Selected quad for the lemma: enemy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
enemy_n	advantage_n	great_a	part_n	1,014	5	3.9894	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A89195	The churches troubles and deliverance, or, Certaine sermons tending to shew the reasons why the Lord doth sometimes bring his people into extremities, with the blessed issue and fruits thereof, on Gen. 22. 14. Also divers arguments giving good hope that yet God will be gracious to England, and not deliver us into our enemies hands. Also some things briefly on Rev. 11. 7. to 14. Bby Tho. Mocket, Mr. of Arts, and preacher of Gods word at Holt in Denbigh-shire.	Mocket, Thomas, 1602-1670?	1642 (1642)	Wing M2305; Thomason E110_18; ESTC R19617	74,158	93

and the Parliaments vigilancy discovered prevented and disappointed in a great part that all hath turned to their dis-dis-advantage and the good of the Church and furtherance of the worke of God that is upon the wheeles and the whole carriage of all things through Gods great goodnesse seemes to me to give great ground of comfort to his people blessed be God And therefore Brethren be not discouraged doe not feare suffer not your hearts to be cast downe whatsoever the present dangers seeme to threaten But looke up unto God and depend upon him It is a great fault for a Christian to let goe his hold when dangers are great and imminent though we be too too apt to doe so upon all occasions yet we should not David did so but when he had recollected his thoughts he did much blame himselfe for it Why art thou cast downe ô my soule and why art thou disquieted in me Ps 43 5. And therefore plucke up your spirits prepare for the worst yet looke beyond the cloud and behold with an eye of Faith Gods great power wisdome goodnesse faithfulnesse and the like and thinke upon what he hath done for his Church formerly and of late yeares for our selves in particular how he hath still discovered the Papists plots and designes and preserved his people and then thinke of what Manoahs wife said to her distrustfull timor us husband Jud. 13.22 23. If the Lord were pleased to kill us he would not then have received a burnt-offering and a meat-offering at our hands neither would he have shewed us all these things nor would at this time have told us such things as these So if the Lord had a purpose to destroy this Nation or give us up into the hand of our enemies he would not have done thus and thus for us as he hath done for though the Lord doth not or very rarely worke miracles now yet he works wonders and is as able and willing to doe as great things as ever he was yea and doth so too when there is the like occasion and hath often within these few years last past done very great things However let us doe our duty look up unto God and depend upon him and resolve every one of us with Ioh Though the Lord slay mee yet Job 13.15 will I trust in him I will not deny but risings may be and some bloud be shed God will surely repay blood with blood and if not by the Sword yet at least by the execution of Justice on such as have shed the blood of his Saints and bin the grand enemies of his Church but I cannot conceive our trouble will be much or long I hope but a brunt Indeed when I looke upon our many great crying sins Gods Justice Purity and Holines and the unwillingnes of many to be healed yea obstinacy in their evill wayes c. I can look for no mercy but rather wonder we were not destroyed long agoe but when again I look upon the considerations above mentioned the whole course of Gods providence all along to this day laying open persons and things discovering and preventing most dangerous plots and designes and bringing on his worke still notwithstanding yea by the adversaries plots though full sore against their minds and when I also looke upon the intolerable insolency impiety blasphemies and confidence of victory in many of that party I cannot conceive they shall go on long or doe much hurt Is not I will onely move the Question but determine nothing Is not or may not this be thought to be the time when the witn●sses the godly Ministers slaine by the Prelacy and their procuring in respect of their office thrust out of their livings and calling wherein they might have bin usefull in the Church of God and so dead in respect of office are risen againe from the dead restored to their Ministery to the wonder of all that see it and knew what havocke was made of them when fifty able and godly Ministers within two yeares space were excommunicated deprived silenced and suspended by one man but the other day A●ti●les agaist B Wr●n and so upward for divers yeares together Observe what is said by Saint John of the witnesses v. 12. And they ascended up to Heaven in a cloud Rev. 11.12 13 and their enemies beheld them of the Churches enemies v. 13. And the same houre was there a great earthquake and the tenth part of the City fell and in the earthquake were slaine of men seven thousand and the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to the God of Heaven At the same houre marke it namely when the faithfull witnesses were raised up restored to life to their offices and places in the ministery againe there was a great earthquake i.e. a great alteration and change in the Church and it must needs be here from the worse to the better and a tenth part of the City fell By City some