Selected quad for the lemma: enemy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
enemy_n	abraham_n	church_n	zion_n	11	3	9.3195	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A79420	A discourse of divine providence I. In general: that there is a providence exercised by God in the world. II. In particular: how all Gods providences in the world, are in order to the good of his people. By the late learned divine Stephen Charnock, B.D. sometime fellow of New-Colledg in Oxon.; Treatise of divine providence	Charnock, Stephen, 1628-1680.; Adams, Richard, 1626?-1698.; Veel, Edward, 1632?-1708.	1684 (1684)	Wing C3708; ESTC R232630	167,002	420

the Sun of God though in an humane shape and the belief of his intercession God over-reaches the Devil and makes him instrumental for good where he designs hurt and mischief 2. Wicked men All the wicked in the midst of the Church are for the good of it either for the exercise of their grace or security of their persons or interest Pro. 16.7 When a mans ways please the Lord he will make his enemies to be at peace with him Sometimes he will incline their hearts intentionally to favour or order even their actions against them to procure their peace contrary to their intentions Sometimes God makes them his Sword to cut his people sometimes Physick to purge them sometimes Fire to melt and refine them sometime hedges to preserve them sometimes a ransom to redeem them * Pro. ●5 18 A Traveller makes use of the mettle of a head-strong Horse to carry him to his journeys end That wind which would overturn a little Boat the skilful Pilot makes use of to drive his Ship into the Harbour and the Husbandman to cleanse his Corn from the Chaff Though the ends of the workers viz. God and wicked men are different yet the end of the work is but one which is ordered by Gods Soveraign pleasure It was promised in the promise of the Gospel to the Gentiles Gen. 9.27 God shall enlarge Japhet and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem and Canaan shall be his servant God shall allure Japhet the Gentiles of Europe to dwell in the tents of Shem and Canaan the head of the cursed posterity shall be Servants to the Church beside their will and sometimes against it by an over-ruling hand And Christ hath bought them to be his Servants 2 Pet. 2.1 denying the Lord that bought them and therefore hath the disposing of them whether they voluntarily give up themselves to him or no. He is a Lord by purchase over them who own him not as a Saviour The hatred of the Churches enemies sometimes conduceth more to her good than the affections of all her worldly Friends Now this appears 1. In furthering the Gospel Helvicus contra Judaeos The Jews who speak not of Christ among themselves but with opprobrious terms have been the exact preservers of the Old Testament even to the very number of the letters wherein Christians have sufficient to confirm them in the belief of Christs being the Messiah and unanswerable arguments against their adversaries Whereupon St Austin terms them capsarious Ecclesiae such that carry the Books of the Children of great men after them to School When the Authority of the Revelation was anciently questioned the Church of Rome was instrumental to keep it in the number of the Canonical books not thinking they should find their own Church so plainly Deciphered in it to be the mother of abominations To this we may refer the action of Ptolemy Philadelphus King of Egypt in causing the Scripture to be translated about three hundred years before the coming of Christ through which the Nations * Jackson vol. 1. Fol. p. 62. might better discern as it were through a prospective glass the new star of Jacob which was shortly to arise No doubt but many of the Gentiles by comparing the old Scripture Prophecies which they now could read in the Greek language might be more easily induced to an embracing the Gospel and acknowledging Christ to be the Messiah when it came to be divulged among them Herod is the cause of the consultation about the place of Christs birth not for any good will he had to him wham he intended to murther but God makes use of this to clear up the truth of the prophecy concerning Bethlehem the plane of his birth Mat 2.5 6. Out of thee shall come a governour that shall rule my people Israel And they certainly were not very good who preached Christ out of envy and propagated the Gospel wherein Paul rejoyced not in their sin but in the providential fruit of it Phil. 1.15 18. some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife what then Notwithstanding every way whether in pretence or truth Christ is preached and I therein do rejoyce yea and will rejoyce 2. In furthering the temporal good of the Church 1. In its preservation Wicked men are often serviceable to the Church as the filthy Raven was to holy Elijah or as the Lyon which would have devoured Sampson is a store-house to provide him food for in his hunger he finds a table spread in the belly of his Enemy Pharoah's design was to destroy Israel and the Daughter of that irreconcilable