Selected quad for the lemma: hand_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
hand_n	david_n	king_n	saul_n	6,232	5	10.0779	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A84939	The gale of opportunity. Or, A sermon preached (at Lidbury-North) at the funerall of the worshipfull Humphrey Walcot, of Walcot, Esq. June 8, 1650 and now published, by Thomas Froysell, Minister of the Gospell at Clunne in Shropshire.	Froysell, Thomas, d. ca. 1672.	1652 (1652)	Wing F2249A; ESTC R177209	46,742	52

things to passe easily Oh that this were observed In Gods opportunitie it is an easie thing to beleeve to repent to subdue a sin and to overcome a temptation as it is an easie matter for the Ship to go when she hath the winde to fill her sayls Every thing is done easily in Gods opportunitie whether it be to save a soul or to destroy a soule because God in his opportunity makes all things concur and brings circumstances together to strike up the action suddenly you shall see it 1 First In the ruine of a man in the destruction of a man when 't is Gods opportunitie to destroy a man what easie way will he make for 't As Saul when Gods time came that he must perish he slew himselfe there was no difficulty in the 1 Sam. 31. 4. worke he fell himselfe upon his sword as the stone doth to its center How easily was Jericho taken when the Priests blew the Trumpets and the people shouted the wals fel down flat of themselves How easily was Pharaoh and his Army destroyed in the red Sea The Sea was divided and a way made for him that he might not stand upon 't but run voluntary into the womb of death Oh the efficacy of Gods opportunities How easily did Goliah fall what stirres and blusterings did he act a little before upon the stage of pride and boasting making a challenge to all Israel but when Gods opportunitie comes how easily is he slaine And therefore the Scripture speaks this with an Emphasis So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone and smote the Philistine and slew him but there was no sword in the hand of David 2 So Gods opportunities worke good for men easily they bring great matters of good to passe with no difficulty when 't is Gods opportunitie that David shall take possession of his Kingdome it fals into his mouth as it were not onely Saul but all his sons that might stand as so many screens between David and the Crowne are taken out of the way The house of Judah they of themselves come and annoint David King over them Then Abner Sauls Generall of his whole Army displeased with Ishbosheth revolts to David and all the Tribes come to Hebron to annoint David King over Israel Do you see this great worke is done to his hand So in Gods opportunities it is an easie thing to beleeve and repent Act. 16. 14. Luk. 19. 6. 1 Kin. 19. 20. Ah my beloved the ease of beleiving and repenting attends a peculiar opportunity of Gods owne vouchsafing in which he doth more readily worke then at other times How shall I know when 't is easie for me to beleeve and repent 1 When the light of the spirit doth flash into the eye of thy soule then thy worke is easie as when the light of the day doth dart its rayes in at the windows of thy Chamber 't is easie for thee to read a small print Thus when a light from Heaven did shine upon Paul and shine into Paul how easie did his worke come off Lord what wilt thou have me to doe 2 When thy heart is made combustible and ready to take fire as when the tinder is dry 't is easie to light a candle the least sparke that fals on it takes fire and when the fire is combustible it is an easie matter to kindle a fire it burnes presently So when thy heart is softned it easily takes the impression of the seale upon it and when thy thoughts are stir'd up and made combustible 't is an easie matter to kindle them into a fire of repentance as in the Acts when they were pricked in Act. 2. the heart they said Men and brethren what shall wee doe repent saith Peter and they took presently 3 When thine affections and desires are upon the wheel then any worke is easie as when a load is upon the wheel 't is drawne easily whereas if you should goe about to lug it along upon the ground it comes on heavily and therefore the Lord pursuing Pharaoh took off his Chariot wheels and they drave on heavily So when God puts thine affections upon the wheel and sets them a going then 't is easie for thee to doe great matters and therefore observe thine opportunity 2 Gods opportunities are sudden and unexpected they come upon us without preparation God doth not send us word before hand when he will visit us and come to us as sometimes we send to a friend that we will dine with him or speake with him at such an howre but Gods opportunities come suddenly upon us in the twinkling of an eye before we be aware when we know nothing of it and the spirit rusheth in upon a man and gives him no notice before hand Thus Christ came and called Matthew follow me on a sudden whilst he was sitting at the receipt of Custome And he arose and followed him Some poor soules have sent up many a prayer to heaven for assurance and it hath not come and they poor creatures have thought that God hath not regarded them all the while and then on a sudden assurance hath come when they look't not for it Ah dear father how many mercies from thee have come to us uninvited thy preventing grace and mercy doth alwayes visit us uninvited we send not for it it comes freely to us 3 Gods opportunities come besides our intention they come sometimes when we aime not at them We stumble upon heaven when we are seeking something else as a man that digged in his garden only to set roots and plants and found a pot of gold there and as Saul went to Samuel to enquire for his Fathers Asses and found a Kingdome This was besides his intention he sought one thing and found another his poor Asses were in his intention but a Crowne was the object he met with in execution Oh the misteries of opportunity 'T is so many times in the matters of heaven I am found saith God of them that sought me not Many a soul findes Heaven besides his intention How strangely doe some meet with a Commission they meet with heaven and grace by accident as it were they goe to a place onely to seek health or food something for the body and there they light upon besides their intention salvation for their soules as the lame man seeing Peter and John asked an almes there was all his intention and met with a cure both of body and soule and the woman of Samaria came to the Well for water and there found a Christ It was an accident to her to meet Christ there Gods opportunity comes upon her besides her intention Ah gracious God! that she should come for water that very houre when Christ was there not before nor after but that very houre when Christ is there shee came for water which was but puddle and found a Spring of life So the Marriners that took Jonah into their Ship they received him onely