Selected quad for the lemma: honour_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
honour_n	house_n	moses_n	worthy_a	1,325	5	9.5795	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85443	Zerubbabels encouragement to finish the temple. A sermon preached before the honourable House of Commons, at their late solemne fast, Apr. 27. 1642. By Tho. Goodwin, B.D. Published by order from that House.	Goodwin, Thomas, 1600-1680.; England and Wales. Parliament. House of Commons.	1642 (1642)	Wing G1268; Thomason E147_13; ESTC R1423	34,286	63

For how much his honour is concerned in his worship you heard before Let the honour of it move you Take the renowned men in Scripture and their greatest glory hath been to be builders of Gods house It is mentioned as Moses his highest honour Heb. 3. 2 3 4. And David though a King already accounts this a greater honour then his Crowne So 1 Chron. 29. 14. Who am I sayes he and what is my people that we should offer so willingly He speaks it of offering towards the building of the Temple And in the New Testament it is the Apostles honour that they were Master-builders yea it is made Christs highest honour Heb. 3. 3. This man was accounted worthy of more glory then Moses in as much as he who hath builded the house hath more honour then the house So far as you are capable of it and have power to doe it be in this conformed unto him The Prize of this honour is set before you and you have the first offer of it An opportunity such as these last hundred yeeres wellnigh have not afforded the like to it This Parliament seemes to have been called by God for such a time as this and if you will not doe it God will doe it without you As he said that Deliverance so say I Reformation will arise some other way God hath a Spirit here in the Text that will worke it out in mens hearts if power and might should not And That will be little to your honour as Deborah said to Barak In the 5. of Micah ver. 7. The remnant of Jacob is said to be as a dew from the Lord and as the showers upon the grasse that tarrieth not for man nor waiteth for the sons of men The Prophet useth two similitudes to shew both that the multiplication and growth of the Church depend not upon man first for their propagation and their being multiplyed he compares them unto the dew which is engendred and distilled from Heaven immediately Therefore Psal. 110. 3. New converts added unto the Church are compared unto the Dew and Gods begetting of them unto the womb of the morning when over-night the earth was dry Again the growth and maintaining of them he compares unto the sprouting up of herbs and grasse in wildernesses where man comes not so their springing tarrieth not for man nor waiteth for the sons of men for them to come with watering pots to nourish them as herbs in gardens do but these have showers from heaven that give the encrease I the Lord speaking of this Vineyard doe keepe it I will water it every moment Esay 27. 3. The Conclusion NOw for a Conclusion and winding up of all Is this Word of the Lord spoken to you in a way of generall Application onely such as similitudinary examples which in some things hold a likenesse use to have All things happening in the Old Testament for examples and are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 10. 11 Or is there not some more speciall word that applyes this Vision of the Candlestick Olive Trees as Prophetique Types of the like work of finishing the Temple to fall out under the times of the Gospel when the Church is come out of Popery That Babylon was the Prophetique Type of Rome you all know where to find that it is in the 17. and 18. of the Rev. and so applyed by the holy Ghost And that the foundation of this Temple was the type of our first Reformation when we came out from Babylon was in the first Observation shewn you out of Chap. 14. and 15. And that the Samaritans are by the holy Ghost made the type of those that shall in any Age corrupt the worship of God by mingling Idolatrous or Popish superstitions as our Innovators have done we meet with the application thereof by the holy Ghost himselfe unto some living in the best of Churches under the Gospel namely that of Philadelphia Revel. 3. 