Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	aaron_n	act_n	offer_v	53	3	6.1682	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80845	Fœlix scelus, querela piorum, et auscultatio divina; or, prospering prophaneness provoking holy conference, and Gods attention, in which you have the [brace] happy estate of the wicked, holy exercise of the godly, hazard and event of both. Plainly propounded in sundry sermons preached at Botolphs Algate London: and after contracted in two sermons preached in Peters Church in West-Chester, July 17. 1659. Now published to the counsell and confirmation of the godly; and check of the false surmises and reports of the wicked. / By Zachary Crofton.	Crofton, Zachary, 1625 or 6-1672.	1659 (1659)	Wing C6993; Thomason E1870_1; ESTC R209731	120,321	422

of wickedness The very plowing of the wicked is sin their whole design is to dig descents into Hell they are true drudges to the Devil they plow iniquity sow wickedness Job 4. v. 8. arrant serunt occant scelera they drudge night and day turning up all the corruption in their hearts and conveniences in the world for the effecting of their devices all their expences and endeavours is to this end Thus Alexander the great promised a Crown of an hundred and eight poud weight to the men that drunk themselves dead and thus Charles the ninth of France gave Albertus Tudius an Hucksters son six hundred thousand Crowns to teach him to swear with a grace and make him an exact Artist in his impiety In a word they are sinners in action not only in intention They devise iniquity on their beds and act it when the day is light because it is in the power of their hand Mica 2.1 Suggestion are smoothered in the godly and prophaneness in them seldome passeth into purpose but this seed soon springs in prophane soil and having conceived it brings forth not onely purposes but practises also Jam. 1. 15. they are sinners of duration not transiency they continue in their course of prophaneness the practice of sin is the prison of the pious if they fall they recover by repentance Isa 56.12 but in the palace of the prophane they cry out to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant they abide in their wicked course against friendly counsels misteriall reproofs checks of conscience and corrections of Gods severe hand they will not be warned nay if God hedge up their way they leap hedges and rush into sin as the horse into the battle Ier. 8 6. and will not be restrained they carry guilt without any remorse and run on in profaneness without any return they are workers of wickedness who never cease till they compleat the estate of darkness designed by their master the Divell they are sinners of diligence and delight not sloth or reluctancy they play at acts of piety and are therein careless and superficiall but work wickedness with all their skill and will laying out study and strength on sin as sold to work it so far are they from slipping any opportunity that they rise early and seek occasions of sin and make provision for the flesh they compass sea and land contrive conveniences and stir up corruptions admit no check or curb of conscience but as spurred go on from evill to evill and wax worse and worse so that this is the first note of such who may prosper in the world they are workers of wickedness to whom you must confess all wrath and woe doth belong Rom. 2.8.9 and therefore it may seem strange that they should who yet do prosper and yet they are not onely workers of wickedness But 2. Note of prophaness Mich. 7.3 Secondly Proud workers of wickedness not onely do these men do wickednesse with both hands earnestly Exodus 18.11.21.11 but they also deale arrogantly boyling and swelling with spite and spleen against God and his people pursuing their own ends confidently and daring Proud haughty and scornfull is their name Prov. 21.24 they swell in their own sence unto the forgetting God and themselves and the scorn and contempt of others they are insolent towards men and impudent towards God in the pride of their heart they disdain the poor and oppresse them Psal 10.2 their hearts swell with such apprehensions of their estate and enjoyments that their eyes do sparkle with pride they are of haughty and scornfull looks their hands can act nothing but appression vengeance and destruction to the Mordecai and his people who deny to adore their Hamam like pride their tongues can speak nothing but braggs boastings and arrogancy their very jesture is a Comment on their pride they are so lifted up they think none is or can be like them their enjoyments are in their eyes unparalleled unchangeable excellencies and therefore they require all prostration of others to their pride their haughtiness can abide no obstruction but their wrath swells to the ruine and removall of them who dis-respect their dignity and disobey their unjust demands they taunt at the godly in their adversity and insult over their calamity with an Ha Ha so we would have it where is now your God Psal 35.21.137.3 Mat 27.43 sing us your Hebrew songs he trusted in God let him save him if he will have him they sit in security and say they shall not bee moved their purposes they pursue with the height of resolution because with in the power of their hands We will pursue we will overtake we will destroy are their proud terms towards Gods Israel Exo 15.9 so that they can admit no parity among men nor parly between reason their own proud thoughts nor are they