Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	believe_v	faith_n	point_n	1,651	5	7.2769	4	false

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A20540	Three godlie and fruitful sermons; the two first preached by Maister Iohn Dod: the last by Maister Robert Cleauer. Whereunto are annexed, fiue propositions, or points of doctrine, comprehended in three other sermons, by the same author	Dod, John, 1549?-1645.; Cleaver, Robert, 1561 or 2-ca. 1625. aut	1610 (1610)	STC 6950; ESTC S117481	100,240	192

would know what it is to pray in the holy Ghost it is this First we must haue a warrant for the things Rules for prayer 1 that we aske and that from the word of God where the Lords will is reuealed according whereunto 1. Ioh. 5. 14 all our petitions must be framed In which regard we must acquaint our selues with the holy Scriptures and often exercise our hearts in the meditation thereof That is as it were the wood whence we must fetch timber for this building and the mine out of which we may take many golden arguments to bring before the Lord in our prayers which he cannot deny because they are his owne hand writing whereby he doth graunt vs liberty to aske and assurance to obtaine all needfull things So that spirituall graces we may aske simply without any exception or limitation for outward blessings we may craue them so farre as they may be good for vs and for crosses we may lawfully desire either to haue them kept from vs or sanctified vnto vs so that we may haue strength and patience to beare them and grace and wisedome to make a right vse of them Secondly we must be touched with an inward longing and earnest desire of the things which we aske for it is said that the Spirit maketh request for vs Rom. 8. 26. with sighes which cannot be expressed As we see in Hannah who came with a heart full of heauenly meditations and of holy desires which she did not expresse in words but made them knowne vnto the Lord with whom her heart was labouring all the time of her prayer Now if we would obtaine this inward affection we must ponder much on Gods goodnesse and readinesse to heare and to helpe vs and of our owne miserable wants which moue vs to become suiters vnto his Maiesty and then if we can get a good perswasion of God and a due estimation of the things which we beg at his hands wee shall not chuse but be instant and earnest in our prayers not taking vp the time in words of course and in making vaine and idle repetitions or drowsie and lumpish petitions as if we cared not whether we lost or found but we shall be able to cry feruently vnto the Lord and then cannot he deny our requests For he heareth the cry of them that feare him and fulfilleth their Ps 145. 19. Iam. 5. desires and the prayer of the righteous auaileth much when it is feruent Thirdly if wee would haue this testimony vnto our soules that we pray in the holy Ghost then must we propose a right end in our suits not asking See M. Dods Sermon on Iam. 4. 3. any thing with an intent to spend it vpon our lusts but with a purpose to vse it vnto the glory of God the furtherance of our owne saluation and the good comfort of mankind especially of such as are of the houshold of faith Fourthly we must beleeue that we shall obtaine that which we aske according to that of our Sauiour VVhatsoeuer ye desire when ye pray beleeue Mar. 11. 24 that ye shall haue it Which faith of ours will be vnto vs a sure argument that we pray in the Spirit which stirreth vs vp to make such requests alone as it assureth vs shall be performed But by the way let vs obserue that sometimes spirituall men may make carnall prayers as Iob and Eliiah and Ionah did when they desired that God would take away their liues which proceeded from the pride of the flesh and from the rebelliousnesse of their wils in that they could not content themselues to liue in that estate wherunto the Lord had brought them Such fleshly petitions may we sometimes put vp before the Lord but we shall haue checks and rebukes in our hearts for the same and no assurance that they shall be granted but when our suits are spirituall the holy Ghost which moueth vs to aske will also perswade vs that God is able and willing to heare vs and to relieue vs and that therefore we shall obtaine a blessing sooner or later Let vs therefore labour to aske in faith as the Apostle Iames exhorteth and not wauer for he that Iames. 1. 3. wauereth and maketh question whether God will heare him or not is like a waue of the sea tost with the winde and caried away being neuer at quiet in himselfe but sometimes imagining that the Lord will helpe him he runneth vnto him and then hauing a conceipt that such and such men will doe somewhat for him he leaueth prayer and betaketh himselfe vnto them but finding no reliefe there he will to prayer againe and yet hauing not a present answer nor faith to waite vpon the Lord he fals to shift for himselfe by vsing of ill meanes and so is altogether vnstable and vnsetled euen as the waues of the sea that are neuer at rest euery vaine cogitation euery slight temptation tossing and turmoyling and disquieting his heart Thus it ought not to be neither will it be thus with those that aske in faith for they know that they shall obtaine that it shall be vnto theÌ„ according to their faith that either they shal haue the particular thing that they aske or a better in steed thereof and therefore they pray still and waite Gods leasure and herein they much honour the Lord in that they cast themselues vpon the truth of his promise and do not trouble their hearts with vnnecessary feares and cares about the successe which is Gods worke and not theirs Men will be glad to be rid of importunate suiters that they should not bee still hanging vpon them especially if their suite bee weighty and the things that they craue of some importance but the Lord would in no case haue men to let their suits fall nay he takes delight in such as will not haue a repulse but still depend vpon him and daily renew their petitions for they shew euidently that they haue a liuely and strong faith they would not presume to aske vnlesse they had a warrant and hauing a warrant they dare not make question of obtaining for that were to make doubt of Gods truth and fidelity Thus we see what it is to pray in the holy Ghost viz. to haue a good ground for that which we aske a good end and a good affection in asking and faith to beleeue that we shall obtaine whatsoeuer we aske in such a maner Vse 3 A third vse of this poynt is for a singular consolation to such as can pray in that sort howsoeuer the Diuell would perswade them that they haue not the sanctifying Spirit of God in them but onely such flashings as hypocrites sometimes haue yet hereby they may be assured that the holy Ghost dwelleth in them indeed because they constantly powre out strong cryes and faithfull supplications before the Lord which no hypocrite can doe for as Iob speaketh He cannot set Iob. 27. 10. his delight