Enemy is directed by God to preserve Moses who was to be the ruine of her family the destruction of the Fgyptian glory and the Deliverer of the Church She saves him out of charity and God out of a wise design She by his Education in the Egyptian learning fits him for the Court and God for the deliverance of his Church Egypt had corn to relieve first Abraham * Gen. 12.10 afterward Jacob in a time of famine the only family wherein the Church of God was then bound up Herod lies in wait for Christs destruction and Egypt the most Idolatrous Country in the world and an ancient Enemy to Gods Church affords him shelter God makes Moab to hide his out-casts and be their covert from the face of the spoiler * Isa 16.3 4. Some think Gods design in sending Jonah to Nineveh to work so remarkable a change by repentance was to soften some of their hearts and the hearts of their posterity to deal more tenderly with those gracious Israelites who in the captivity of the ten Tribes some years after should be their guests God making thereby provision for his own people in that common judgment which should come upon the Nation This God doth sometimes by reviving the law of Nature and the common sentiments of Religion in the hearts of natural men whereby their own consciences bearing witness to the innocency and excellency of the church of God put them upon thoughts for its security Sometimes it is above their own Sphere and besides their own intentions The Whale which swallowed Jonah intended him as a morsel to quell his hunger but proves his security and disgorgeth him upon the shore The understand their own aim but not the design of God The Leech that sucks the Patients blood knows not the Chyrurgions design who useth it for the cure of a disease Sometimes their rage proves their own ruine and the Churches safety as the Leech bursts it self sometimes and saves the patient The very Earth whereby is meant the carnal world is said to help the Woman the Church by swallowing up the flood which the Dragon casts out of this mouth against her * Rov 12.10 Just as the old rags were the instruments whereby Jeremiah was drawn out of the Dungeon 2. In the advancement of the Church or persons eminent Abner had a Plot for bringing Israel

to David's Scepter which concurred both with Gods purpose and promises but sprung from an ill cause a disdain to be checked by Ishbosheth though his King for an unjustifiable act for having too much familiarity with one of Sauls Concubines † 2 Sam. 3.6 7 8 9 10. And from this animosity he contrives the de posing of Ishbosheth and the exaltation of David yet dissembles the ground and pretends the promise of God to David v. 18. for the Lord hath spoken of David By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines He is the first Engine that moves in this business and by him and his correspondents after his death v. 17. the business is brought about by Gods over-ruling hand wherein Gods promise is accomplished and David a type of Christ and the great Champion for the Church against its enemies round about is advanced Very remarkable is the advancement of Mordecai in order to the advancing the Jews as well as preserving them when the necks of all the visible Church God had in the World were upon the block Haman ignorantly is the cause of this preferment of Mordecai and at that time too when he came to petition for his death Esther 6.4 He was come to speak to the king to hang Mordecai upon the gallows which he had prepared for him The King asks him what should be done to the man whom the King delights to honour v. 16. He imagineth that the Kings question did respect himself lays out a Scheme of what honour he was ambitious of v. 8 9. which was by the King designed for Mordecai and Haman made the Herald to proclaim him Here Haman not only a wicked man in himself but the greatest Enemy Mordecai and the whole Church of God had is made unwittingly an instrument to exalt Mordecai and in him the whole Church of God 3. In enriching the Church or some persons in it whereby it may become more serviceable to God How wonderful was it that when the Israelites were abominated by the Egyptians God should so order their hearts that the Egyptians should lend them Gold and Jewels * Exod. 12.35 36. and dismiss them with wealth as well as safety and not so much as one person molest them till they arrived at the Red Sea The very gain and honour of the Enemies is sometimes consecrated to the Lord of the whole Earth Micah 4.13 Arise and thresh oh daughter of Sion I will make thy horn Iron and thou shalt beat in pieces many people and I will consecrate their gain unto the Lord and their substance to the Lord of the whole earth This was when many Nations were gathered against Sion v. 11. The wealth of the Sinner is laid up for the just Pro. 13.22 And God sometimes makes the wicked unwittingly to themselves in their carking be the factors for good men into whose lap providence pours the fruit of their labour God gave Cyrus the spoils of Babilon and the treasures of Croesus to enable him to furnish the Jews with materials for building the Temple Isa 45.3 4. 