more insolent towards men then impudent towards God appropriating to themselves their own power might acquirement what they hold by divine indulgence Our high hand Deu. 32.27 Dan. 4.30 not the Lord hath done all this Is not this great Babell which I have built for the house of my kingdom by the might of my power and for the honour of my majesty is their proud boasting language witnessing that they forget God that ruleth in the Kingdome of men and hence they arrogate to themselves the honour and adoration as did the Roman Emperours which only belongeth unto God their Image must be worshipped on pain of a fiery furnace and prayers must be presented to no God save themselves on pain of a Lions den and in the haughtiness of their spirit they blspheme Gods holy name denying his power with Sennacherib who is the God that can deliver out of my hand Isa 37. and determine the execution of their own purposes in despight of God as did Pope Julius in eating his porke-flesh as if omnipotency should not hinder them nay such is their pride that they break all bonds and presume to intermeddle with holy things without their sphere Corah's conceipt of the peoples holinesse carrieth not onely to the contempt of Moses and Aaron but unto a proud preposterous unwarrantable approach to God Vzziah is no sooner made mighty by the Lord but his heart is lifted up and he breaks all order and thinks scorn to be limited in any act he takes a Censer and goes into the Temple to offer incense 2 Chron. 26.18 nor will he be by the Priest of God warned to desist his sin in a word he is so proud that he forgets God by whom he subsists and strives against God who can soon break him in pieces blasphemeth the Lord who is jealous of his name and although God hate the workers of iniquity and resist proud doers yet these are the men that meet with prospering providences for a time 3. These men are yet more wicked 3. note of prophaness for they are proud

after in Peters Church West-Chester on July 17. 1659. Mal. 3.15 16 17. And now we call the proud happy yea they that work wickedness are set up yea they that tempt God are even delivered Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord hearkned and heard it and a book of Remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name They shal be mine saith the Lord of hosts in the day that I make up my jewels and I wil spare them as a man spareth his only Son that serveth him THis Prophet was the last inspired by the Lord to make known his mind to the Jews before the coming of the Messiah he is therefore the most clear in pointing out the appearance of the Lord and animating the expectation of his people In this Chapter the Prophet doth declare two things First The manner of the coming of the Messiah which is in Majesty his way prepared by his messenger ver 1. Much severity Refining his people ver 2 3 4. Requiting the wicked ver 5. Secondly the reason of so severe an approach which is partly in God he changeth not Chiefly from men they are presumptuously sinfull and must bee curbed and convicted Now we call the proud happy and they that work wickednesse are set up and they that tempt God are even delivered Sin abounded unto the sad serious thoughts of the Godly Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another c. Therefore it was high time for the Messiah to appear that then might discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not Whence by the way we might observe Sins prevalency and presumption Observ is the season of Gods appearance to manifest his justice and holinesse When sin is at the highest and most daringly prophane Saints despised and dispondent deeming that God hath forsaken the earth and will not regard the sons of men or requite the wickednesse of the wicked but leave them at liberty to blaspheme his name and to reproach his people then the Lord is nearest hand his holinesse justice most likely to appear Thus it was in the old world in Sodoms ruine Jerusalems captivity and thus it must be to 1. Redeem Gods name and nature from the blasphemies reproaches of the wicked Psal 10.13.50.21 who cry out God doth not see neither will he regard God is such an one as our selves and therefore we prosper when impiety impeacheth Gods purity it is time for justice to plead its cause 2. Rescue Gods Saints and people from the taunts scoffs and insultings of the wicked who deem they in vain serve God are not profitted by walking mounrfully all the day long and to no purpose they trust in God and cleave to godliness which either cannot or will not save them God must be seen in his holinesse and power when Religion is said to be vanity and the pious proclaimed fools But on this I must not insist only let it bee the stay of our spirits whilst wee see iniquity abound prophanenesse prosper fin soaring high and are sadned in our spirits at its prevalency and presumption consider we Gods justice holiness is under the press of mēs prophanenesse and must e're long break out against them Sins increase is the season of Christ his appearance now we call the proud happy then they that feared the Lord spake oft to one another was the frame and state of affairs at his first and so will be at his second coming But I passe to the text which I shal consider in it selfe rather then in its connexion and coherence and so it offers three things to our consideration 1. The estate of the wicked 2. The exercise of the godly 3. Event of both I shall speak to them a part and