Selected quad for the lemma: hand_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
hand_n	write_a	write_v	year_n	65	3	4.4054	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A12166	Beames of divine light breaking forth from severall places of holy Scripture, as they were learnedly opened, in XXI. sermons. The III. first being the fore-going sermons to that treatise called The bruised-reed, preached on the precedent words. By the late reverend and iudicious divine, Richard Sibs, D.D. Mr. of Katharine Hall in Camb: and sometimes preacher at Grayes Inne. Published according to the Doctor his owne appointment subscribed with his hand; to prevent imperfect coppies.	Sibbes, Richard, 1577-1635.	1639 (1639)	STC 22475; ESTC S117279	299,907	604

themselves and others God must be served according to his Counsell or Will as hee hath discovered himselfe in his word for service is nothing but an action done with an eye to the will of another for if a man doth an action that one would have him do if hee do it not with respect to his command it is no obedience nor service he that hath not some care in the act it is no obedience As the Civill Law saith infringit obedientiam c. it breaks from the nature of obedience that hath no cause for it he must know his reason at the least there is the command of the superiour must bee a reason and ground for what hee doth in all his obedience and service Therefore there is a like necessity of the word of God as of his service for what Master will bee served according to the will of his servant why doth the Scripture mislike will-worship worship that is according to our owne will because there in wee make our selves God we serve ourselves and not God Wee must not serve God as wee would bee loath to be served our selves wee would be loath to ha●e a servant complement with cap and knee and then do as he list himselfe and so for us to come and complement with God to heare his word as if wee would be directed by him to kneele and pray to him for fashion and then all our life after to do as we list It is a delusion to say we serve God unlesse we serve him according to his Will Therefore there must be a rule of our service and that rule is the written word of God There was a time when the word of God was not written and then God discovered his Will by dreames and visions and many other wayes but when the world was enlarged and man-kind spread further traditions from hand to hand was not a fit means and way to deliver truths because it was subject to corruption God therefore would deliver his Will how he would be ●erved in writing and God sanctified this course and gave credit to it by his owne example writing his owne Law with his own finger The ten Commandements were written by God himselfe God was the first Preacher and the first writer he was the first Preacher he preached the Gospell to Adam in Paradice and the first writer the tenne Commandements being written by God himselfe Now wee have the written word of God to be our rule how God must be served an exact and perfect rule I will not speak by way of controversie I hope we are grounded well enough but by way of direction for a godly life Gods Will is a sufficient rule What is requisite in a Rule First a rule must be cleere and open that it may bee made use of by those that are to bee regulated by it therefore we say The secret will of God can be no rule because it is secret That which is a rule must bee manifest and open therefore the revealed will of God that every one may see that is our rule Wee may crosse Gods secret will and do well and wee may serve it and yet do ill A Father may pray for his childs life and may crosse the secret will of God and yet doth well God allowes bowels in Fathers A wicked man may do according to Gods secret will and yet sin therefore that was not the rule of Davids service nor cannot be of ours Secret things belong to God but revealed things to us and our children saith blessed Moses The will of God as it is discovered must be the rule of our actions A rule must be open or else it is no rule Againe the rule by which we must lead our lives it must bee infallible not subject to error for then it cannot be the rule of our service The Word of God is an infallible rule it cannot deceive because it is the Word of God men wrote it indeed but it was God that dictated it the finger writes but the head dictates holy men wrote it according as they were guided be the holy Ghost The will of any man cannot be the rule of any mans service further than it is agreeable to the first rule why because it is subject to errour and mistake That which must be the constant rule of a mans life it must not be as popish traditions and the like it must be infallible now the word of God is so it is infallible a man may erre and be a man and a good man too but God cannot erre and be God the word of God cannot bee false and bee the word of God therefore it is an infallible rule When this is applied to any