understand Rome it self which say some is but a tenth part of that which once was others rather of the Romane Hierarchy and power of Antichrist in his Adherents Abettors and Supporters and in the earthquake were slaine of men 7000. of men in the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not of men but of the names of men Names are sometimes taken for Titles and Offices were slaine viz. in this earthquake alteration and reformation of the Church Now if there be found about 7000 of the Prelates Chancellors Arch-Deacons Officials with an Et caetera suppose what may be the issue of this earthquake that now shakes in these Kingdomes of his Majesty especially in this of England But the thing I chiefly note this place for is this to shew as I conceive that our troubles cannot be long nor great in respect of the downfall of our adversaries the enemies of the Church and who can tell whether the Lord will not by such a way take occasion to single out the enemies of his Church which hee hath appointed to be the objects of justice which otherwise could not be so obnoxious to justice as by such a way they may be But I affirme nothing positively times and meanes are in Gods hand but doe assure my selfe that the issue whensoever it be will be the Churches greater good and the enemies downefall That is the first case of extreame want or danger Secondly In case of losse as it was with the worthies Heb 11. that suffered the losse of all and the faithfull Jewes Heb. 10 34. 1 Sam. 30.6 that tooke ioyfully the spoyling of their goods and David who when all was gone and the people also talked of stoning of him he comforted himselfe in God and Moses Heb. 11.24 25 26. who refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter chusing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinne that last but for a season You know also how it was with Job he lost all he had

God doth helpe and deliver his people God is seene in the Mount Now Secondly How God is seene in the Mount how he shewes himselfe in their extremities and that is two wayes 1. In supporting them in the Mount And 2. In delivering them out of the Mount 1. God is seene in supporting his people in their troubles and extremities they sinke not under them but hold up their heads and resolve to cleave unto him and wait upon him as he did Iob who resolved Though the Lord slay me yet will I trust in him Iob 13.15 Ps 37.17 14. The Lord upholdeth the righteous though he fall viz. into great te●tations and troubles he shall not be utterly cast downe for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand Even in spirituall desertions there is still a secret hand of God which doth uphold them that they doe not wickedly depart from him nor frowardly behave themselves in his Covenant but there is still a generall recumbency and relying upon God till be have mercy upon them and deliver them And sometimes the Lord fils their hearts fullest of inward comfort when their outward condition is most grievous as was to be seene in the Martyrs 2. God is seene in the Mount of extremity in delivering his people out of their troubles and straits and that divers wayes I shall mention the most and principall of them and they are these 1. By weakening strong means against his Church or people God delivers them and that especially 5. wayes 1. By striking suddain feares and dreadfull apprehensions into them like that into the Canaanites The terrour of you is fallen upon us said Rahab and the Inhabitants of the Land faint because of you Josh 2.9.11 Assoone as we heard of these things our hearts did melt neither did there remaine any more courage in any man because of you So the Midianites by a casuall dreame of one of their company Jud. 7.13 17. were so frighted that though an innumerable Army yet they were not able to stand before 300. unarmed men So the Moabites were strangely overcome and Israel delivered from their designes 2 Kin. 3.22 ●3 by reason of the seeming colour of blood on the water occasioned by the reflection of the Sunne beames shining upon it And thus he dealt with the Duke of Ireland and his Army Relation of the Parl. begun at West●min 1386 p. 17. when with the forces raised in Lancashire Cheshire and Wales he came up towards London against the Parliament their great spirits were so benummed discouraged and amazed at the sight of the Appellants Army that when they should give the assault God not suffering the effusion of blood they stood still making no shew of resisting but without any fighting slung downe their armes and yeelded themselves to the mercy of the Lords Appellant This is one way Secondly God sometimes weakens the Adversaries power and delivers his people Exod. 14.25 by spoyling them of their instruments which are very helpefull to them So God tooke off the wheeles of Pharaohs Chariots and made them drive heavily so that they could not follow after Israel to hurt them Thirdly sometimes by infatuating them and their counsels a grievous judgement and sad signe of their destruction approaching when God smites men in their wits So he dealt with Pharaoh king of Aegypt Isa 19.11 13. The Princes of Zoan are become ●ooles the councell of the wise Counsellours of Pharaoh is become brutish how say you unto Pharaoh I am the sonne of the wise the sonn● of ancient Kings The Princes of Zoan are become fooles the Princes of Noph are deceived