distinctly and first of the first The estate of the wicked and that is asserted in the Prophets observation by an entire proposition we call the proud happy they that work wickednesse are set up c. In which we have two things observable as the parts of this proposition 1. The subjects or persons spoken of and they are described by a threefold denomination Proud Workers of wickedniss Such as tempt God 2 The predicate and thing spoken of them and that is their prosperous estate and condition and that is described in its gradations they are Happy Set up Delivered This proposition thus divided without any further comment or explication doth lay before every observant eye intelligent ear the great prosperity of the worst of men that I may therefore hasten after time I shal briefly propound prosecute to your instruction this plain point of doctrine Most prosperous provideneies do frequently attend the prophanest wretches Doct. In the discussion of this doctrine I shal speak by way of explication demonstration and application By way of explication we shall enquire 1. Whom we define and denominate prophanest wretches 2. What are the prospering providences which do so frequently attend them First The state of the wicked I shall shew you whom we deem and denominate the prophanest wretches who enjoy these prospering providences and they are such as at the first view will appear very unlikely of such enjoyments as indeed unworthy to live on the least of Gods goodness I shal not wander far to find them out onely explain their nature by those Characters which discover them in the text and they are Workers of Wickenesse Proud workers of wickednesse Proud workers of wickednesse who tempt God 1 Note of prophaness First they are declared to bee workers of wickedness this is their name in the text and the same is given in Job 4.8 and in Psal 5.5 and Isa 31.2 and in other places and indeed it is their proper name the very notation of their nature for wickednesse is their work sin their service ungodliness their only trade traffick and negotiation sin is called the works of the flesh for the flesh of prophane men can follow no other work it is their whole endeavour aim and study to be sinning themselves and set it forward by other hands what ever professions and pretences they make still sin is their business all their hypocrisies circumventious fallacies fair speeches is but to drive this trade of sin like them in Psal 58.1 2. Speak Righteousness but work wickedness in their hearts which is the Devils forge work-house sin is the seed and harvest this they sow and reap of prophane men sin is an accidentall chance act to a gracious soul but it is the scope substance and business of prophane men The best Ordinance is to them but the humoring of sin they hear but their heart is after their coveteousness Ezec. 33.31 they pray and it turns to iniquity they fast Isa 58.2.3 Prov. 21.4 but it is for strife and debate to smite with the fist

succeeding in their guilded impiety do by doctrine practice direct you to self constitution in Church way decline it depend upon Gods publick ministery in disposing of you untill you can make corporations without Civill think not to make Churches without Religious and divine sanction 2. Private Christians may not under the colour of holy conference consecrate things or Persons unto God self constitution must needs produce sinfull consecrations for no body politick can be preserved or Resolved into order and any capacity of acting without Officers and therefore the Congregationallists in plain the Independents who make self aggregation the form of Church constitution give not only power to men unordained not consecrated to come nigh unto God in the most holy and publick of administrations but make that self-collected body the subject of the keyes and Receptacle of all Church power from and by whom the administrators of Gods ordinances must be appointed and ordained and thus their leaders having resolved themselves members of such a society Receive from that society a ministery but beloved do you consider consecration of any thing or person unto God is an act of office and Authority none may come nigh to God in the administration of holy things but such who are thereunto consecrated this God hath made manifest by the Perez-Vzzah made in Israel for Vzzahs putting forth a common hand to stay Gods holy Arke when tottering and Ready to fall the desire to support Re●igion in danger to fall will not defend this impiety and by the leprosie of King Vzziah for presuming to meddle with the Priests function and by the censers of Corah and his company be●ten into plates and made Monuments of memoriall that no unconsecrated persons meddle with the holy things of God nor can it in Reason be thought that the ministry should lie common to be taken up by any hand and at pleasure for that it is an office and function place and particular order in the Church of God charged with speciall service appointed to a proper end prepared unto by speciall qualities and indowed wi●h speciall priviledges men will not let civill offices lie common who contend to lay open holy functions and so dissolve all order in the Church as none but holy persons may come nigh to God so nothing unhallowed must be presented unto God as a part of his worship if the sons of Aaron pressed into Gods presence with any prophane and unhallowed thing they should perish none but holy fire must burn on Gods altar common