9. who say they are Jews and are not Behold sayes God I will make them to come and worship before thy feet and to know that I have loved thee as speaking unto that Church Now whereas the holy Ghost describing them to be such as say they are Jews but are not it is in a Periphrasis of speech all one as to say they are Samaritans Josephus tels us that when the Jews were in a prosperous estate the Samaritans would then say that they were Jews and that fore-mentioned place the 4. of EZra manifestly implyes as much for they there plead We worship God as you doe c. And although wee passe not this judgement on mens persons yet we may speak of causes and things as the Scripture hath done before us Now as certaine it is that those Gods Magistrates who under the times of the Gospel especially in these last dayes have and shall assist the Reformation of the Churches from under those Samaritan superstitions intermingled with their worship and shall afford their countenance and aid to the finishing and perfecting the Temple they are typisied out by the Olive trees here which were then Zerubbabel their chief Governour and his Elders And accordingly we find as expresse an application of it by the holy Ghost himselfe as Prophetically intended herein Thus in the same booke of the Revel. in which Prophecie of the New Testament the Holy Ghost borrows all the elegancies and flowers in the story of the Old thereby to set out the story of the New in succeeding ages in the 11. Chap. ver. 4. the Holy Ghost describes the Two Witnesses that should oppose the Beast and his party in all and especially the later ages saying These are the two Olive trees and the two Candlesticks standing before the God of the Earth Where by the Candlesticks are meant the Churches as was shewn before and by the two Olive Trees the eminent Magistrates and Ministers that supply Oyle for the maintaining of these Churches light and glory now as Zerubbabel and Jeshua the Priests did then Yea the Holy Ghost deciphers them not only by the very same Hieroglyphique that is presented here in Zachary but also he useth the very same words which we find there in the interpretation of the Vision standing before the God of the earth And further this vision of the Candlestick those two Olive Trees in Zachary did signifie as was shewne not so much if at all the first laying of the foundation of the Temple which had beene done many yeares before but was eminently if not onely to hold forth that worke of finishing and compleating it which remained then to be done and to stirre them up thereunto was that vision as there given Therefore answerably now the full analogie of the type must principally fall upon not so much the first Reformation or laying the foundation of the Churches Reformation as upon a second work of the perfecting and finishing of them And

Queene of Sheba had seene the house that he had built the meate of his Table the attendance of his Ministers and their apparel and his ascent by which he went up into the house of the Lord it was said there was no more spirit in her And in the 17. 19. verses He made a Throne for the glory of his Majesty the like whereof was not made in any Kingdome Now Christs Court on earth are his Churches which are called Gods House Heb. 10. 21. and 25. compared And there his throne is set up as in the Temple of old In all the Visions of God as sitting on a throne made unto the Prophets that throne is presented as in the Temple So Esay 6. 1. I saw the Lord sitting upon a Throne high and lifted up and his traine filled the Temple The Temple was therefore called the place where Gods honour dwels Psal. 26. 8. that is his Court as some of our Kings houses are called Honours And thus in the New Testament in the representation of the Church on earth as worshipping him Rev. 4. 8 9 and 10. verses This Church hath a Throne in the midst of it and God sits thereon ver. 5 6 7. So that indeed there is nothing doth more exalt and glorifie God then his publique worship and the government of his Church purely and rightly administred 1 Chron. 16. 29. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his Name worship the Lord in the beauty of holinesse These two are joyned together The like you have Psal. 29. 2. And it is part of that song which David made when he brought back the Arke and so set up Gods worship And further in Esay 60. 7. it is called the house of his glory and that Chapter is a Prophecie of the Gospel ver. 5. Now if the worship of God and the government of his house and every ordinance thereof tend so much to his glory and set him up as King then how much is he engaged to perfect it He will fully shew himselfe to be King of Saints in his worship as well as King of Nations in his works And therefore as his work is said to be perfect Deut. 32. 4. so he will in the end make his worship perfect I speak for the outward administration of it even the perfection of beauty as the Psalmist calls it Psal. 50. 2. which it cannot be styled whilst any part is wanting or misplaced or to conclude this reason in the language of the Metaphor in the Text God is not like the foolish builder that will begin to lay the foundation of his Church and not fully perfect and finish it The first Use shall be an extract of the first Branch of this Doctrine Let Gods people therefore know their strength Though their enemies be as mountaines yet in a cause of God and his Church let them not be affrighted at them Deut. 7. 21. yea let them despise them all as the phrase is Esay 37. 22. When Rabshekah brought a threatning Ambassage from the King of Assyria with this Preface unto it Thus saith the great King the King of Assyria Esay 36. 