Selected quad for the lemma: head_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
head_n	body_n	member_n	mystical_a	10,421	5	11.0632	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A65292	A divine cordial, or, The transcendent priviledge of those that love God and are savingly called published by Thomas Watson ...	Watson, Thomas, d. 1686.	1663 (1663)	Wing W1121; ESTC R38240	88,353	194

carry on the motion of the Watch and help to make the Alarum ●trike So things that seem to move crosse to the Godly yet by the wonderful Providence of God work for their good Among these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worst things there are four sad evils work for good to them that love God SECTION I. Shewing that the evil of affliction works for good to the Godly 1. THe evil of affliction works for good There are two heart-quieting considerations in all the afflictions which befall us 1. That God hath a special hand in them Ruth 1.21 The Almighty hath afflicted me Instruments can no more stir till God gives them a Commission than the Axe can cut of it self without an hand Iob eyed God in his affliction therefore as Austin observes he doth not say The Lord gave and the Devil took away but The Lord hath taken away Who-ever brings an affliction to us it is God that sends it 2. The second heart-quieting consideration is That afflictions work for good Ier. 24.5 Like these good figs so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Iudah whom I have sent out of this place into the Land of the Chaldeans for their good Iudahs captivity in Babylon was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for their good Ps●l 119.71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted Which Text like Moses his Tree cast into the bitter waters of affliction may make them sweet and wholsom to drink of Afflictions to the Godly are medicinable Out of the most poysonful D●ug God extracts our salvation Afflictions are as needful as Ordinances 1 Pet. 1.6 No vessel can be made of Gold without fire so it is impossible that we should be made vessels of honour unless we are melted and refined in the furnace of affliction Psal. 25.10 All the paths of the Lord are mercy his bloody paths are mercy As the Li●●er intermixeth bright colours with dark shadows so doth the wise God mix mercy with judgement Those afflictive providences whi●h seem to be prejudicial are beneficial Let us take some Instances in Scripture Ioseph's brethren threw him into a pit afterwards they sell him then he is cast into prison yet all this did work for his good His abasement made way for his advancement he was made the second man in the Kingdom Gen. 50.20 Ye thought evil against me but God meant it to good Iacob wrestled with the Angel and the hollow of Iacobs thigh was out of joynt this was sad but God turned it to good for there he saw Gods face and there the Lord blessed him Gen. 32.30 Iacob called the name of the place Peniel for I have seen God face to face Who would not be willing to have a bone out of joynt so he might have a sight of God King Manassah was bound in Chains this was sad to see a Crown of Gold changed into Fetters but it wrought for his good for When he was in affliction he besought the Lord and humbled himself greatly and the Lord was entreated of him 2 Chr. 33. 11 12. He was more beholding to his Iron Chain than to his Gold Chain the one made him proud the other made him humble Iob was a spectacle of misery he lost all that ever he had he ab●unded only in boils and ulcers this was sad but it wrought for his good his grace was more proved and improved God gave a Testimony from Heaven of his integrity and did compensate his losse by giving him twice as much as ever he had before Iob 42.10 Paul was smitten with blindnesse this was uncomfortable but it turned to his good God did by that blindnesse make way for the light of grace to shine into his soul it was the beginning of an happy conversion Acts 9.6 As the hard frosts in Winter bring on the flowers in the Spring as the night ushers in the morning-star So the evils of affliction p●oduce much good to those that love God But we are ready to question the truth of this and ●o say as Mary did to the Angel How can this be therefore I shall shew you several wayes how affliction works for good 1. As it is our Preacher and Tutor Mic. 6. ●9 Hear ye the Rod Luther saith he could ●ever fightly understand some of the Psalms ●ill he was in affliction Affliction teacheth ●wo things 1. What sin is In the Word ●reached we hear what a dreadful thing sin is ●hat it is both defiling and damning but we ●ear it no more than a painted Lyon there●ore God lets loose affliction and then we feel ●in bitter in the fruit of it A sick-bed often ●eacheth more than a Sermon we can best see ●he ugly visage of sin in the glasse of affliction 2. Affl●ction teacheth us to know our selves In prosperity we are for the most part strangers ●o our selves God makes us know affliction that we may the better know our selves We ●ee that corruption in our hearts in time of ●ffliction which we would not believe was ●here Water in the glasse looks cleer but ●et it on the fire and the scum boils up In prosperity a man seems to be humble and ●hankful the water looks cleer but set this man a little on the fire of affliction and the ●cum boils up much impatience and unbe●ief appeareth Oh saith a Christian I never ●hought I had had such a bad heart as now I ●ee I have I never thought my corruptions ●ad been so strong and my graces so weak 2. Afflictions work for good as they are a means to make the heart more upright In prosperity the heart is apt to be divided Hos. 10.2 The heart cleaves partly to God and partly to the World it is like a Needle between two Load-stones God draws and the World draws now God takes away the World that the heart may cleave more to him in sincerity Corrigere quasi cor rectum facere Correction is a setting the heart right and strait As we sometimes hold a crooked stick over the fire to straiten it So God holds us over the fire of affliction to make us more strait and upright Oh how good is it when sin hath bent the soul awry from God that affliction should straiten it again 3. Afflictions work for good as they conform us to Christ. Gods Rod is a Pensill to draw Christs Image more lively upon us It is good that there should be a symmetry and proportion between the Head and the Members Would we be parts of Christs Mystical Body and not like him His life as Calvin saith was a series of suffering Isa. 53.2 A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief He wept he bl●d Was the Head Crowned with Thorns and do we think to be Crowned with Roses It is good to be like Christ though it be by sufferings Jesus Christ drank a bitter Cup it made him sweat drops of blood to think of it and though it be true he drank the Poyson in