they have also seduced Aegypt even they that are i.e. should be the stay of the Tribes thereof They told him a faire tale and so miserably deluded him to the destruction of Aegypt 2 Sam 17 7 14 So God turned Ahitophels politick counsell that would have been very prejudiciall to David and his men into foolishnesse 2 Chro. 10. and Absalom to reject it and follow the counsell of Hushai to his owne destruction And Rehoboam to follow the advise of the young men that were brought up with him and to reject the counsell of the grave men to his owne great dammage and dishonour Thus God sometimes by infatuating the counsels of the Adversaries of his people and smiting them in their wits doth disable them to pursue their designes against his people and so delivers them as David from Absolom and petitioning Israel from Rehoboams intended cruelty and so make their owne counsels and designes their own over-throw and fall and the rise of his people Fourthly sometimes by taking away from the enemies of the Church part of their strength in which they trust as he did from Rehoboam by rending ten Tribes the farre greater part of his Dominion from him 2 Chr. 10.13 when he would not be disswaded from going on to oppresse his petitioning Subjects Fifthly sometimes by restraining their malice when it comes to the upshot and turning their hearts towards his people and enclining them to peace Gen. 32.6 with 33.4 10. as when Esau came against Iacob with 400. men God over-power'd his spirit and turned his heart to his brother Iacob That Jacob saw his face as the face of an Angell of God 31.24 ●9 So he did restraine Laban and encline him to peace that he had not an evill word to say against Iacob when he over-tooke him And this is the first way by which God doth deliver his people namely by weakening strong meanes against them that the Adversaries cannot or will not hurt them Thus the Lord h●th the hearts even of Kings in his hands P●●● 21.1 and turnes them as the rivers of waters whithersoever he pleas●th First by putting courage and strength into his people making the weake and feeble strong and the faint-hearted valiant So he did a 1 Sam. 11.4 5 6. Saul to deliver Israel out of the hands of the Philistines b Cap ●4 v. 6. Jonathan to slay many of them and route their army c 2 Chron 13 1● 15 16 17. Abijah and the men of Judah to slay 500000. of their enemies d 14 9. Acts and M●●●●ents p. 207 col ● 208. col 1 l 70. Asia and his men to destroy and route Zerah the Aethyoptan with an army of a thousand thousand foot and three hundred horse So he put a * Relation of the Parliament begun at West-●enster Anno 1●86 p 4 5 ● 7. 12. spirit of valour and magnanimity into the Waldenses to defend themselves and the true Religion against the Duke of Savoy that sought to suppresse and root out the Protestant Religion to doe wonderfully even to admiration Likewise into the Protestants in France to defend the●●selves and Religion against them that would destroy both Likewise into the Appellants The Duke of Glocester the Earles of Arundell and Warwicke in the raigne of King Richard the second to preserve the

into the fire The sacred Scriptures are cleare and full to this purpose and abundant in examples of this kind And assuredly he is still the same God as powerfull as wise as loving and good as ever to his people as faithfull in his promises and as just and full of indignation against his and their enemies as ever he was and therefore will still shew himselfe for his people and against their enemies as much as ever heretofore So that the Turke the great enemy of the Christians and Antichrist the grand enemy of the true Church of Christ must downe and fall and perish It is prophesied long agoe in Saint Johns time and by him Rev. 18.2 Babylon the great viz. mysticall Babylon Rome is fallen is fallen and in truth also in part already and is declining in number wealth greatnesse power glory and credit every day more and more It remarkeably began to fall when Luther that renowned servant of God did so publickely set up the standard of the Gospell and so many thousands did resort unto it and many thousands fell off from the Pope to Christ in Germany France the Low-Countries in England and Scotland And it was no small wound to the Antichristian beast that that Nation gave to it the other yeare And surely beloved the downefall of Antichrist the Pope that Man of sinne and his Adherents the Papacy and Romane Hierarchy cannot I conceive be far off if not very near at hand Thirdly this may be of good use to suport and comfort us for the present and in future times against all extremities and troubles whatsoever God will be as good still to his servants all that walke in the steps of the faith and obedience of Abraham as to the faithfull in former ages For our greater comfort let us instance in 5. cases namely in case of extremity of want or danger of losse of violent temptations of Gods seeming not to heare prayer and of spirituall desertion 1. In case of extreame want or danger we should seeke unto God and depend upon him the al-sufficient and faithfull God as Abraham did here He will be seen in the Mount As for instance suppose thy ease should be like Elijahs or Sampsons that was ready to perish with thirst or the poore Widow that had only a little oyle in a cruse and a little meale in a barrell that thou shouldst be in want have nothing to keep soule and body together and maintaine life no money in the purse no bread in the en●bord no meale in the barrell no friend in the world that thou knowest of and it may be greatly in debt also that thou sea●se darest shew thy face for feare of an Arrest as was the poore widow 2 ●ing ● 1. All is gone saith she and the Creditour is come to take unto him my two sonnes to be bondmen All is gone nothing left to preserve life nor affoard me comfort but my two sonnes and now the Creditor is come to deprive me of that also Here is a sad complaint ● King 17.6 yet God did provide for Elijah bread and flesh in the Morning and bread and flesh in the Evening by a Raven which in reason would rather have robbed then relieved him Iudg. 15. ●8 Na●●● 20.7 8 11. 