4. where are they among all the gods of the countries that have delivered their land out of my hand c. In answer to this what doth good Hezekiah through the Prophets encouragement returne againe but this The Virgin the daughter of Sion hath despised thee Esay 37. 22. Although she be but a virgin yet she hath a Champion who is in love with her that will take her part and fight her quarrell The people of God are weak in themselves but they have a strong Captaine so Christ declares himselfe to be unto them Josh. 5. 14. As the Captaine of the Lords Hoast am I come And if a Lyon be the Captaine though the Armie consists but of Harts and Sheep yet they will be too hard for the wolves that come against them It is the comparison the Scripture useth Esa. 31. 4. Like as the Lion and the young Lion roaring on his prey when a multitude of shepheards are called forth against him so shall the Lord of Hoasts come downe to fight for mount Sion and for the hill thereof And then how still and quiet is the enemie and avenger Jesus Christ was borne as to be a King so a Conquerour and we may style him King Jesus the Conquerour so Rev. 6. 2. He went forth conquering and to conquer If God will throw downe all mountains of opposition that hinder the perfecting of his Church Then get up your Faith and resolution for this great worke of reforming the Church and forecast not what opposition you are like to encounter with get but your hearts filled with Faith and you will be able to say as Zerubbabel here Who art thou O great Mountaine It was long ere Zerubbabel could be brought to believe or to resolve to doe it the discouragements were so great the greater mountaine of the two was the unbeliefe in his owne heart but when he once did resolve to set upon the worke he found all those mountains to vanish before him To speake still in the language of the metaphor here Have but as much faith as a grain of mustard-seed and you may say to this mountain Be removed into the sea and it shall be removed Hezekiah was a great Reformer he removed the high places and brake the Images and cut downe the Groves and brake in pieces the Brazen Serpent 2 Kings 18. 4. and then withall it is added in the following words He trusted in the Lord God of Israel ver. 5. They that will reforme a Church or State must trust more in God in doing it then in any work else Is a word of Caution For if the worship of God and every part of it doth so much concerne Gods glory as hath been shewed in the Reason of this Doctrine then take heed how you meddle with it Be sure you set the service of the house of the Lord in its right order as the phrase is of Hezekiahs Reformation 2 Chron. 29. 35. and that according to cleare light from the word of truth Know and consider that you meddle with edged tooles when you take this work in hand Which I speak not to discourage you from it but to make you wary in and attentive to it more then all the works you ever did set your hands and hearts unto It was a good and a religious purpose in David to bring back the Arke and for the substance of the duty he was right in it he mistook but in the order he set it upon a cart when as the Priests shoulders should have carryed it Himselfe thus speaks of it We sought not God after the due order that is Gods Institution 1 Chro. 15. 30. And when it was like to fall God confuting thereby their errour Uzzah did but touch it to keep it up and that too was done out of a good zeale God smote him for it though

handfull in comparison out from among whom he sends a few emisaries to preach the everlasting Gospell to every Nation tongue and kindred ver. 6 c. and in the end he wins all the Northerne Kingdomes to embrace that Gospell and will stil goe on to conquer and winne ground so that in the 15. Chap. and 2. ver. we reade of a perfect victory over the Beast And whereas before it had beene said of his Holinesse the Pope Who is like unto the Beast Now it is said ver. 4. Who shall not feare thee O Lord for thou onely art holy And whereas afore All the world wondred after the Beast and worshipped him the world is now so altered that it is said All Nations shall come worship before THEE in the same 4. v. And now the wonder is as much how all this is brought about Not by power nor by might but by his Spirit So it is expresly said 2 Thes. 2. 8. speaking of this man of sin he sayes Whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of his mouth that is by his Spirit in the preaching of the Gospel and working in the hearts of men and overcomming Kingdomes unto Christ and his Church So we reade Revel. 17. 4. The Lambe shall overcome the Kings that made war with him and yet not by power but by his Spirit The Reason of this is because the building of Gods Church is his owne businesse in a more speciall manner more then any other therefore he will be sure to doe it himselfe and more immediately be seene in it As it is said of Christ Personall the Tabernacle of his humane nature Heb. 9. 