creature it is a Grand lie and the foundation of misery in that Church this is the first lie in the Church of Rome That the Church consisting of a company of men cannot erre what a horrible absurdity is this to make the will of man the rule that the Church cannot erre that Popery cannot erre though they erre egregiously they account rebellion service and make traitors merit c. But are our Tenents subject to such grosse things No we make the rule of obedience the infallible word of God that cannot erre To attribute that of that which cannot erre to that which can erre it is a horrible absurditie but I will not enter into controversies Againe that which is a rule must be perfect in commensuration in measure it must be of equall extent to all things that are to bee ruled Now the things that are to be ruled is our whole carriage and conversation therefore that that is the rule for a man it must rule his thoughts his speeches and actions so the word of God it rules the whole carriage of a man There is a proportion between the rule and all things that are to bee ruled by it all things fall under the word of God to bee directed and ruled by it It gives direction to our thoughts to our speeches to our actions in our callings it gives direction to Magistrates to Ministers to Masters to Servants to all estates and conditions in life in death It is exceeding large as David saith All things come to an end but thy Commandements are exceeding large It is a rule that extends to all things that are to bee ruled whatsoever no other rule but Gods will doth so for mens lawes they have nothing to do with thoughts thought is free for them Againe a rule must bee authenticall what is that It must be credited for it selfe it must have authority of and for it selfe and not depend upon another if it bee the first rule Indeed there be subordinate rules there is a rule ruled and a rule ruling mens lawes the Magistrates will it is a rule ruled by a higher rule and as long as it so it is a good rule but there must bee a rule ruling above all

hidden life that is he was not knowne what hee was that so hee might worke our salvation so let us bee content to bee hidden men A true Christian is hidden to the world till the time of manifestation comes when the time came Christ then gloriously discovered what hee was so wee shall bee discovered what wee are in the meane time let us be carefull to doe our duty that may please the Spirit of God and satisfie our owne conscience and leave all the rest to God Let us meditate in the feare of God upon these directions for the guidance of our lives in this particular FINIS GODS INQVISITION In two Sermons By the late Reverend and Learned Divine RICHARD SIBS Doctor in Divinity Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher at GRAYES INNE GEN 18.21 I will goe downe now and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it which is come unto me and if not I will know PSAL. 14.3 They are all gone aside they are altogether become filthy there is none that doth good no not one LONDON Printed by G.M. for Nicholas Bourne and Rapha Harford MDCXXXIX GODS INQVISITION IERE 8.6 7. I hearkened and heard but they spake not aright no man repented him of his wickednesse saying what have I done every one turn●d to his course as the horse rusheth into the battell Yea the storke in the Heavens knoweth her appointed times and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow observe the time of their comming but my people know not the judgement of the Lord. VPON the sinnes of people it hath beene alway Gods course to send his Prophets to warne them before hand and afterwards upon that to observe how they profit by that warning and thereupon he takes occasion to proceed answerably God usually exerciseth a great deale of patience ere he strikes he made the world in six daies but he is six thousand yeares in destroying it In this verse after the holy Prophet had menaced the judgement of God upon them there is set downe what use they made of it Alas They spake not aright no man repented him of his wickednesse saying what have I done And least they should object how doe you know this He saith here it is upon inquisition I hearkened and heard So the words containe Gods inquisition or enquiry and then Gods evidence upon that inquiry together with a complaint His enquiry I hearkened and heard For we must apply these words to God there is the same phrase Mal. 3.16 The Lord hearkned and heard and a Booke of remembrance was written before him so here I hearkened and heard here is the enquiry Then secondly the evidence upon the enquiry They spake not aright And thirdly the complaint upon that evidence set downe First positively They repented not of their wickednesse which is amplified 1. From the generality of this their impenitency No man repented him and 2. From the cause of it want of consideration they did not say what have I done If they had called themselves to account concerning what they had