Selected quad for the lemma: earth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
earth_n	holy_a	lord_n	praise_v	4,460	5	9.6294	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96684	God a Christian's choice, compleated by particular covenanting with God Together with an appendix, containing propositions, tending to clear up the lawfulness, and expediency of transacting with God in that way. In pursuit of a design proposed by Mr. R.A. in his book entituled, The vindication of Godliness. And by Mr. Tho. Vincent, in his book, called Words whereby we may be saved. To which is added, a brief discovery of the nearness of such a people unto God, on Psal. 148. 14. By Samuel VVinney, sometimes minister of the gospel at Glaston in Somersetshire.	Winney, Samuel.	1675 (1675)	Wing W3034; ESTC R231145	79,544	241

procure that great Dignity to be matched into the Crown of Heaven The Lord give an effectual blessing and success to this present Discourse and cause Souls to enter into a more strict way of Commun●●● with him Which is the earnest prayer of him who is Thy Friend and well-wisher in Spiritual-Affairs Thomas Watson Octob. 28. 1674. THE PREFACE Courteous Reader I Do here ingenuously confess that taking up a Book in my house and looking on the names of some books at the end of it I there met with a discovery of a Discourse on this same Subject both for matter and text a Discourse I say of a very Reverend Divine Mr. Richard Vines but I can and must as truely acquaint thee that it was after these Meditations of mine were studied preached and intended for the press and having transiently viewed it for I have not had time for various diversions to read it over though I believe near as short as my own and indeed one main reason was the fitting my own for and hasting it to the press I find that his and mine differ very much as to the methed of the handling of this blessed Priviledg and I have read from St. Austin that it 's very profitable for divers to handle the same point alii sic alii autem sic some in this wise some otherwise Whatsoever came from him must needs be excellent good yet sith that may be out of the press and known to very few but in and about London and scarce to be got I judg this as it cannot detract from the worth so nor prejudice the esteem and I hope will never hinder the pausal of that leaving both that this and thee to the blessing of the Almighty and not daring but out of an ingenuous strain heartedness to give thee this notice being my self accidentally acquainted with it I remain thine in the Service of the Gospel S.W. From my Study Aug. 28. 1674. Gods Covenant-People near unto him Psal 148. part of the last vers A People near unto him THis Psalm is of the number of them that are called Eucharistical pen'd by way of thanksgiving to God wherein the Prophet doth exhort all the Creatures to that Duty both that are in Heaven and that are one Earth too and I cannot better distribute them than it is already done in the Contents presixt before it with a very little variation 1. We find all things in Heaven all things Celestial exhorted so to do in the four first verses Praise the Lord from the Heavens ver 1. Praise him all ye his Angels vers 2. All his Hosts praise him Sun Moon Stars vers 3. c. and there is good Reason subjoyn'd vers 5 6. For he commanded and they were created and he hath established them for ever and ever c. 2. All things Terrestrial from the 7th vers to the 13th vers wherein we may observe all things i●a●i●ate or life-less are exhorted to bless God with all things animate or living 1. Irrational Creatures Beasts and all Cattle cre●ping things 2. Rational Creatures of all ranks Kings of the Earth and all P●inces and all Judges of the Earth of all ages young M●n and Maidens old Men and Children and here is good reason here subjoy●'d too first from what God is in himself vers 13. His Name is excellent and his Glory above the Earth and Heavens 2dly From what he hath done for his own People vers 14 ult He hath exalted the Horn of his People that is the dignity prosperity and plenty of his People After which the Prophet goes on to set forth the title that is given to them they are said to be his people and ●●●led Saints then specifies who they be viz. the people● of Israel the alone people that were in Covenant with God in all the world at that time 3. Then shews their Priviledg what their happiness was in the words of the Text They are a people near unto him So that in short the words lay before us the priviledg happiness and dignity of the Saints and People of God that are in Covenant with him which I shall lay before you in this Observation Doct. That God's Church People are near unto him or God's Saints and Covenant-people are a people near unto him or as word for word it may be rendered His near people ●ssi●●m pronom●n pro Sep●r●to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 M. P● syn● 〈…〉 God's true Israel is his near people And besides what is spoken in this Text I shall confirm it by the consideration of one Text of Scripture more in which we may observe one passage wherein the very Priviledg that is here expresly spoken is strongly implyed Jer. 6.8 Be thou instructed O Jerus●lem lest my soul depart from thee according to the Original Language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●e lu●a●a r●●●aa● a●ima 〈◊〉 abs 〈◊〉 Buxt 〈◊〉 Lest my soul be disjoynted from thee a metaphor from a Limb thrust out of his place and put out of joynt There is as great a Nearness between God and his people a Nearness of Union of which afterward as there is between a mans Limbs and Joynts one to the other and you know that they are so near that it is an impossible thing to separate them without great pain and