Elements as water in baptisme and bread and wine in the Lords supper must be consecrated before they become acts of worship and seals of Gods covenant It is blasphemy and prophanesse to make every table the Lords table and common use of creatures bread or wine the commemoration of Christ his death and sufferings the most sinfull Schismatiques will confess consecration of things and persons necessary and you must know that this is not the work of every no not of any private hand men cannot communicate what they have not received nor stamp peculiarity on others who never had it stamped on themselves It is Gods standing Law that the Priests sons of Aaron consecrated themselvs do consecrate things and persons that shall come nigh to God and therefore it is Israels Horrid impiety in their defection from the house of David and altar of God that whosoevor would might bring a bullock and consecrate himself a Priest unto the Lord nor is the liberty greater under the Gospel for it is the method and order of Christ that the office of the Gospell ministery be transmitted unto faithfull men by the solemn ordination of men themselves ordained to that sacred function we deny not the priviledge of election to be the peoples but the power of ordination abides in officers It is plain that in the Church constituted by Gospell ministery at Jerusalem charge of election is given by and power of consecration Reserved to the officers of Jesus Christ Chuse you out men whom we may appoint and those who act any thing in Christ or his Ministers name without their Authority may expect to be corrected by the Devil himself as were those Exorcists in Acts 19.13 14 15 v. Paul we know and Jesus we know but whence are ye whilest therefore you confer as brethren take heed you consecrate not as officers Remember you may be holy in your kind to your God but not have a power to make other men or things holy to the Lord make not your selves a Church make not your own ministers or Sacraments 3. Private men may not communicate ordinances to the Church in the name and stead of Jesus Christ when you are in your conferences used to speak take heed you presume not to preach whilst you play the men in ministring counsell nay good men in ministring holy instruction and Religious admonition do not so manage it as to presume in your selves or proclaim to others you are more then private brethren even publick ●fficers the Embassadors of Jesus Christ to this end you must take heed that your administrations be not to the Church of Christ nor in the name or stead of Christ these two are boundaries of ministeriall instructions which may not be broken in upon by private men without palpable presumption and prophannesse we shall willingly allow Christians their liberty as Parents and masters of families to speak instruction to their children and families private and particular brethren to exhort admonish and Rebuke in their friendly societies Generalls to make their orations and that like Christians to their Armies and Tutors to Read divinity Lectures to their Pupills in the Universities but let their abilities be never so great we must barre them out o the Church here they must be hearers not speakers the Church is onely the object of ministeriall instruction when men presume to speak in and to the Church of Christ they p●esse upon the function of Gospell ministry and make themselves Prophets unto the Lord for all Agents in the Church appear as officers and are on that account to be Received Reverenced heard and obeyed so that their feet that thus bring glad tidings must be beautifull unto the hearers unto prophesying which hath believers for its object mission is essentiall sending of the preacher is one ground of faith in the hearer how therefore can he preach exept he be sent and as we barre private men from speaking to the Church as their object so also from speaking in the name and stead of Jesus Christ the instructions admonitions Rebukes and exhortations of private men must be in amity not authority as friends distinguished dignified by their Relations not deputed by Jesus Christ or invested with his authority only Ministers are the Lords Emabassadors beseeching us in Christ stead as if he himselfe did beseech us to be reconciled to them it is indeed given in charge and to them only to teach and command and in

the wicked cry he hath forsaken him Psal 71.11 and follow them with mocks taunts and reproaches as the very sting of their affliction David can no sooner be driven from Jerusalem by Absolon but he is cursed and called dead dog man of Belial and bloody man and counted a rebell unto Saul whom he durst never resist by a blaspheming Shimei nor shall Jobs sorrows seize on him without the proud censures of his prosperous fri●nds Christ cannot be delivered into the hands of men by the determinate councell of God but he is accounted stricken smitten of God and forsaken nay the pride of the wicked carrieth them out unto blasphemy against God as one that seeth not regardeth not fogetteth and sorsaketh his people that is impotent and cannot or mindlesse and will not save or shew favour to the Righteous and so the rich oppress the poor condemn and kill the just and none resist them and cry out in insolence Aha so we would have it and there is none that can deliver out of our hands and so conclude it is in vain to serve God and walk mournfully all the day not only in their pride treading down the godly but tr●mpling on their holy