yet did they wish to returne to their former Psal 106. bondage rather then to bee brought to such straits but notwithstanding the grieuousnes of this their sinne many now adaies come nothing behinde them for their eyes are so vpon their wants that the want of one thing which they do desire though it be but small doth more disquiet them then manifold blessings doe comfort them to make them thankfull But this discontentment wee must be armed against which we shall be if wee can receiue the fauour of God for it selfe though it come alone yea though trouble doe come therewith for hauing it wee haue all things and wanting it wee haue nothing Againe if wee haue it no miserie can make vs miserable and if wee haue it not in greatest prosperitie we are most miserable But the Israelites here dealt after a cleane contrarie manner for the want of bread in the wildernesse being but for their bodies did make theÌ„ to despise their great and wonderfull deliuerance out of Egypt which was vnto them a signe of their spirituall deliuerance And this is the nature of all worldlings they had rather forgo many spirituall benefits then one corporall commoditie they grieue more at the losing and reioyce more at the hauing of wealth then of godlinesse But to returne to the point in hand sith murmuring is so great a sinne it shall be profitable to consider of some remedies against it Remedies against murmuring Now for as much as impatiencie proceedeth from infidelitie the remedie thereof must bee fetched from faith in Gods mercies in the merits of Christ in the hope of the resurrection and in Gods fatherly prouidence First I say Gods rich mercie and fauourable dealing with vs being duly considered cannot but worke in vs patience for seeing that the Lord forbeareth vs and that when for the ripenes of our sinnes he might confound vs he doth rather heape blessings vpon vs this cannot but bridle vs from murmuring though all things fall not out according to our hearts desire Especially seeing that the Lord will deale with vs still as hee did with the Israelites that when ordinarie meanes failed had extraordinary prouision made for theÌ„ the cloudes giuing them bread and the rock water to teach vs that man liueth not by bread only as Moses applieth it Deut. 8. but by the word of God A second remedie is to haue a liuely faith in the worke of our redemption to wit the remission of our sinnes the imputation of Christ his righteousnes and inherent sanctification First then if we can stedfastly beleeue that God for Christ his sake hath freely forgiuen vs all our sinnes and giuen his sonne that in him we might be blessed we cannot but be assured that with him Rom. 8. he will giue vs all things For seeing sin which is the cause of all miserie is taken from vs wee may bee sure that no crosse shall euer hurt vs. Againe if wee could beleeue that as God doth lay our sins vpon Christ so he doth impute his righteousnes to vs how should we doubt of food or raiment c For by this meanes he is made our mercifull and louing father who is for power able and for will readie to helpe vs in all extremities And thus doth he abide for euer and is neuer changed To these two former must bee added the second part of our redemption namely the sanctification of the spirit which if we feele in our selues may bee a great helpe vnto vs against impatiencie for it is a greater thing to sanctifie a sinner then to worke wonders in nature Therefore if we can beleeue in our hearts that God is able to make of sinfull and wicked men iust and righteous of whoremongers chast persons c. and that he is able and willing to deliuer vs from all our corruptions be they neuer so strong by nature or custome if I say we can giue credit vnto this why should we euer doubt that he will faile vs in outward things Further if we can beleeue that God hath prepared a kingdome for vs and that he will raise vs vp at the last day in body and soule to enioy the same how can we but be assured that he will giue vs lesser matters euen the things of this life Another thing to stay our hearts vpon when murmuring doth assaile vs is faith in Gods prouidence which is either generall or particular The generall prouidence of God must be considered first in the creation of all things secondly in the preseruation of them Doe wee then beleeue that the Lord made all things of nothing and shall we doubt of his abilitie to prouide for vs When God created light before the Sun the Moone or the Stars and caused grasse Gen. 1. 