Selected quad for the lemma: end_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
end_n	enemy_n	psal_n	verse_n	3,593	5	10.8044	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41488	God a good master, and protector opened in severall sermons on Esaiah 8.13.14 / by Iohn Goodwin ...	Goodwin, John, 1594?-1665.	1641 (1641)	Wing G1168; ESTC R22549	88,532	456

himselfe to utter what shee spake or the like which was the method hee used with the Prophets in like cases but onely by the Ministrie of his Angel as is most like acted the tongue of the beast to shrike the sound of those words in the aire So in procuring obedience frō the Sunne Moone and Starres Windes Seas c. for these obey him too and fulfill his words in their courses and motions Psal 148. 8. he doth not proceed after the same method wherein hee walkes with men to procure obedience from them because they are of a different creation and frame from these he doth not promise rewards to the Sunne or Moone or any irrationall creature to perswade them to obey nor threaten them to keepe them in from disobeying because they have no principle in their natures capable of such impressions but he hath put naturall propensions into them which are sufficient to carry them on in their ordinary and naturall motions while he is pleased to support them and when hee would have them forsake or cease their naturall motions as in case of miracles there hee overbeares them with a strong hand of absolute power and rules them as it were with a rod of Iron But when hee comes to worke obedience out of men whom hee hath endued with principles of reason judgement understanding desires of their owne good feare of evill c. Hee applies himselfe to these in such a manner that all these powers and abilities in their natures may be acted and exercised withall which is done by addressing himselfe unto them in a way of promising rewards if they will obey and threatning punishments if they obey not In this sense speaking of his manner of dealing with Israel of old to perswade them to his service and the obedience of his law hee saith Hosea 11. 4. Hee drew them with the cords of a man that is hee dealt with them to make them an obedient people unto him in such a way and upon such termes as were proper and fitting for men to be dealt withall implying that God hath other cords to draw other creatures unto him when hee is pleased and hath occasion to do it This then is another reason for the point God deales with men for their obedience and service in a course sutable to the natures and dispositions of men 2 Sixthly God therefore promiseth rewards and recompences to the services of men and those very ample and large yea and will assuredly performe them accordingly that so he may commend his owne infinite worth and greatnesse and give his creature to see and understand how highly hee values himselfe that his creature also may strive and make conscience to value him accordingly For this is to be knowne and considered that the greatnesse and goodnesse of God which is indeed true greatnesse together with his own thoughts or judgment hereof which doubtlesse are according to truth and commensurable thereunto are both to be seene as in a glasse in those rewards those large and vast recompences which hee bestowes upon those that doe him service as well if not better and with more cleernesse than in the horrour and punishments of those that have rebelled against him and if he should either not reward at all or give but some low common rewards to services done unto him he should much obscure and darken his own infinite worth in the eyes of his creature wee have a common saying amongst us that there is no service to the service of a King And so proportionably the services of men that are greate on earth especially if they have but that wisdome to make the best of their outward greatnesse in a civill and morall way are better than the services of meaner men One speciall reason hereof is because Kings and Princes doe not properly give wages but rewards to their servants that is in those recompences which they give for service done unto them they put in the consideration of their owne greatnesse over and above the strict value of the service simply considered in it selfe which is not so much a point of equitie as of wisdome in them though there be a kinde of equity in it too for by this meanes they doe informe the world that they are sensible of and understand their own greatnesse and so impose a kind of awfulnesse upon them and a necessitie of considering the same also so the great God of Heaven and Earth drawes as it were the similitude and proportion of his owne excellent greatnesse in those great rewards hee gives to those that serve him and withall makes it knowne to the world that hee understands himselfe to the utmost and so raiseth sutable apprehensions of himselfe in the mindes both of men and Angels In which regard they are said to speake stout words against the Lord that say it is in vaine to serve God Mal. 3. 13 14. They that seeke to abolish or take away the bountifulnesse of God in rewarding those that serve him fall very heavy upon him and beare the world in hand that he doth not much regard himselfe nor value his owne greatnesse if there be any greatnesse in him and consequently teach and tempt the world to esteeme lightly of him also And God accordingly when hee speaks of recovering that honour and glory which men by such thoughts or words take from him expresseth himselfe thus vers 18 Then shall you returne implying that they were farre out of the way before and discerne betweene the righteous and the wicked betweene him that serveth God and him that serveth him not The greater difference God maketh betweene those that serve him and those that serve him not the more fully hee vindicates his owne greatnesse and glory And this is the reason I conceive why though God loves righteousnesse and obedience in his creature as was touch'd before yet hee doth not love them so much simply for themselves nor for that sympathy and agreement they have with his owne righteousnesse and holinesse as for that advantage or opportunitie they offered unto him of drawing that lovely expression of his owne greatnesse in the reward of his creature which seemes to be the soveraigne and highest end of all Gods workes and of his going out of himselfe in the way of creation The Scriptures are many and very pregnant which shew that God requires obedience and service from men in subordination to their reward and happinesse or for that end that he might reward them as Psal 81. 13. Oh that my people had harkened unto mee and Israel had walked in my waies Why What benefit or booty what heaven had this beene unto God Yes see the 14 15. verses I should soone have subdued their enemies and turned my hand against their adversaries The haters of the Lord should have submitted themselves unto him but their time should have endured for ever As if hee had said God had then met with those summer fruits which of all others his

