spartianus Animula vagula blandula Hospes comesque eorporis Quananc abibis in loca Pallidula rigida nudula Nee ut soles dabis ●ocos Or with such a hideous rage as Tiberius in Sue●onius like one speaking out of Hell Du me Deaeque ejus perdant quam quotidie perire sentio 3. His fame and memory a matter that highly concerneth the Ruler as in the last view shall be showen more fully ● His posterity natural or politick 5. His Works both which are expressed together in that Prayer of Moses the man of God Psal 90. 16 17. Let thy work appear unto thy servants and thy Glory unto their Children and let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us and establish thou the work of our hands upon us yea the work of our hands establish thou it The good Ruler not like the Ostrich which God hath deprived of wisdom neither hath he imparted to her understanding that is hardned against her young ones as though they were not hers her labour is in vain without fear Iob 39. 16 17. This regard to the work of God and to the good of posterity made Moses record his Song Deut. 31 and 32. and moved him to bless the People chap. 33. This moved Ioshua to make a Covenant chap. 24 25. This begot in David such a desire to build house unto the Lord. This made Hezekiah weep bitterly that the begun Reformation was like to cease by his death This incited Paul that great Church Ruler so zealously to warn and guard th● believers against what should happen after his departure This made Moses and David before the death so carefully give charge to their successor concerning their duty This moveth all men naturally at their death to leave their Counsel and Blesing to their posterity And finally this induceth good Rulers in their time to establish good Ordinances by which being dead they may speak to posterity 3. Like Moses he makes his retreat with a respect to the recompence of reward Remember me O my God for good And that bo● proposed in the promise 2 Sam. 23. 5. He hath made with mean everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my Salvation and all my desire Or pledged in the testimony of a good Conscience 2 King 20. 3. Remember O Lord how I have walked before the● in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is right in thy sight He who can say with Iob My witness is in Heaven and my record on high may justly say with Isaiah my work is with the Lord and my reward with my God For surely there is an end and the expectation of the righteous shall not be cutt off Now by these last words of the Tirshatha the Ruler would be warned in time to think of his retreat how he may make it good with honour For whether slow footed Time which changeth not his pace for fair weather or foul for Summer or Winter advance at the ordinary rate of Journey or whether death take post or changes take wing and calamity come suddenly or whether all these hold the ordinary road with

Necessity he is the person that cannot be wanted by any that would be happy Deut. 30. 20. he is thy life and the length of thy days And if any think they may do as well elswhere let them answer the question John 6. 68. Lord to whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternal Life Now this is my beloved and this is my friend O Daughters of Ierusalem Cant. 5. 16. The Lords second Motive and external allurement is his Words Words are very charming and enticeing things and how forceable are right words says Job Hence the Latines wisely give the name of verba dare to that which the Court calls a complement but the Countrey plainly calls a Cheat. Hence the way of Fishing which catcheth by the Ear applauded of the greatest Wits approven and much practised by Lovers the most ingenious because the most serious Anglers who busk their hooks with words and bait with the artificial flee of Complements Hence as the world goes he is the finest man that can say fairest to it and albeit Solomon both a Wise Man and a great Preacher and Spokes-man hath said Proverb 17. 28. even a fool when he holdeth his peace is counted wise yet with most men even a wise man if he bold his peace is counted a fool But the truth is multum ille assecutus est qui bene didicit loqut bene qui tacere non minus assecutus est he hath attained much who hath learned to speak well and he hath attained no less who hath learned to hold his peace well But to say no more in general of the allurements of Words how specially excellent are the words of the Lord to the purpose of Soul-converting and heart-alluring Zach. 1. 13. They are good words and comfortable words Jer. 15. 16. Thy words were found and I did eat them and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoycing of mine Heart Gold and Treasure is alluring unto any Honey and Apples to Delicate Persons And if it were even the mortal forbidden Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil yet if it be good for Food and I leasant to the Eyes and a Tree to be desired it must be had if the price should be Death Gen. 3. But the words of God are more to be desired than Gold sweeter also than Honey and the Honey comb Psal. 19. 10. Psal. 119. 72 103. verses If nature could propine the World with Golden Apples as a present of her first Fruits sure those would ravish the Hearts of the greatest Potentates and would raise Wars among Princes for the possession and keeping of the Tree that bare those they would be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apples of Strife properly and indeed And the Words of God which are the Flower and first Fruits of all fit Words are Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver Prov. 25 11. They Nourish Solidly Comfort Cordially and Inrich Mightily How charming the Lords Words are we have famous instances in the Gospel that with his Words he catched those that were sent and intended to catch and entrap him he sent them back with this Report never man spoke like this man And here in the ●●xt it self I will allure her saith the Lord and I will speak comfortably unto her The third chief Motive and Allurement is The Works of the Lord and his Doings He hath done for his People and is daily doing to them that which cannot but rationally entice any ingenuous Soul to be for him If God had not loved us I should have wondered at every thing he does for us Love is the chief of the wayes of God to us God loved the World God so loved the World A Wonder indeed But after that stupendious portent of his Works to us That he loved us I shall wonder at nothing he does for us For what will we not do for those we Love But again I must wonder that he loved us and in this love to us he was humbled and emptyed for us For us he came into the World For us He took the likeness of sinful flesh and the form of a servant For us he suffered Temptations Crosses and Contradictions in his Life and for us he tasted death He gave him ●●s for us He came under the Law and Sin and the Wrath and Curse of God for us For us he drank the Cup of astonishment which would have made all the Elect tremble to Eternity Yea and he rose and was victorious over death for us ●e hath also ascended Heaven for us and there he interceeds for us he is our Friend at Court he stands in the way there that nothing pass against us and when there is hazard he warns us and by his Word and Spirit he keeps intelligence with our Souls and gives us daily accounts of the true state of our Spiritual business Thence he issues daily many favours on our behalf Psal. 103 2 and forward Forget not all his Benefits who forgiveth all thine Iniquities c. And his negative Mercies are not the least part of what he doth for us That he prevents and holds off us so many temptations suares and evils that otherwise would even over-run us and that for all these he waiteth to be gracious to us at the voice of our Cry when he shall hear it And in a word that he is so wholly taken up for us as if he had nothing else to mind but us Now to a rational ingenuous Spirit and every one that deserves to be called a Man all these will be the Coras of a Man and Bands of Love Hos. 11. 4. Yea there is some secret alluring quality in the saddest and darkest of Gods dispensations to the Soul of the Saint Hence we never find the Godly Soul more fond so to speak of its beloved and more earnest upon him than in the time of desertion which of all dispensations is the most afflicting to such an one If the Lord withdraw such an one will fall down sick of Love to him and then go tell him O ye Daughters of Ierusalem that I cannot live in his absence And if he do not come quickly skipping like a young Roe or Hart yea and if he take not the nearest way over the mountains of Bether he may come too late to lay his hands upon the eyes of his distressed Beloved Psal. 28. 1. If thou be silent to me sayes David I shall be like them that go down into the ●●t O Lord I cannot live I value not Life if thou be not the God of my Life I have resolved I shall never be glad till thou be the health of my Countenance and make me glad with thy Works For I see little difference betwixt Sorrow and Joy if thou be not my chiefest joy And in our Text the Wilderness is the alluring place to this ungracious froward Church The fourth chief Motive wherewith the Lord allures his People is his Gifts Gifts and tokens use to pass betwixt Lovers and