Selected quad for the lemma: enemy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
enemy_n	david_n	deliver_v	saul_n	1,226	5	9.5281	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A55028	The necessity and encouragement, of utmost venturing for the churches help together with the sin, folly, and mischief of self-idolizing applyed by a representation of 1. some of the most notorious nationall sins endangering us, 2. the heavy weight of wrath manifested in our present calamities, yet withall, grounds of 3. confidence, that our church shall obtain deliverance in the issue, 4. hopes that the present Parliament shall be still imployed in the working of it : all set forth in a sermon, preached to the honorable House of Commons, on the day of the monethly solemn fast, 28. June, 1643 / by Herbert Palmer ...	Palmer, Herbert, 1601-1647.	1643 (1643)	Wing P243; ESTC R21704	67,757	76

him through the work though he also had his failing in not searching in time for Achan So after God had cast off Saul he so assists David notwithstanding his failings also as when he died Israel was delivered from all enemies round about and no adversary left unsubdued 1 King 5.3,4 And so after he had the second time set on Zerubbabell and Jeshua upon the work of his Temple after their long lingring he carries it on by their hands and so promised them Hag. 2.4 Zach. 4.7.9 And specially having raised up faithfull Nehemiah extraordinarily who yet acknowledges he had need of sparing according to the greatnesse of Gods mercy Neh. 13. 22. he was continually with him and mightily prospered him for his Churches good every way 3. God doth this usually to encourage both such instruments to engage themselves to the utmost for him and others to associate themselves to such persons as to standards by him set up to revive unite and strengthen his people The faith of the best is not so strong but it needs experimentall encouragements as well as generall promises For which end specially the Scripture examples of deliverances are recorded which yet would stand in very little stead if extraordinarily raised and fitted instruments should be usually cast by and not used Nature hath seen this and so made a Proverb That an Army of Harts if led by a Lion may be victorious The discovery of somewhat extraordinary in any Leader seems a promise of successe which mightily raises the spirits of those that follow who else were ready to droop and fall away 4. The manifold Promises of blessing to the Church and successe to those that engage themselves for it in time of danger do fall most strongly to the share of such Eminent and extraordinarily raised persons To him that hath shall be given and he shall have abundance He that had five talents being faithfull is blest with the gain of five more and hath the unprofitable servants talent cast in besides Matt. 25. 28 29 Luke 19. 24 26. Insomuch that Finally scarce any if any example can be given of any such hopes disappointed but the cause to wit their failing in some main point of duty hath been as manifest as their disappointment We finde it in Saul 1 Sam. 13. 15. and even in Moses and Aaron their unbelief Numb. 20. Nay not so much but the very delayes have their causes assigned or at least they may be gathered God expressely chides the Jews for their neglect Hag. 1. And he that shall diligently observe the time that the Temple was in hand before Artaxerxes Decree specially if it were Artaxerxes Longimanus as many think or even let it be Cambyses or Smerdis the Mage will see cause to think they made but slow hast with it when they had liberty enough So that delay in Joshua's time was plainly for want of enquiry after Achan and doing justice on him and the stop of the Ark from Jerusalem was a wrong order taken in the carriage of it which occasioned Vzzahs medling beyond his calling and Gods breach upon him for it But where we finde none of these miscarriages the instruments prosper in their undertaken work for the Churches help and good The Use of this Point is at once to Encourage and warn the Parliament and all Prime Instruments to continue in faithfulnesse for the Churches utmost help You have heard in the former Point that Deliverance and enlargement shall arise some way or other This tells you There is great hopes You are the men God intends to use in it To this purpose consider 1 1. What great things God hath already done for you 2. What by you I will onely name some heads for your meditations though they deserve the descant of Volumes 1 Your comming to the authority you are invested with and so power to help the Church was more strange all things considered then Esthers comming to be Queen 1. That any Parliament should be called 2. That such a Parliament should be chosen 3. That before the Act of continuance it should appear a ruin to dissolve you as formerly 4. But specially that any ruin was not hazarded rather then the passing that Act of continuance an Act of such wonder as we can scarce beleeve our senses our experience our understandings that it is credible or possible All this makes up your authority and power to help the Church incomparable