Selected quad for the lemma: land_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
land_n	bring_v	lord_n	milk_n	1,453	5	9.6655	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66076	Doctrine of contentment briefly explained, and practically applied in a treatise on 1 Tim. 6. 8. / by Henry Wilkinson ...	Wilkinson, Henry, 1616-1690.	1671 (1671)	Wing W2235; ESTC R415	95,837	200

obstacles in the way to hinder and stop contentment The first Impediment of contentment is 1. Impediment of contentment is unbelief unbelief for it is the mother of discontent that cursed root whereon grows those cursed fruits of impatience murmurings and repinings and such like which are far more bitter then gall and wormwood If we could trust God and beleeve him to be All-sufficient and Omnipotent and therefore able to help us and could we beleeve God to be a God of truth and therefore as good as his word and could we beleeve him to be a God of wisdom knowing how to contrive and order all things for our good then we should soon banish out of our hearts all discontented and repining thoughts but such is the great mischief of unbelief that it foments and cherisheth all vexatious perplexing thoughts Hence it cometh to pass that an unbeleever discovers his discontent in respect of two objects viz. The Word of God and works of God As to both unbelief discovers it self 1. An unbeleever questions and distrusts 1. An unbeleever distrusts the Word of God the truth of the Word of God for so God complains Psal 106. 24 25. Yea they despised the pleasant land they beleeved not his word But murmured in their tents and hearkned not unto the voice of the Lord. God promised them a land flowing with milk and honey and they sent searchers to view the land They brought goodly fruit even a cluster of grapes so great as it Numb 13. 23. was carried between two yet notwithstanding all Gods promises and their own visible experiences they beleeved not his word Many gracious promises God makes and he is faithful in his promises He glorieth that he is a God keeping covenant for his covenant is a covenant of salt not capable of the least putrefaction yet unbeleevers call all Gods promises into question such were foretold of 2 Pet. 3. 4. whom the Apostle brands for scoffers walking after their own lusts and saying Where is the promise of his coming The unbeleeving Prince mentioned 2 Kings 7. 19 20. is a standing monument and warning-piece who when the Lord promised plenty in Samaria he distrusted Gods promise and he was made a dreadful spectacle of unbelief for the people trod him in the crowd to death Let us forbear disputings reasonings expostulatings with God and beleeve God upon his word so did David a pattern for our imitation Psal 56. 3 4. What time I am afraid I will trust in thee In God I will praise his word In God I have put my trust I will not fear what flesh can do unto me 2. An unbeleever questions and distrusts 2. An unbeleever questions distrusts the works of God the works of God Notwithstanding variety of protections provisions security and comfort and other experiences of the works of divine providence an unbeleever still distrusts God and will not beleeve O what wonderful works did God for the children of Israel in delivering them from Egyptian bondage and in making the sea dry land for them to pass over and when they were safely passed over God caused the sea to return to its strength and in it Pharaoh and all his host were drowned and after this great deliverance of the children of Israel from the Red sea God opened his store-houses to make provision for them Manna and Quails were rained down to feed them and to quench their thirst the flinty rock became a springing well yet notwithstanding all these visible providences they beleeved not the works of God Psal 78. 32. For all this they sinned still and beleeved not for his wondrous works These were unbeleevers of the first magnitude who neither beleeved the Word of God nor the works of God and therefore they must needs be their own enemies to all manner of contentment for there can be no solid ground of contentment but in God and from his gift If then we distrust him and will neither beleeve his word nor his works there can be no possibility of ● Impediment of Contentment is unthankfulness contentment 2. A second Impediment of Contentment is unthankfulness None are so discontented none such murmurers as unthankful persons such as are not sensible of those great mercies which they already enjoy but are still a whining and murmuring for what they have not these in a high manner bewray their unthankfulness Have not many of us more then Christ had when he was upon earth He who was Owner and Commander of the whole world was contented to be a servant and live in a poor mean condition 2 Cor. 8. 9. For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich yet for your sakes he became poor that ye through his poverty might be rich And when a man came to Christ and professed his readiness to follow Christ whithersoever he went Christ who knew his heart gave a suitable answer and Jesus saith unto him The foxes have holes and Matt. 8. 20. the birds of the air have nests but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head The man had a house in his designe and expectation but he was disappointed of his expectations When in our serious thoughts we consider what Christ wanted as earthly things and what we have this consideration may excite us to thankfulness But it is commonly observed that such as are unthankful for and unsensible of the present mercies which they enjoy of all others they are still murmuring and complaining because they have no more Wherefore to learn this lesson of contentment we must unlearn the lesson of ingratitude Amongst Heathens as well as Christians the sin of ingratitude is marked with a brand of infamy Si ingratum dixeris omnia dixeris is a saying no more common then true implying that a man that hath said that which savours of ingratitude hath said all the worst that he can A learned Oratour takes notice Omnes cousentiunt gentes terram creare nihil pejus homine ingrato Baudii Orat. p. 114. That it is the consent of all nations that the earth brings forth nothing worse then an ungrateful man Seneca reckons ingratitude amongst the greatest Inter plurima maximdque vitia nullum est frequentius quàm ingrati animi Sen. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenoph. Cyropaed l. 1. vices and Xenophon observes that impudence follows ingratitude It is left upon record as a badge of infamy upon the chief butler Gen. 40. 23. Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph but forgat him Unthankful men are mentioned in the same catalogue with those abominable sinners which shall come in the last and perilous times 2 Tim. 3. 2. c. For men shall be lovers of their own selves covetous boasters proud blasphemous disobedient to parents unthankful unholy c. Wherefore we must utterly detest and abhor this abominable sin of ingratitude not onely in respect of others because it is a sordid and ignominious