soule longeth for viz. an oportunity of rewarding So in the 10. Deut. 12. And now Israel what doth thy Lord thy God require of thee what that thou keepe the Commandements of the Lord which hee hath given as for that advantage or opportunitie they offered unto him of drawing that lovely expression of his owne greatnesse in the reward of his creature which seemes to be the soveraigne and highest end of all Gods workes and of his going out of himselfe in the way of creation The Scriptures are many and very pregnant which shew that God requires obedience and service from men in subordination to their reward and happinesse or for that end that he might reward them as Psal 81. 13. Oh that my people had harkened unto mee and Israel had walked in my waies Why What benefit or booty what heaven had this beene unto God Yes see the 14 15. verses I should soone have subdued their enemies and turned my hand against their adversaries The haters of the Lord should have submitted themselves unto him but their time should have endured for ever As if hee had said God had then met with those summer fruits which of all others his soule longeth for viz. an oportunity of rewarding So in the 10. Deut. 12. And now Israel what doth thy Lord thy God require of thee what that thou keepe the Commandements of the Lord which hee hath given thee for thy good So in the 12. of Deut. 25. So likewise the 26. of Deut. 18 19. and the 28. of Deut. So in Iohn 10. 17. Therefore doth my father love mee because I lay downe my life but that is not all but that I might take it againe It was not simply Christs laying downe his life but his laying it downe in such a way and upon such termes that he might receive it againe of his Father id est his laying it downe in a way of righteousnesse that so his Father might restore it againe unto him with an abundant increase and recompense of glory this was that saith Christ that drew out my Fathers affection so abundantly unto mee So that however it is not to be denied but that wee were created by God for his worship and service yet his superiour and greater end in creating us was our being rewarded or our glorification and happinesse by him or the serving of himselfe in rewarding us and therefore the Holy Ghost I conceive when hee speakes of this end of our creation our glory speakes of it with a more emphaticall and significant kinde of expression than of the other as 2 Cor. 5. 1. For we know that if our earthly house of this our tabernacle were dissolved wee shall have a building of God a house not made with hands eternall in the heavens for wee that are in this tabernacle doe groane being burdened not for that wee would be uncloathed but cloathed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life c. for hee that hath wrought us for the self same thing is God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c for this very selfe same thing that is to say which hee had spoke of vers 1. our house made without hands eternall in the heavens meaning our utmost glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Saint Paul God made us for this very selfe same thing as if all Gods other ends concerning us were nothing in comparison of this or at least were all contained or comprehended in this 3 Seventhly and lastly another reason of the point may be to leave the rebellious and disobedient without excuse This is one thing which God stands much upon cōcerning those that shall perish and be destroyed and which he will provide for with a high hand that their mouthes may be stopped that they may not be able to lift up a word or thought against his proceedings against them in their condemnation now wee know saith S. Paul Rom. 3. 19 20. that whatsoever the law saith it saith it to them that are under the Law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world be obnoxious or subject to the judgement of God And verse 4. Let God be true and every man a lyer as it is written that thou mightest be justified in thy words and overcome when thou art judged viz. touching the judgements thou executest the punishments thou inflictest upon wicked men For God is seldome judged or questioned but about his proceedings against sinfull and disobedient men and besides it is evident that hee speakes of this particular in this place now God will alwaies be sufficiently provided for victory in this kinde hee will cut off from wicked men and from all those that shall rise up to plead for them all matter of defence apologie or excuse that might be pleaded for them And hee so much esteemeth this full and intire justification of himselfe in the condemnation of the wicked that hee highly respects any service or meanes used by men tending thereunto upon this ground it was that Paul concluded for himselfe and other faithfull and diligent Preachers of the Gospell 2. Cor. 2. 15. that they were unto God the sweete savour of Christ as well in those that perish as in those that are saved that is they made Christ advantagious and acceptable unto God not onely in the salvation of those that beleeved but in the condemnation also of the wicked viz. because the effectuall proffer and tender of Christ and salvation by him unto them removed the cause of their condemnation as farre from God as might be and cast it upon their owne necks and left them without excuse so amongst diverse other meanes and circumstances that God in his wisdome hath belayed for this end to leave wicked men naked to judgement and without excuse this particular we speake of is one his promising such rewards to those that shall obey him If he had been a hard master and would have had the service and labour of men for nothing this had beene a colourable pretence for such men why they refused his service as was proved before out of Ieremie 2. 31. But now requiring nothing from any mans hand no worship no service no obedience but for which hee promiseth consideration to the full reward upon reward recompence upon recompence if now they will burst his yoke and cast his cords from them if now they will walke stubbornly against him and be disobedient the blood of their soules will be upon their owne head apparently and when God judgeth them to death or sends them quicke to hell they cannot say unto him why dost thou so Themselves can answer such a question too well to aske it This for the seventh and last reason the uses of the Doctrine are CAP. VI. The first use of the Doctrine for confutation of two dangerous errours briefly pointed at FIrst for confutation and that of two opinions First If God hath no intent to be served by his creature for nought but so many precepts so many promises