difficulty one from another Intimating what a pain and grief it is to God to leave or cast off a people Annotat. in Loc. whom he is once in league with and with how much difficulty he is drawn thereunto All that I shall open in the Explication of this Truth I shall draw up into this Query How and in what regard are God's Saints and Covenant-people said to be a People near unto him and whence it is And that through God's assistance I shall endeavour to open to you in five or six particulars First They are said to be near to God in regard of God's Nearness unto them and so this Nearness is a passive Nearness and some critically observe Exponipo test passiv● q. d. populo cui ille est propinquus Muis ex Ab. Ez M. P. sy● Crit. they must be Near to God if he be Near to them Nearness comes to pass by the approaching motion of one thing to another now if God be nigh unto his People and approacheth unto them certainly then they must be near unto him also and so there is a mutual Nearness between God and his People this is according to the direction the holy Ghost gives by the Apostle James 4.8 Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you Now that God is Near unto his People the Scripture is as full of it as can be desired Deut. 47. It is the great Commendation of the People of Israel For what nation is there so great who hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for Psal 145.18 The Lord is

you that you should be made nigh to God when many thousands are yet so far off from him I cannot tell you why it should be so only it is Gods good-will towards you because he will do it therefore he doth it There are thousands and ten thousands in the World that have not this liberty to come near to God they are in the same state that ever they were and enjoy not such a Priviledg as this is therefore should we seriously consider it Mark what the Holy Ghost speaks Deut. 6.7 8. Thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God the Lord hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself above all people that are upon the Face of the earth The Lord did not set his love upon you or chuse you because ye were more in number than any people for ye were the fewest of all people but because the Lord loved you and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto our Forefathers c. and say within your hearts why should God deal so with me to bring me so near to him and leave others in the same state wherein they were born let your heart be mightily affected with this Love of God and kindness of God Methinks I could dwell on the perswasion of people to this duty that they would be much more taken with the Consideration of Gods special and distinguishing Kindness towards them 4. Lastly be sure to be humble and keep low and that upon a double reason 1. Because that though you are a people nigh to God of his free Grace yet there is a great distance and disproportion between God and you for though you are brought so near God yet you are but Creatures whereas God is the great Creatour you are but dust and ashes God is the infinite holy Majesty of Heaven and Earth Now the distance that is between God and you should dwell upon your hearts and make you keep in a lowly frame still and should Create self-abasing thoughts in you so much the more The Consideration of our Priviledges the Consideration of God's great distance from us should increase our self abasement 2. And then upon the account of our own sinfulness we should be humble before God Micah 6.8 What doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to do justly and love mercy and walk humbly with thy God See to it that you do walk more lowly and self-absingly considering what you are on both these accounts although God hath so dignified you Amen FINIS Book 's Sold by Thomas Cockeril at the Atlas in Cornhil near the Royal Exchange THE Morning Exercise at Cripple-gate or several Cases of Conscience Practically Resolved by Sundry Ministers in Quarto The Supplement to the Morning Exercise at Cripple-gate or several more Cases of Conscience Practically resolved by sundry Ministers in Quarto Pretious Faith or a discourse of its Nature Growth and Effect by Edward Polehil of Burwash in Sussex Esquire in Octavo The Nature Power Deceit and Prevalency of the Remainder of Indwelling sin in believers Together with the ways of Its working and Means of Prevention by John Owen D. D. in Octavo An Antidote against Distractions or An Endeavour to serve the Church in the Daily Case of wandrings in the Worship of God by Richard Steel M. A. in Octavo The Reuniting Christianity or the Manner how to rejoyn all Christians under one Confession of Faith in Octavo God a Christian's Choice Compleated by Particular Covenanting with God c. in Pursuit of a Design Proposed by Mr. R. A. in his Book entitled the Vindication of Godliness and by Mr. Thomas Vincent in his Book Called Words whereby we may be saved in Twelves