done certainely they would have repented 2. Comparatively They turned to their course as the horse rusheth into the battell Lastly superlatively preferring the skill of the poore Storkes and Cranes and the Turtle and Swallow before the judgement of his senselesse and stupid people The Storke in the heavens knoweth her appointed time and the Turtle the Crane and the Swallow But my people know not the judgement of the Lord. This is the summe of the words First of Gods enquiry I hearkened and heard Ere Sodome was destroyed The Lord came downe to see whether there were such cause or no. God is most just he will see cause for his judgements He hath no delight in punishing When hee judgeth it is not out of his Soveraignty but out of his justice he doth it not as a Soveraigne Lord but as a just judge Now a judge must doe all upon inquisition and evidence therefore saith he I hearkened and heard Where by the way the gods of the earth to whom he hath communicated his name should learne hence not to be rash in their judgements but to have sound evidence before they passe sentence I hearkened and heard To hearken is more then to heare to apply ones selfe with some affection to heare a thing God is all eare as he is all eye hee hath an eare every where he hath an eare in our hearts he heares what wee thinke what we desire hee sees all the secret corners of our hearts therefore when he saith here I hearkened and heard it is by way of condescending to our capacity We may learne hence briefly That God hath an eare and an eye to our carriage and dispositions to our speeches and courses If we had one alway at our backs that would enforme such a man and such a man what we say one that should booke our words and after lay them to our charge it would make us carefull of our words Now though we be nev●r so much alone there are two alwaies that heare us God hearkens and heares and Gods deputy in us conscience hearkens and heares God bookes it and conscience bookes it As God hath a book wherein he wrote us before all worlds and the booke of his providence for our bones and all things that concerne us So he hath a booke for our workes and words Mal. 3.16 They that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord hearkened and heard it and a booke of remembrance was written before him c. So here I hearkened and heard God and conscience note and observe every thing This doth impose upon us the duty of carefull and reverent walking with God Would we speake carelesly or ill of any man if hee heard us When we slight a man we say wee care not if he heard us himselfe But shall wee slight God so Shall we sweare and lye and blaspheme and say we care not though God heare us that will lay every thing to our charge not onely words but thoughts We shall give an account for every idle word and for every idle thought and shall we not regard it It is from the horrible prophanenesse of the poysonfull rebellious heart of man that men doe not consider these things God hearkens and heares hee is at our studies hee is at our windowes hee heares us in our chambers when wee are in company when we meete together when we take liberty to censure and detract when wee sweare and revile What if men heare not yet conscience heares and God heares and when God shall lay open the booke of conscience and lay before a man all his naughty speeches and wicked works what will become of him then for not making use of this principle that God hearkens and heares God sees now with what minds and affections we come about this businesse whether it bee formally to put off God to make it

under Gods hand to bee sonnes you are sonnes by Creation already offer thy selfe to be of his family for the time to come and God will give a sweet report to thy soule Stand not out at the staves end Thou art our Father Lord. If you have a purpose to live in firme the Divell is your father and not God you are of your father the Divell but if wee bee willing to submit wee may say Doubtlesse thou art our Father We are the clay thou art the potter Heere is a resignation of themselves to God in this tearme thou art the potter we are the clay Indeed we are but earthen vessells the best of us in regard of the bodily life we have and we are at the liberty of God to dispose of as he pleaseth So before he comes to put forth this prayer to God he useth this resignation of themselves into the hand of God we are as clay in thy hands Lord dispose of us as thou wilt Let us remember this when we come to pray to God use all meanes of abasement that can be lay aside all tearmes other then abasing tearmes wee are the clay and as Iob saith I abhorre my selfe in dust and ashes So the Saints have done in all times I am not worthy to bee called thy sonne and I am lesse then the least of thy mercies Let us lay aside proud and lofty tearmes and cast downe our crownes at the foot of Christ as the Saints in Revel 4. cast downe all our excellencies let us have no thought of outward excellencies