2 Kin. 4.3 4 7. He provided drinke for Sampson even out of the jaw-bone of an Aff● for Israel out of the stony rocke and the poore widow increased her oyle whereby she was inabled both to live comfortably and pay her debts so if thou canst by faith looke up unto God and depend upon him in the moderate use of lawfull meanes if any be he is able and will surely provide and doe that which shall be best for thee Therefore resolve with faithfull Habakkuk in the person of the Church Hab. 3.17 Although the fig-tree shall not blossome neither shall fruit be in the vines the labour of the Olive shall faile and the field shall beare no meat the flocke shall be cut off from the field and there shall be no herd in the stalles yet will reioyce in the Lord I will ioy in the God of my salvation The Lord God is my strength Againe suppose thou be in any great danger as sometimes was David 1 Sam 23. Act. 27.18 ● Cor. 1.8 9 10 Jonas or Paul when the ship was broken and when he and the rest of his brethren with him were pressed out of measure above strength insomuch that they despaired of life and had the sentence of death in themselves that they should not trust in themselves but in God God did deliver them from so great a death Though I say it be thy ease yet despaire not be not discouraged why shouldst not thou hope in God as well as they did Oh! out they were most eminent persons for faith humility c. but I am a poore vile wretch full of unbeleefe pride c. Well be it so Yet know that God though he expect and command us to grow in grace yet he lookes not in the hearing of prayer at the measure of grace in the petitioner but to the truth of grace and the sincerity of the heart Yea the rather will God help because thou art a poore weake soule that canst not wait long or beare much Isa 60.2 To him will I looke saith God even to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit to such a soule as sees nothing in himself but abundance of sinne and emptinesse of God 32.3 He will not quench the smoaking flaxe nor breake the bruised reed saith the Prophet Isay Thus in respect of private so also in respect of the publicke troubles and straits of the Church abroad in Germany in Ireland and here at home whatsoever or how evill soever our condition seeme to be yet let not any fathfull soule be discouraged God will not destroy his people he will not deliver them up into the hands of their enemies but will be seen in the Mount and will help and deliver them when it comes to the point when outward meanes faile 1. All the former examples and many more upon record both in divine and humane Histories which might be mentioned of Gods goodnesse towards his people in their straits are encouragements to us Rom. 15.4 For whatsoever was written afore time was written for our instruction that we through patience and comfort of the Scripture might have hope And therefore why should we be discouraged humbled for our owne and others sinnes and Gods dishonour indeed we should be but not discouraged hang downe the head as men without hope Therefore 2 Weigh also those 5. Reasons which doe over-power my spirit dispell such feares and carry it on high as it were above the Sun 1. God spared England when it was at the worst when Religion Lawes and all went downe the winde and s●●●se a man durst publickely shew his face for God when prophanenesse superstition and idolatry increased greatly without

controule and no thoughts of Reformation and therefore much more will he spare it now Reformation is begun If God should now suffer the enemies to prevails now England begins to reforme then it w●●● be to his great dishonour the enemies of the Church would impute it to the Reformation and blasphemously say That because ●●e goe about to reforme things amisse in the Church and remove ev●ls therefore God is angry with us and hath gi●●n us up into their hands and so impute our destruction to reformation which is Gods worke as the procuring cause of our ●●●sery and overthrow and their victory and triumph in our ruines to their Popish prayers and Idoll-Saints but God will not part with his glory which he hath purchased with a strong hand See a notable promise and an example to this purpose 1. A notable instance to this purpose in Jehosaphats dayes 2 Chron. 