3. to grow vpon the earth before there was either raine or dew to water it hee did thereby teach vs first that we should not put too much trust in them whilest we haue them and againe that rather then we should suffer hurt by the want of light grasse or other such things the Lord both could and would prouide for vs without them Yet now if we should not haue the Sun wee would think that light were taken from vs and if we wanted raine wee would soone thinke wee should neither haue grasse nor corne but the Lord hath ordained these meanes to serue his prouidence not for himselfe for without them he can easily help vs but for our weaknes who otherwise could not easily bee assured of his goodnesse Secondly we must beleeue that God preserueth all so that a sparrow doth not fall to the ground Matth. 10. without his prouidence and he hath a great care of beasts and fowles doth the Lord prouide for these Matth. 6. and will hee not prouide for man for whom these were made and are preserued Hereunto we must ioyne the particular prouidence of God Hath he made our bodies and will he not clothe vs hath he giuen vs life and will he not minister vnto vs foode for the sustaining thereof Hee could prouide for the Israelites in the barren wildernesse fortie yeeres together yea hee could preserue Moses and Elias fortie daies without any meate at all which euidently proueth that Gods blessing is all in all whether there be meanes or no meanes Dauid obserued by experience that the righteous seed of the righteous was neuer forsaken nor begged Psal 37. their bread and if wee could bee righteous as then many were wee should finde the same true in our owne experience as he did These things well considered will worke in vs a patient minde the properties whereof are First to be contented with whatsoeuer the Lord Properties of a patieÌ„t mind Philip. 4. 11. sendeth alwaies acknowledging godlinesse to bee great riches for wee ought not to seeke great matters nor suffer our desires to be carried after high things for this did the Prophet Ieremie rebuke in Ieremy 45. 4. Baruck And Christ would haue vs to pray only for our daily bread which also was Iacobs prayer that Gen. 28. he might haue food and raiment wherewith the Apostle would haue vs to be content Let vs first seek the 1. Tim. 6. kingdome of heauen c. and then if the Lord giue plentie let vs be more thankfull and seruiceable if not his fauour is sufficient of it self and wee shall be Psalm 4. more comfortable with a little then others are in great abundance without that But if wee cannot rest in the fauour of God though wee want these outward things it is certain we do not truly esteem it neither haue wee at that time any comfortable assurance of the remission of our sinnes The second propertie of a patient minde is simply to giue vp it self vnto God and to commit it self into his hand waiting at all times for help froÌ„ him who only is the author of al goodnes yet neither prescribing the meanes nor appointing the time nor in any case indenting with him for the Lord will haue the disposition of his mercies free vnto himself to giue and bestow when and where and hoâ— it pleaseth him and as it may most make for his glorie and therefore wee must wholly resigne vp ouâ— selues vnto him Which if we can doe so mercifully doth God vse to deale that when wee least desire outward things then we shall haue them and wheÌ„ we freely giue them vp to him he will giue them to vs againe Abraham gaue vnto the Lord Isaac his son which when the Lord did behold hee quickly gaue him his sonne againe and so will he deale with vs still The readiest way to retaine life goods c. is to yeeld them vp wholly into Gods hands not with this condition that he should giue theÌ„ to vs againe for that were to mock the Lord but without all care to haue them we must giue them to him being heartily well content for his glorie to forgoe them and then if they be good for vs we shall receiue theÌ„ againe if not we shall receiue some spirituall grace which shall better supplie the want of them Yea the infinite wisedom and mercy of God doth wonderfully appeare herein that sometimes he keepeth vs long without these things because that if we had them he seeth that we would abuse them and preferre them before spirituall blessings And sometime the Lord seeing our small regard of spirituall things will by the want of these outward things bring vs to make greater account of them that wheÌ„ we can well want the one and highly esteeme the other we may haue both together FINIS

Selected quad for the lemma: ground_n

Text snippets containing the quad