of beautie or strength or riches or high dignity when we come to God wee must come with low thoughts to the high God can the creature be too low in his presence And then come with resignation wee are the clay thou art the potter doe with us as thou wilt if thou dash us in peeces as a potters vessell thou maist doe it that is the way to escape That is well committed that is committed into Gods hand some men shift by their wits and will not trust God with their health and strength they bee double minded as Saint Iames saith they will have two strings to their bow if lawfull meanes will not serve unlawfull shall No but wee must commit our selves to God as to a faithfull Creator and then see what hee will doe then it stands with his honour hee will looke to the lowlie I am the clay thou art the potter heere I am doe as thou wilt as David saith it is a blessed estate thus to resigne our selves into Gods hands If the Divell and Reprobates could bee brought to this they should never come there where they are in terrours of conscience Let us labour to practise this dutie Lord I commit to thy hands my body and soule I cast my selfe into thy bosome doe with mee as thou wilt Some that have stood out at the staves end with temptations many yeares have gotten comfort by this resignation VVe are the clay thou art the potter thou maist mold and break us as thou wilt The way now to escape the plague is not alltogether to use tricks of wit and policie though lawfull meanes must be used but labour to get into Christ and resigne our selves into Gods hand absolutely and say thus VVe are the clay c. Lord thou maist dash us if thou wilt as thou dost now many hundreds weekely thou maist dash us in that fashion if thou wilt Only we may have a desire that God would make our lives and health pretious to him that we may serve him as if we were now in Heaven and that we may have grace to make good use of all But if God have determined and decreed to take us away let us resigne our selves into his hands It is no matter though the body bee sowne in dishonour they shall be raised in honour wee are the clay he is the potter let him do what he will with our carkasses and bodies so he be mercifull to our soules These vessells of clay when they are turned to earth they shall be renewed of better stuffe like the glorious body of Christ then our soules and bodies shall be glorious by him that took a peece of flesh and clay for us O the humility of Christ we wonder that the soule should animate a peece of clay so excellent a thing as the soule is much more may we wonder that the Sonne of God should take a piece of flesh and clay upon him to take our nature of base earth to make us eternally glorious as himselfe Let it comfort us though God dash our clay in pieces as a Potter yet Christ that tooke our clay to the unity of his Person our nature being ingrafted into him hee will make our bodies eternall and everlasting as his owne glorious body Let us resigne our selves into Gods hands as the Church here Thou art the Potter and we are the clay and then wee shall never miscarry FINIS THE SPIRITVALL IUBILE In two Sermons By The late learned and reverend Divine RICH. SIBBS Doctor in Divinitie Mr. of Katherine Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher at GRAYES-INNE JOHN 8.36 If the Sonne therefore shall make you free yee shall be free indeed GAL 5.1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free LONDON Printed by E. P. for Nicholas Bourne and Rapha Harford and are to be sold at the South entrance of the Royall Exchange and in Queens head Alley in Pater-Noster-Row at the gilt Bible 1638. THE SPIRITVALL IVBILE ROM 8.2 For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the Law of sinne and of death THERE be foure things especially that trouble the peace of a Christian and indeed of any man in this world The first is sinne with the guilt of it binding them over to the wrath of God and the expectation of miserie a heavie bondage The second is besides the guilt of sinne the remainders of corruption with the conflict that accompanies them while we live in this world and that conflict must needes be tedious The third is the miseries of this life that accompanie alway both the guilt and remainders of sinne in this world we are condemned to a great deale of trouble here and this doth much exercise and perplex Gods children And then the shutting up of all death and damnation the thought of these things doth much disquiet and disturbe the peace of a Christians soule Now in this Epistle we have comfort against all these First for the guilt of sinne that binds us over to eternall judgement and the wrath of God we are freed by the obedience of Christ the second Adam as is excellently she well in the fifth Chapter And for the remainders of corruption that we conflict with in this world we are assisted against that by the Spirit of Christ for as by the obedience of Christ we are freed from the guilt so by the Spirit