45.3 4 and I will give thee the treasure of darkness and hidden riches of secret places speaking of Cyrus that thou mayest know that I the Lord which call thee by thy name am the God of Israel for Jacob my servants sake c. That he might acknowledge him the God of Israel and lay his wealth out in the service of God and the service of Jacob his servant 2. As bad persons so bad things are ordered to the good of the church whether they be sinful evils or afflictive 1. Sin 1. A mans own sin Onesimus runs from his Master and finds a spiritual Father his being a runnagate is the occasion of his being a convert By flying from his Master he becomes a Brother in the Lord * Phil. 10 12 16. What Joseph's brethren sinfully intended for revenge against their brother and security from their Fathers checks who acquainted Jacob with their miscarriages God ordered for the preservation of them who were the only visible Church in the World Their sin against their Brother contrary both to their intentions and expectations became the means of their safety God makes the remainders of sin in a good man an occasion to exercise his grace discover his strength and shew his loyalty to God 2. Other mens sins That might be in Sarah but a beady passion for hearing her Son mocked By Ishmael that made her so desirous to have the bondwoman and her son thrust out * Gen. 21.10 but God makes use of it to make a separation between Isaac the heir of the Covenant and Ishmael that he might not be corrupted by any evil example from him God orders Abraham to hearken to her voice because in Isaac his seed should be called * ver 12. And the revengeful threatning of Esau was the occasion of Jacob's flight whereby he was hindred from marrying with any of the people of the Land by whom he might have been induced to Idolatry * Gen. 2.7.3.46 Why should we mistrust that God that can make use of the Lusts of men to bring about his own gracious purposes 2. Commotions in the World There is the eye of God that eye which runs to and fro throughout the whole Earth in the Wheels of worldly motions even in the most dreadful providences in the World that stare upon men with a grim countenance * Ezek. 1.18 their wings were dreadful and their wings were full of eyes All the overturnings in the World are subservient to the Churches interest though they are not visibly so unless diligently attended * Broughton on Revel 13. Sect. 177. God orders the confusions of the world and is in the midst of the tumults of the people Psal 29.10 11. The Lord sits upon the flood yea the Lord sits King for ever the Lord will give sirength to his people the Lord will bless his people with peace He sits upon the flood as a Charioteer in his Chariot guiding it with holy and merciful intentions to his people to give them both strength and peace in the midst of them and as the issue of them By Water and Floods is frequently meant tumults and confusions in the World If it were not so why would our Saviour encourage his Disciples and all their Successors in the same profession to lift up their heads when they hear of wars if their redemption * Luk 21.25 26 27 28. were not designed by God in them they are all testimonies of the nearer approaches of Christ in power and glory to judge the Earth and glorifie his people Gods great end in the shaking of Nations is the performing those gracious promises to his Church which yet remain unaccomplisht These earthquakes in the world will bring Heaven to the Church The great revolutions in the Eastern part of the world the ruine of the Babylonian Empire

been delivered by God's Power out of Prison when he was first sent thither but God thought it fittest for him to lie in Chains and free him but the night before his intended Execution * Acts 12.6 7. Lot had his Goods rifled and carried away Captive before God stirred up Abraham to rescue him When the hand of the wicked lies heaviest upon the heads of the Righteous and writings the most mournful sighs from them when they are needy and the wicked securely puffing at them as though they had brought them to so low a condition as to blow them away with a blast now saith God will I arise Psal 12.5 For the oppression of the poor for the sighing of the needy now will I arise saith the Lord I will set him at safety from him that puffeth at him Now rhis is the time I watched for as fittest for my own Glory and their safety Then God disappoints them when they seem to have got to the Goal with the Ball at their foot Secondly God hereby doth glorify himself He then discovers that there is nothing too high for his power to check nothing too subtil for his Wisdom to disappoint nothing too low for his love to embrace That is the season wherein his Mercy will be most prized his Power most admired his Wisdom most adored and his Justice most cleared God lets the concerns of his Church go backward that he may bring them on with more Glory to himself and satisfaction to his creature God will divide the benefit and the honour between himself and the creature He will have the whole Glory and his creature shall have the sensible advantage They shall enjoy Salvation there is their benefit but not by Sword or Bow but by the Lord their God * Hos 17. 