Selected quad for the lemma: fire_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
fire_n	cloud_n	day_n	pillar_n	4,681	5	10.5980	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91061	Englands impenitencie under smiting, causing anger to continue, and the destroying hand of God to be stretched forth still. Set out in a sermon preached before the Honourable House of Commons, at a publike fast, Sept. 25. 1644. By Nicolas Proffet, late rector of Peters in Marlebrough, now Minister of Edminton, and one of the Assembly of Divines. Published by Order from that House.	Proffet, Nicolas, d. 1669.	1645 (1645)	Wing P3647; Thomason E16_22; ESTC R18136	45,814	55

ab eodem habitu posteriores sunt pejores prioribus Tostat for in evill workes proceeding from the same habit the latter are worse then the former this iteration doth argue delight in offending which therefore doth deserve greater punishment Fourthly this continuance in sinne under smiting is a signe of obstinate malice and wickednesse for such men being thus punished and doe not repent doe apertum bellum cum Deo agore wage open warre with God Reas 3 Thirdly I might adde another reason drawne from the end of smiting which is various according to the condition of the person smitten if the man be wicked and a vessell of wrath the Lord doth smite to glorifie his justice in taking vengeance of his sinne and so he proportioneth punishment unto the nature of the sinne as Psal 58.10 11. God will overcome when he judgeth Rom. 3.4 If he be a vessell of mercy and one that the Lord loveth he will smite him till he make him smart if he doe not attend his pleasure and turne from sinne with lesser strokes the Lord is forced to make them greater till he bring downe their proud heart and make them to yeeld as Psal 107.11 12. they doe rebell against the words of the Lord and contemne the counsels of the most High therefore he bringeth downe their heart with labour they foll downe and there is none to helpe The Lord will breake the pride of their power as he threatneth Levit. 26.19 if the judgement should be removed while the sinne is not left it were judgement and wrath not mercy and grace and so much for the reasons and fitting the Doctrine for Use I come now to the Application This Doctrine thus cleared the Uses might be many and would require much more time then we have for their full pro●●cution but we shall contract our selves and apply the point first for Iustruction secondly for Conviction thirdly for Humiltation and finally for Exhortation and Direction And first for Instruction and Information this Doctrine will serve to informe us what the true and maine cause is that our hopes are delayed our expectations not answered endeavours disappointed designes defeated and proceedings which might hasten our peace and happy weale-publike so much retarded you may find many inferiour and lesser causes and give divers politicke reasons but the great and chiefe cause is in truth that in the text the obstinacie and impenitency of the Nation this I say this is the cause why our expectations are not answered why our hopes are blasted our long desired peace is deferred and the smiting hand of God stretched out still his anger continued and not turned away The people turne not unto him that smiteth them neither doe they seeke the Lord of Hosts Here it stickes and this is the obstruction the true cause of all our misery the very reason why we obtaine not our long expected mercies we hoped for an happy peace the paths whereof drop fatnesse and that crowneth the yeare with her goodnesse we promised our selves that the day would have come before this time in which we might have seen that verified in the Psalme Mercy and Truth are met together ●al 8● 1● Righteousnesse and Peace have kissed each other Although it must be co●●●ssed that these expectations did bottome themselves upon Prerogative rather then upon an ordinary way of God his proceeding with a sinfull and unthankfull people and yet our Watchmen and Seers thought verily they heard that voyce of Christ sounding in their eares of which the Church makes report in these words My beloved spake and said unto me Cant. 2.10 11 12. Rise up my love my faire one and come away For lo the winter is past the raine is over and gone The flowers appeare on the earth the time of the singing of birds is come and the voyce of the turtle is heard in our land c. they thought they saw all good things flowing in upon us or at least comming towards us But since that we were put into such hopes we have had many feares great and sore troubles have been brought upon the land and it may complaine as the Church Psal 71.20 and 44.19 Thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons and covered us with the shadow of death and still may we complaine of the disappointment of our hopes as they in the Prophet We looked for peace but behold no good came Jer. 8.15 and for a time of health but behold trouble And as it followeth The harvest is past the summer is ended and we are not saved Ver. 20. no although we have fasted and prayed for peace and earnestly besought the God of peace to grant it and that our distractions might be composed that our breaches might be made up our ruines repaired Religion setled that the Lord would be reconciled to the Nation and Prince and people one unto another and doe continue to hold up our hands and lift up our hearts to the throne of Grace for these things summer after summer and yeare after yeare these out sutes have not been as the prayers of Gods people commonly are as the bow of Ionathan which turned not backe and the sword of Saul that returned not empty 2. Sam. 1.22 We have not seen these our prayers returne as the Dove did into the Arke with an Olive branch of a gracious answer in these things I grant which to deny or not to acknowledge unto the glory of God were sinfull ingratitude they have had many gracious answers and grants of such things as we could not have been without to have preserved us from desolation and ruine But in the things before named they have not yet been answered It hath been with us in what we have obtained as with Israel in the wildernesse in the blackest night we have had a pillar of fire and in the brightest day a pillar of a cloud Piety and prosperity and Religion and Peace are not yet met to make us happy now why is it thus and what is the reason where is the obstruction is not God as able as ever his hand as long as ever surely it is but consider the Doctrine ●●●m 21.1 and it will be as the Oracle in the three yeares famine yeare by yeare as it certified David there was cause of that famine so this Doctrine will assure us there is a cause of this continuance of anger and smiting and it is as 2 Chron. 20.33 as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers so that the high places were not taken away they did not convert and returne they would not reforme their wayes as in the Text they turne not to him that smiteth them either doe they seeke the Lord of Hosts it is not because God is not the God that heareth prayers or that he cannot save or not afford us mercy this is not the cause why the hand of mercy is pulled in and the hand