beyond all your Predecessors 2 2. The preserving your authority in the hearts of men after so many invective aspersions and in the midst of so many difficulties even in the hearts of many loose men Whom also your enemies carriages have as much alienated from them 3 3. Your famous preservations from the Northern Army the armed Cavaliers the late Conspiracy and all other attempts of fraud or force 4 4. The graduall victories and deliverances obtained by those imployed by you and for you some of them of singular remark and importance particularly Manchester preserved from force and Bristoll from treachery besides sundry other Towns that should have been betrayed 5 5. Your being helped often at a dead lift Your adversaries have scoffed at it But you have found it that as oft as you have been at a stand God hath afforded some discovery or some victory to set the wheeles agoing again 6 6. Your spirituall helps beyond all other Parliaments Such powerfull preaching so neer you and all the City over specially your monethly Fasts never the like in any Age 7 7. An Army many armies of prayers all the Kingdom over more for you both from hope and fear then ever for any of your Predecessors 8 8. That which makes all the rest most hopefull that all these things together Mercies and Dangers and Deliverances and means of grace have made you grow in zeal for God and his Church Witnesse your Protestation Declarations your beginnings of reformation of Idolatry Superstition Sabbath-breaking scandalous Ministers your late Covenant and calling the Assembly What now means God by all this But that you should think He loves you and means to use you further for his glory if you will your selves and be faithfull And that as oft as you are afraid lest after all you should be destroyed you should encourage your selves as Manoahs wife did her husband If the Lord were pleased to kill us he would not have done so and so to us Iudg. 13. 23. 2 For consider also what he hath done by you in one word Doe but except that you are not yet delivered and that you were to be brought into dangers troubles What one main thing have you attempted effectually for the war or for the Church wherin you have not been greatly and effectually assisted to a remarkeable degree I cannot have time to name particulars But your Journalls and Records will tell you And I beseech you think often and

Christ and the Church are one and have but one name Jer. 23. 6. with 33. 16. and 1 Cor. 12. 12. If we could see no Reason for this yet since he so often saith it we must not choppe logicke with Him and offer to deny it but if we would all logick and reason would confute us for 3. God is specially glorified upon earth or dishonoured according as His Church fares Israel is His glory Esa. 46. ult. The Church Christs spouse and His kingdome He is glorified in their welfare when their number encreases their sins are purged they freed from judgements and enemies and their prosperity advanced Therefore to endeavour this with our whole strength and utmost hazard is our duty as well as to love Him with our whole hearts and soules and minds and strength and to doe all things to His glory And we cannot faile in any thing but we faile so much in our love to Him and dishonour Him so much therefore 4. We pray for this for the Churches good when we understandingly pray as Christ hath taught us Hallowed be thy Name Thy kingdome come Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven And we mock God if we so pray and endeavour it not with all cheerfull readinesse universall Fractice and constant continuance like the Angels in Heaven though we cannot reach their perfection nor are they put upon hazards because they have no sin and so no suffering to undergoe but 5. The very example of the Angels endeavours affords a distinct argument of our obligation They are sent forth to minister for their sakes that shall be the heirs of salvation Heb. 1. 14. It is not too mean an office then for the greatest on earth to endeavour the Churches helpe For 6. All things and persons are ordained for the Churches sake The very world continues that every one that in Gods Decree belongs to the Church should be converted and be brought to repentance 2 Pet. 3. 9. All gifts are bestowed for the Churches sake The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall 1 Cor. 12. 7. all for the Churches profit and so 1 Cor. 3. 21 22. All things are yours whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours All not only things but persons Apostles and Ministers Kings and Parliaments and all are every one of them intended for the Church God called this Parliament for his Churches sake and for his Churches sake it is that he hath so establisht and continued it And the Prophet tells how that it was for Jacob his servants sake and Israel his elect that God raised up Cyrus and gave him victories holding his right hand and subduing Nations before him and loosing the loynes of Kings opening the two leaved gates c. Esay 45. ver. 1. 