〈◊〉 Saved they should be but in such a way wherein the honour of God might most appear without any mixture of the Creature 1. God glorifies his Power His eyes run to and fro to shew himself strong He will then pitch upon such a season when his strength may appear most illustrious and none else have any pretence to claim an equal strength with him A time of extremity is the fittest opportunity for this When his power cannot be clouded by any interposition of the creature for challenging a share in it The greater the malice against the Church the weaker the Churches ability to help it self the more glorious is the power of God magnified in deliverance little dangers are not so suitable for the triumph of an infinite strength As God let Christ lye three daves in the Grave that his Resurrection might be known to be the fruit of Divine power for the same end he lets his mystical Body lye in the same condition Had God brought Israel out of Egypt in the time of the Kings that were friends to them from a kindly remembrance of Joseph there had been no character of a Divine power though there had been of a divine truth apparent in the case but he set apart that time for their deliverance when he was to contest with the mightiest opposition from the whole body of the Egyptian Nation who had forgot Joseph their great Benefactor Had nto the Disciples been in a great Storm ready to be cast away and Christ asleep till they were in extremity they had not seen such * Isa 33.7 8. c. visible marks of the extensiveness of their Masters power When the hearts of the strong men fainted when the Assyrians would not hear the Embassadors of Peace when they had broke their former Covenant resolved to invade the Land when their Calamity and despair had arrested all their hopes Now when all things are in such a deplorable state will I arise saith the Lord now will I be exalted now will I lift up my self God was not asleep or unconcerned but he sate still watching for such a season Now is three times repeated The Psalmist gives us a Record of this in his particular case When the waters of his affliction were many the Enemy strong and too strong for him their strength edged with an intense hatred then God appears to be his stay and prevents them in the day of his Calamity Psal 18.16 17 18. God lets his Enemies be too strong for him that he might appear his only stay without any mixture of Davids strength in the case When the Jews thrust Christ out of Nazareth led him to the Brow of the Hill and were ready to cast him down then and not till then he frees himself out of their hands and disappoints the effects of their rage As Christ dealt thus for him self so he deals for his Church in all Ages 2. God glorifies his Wisdom His eyes run to and fro throughout the whole earth to shew himself strong 't is not a bare strength that God would shew or such a Power which we call in man a brutish valor without wit or skill but to shew his strength with his Wisdom when all his other Attributes may be glorified with that of his Power When all worldly helps are departed we can as little ascribe our security to our own wisdom and industry as to our own strength and power The Physitians skill is best evidenced in mastering a desperate Disease He will bring the Councils of the Heathen to nought * Psal 33.10 He will let them counsel he will let them devise and carry on their Councils near to Execution that he may shew that is the strength of Hell is no match for his power so the craft of Satan is no mate for his Wisdom But he raises the Trophies of his Wisdom upon the subtil devices of his Enemies 3. God glorifies his Care and Compassion When his people are nearest crushing God is nearest preserving Gods Mercy is greatest when his Saints Misery is deepest when Sion is as an outcast it shall be taken into Gods protection Jer. 30.16 17. I will heal thee of thy Wounds because they called thee an Out-cast saying this is Sion whom no man seeks after When none stood up to plead for her when her Lovers she depended on had forgotten and forsaken her when they thought her cast out of the care of any creature the Creator would take her up When the ruine was inevitable as to man their preservation was most regarded by God Had God stopped Pharaoh as his first March by raising some Mutiny in his Army his mercy to his people as well as his power against his Enemies had not been so conspicuous The more desperate things are the fitter subject for the advancement of Gods kindness Had God conducted the Israelites through a rich and fruitful Country it would have obscured the glory of his care of them which was more signal in directing them through a Barren Desert crowded with fiery Serpents without Bread to nourish them or Water to cool them wherein he manifested himself to be both their Caterer and Physitian Moses was never