puts forth his power for their help and succour David experimentally spake Psal 46. 1. God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble And in Psal 136. 23. upon a strong ground of experience he acknowledgeth Gods wonderful deliverance saying Who remembred us in our low estate for his mercy endureth for ever Add hereunto Gods gracious promise which was really accomplished Isa 33. 9 10. The earth mourneth and languisheth Lebanon is ashamed and hewn down Sharon is like a wilderness Bashan and Carmel shake off their fruits now will I rise saith the Lord now will I be exalted now will I lift up my self 4. God is a Father willing to help his 4. God is a Father willing to help children he will deny them nothing that may conduce to his glory and their good Sometimes indeed for God to deny a petition is a great mercy and a denial is a token of love A loving Father will not suffer his child to take poison neither will he put a sword into his hands when he hath not years of discretion lest he hurt himself therewith no more will God grant all that his own children desire lest the grant of their desires may be hurtful unto them The Apostle gives a reason why many desires are not granted James 4. 3. Ye ask and receive not because ye ask amiss that you may consume it upon your lusts The great condition required of us in our prayers is mentioned 1 Joh. 5. 14. And this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us If ever we expect good success of our prayers let us ask for matter manner and end onely that which is agreeable to the will of God And as God is a Father merciful wise able and willing to help so consider Secondly God is our Shepherd and from 2. God is our Shepherd this relation there ariseth great cause of contentment and consolation Psal 23. 1. There is a special relation The Lord is my Shepherd and a special illation I shall not want In a shepherd there are observable many and necessary properties 1. A shepherd knows his sheep he 1. A shepherd knows his sheep knows and distinguisheth them not onely from goats wolves and such like creatures but he knows and puts difference by certain marks between his own sheep and other mens sheep so Christ perfectly knows all his own sheep Joh. 10. 14. I am the good shepherd and know my sheep and am known of mine There is a mutual knowledge of and acquaintance with Christ and his sheep He knows them and they know him 2. Another property of a shepherd is to 2. A shepherd calls his sheep call his sheep A shepherd by a whistle calls his sheep so Christ calls his sheep by the voice of the ministery of his word and by the motions of his Spirit and by the whispers of conscience and Christs sheep hearken to his call Joh. 10. 27. My sheep hear my voice 3. A shepherd feeds his sheep A good 3. A shepherd feeds his sheep shepherd carries his sheep into good pastures and in frost and snow he feeds them so God is the good Shepherd who makes provision for his people There is a grand promise Ezek. 34. 13 14. And I will bring them out from the people and gather them from the countreys and will bring them to their own land and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers and in all the inhabited places of the countrey And I will feed them in a good pasture and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be there shall they lie in a good fold and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountain of Israel 4. A shepherd watcheth over his flock 4. A shepherd watcheth over his flock Sheep have many enemies as wolves dogs foxes c. Jacob watched day and night over Labans sheep so God watcheth over his children He is the keeper of Israel and a most watchfull keeper Psal 121. 4. Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep A shepherd watcheth against enemies he hath his fold to keep his sheep in the night and both day and night a Shepherd is vigilant he hath his staff to defend them still his eye is watchfull over them lest they should go astray and their enemies meet with them and devour them how watchfull was David in rescuing his sheep out of the mouth of the Lion and the paw of the Bear Above all others God is watchfull he is the most vigilant Shepherd to defend and protect his sheep God promiseth Zech. 2. 5. I will be unto her a wall of fire round about and will be the glory in the midst of her And Jer. 31. 10. Hear the word of the Lord O ye nations and declare it in the isles afar off and say he that scattered Israel will gather and keep him as a shepherd doth his flock 5. A shepherd rules guides and directs 5. A shepherd rules and guides his sheep his sheep whither to go The self-same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth both to rule and to feed of all creatures sheep are most apt to go astray The shepherds vigilant eye is over them he takes notice which way they go he calls them with his whistle sends his dogs for them and he leads them the way shewing them where they should feed so the great Shepherd of our souls calls us home to him by his word and sometimes by afflictions he calls upon us to come unto him Afflictions are like a shepherds dog which brings home straying sheep unto the shepherd And this great Shepherd of our souls leads us into that way where he would have us go Psal 23. 2. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures He leadeth me beside the still-waters If then we seriously consider the efficacy of this relation that God is our Shepherd we should be engaged to a contented frame of spirit 3. Consider God is our Master and we 3 God is our Master are his family now a master provides for his family and instructs his family and governs his family 1. A master provides for his family those 1. A master provides for his family of his houshold are so many deposita committed to his charge and it is the obliged duty of the master to make provision for them of his houshold 1 Tim. 5. 8. But if any provide not for his own and specially those of his own house he hath denied the faith and is worse then an infidel Now then if masters on earth take care of and make provision for their families how much more care doth the great Master of all the world take in making supplies and provisions for them all All the cattel on a thousand mountains are at his command as absolute Sovereign Lord of all he sends supplies and makes provision for all 2. A