12. that it was not made with hands that is to say not of this building as the Apostle there speaks that is It was not framed by the power of nature as other men are but by the Spirit So it is true of Christ mysticall his Body and the Tabernacle of his Church It is not of the ordinary make that other societies of men whether Families or Kingdomes are of it is not made with hands with humane wisdome or power as they are that is to say is not of this building Thus Heb. 3. 4. Every house sayes the Apostle is built by some man That is All Kingdomes Families and Societies God in an ordinary providence leaves to men to build in their owne way but sayes he He that built all things is God Which is spoken of Gods building his Church which is his house and all things appertaining unto it as is evident both by the fore-going words ver. 3. He that built the house the Apostle speaking of Christ who is God hath more honour then the house And also by those words that follow after Moses was faithfull in all his house namely in the building of that house then as a servant but Christ as a Son over his owne house now whose house are we The reason why thus himselfe by his Spirit builds it is held forth in that one world It is his owne house and therefore he will over-see the doing this himself and will doe it so that none shall share in the glory with him although he useth them First Use is that which is made of it in the 10. verse namely that in matters which concern the building of the Church we should learne to despise the day of small things The Prophet speakes it by way of reproofe Who hath despised the day of small things Because the beginnings of this worke then were but small and there was little appearance in humane fore-sight to effect it Therefore who almost was there that did not despise it and despaire of it Remember that there is a Spirit in the Text and no man knowes how far he may carry on the smallest beginnings which he layes as the foundation of his greatest works that his owne immediate hand may the more appeare The Kingdome of heaven was at first but as a graine of mustard-seed sayes Christ the least of all seeds but when it is growne it is the greatest of hearbs and becomes a tree Mat. 13. 32. In the 2. of Dan. ver. 34 45. there is mention made of a stone that was cut out of the Mountain without hands which expression is used not onely to shew the Divine power that accompanied it but to intimate that it was at first but some little stone which without hands dropt out or was blowne downe from the Mountaine for if it had beene a great one it must then have had hands to cut and hew it out and to throw it downe And yet loe this little stone became a mountaine and filled the whole earth as it there follows A Second Use is that which is in the Text that when you see any thing done for Gods Church beyond the reach of humane wisdome and fore-sight that you would fall downe and cry as they are taught here ver. 7. Grace Grace unto it You are not to cry up Zerubbabel Zerubbabel that is any meanes or instrument whatever whether King or Parliament much lesse this man or that man but to exalt the free grace of God the worke of which alone it is and hath beene One word more unto Zerubbabel the Text cals for it This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel From which let the Observation be this That this worke of finishing the Temple lies first and chiefly upon Zerubbabel and his Elders to take care of That is upon Prince and Elders And though Jeshuah and his fellowes the Priests are intended as being the one of those Olive trees formerly mentioned yet Zerubbabel and the Magistrates are onely spoken to All such motions should come first from You it is Your duty to be the he-goats of the flock to lead on all the rest as the Prophet EZekiel speaks Thus EZra 1. 5. Then rose up the chiefe of the Fathers of Judah and Benjamin to build the house of the Lord It had otherwise never been done to purpose So in the building of the Temple at first the motion came first into Davids heart 1 Chro. 29. 3. I have sayes he set my affection to the house of God And then ver. 6. The chiefe of the Fathers and Princes of the house of Israel they follow and then fell in the people and they rejoyced and offered willingly so ver. 13. You should commend unto the people what is good and right Let us bring back the Ark of our God unto us said David 1 Chron. 13. 3. and no sooner had he commended it unto them but as it followes ver. 4. all the congregation said they would doe so for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people And the reason why this is your more especiall duty is because God hath honoured Princes and Magistrates above and set them over others And as those who honour God God will honour so those whom God hath honoured he expects should honour him and you cannot doe it better then this way