19. he seeing things greatly amisse in the Church and Civill State set upon the worke of Reformation purged the house of God and reformed much in the Church and Common-wealth presently upon that came the Moabites Cap 20. v. 10 11 12. Ver. 25. the Ammonites and the inhabitants of Mount Seir against him with so great an army that he professed there was no might in him and his people to withstand them and that they knew not what to doe yet the enemies of Judah had a mighty overthrow and why because Jehosaphat had put himselfe and his people into a good posture of defence in respect of their spirituall state towards God by their humiliation and reformation they were returned againe to the Lord and sought him and therefore God would not now leave them when they had most need of his help Ionah 3.10 Yea when Pagan Niniveh did begin to reforme and turne away from their evill wayes God did not destroy them as he had threatened and otherwise had undoubtedly done and yet their reformation is generally supposed to be but outward and hypocriticall not inward of the heart and sincere much lesse will God destroy a Christian Nation when we begin to reforme and turne to him 2. See also a notable promise to this purpose Jer. 18. saith God At what instant I shall speake concerning a Nation Ier. 18.7 8. and concerning a Kingdome to plucke up to pull downe and destroy it If that Nation against whom I have pronounced turne from their evill I will repent of the evill thought to doe unto them God threatens destruction to England England begins to reforme her evill wayes and p●●● away her whoredomes and abominations and therefore surely God will spare not destroy England whatsoever dangers seem to threaten us 3. God hath many mourners in England that sigh and groane because of the abominations and sinnes of the land and doe strive against them and thirst after a pure state of the Church with longing desire Yea the Parliament the representative body of this Kingdome hath ever in these declining times bin against the evils declared themselves against them and laboured what in them lay to redresse evils and purge the Church and God doth not use to destroy a Nation or give them up into the hands of their enemies so long as the Lots Jobs Samuels Daniels remaine in it and stand in the gap much lesse when the whole kingdome as the Parliament is by representation and deputation stand in the gap and seeke to turne away wrath from the people So much is clearly implyed in that speech of God Ezek 22.30 I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge and stand in the gap before me for the land that I should not destroy it but I found none This Argument hath given good hopes to many even when things were at worst and no Parliament thought of that God would yet be gracious to England 4. England fals to Fasting and Pryaing throughout the Land and God hath put a mighty spirit of prayer into the hearts of his people generally throughout the Kingdome every good mans heart is inlarged towards God for the peace of Jerusalem even children in yeares and young persons have eyes to see that things are amisse and their hearts open to goe to the throne of grace for mercy and favour for England and have their dayes of humiliation and prayer yea scarce any that hath the face of a Christian or principle of common honesty in him but doth as well as he can pray for Englands peace and happinesse And we doe not any where reade of any people whom God destroyed when they fell generally throughout the Land to Fasting and Prayer but ever that God spared them Ion. 3.5 Israel and Judah often yea and some out of the Church as the Ninevites and very often when they have bin brought to a very low condition yet when they sought unto God in their trouble he delivered them See one place instead of many namely Psal 107. especially v. 6 13 19 28 Then they cryed unto the Lord in their trouble and he delivered them out of their distresses I will trouble you with one publike instance 〈◊〉 that is in Hester Host 2.4.7 3 and two instances in particular persons in Hesters time the Church of the Iews was brought into a very low condition and a most desperate strait nothing was before them in the eye of humane reason but death and utter destruction the Deerbe was sealed never to be reversed and the Postes hasted to publish it every where that all their enemies might be ready at the day appointed to destroy them the Jewes fell to Fasting and Prayer and God delivered them For particular instances one is in Nebuchadnezzar he was brought so low that a man would have thought Dan. 4.31 it had been impossible for him ever to have been restored he had lost his Kingdome and wits also which are as a learned man said the onely way to bring a man in againe he had lost all his beauty and was become as a Beast of the field Ver. 34. not in substance but in condition and carriage yet when be looked up to Heaven God heard him and restored him to his senses kingdome and honour againe and so he did Ionah when a man in all reason would have thought it impossible Jon ● 2.1 being then in the middle of the Sea covered over with waters and in the Whales belly a creature whose stomack can digest any thing 4. And surely this also hath weight in it and is a good argument of hope and comfort that God hath set up many worthy lights and put many faithfull painfull and profitable labourers into his Vineyard very lately and many especially young people come in a●p●ce and submit to the Gospell and beginne to shew forth the power of Godlinesse in their lives 5. Also it is very remarkable and comfortable consider that all the plots designes and indeavours of the enemies have hitherto been so timely through Gods goodnesse