forenamed Book And sith I heard that that way of transacting with God was questioned by some others both before and since they were exposed to his judicious Consideration Some looking on it as a new kind of Covenant between God and his people whereas it is but the same Covenant more particularly applyed and laid hold on I thought it meet as I was encouraged to propose what meditations I had digested for the satisfaction of their judgments and preventing those misapprehensions they had about it Some other things I had in my thoughts to prefix but by a providence something more than ordinary was more prest in my Spirit to fix my thoughts on this Scripture here insisted on which when I observed so suitable thereto I could no longer forbear but set my most serious meditations on work to comply at once both with the Providence and with the request of my many friends requesting its Communication The transcribing of which though short yet would have proved tedious to the many that requested it and I hope may bring some profit and satisfaction to some into whose hands they may come that never desired nor thought of any such thing The only thing I have cause to be ashamed of is the narrowness of my own heart in handling a matter of so excellent and important a concern I have desired to speak pertinently and briefly and not to enlarge by digression but what may prove most suitable to my main design In Sermons that are preach● where there is only hearing for the time of Speaking there need to be inculcating things again and again as others of my Brethren know as well as I affection's Dull memorie's treacherous and after-meditation too too much neglected So that repetitions and rehearsal if they be not vain repetitions and affected prove beneficial very much to the hearers from whom their understandings being also shallow for the generality of most auditors the heads and material passages once named only the most part of them pass away if the affections be for present a little stirred without that due savour and abiding efficacy that by pressing again and again they might have Now this is needless in Printed Books where reviewing makes up the supply of that if there be any additions or alterations as some few there are which may be observed by the Reader that heard these things I hope they will not be unacceptable or unprofitable Accept of this small undertaking as the good will of the Author and read not in transitu or by rote but with deliberation and meditation for I am Confident that the benefit we might reap by many a good book is lost for lack of this that the sweetness of this work for 't is both precious and sweet and I bless God for the experience of it may be at last diffused wholly into thy Soul and then the design is accomplished for which the publication was intended and that this may be the issue shall be the prayer of Thine in the work of the Gospel S. W. CHAP. I. The Introduction Connexion of the words observed Text considered and the Doctrine drawn Joshua 24.22 And Joshua said unto the people ye are witnesses against your selves that ye have chosen you the Lord to serve him and they said we are witnesses BEloved if I should speak to you in the words of Joshua here as he did to this people would you could you return the answer that this people did return to Joshua you that are here in this place Have you chosen the Lord to you to serve him yea or no how many persons are there that are yet to chuse their Religion to chuse their God! after they have lived many years in the world Nay Beloved are not you yet to chuse your God the Lord help you to consider it how many people be there that are either altogether to chuse to this day or else have chosen others besides the Lord the true God! how many have chosen the God of this world for their God! How many have chosen Satan to be their God! and how many are joyned to sin as their God and these only will they serve whereas it is the great duty and priviledge of Christians to joyn themselves and to be joyned to the Lord Isa 56.3 with * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 6.17 not glued to sin but to the Lord which denoteth the nearest conjunction and firmest adhesion that can't be parted or taken asunder Now my design in choice of this Scripture is not to speak to you concerning scrupulous queries or of disputable and doubtful things but to treat with you about the main thing of your chusing God to be your God only a little that you may take notice of the order and connexion of the words You may find in the beginning of the Chapter that holy Joshua now going the way of all the * Chap. 23.14 Earth having brought the Children of Israel into possession of the promised Land just at his departure gathers together the Representatives of the whole body of the people v. 1. And Joshua called for the Elders of Israel and for their Heads and for their Judges and for their Officers and they presented themselves before the Lord c. and in a general convocation recites the whole Narative of God's dealing towards them ab crigine from their very Original i.e. not only from the beginning of their being a Nation but from the choice of Abraham their Father who was by descent nation and practice an Idolater before God cal'd him v. 2 3. to that very day and time that he spake unto them In the 14th ver he gives them an exhortation to behave themselves answerably to all those benefits bestowed upon them in a suitable practice towards him Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in truth and put away the gods which your Fathers served c. and that he might the more effectually win upon them he offers it as it were to their choice v. 15. and if it seem evil to you to serve the Lord chuse you this day whom you will serve whether the gods which your Fathers served that were on the other side of the Flood or the gods of the Amorites in whose Land ye dwelt and closeth up the verse with his own holy resolution but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord he proposeth to them others if they thought they had deserved better of them than God had by what he had done for them The people seem with indignation as they had just cause to answer and utterly detest the motion and therefore give their full assent to the service of God on consideration of the mighty wonderful works he had wrought for them God forbid that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods v. 16. and they rehearse his Works v. 17 18. for the Lord our God he it is that brought us up and our Fathers out of the Land of