4. And elsewhere that Kings should be nursing Fathers to his Church and Queenes nurses and that they should carry the Churches children in their armes and upon their shoulders and give them suck do even the meanest offices of help to them with all diligence and paines-taking and breaking their sleep as Nurses use for their nurslings for their good And all this Cyrus hath taught us to be not onely prophesies of what shall be but precepts of what ought to be For understanding of the prediction Esay 44. 28. that he should build the Temple he takes it to be a command given to him as he proclaimes to all the world 2 Chron. 36. Ezra 1. Thus all humane authority on earth is for the Churches good And which is farre higher and a most exceedingly admirable expression the very Authority of Christ in Heaven though ultimately for his own glory the glory of God yet is also intended for the Churches good So remarkeably and fully speakes the Apostle Ephes. 1. 22. God gave him to be the Head over all things to the Church How much more are earthly men so meant It is injurious therefore without question not to God onely but to the Church in point of right for any man on earth to withhold any thing from her whereby she may be helped or benefited For also 7. The comforts as well as Talents that we have received we may instrumentally thank the Church for them as our Mother that bare us and her children as our brethren and sisters that helped to bring us up both naturally and spiritually and doe still while we live more for us then we can possibly requite with our utmost endeavour and venturing our selves for them Thankfulnesse then ties us besides all former Obligations The rather because 8. Every one by their sins have sundry wayes endangered the Church and do almost continually provoking God and sometimes men against her dishearting the Friends and strengthning the Enemies by evill Words and Examples We owe then by way of satisfaction to her and repentance toward God to do henceforward our utmost to help and rescue and strengthen her every way This was Davids reason in the forementioned 2 Sam. 24. and Pauls provocation to his duty doubtlesse many a time This is the more strong because still 9. The Church hath many Enemies who do and will do their worst against her and are specially encouraged and advantaged by our neglect They get ground as much as we withdraw and give back And our valour makes them at least at a stand and is some discouragement to them Also 10. When any of Gods people shrinks he endangers to break the Ranks and disorder others and make them run away from their Colours as well as himself or at least sads their hearts weakens their hands and makes bare their sides and contrarily each ones vigour and valour adds strength to his companions every way We owe it to them then and to the profession we have made to stand to them and live and die with them And there are great examples both wayes of this 11. Finally By-standers and Neuters are much led like sheep by the eye and though fearfull yet are sometimes engaged by our courage But to be sure they learn fearfulnesse of us And if those see us backward any way whose interests seem to be more in the Cause then theirs they will easily think themselves excused And then their sins will prove ours This I speak to those that in a more peculiar manner professe themselves Gods people though others also are professed Christians at large there should be no such difference if all would come up to their duties But since all will not at least not readily we that are outwardly forwardest any way must be so every way else I say we discharge not our debt and duty and give ill example to those that are too too backward of themselves So I have done with the proof of the first Point which is the main foundation of all and therefore not to

my conscience in a humble trembling representation to thar high Authority that hath required my service this day of the fitnesse of their taking into consideration What humiliation is or may be required of them as a Body Comming hither as the heads of our severall Tribes and Elders of our Cities You had at the first besides your own personall sins the sins of the Nation whom you represent and of former Parliaments whom you succeed to be humbled for namely such and so many as you did or could take notice of But you had not then any actions of your own as a joynt body to consider whether there were any failings in you as now after many dayes and moneths even some years sitting together you have And it is at least possible that you may finde failings in some things in so long time and so many businesses Your enemies and the Churches charge you with enough with multitudes I dare not second them nor abett any of their virulent reproaches But doubtlesse it is possible you may have had failings of some kinde or other Consider then I beseech you in the Name and presence of the great God before whom you are come as a Body this day to humble your selves and afflict your souls whether there be not somewhat to be sought out among you for which you are all joyntly as a Body to be humbled You cannot but remember 1. What great things God hath done for you Above all Parliaments ever since any were I shall have occasion to