latter end This word Thy God implies the relation of a Father A Father loves his child therefore whether it be a smile or a stroke it is for the good of the child I am Thy God thy Father therefore all I do is for thy good Deut. 8.5 As a man chastens his Son so the Lord thy God chastneth thee Gods chastning is not to destroy but to reform God cannot hurt his children for 1. He is a tender-hearted Father Psal. 103.13 Like as a father pities his children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him Will a father seek the ruine of his childe the child that came out of his loins that bears his image all his care and contrivance is for his child who doth he settle the inheritance upon but his child God is tender-hearted the Father of mercies 2 Cor. 1.3 He begets all the mercies and bowels in the creatures 2. He is an everlasting Father Isa. 9.7 He was our Father from eternity Before we were Children God was our Father and he will be our Father to eternity A Father provides for his child while he lives but the Father dyes and then the child may be exposed to injury But God never ceaseth to be a Father thou that art a Believer hast a Father that never dyes and if God be thy Father thou canst never be undone all things must needs work for thy good 3. This word Thy God imports the relation of an Husband this is a near and sweet relation The Husband seeks the good of his Spouse he were unnatural that should go about to destroy his Wife Ephes. 5.29 Did ever any man hate his own flesh There is a marriage-relation between God and his People Isa. 54.5 Thy Maker is thy Husband God intirely loves his People Isa. 43.4 He engraves them upon the Palms of his hands Isa. 49.16 He sets them as a Seal upon his Breast Cant. 8.16 He will give K●ngdoms for their Ransome Isa. 43.3 which shews how near they lye to his heart If he be an Husband whose heart is enamoured with love then he will seek the good of his Spouse either he will shield off an injury or will turn it to the best 4. This word Thy God implyes the relation of a Friend Cant. 5.16 This is my Friend A Friend is Animae dimidium as Austin saith half of ones self he is studious and inquisitive how he may do his friend good he promotes his welfare as his own Ionathan ventured the Kings displeasure for his friend David 1 Sam. 19.4 God is our friend therefore will turn all things to our good There are false friends Christ was betrayed by a friend but God is the best friend ● He is a faithful friend Dan. 7.9 Know therefore that the Lord thy God he is God the faithful God 1. He is faithful in his love He gave his very heart to us when he gave the Son out of his bosome here was a pattern of love without a parallel 2. He is faithful in his promises Titus 1.2 God that cannot lye hath promised He may change his promise but cannot break it 3. He is faithful in his dealings when he is afflicting he is faithful Psal. 119.75 In faithfulnesse hast thou afflicted me he is sifting and refining us as Silver Psal. 66.10 2. He is an immutable friend Heb. 13.5 I will never leave thee nor forsake thee There are five Seals set to that promise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Friends often fail at a pinch Many deal with their friends as women do with their flowers while they are fresh they put them in their bosomes but when they begin to wither they throw them away or as the Traveller doth with the Sun-Dial if the Sun shines upon the Dial the Traveller will step out of the Road and look upon the Dial but if the Sun doth not shine upon it he will ride by and never take any notice of it So if prosperity shine on men then friends will look upon them but if there be a Cloud of adversity on them they will not come near them but God is a friend for ever I will not leave thee Though David walked in the shadow of death he knew he had a friend by him Psal. 23.9 I will fear no evill for thou art with me God never takes off his love wholly from his people 't is Amicitia immortalis John 13.1 He loved them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the end God being such a friend he will make all things work for our good There is no friend but will seek the good of his friend 5. This word Thy God imports yet a nearer relation the relation between the Head and the Members There is a Mystical union between Christ and the Saints He is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Head of the Church Eph. 5.23 Doth not the Head consult for the good of the Body The Head guides the Body it sympathizeth with it it is the fountain of spirits it sends forth influence and comfort into the Body All the parts of the Head are placed for the good of the Body the Eye is set as it were in the Watch-Tower it lyes Centinel to spy any danger that may come to the Body and prevent it The Tongue is both a Taster and an Oratour If the Body be a Microcosme or little world the Head is the Sun in this world from whence proceeds the light of Reason The Head is placed for the good of the Body Christ and the Saints make one Body Mystical Our Head is in Heaven and sure he will not suffer his Body to be hurt but will consult for the safety of it and make all things work for the good of the Body Mystical CHAP. VI. The Inferences drawn from the Proposition A Use of Information 1. IF all things work for good hence learn That there is a Providence Things do not work of themselves but God sets them a working for good God is the great Disposer of all events and issues he sets every thing a working His Kingdom ruleth over all Psal. 103.13 It is meant of his providential Kingdom Things in the world are not governed by second Causes by the counsels of men by the Stars and Planets but by divine Providence Providence is Regina mundi the Queen and Governesse of the world There are three things in Providence 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods foreknowing 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods determining 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods directing all things to their periods and events Whatever things do work in the world G●● sets them a working We read in the 〈◊〉 Ezekiel of Wheels and Eyes in the 〈◊〉 and the moving of the Wheels The 〈◊〉 are the whole Universe the 〈…〉 Wheels are Gods Providence 〈…〉 of the Wheels is the hand of 〈…〉 turning all things here belo●● 〈…〉 is by some called 〈…〉 else but the result of 〈…〉 Learn to adore 〈◊〉 P●ovidence hath an influence upon all things here