exercises in such evill times as of no weight or moment meeting with no acceptance from God or men little considering the special favour God beareth to them who all this while fear before him think of his name and speak often one to another as resolved to bear the reproaches of the wicked yet not to forget God or deal falsly in his Covenant though they be killed all the day long and counted as sheep for the slaughter but let the wicked well weigh in their thoughts the speciall acceptance that the godly their holy exercise in evil times doth receive from the Lord of hosts and it will cool their courage abate th●ir insolency check their pride and blasphemie whilst the language thereof is that of the Psalmist in Plas 75.4 5 6 7 8 9 10. I said unto the fools deal not so foolishly and to the wicked lift not up the horn Lift not up your horn on high speak not with a stiffe neck for promotion comes not from the East or from the West or from the South but God is judge he putteth down and setteth up another for in the hand of the Lord there is a cup and and the wine is red its full of mixture and he poureth out the same but the dreggs thereof all the wicked of the earth sh●ll wring out and drink them the horns of the wicked shall be cut off and the hornes of the righteous shall be ex●lted And under all the prosperity of the prophane and oppression of the righteous we may hear the godly thus courting the wicked in the language of the ●fflicted Church Rejoyce not over me oh mine enemie though I ●al I shall rise again when I sit in d●rkness the Lord shal be a light unto me I will be●r the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned ag●inst him untill he plead my cause and execute judgment for mee he will bring me forth to the light I shall behold ●●s Righteousness then she that was mine enemy shall see it and be ashamed Mic. 7. ver 8 9. Let Babylon boast Rabshakeh r●il and the wicked insult over and reproach the godly at what rate they will when in ●ffliction and distresse yet they must know they are related to and accepted by the Lord hee hearkeneth and heareth the conferrence and complaints constrained from them by the prosperity of prophanenesse and remembreth to reward them they are no lesse in his esteeme then his jewels or under his correcting hand then sons only sons who serve him and whom he must spare the vile vassalls and base slaves may see the dear children chastised and deride them under the Rod but their rejoycing is only from the teeth outward being checked with this consideration they are children and will bee cockered as soon as corrected could but the wicked when imployed to chastise the righteous whom God gives into their hands heare that voice of God I have forsaken mine house I have left mine heritage I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemie Jer. 12.7 It would as the hand writing on the wal against Belshazar make the hearts and bones to tremble for every word is an emphaticall expression of affection and enforcement of a favourable return mine house mine heritage the dearly beloved of my soul hee must needs hearken and hear This speciall acceptance of the godly and their holy exercise doth suggest unto us sundry speciall considerations which may check and abate the insolency of the wicked and teach them to asswage their pride towards the Righteous and their blasphemies towards their God and the course of Religion and they are these viz. 1. Enmity of God is consistent with the enjoyments of the world peac plenty health liberty wealth and dignity the utmost enjoyments and highest of prospering providences are attendants on impiety and no expressions of favour and friendship of God however they be extension of general goodnesse they are not the least Evidences of peculiar armity the wicked may be advanced to afflict the righteous and yet never be accepted of the Lord nay have God for their very enemie and one that designeth their ruine and rejection they are not more the objects of Saints deprecation and imprecation then of Gods indignation however they at present succeed in sin and God stands silent he will e're long set their sin in order before their eyes though they are called happy and delivered and set up in the World they are proud workers of wickednesse tempting God whom the Lords soul hateth though they may tender unto God some sacred services and solemne sacrifices God hath no delight in them shuts his eyes to their offerings his ears to their cries and counts all unsavoury The very incense and and prayers they offer is an abomination they can by the serious observation of an awakened conscience see nothing but frownes wrath enmity and hatred towards them in the face of God their very enjoyments and blessednesse are expressions of displeasure they are indeed in his service and do him some work but it is meer drudgery fit for slaves not sons to be imployed in he useth them but his Rod Axe saw or sword which are usually imployed against the objects of his affection his dearest friends and choisest children with the exceeding grief and compassion of his spirit having done this work must be rejected ruined what reason hath Assyria to be lifted up in his pride to boast of the might of his power and multitude of his Princes and brag of his cruel purposes saying in his heart I wil destroy nations not a few whilst in all his glory puissance he is only the Rod of anger towards others and object of his hatred in himself and so soon as God hath