touch some of them anon Do your consciences now think that as a Parliamentary Body you have fully answered all his favours hitherto 2. Also you cannot but remember and we also ever must as with thankfulnesse to God as the Author so to you as his instruments what great things he hath done already by you In taking off burdens in making Peace with Scotland in a great deal of liberty enjoyed of Gods Ordinances by your means But are you assured that you have all the way proceeded with that spirit of encouragement that these things should have put into you 3. But above all you cannot but be apprehensive how many things God had done against you even against You as a Body In the Northern Army that should have been brought up against You in the Armed Troopes at your dores in withdrawing the Kings presence and Heart from You in all the aspersions cast upon you in the warre raised against you and your disappointment of seeing it ended long agoe even before it was begun in all your Propositions of Treaties refused in the late horrid conspiracy against You. All this not man only but God hath done against You. And wherefore I am far from saying from thinking that it is not for my sins and all the rest of ours the people of the Land Oh that our hearts could weep and bleed for it as we ought I know and acknowledge they are our sins that are punished if you have failed or shall faile in any thing But yet as often as there is failings in you God would have even you to be humbled for them It was Israels sin that provoked God to let Satan tempt David to number the People Yet it was Davids sin to number them And he humbled himself greatly for it when he was warned of it by the Prophet It is the feets catching cold oft times that causes the Head-ache and the Rheume in the eyes yet when it is so the Head takes somewhat to purge it selfe and cure the eyes Consider I beseech you whether ever God did any such thing to any servants of His in Authority they continuing steadily faithfull I know Moses suffered much reproach and was often endangered by the peoples rebelling against him But God instantly still pleaded his cause and ended all Also so long as David kept his integrity he never had any defeat in any battell nor did any Enemy prevail so as to distresse him at any time But after his great fault and Gods heavy threatning upon it he had divers sore shakings specially by Absoloms conspiracy driving him almost out of his Kingdome And so Solomon while he kept close to God had no Adversary at home or abroad But after his wives turning away his heart to countenance at least their Idols he had more then one that lifted up their hands against him Think now how much your Adversaries and their Successes call you to an enquiry among your selves why God should let them attempt and prevail so far against you If you shall find any thing amisse among your selves it wil be no wonder the faithfullest men have had their failings Jacob forgot his vow at Bethel a long while till a great scandall in his Family and a fearfull outrage of his sons upon it and danger thereupon to them all and Gods Admonition after all brought it to his remembrance and then upon search he found Idols too that he before took no notice of or at least winkt at So David failed in the manner of bringing up the Ark and the Priests Levites and Elders of the people were in the same errour with him and recovered not himself to see where the fault was in three moneths And afterward he abidde three yeeres famine yeere after yeere before he enquired of the Lord the cause of it who thereupon told him it was for an Oath-broken and Innocent bloud-shed For whch God would now have Justice done upon the posterity of the offender Also Zerubbabel and all the Elders of the Jews as was noted before failed not a little in so long neglecting to set about the building of the Temple even though God the while sent divers judgements upon all the Nation for it All these instances still make it the more necessary to have this seriously laid to your hearts that God may have the glory he looks for from you and that whatsoever you can find amisse you may the more zealously set your selves to make him not satisfaction which Jesus Christ only can and hath done sufficiently but such amends as poor creatures and his faithfull servants are by his grace enabled unto And now may I presume one step or two farther To propound according to the subject of my text that it is specially requisite that you consider whether you have done your utmost for the help of the Church in this sad time of her danger and distresse I shall anon shew how great hopes there are that you are the men whom God intends to use as his great instruments in this happy work these thoughts will prepare you for it Therefore let me most humbly offer a double question in two words concerning the execution of Iustice upon the Churches enemies and the hastning and effectuall advancing of the businesses of Religion 1. Have not notoricus offenders I mean Idolatrous Traiterous Priests even after reasons urged by you for their execution and delivery of them up into your hands been in fine spared