Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	abide_v	mountain_n	zion_n	158	3	9.1074	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29529	Stand still: Or, A bridle for the times A discourse tending to still the murmuring, to settle the wavering, to stay the wandring, to strengthen the fainting. As it was delivered to the Church of God at Great Yarmouth, Anno 1643. By John Brinsley, Minister of the Word there, and now published as a proper antidote against the present epidemicall distempers of the times.	Brinsley, John, 1600-1665.	1647 (1647)	Wing B4729; ESTC R217245	80,497	119

trust not in uncertaine Riches So also the Psalmist in the place fore-named prosecutes his charge Trust not in Oppression become not vain in Robbery If Riches increase set not your Hearts upon them If Riches Cajil saith the Originall a Power of Wealth or Powerfull-Wealth as Aynsworth renders it If they increase and flow in upon us though it be at the right Channell by honest and good wayes as Calvin and other Expositors interpret that Clause yet set not our Hearts upon them trust not in them cast not Anchor upon this ground If we doe we shall find it no better then a quick-sand false ground Our Anchor thus cast it will come home so did the poore-Rich mans in the Gospell Having heaped up a masse and as he thought a mountain of wealth he casts anchor upon it hoping to ride by it many dayes nay yeares Soule Soule take thy ease thou hast goods laid up for many yeares I but see the ground being false his Anchor comes home the first night Thou foole this night c. I might say the like of whatever it is that the soule can put any confidence in besides God Be it out of our selves in any creature in earth or heaven or be it within our selves in any Gifts whether of nature as strength or wit or the like whereby we may thinke we shall be able to shift for our selves or Gifts of Grace whether Common or Saving In none of these may a Christian put any confidence As for saving Sanctifying-Graces the Iesuite saith well A Christian may take up confidence from them but not put any confidence in them Take up confidence from them as they are evidences of Gods love and favour towards him but not making them a ground of Confidence not resting upon them This if we shall doe they may faile us I meane as touching the sense and apprehension of them The case is common and ordinary In Satanicall Temptations and Divine desertions Gods dearest Saints come to doubt and question whether they have any truth of Grace or no Now in such cases should wee make them the ground of our confidence our Anchor would come home our trust would faile us And therefore that we may ride it out in all weathers taking heed of both these foule-grounds and false-grounds cast wee our Anchor upon Good ground Q. And where is that to be found A. Why in Heaven Here is a difference and a remarkable one betwixt this and other Anchors as Interpreters upon that sixth of the Hebrewes commonly observe They are cast downewards this upwards Faith or Hope it is an Anchor saith the Apostle there which entreth to that which is within the vaile entreth into heaven whither Christ our High-Priest is gone to make Intercession for his people as the High Priest under the Law was wont to go within the vaile of the Temple And here we must cast Anchor if we would have it sure and steadfast so as we may ride steady by it Cast it within the vaile in Heaven upon God himself Shall we cast it upon any thing without the vaile upon any thing of this side Heaven or upon any thing in Heaven besides God and Iesus Christ as poore deluded Papists doe upon their Saints and Angells It will come home and deceive us when we have most need of it Learne we therefore all of us to make God and God alone our Confidence He is the Confidence of all the ends of the earth so the Psalmist calls him Make wee him our Confidence So did David for himselfe As what time I am afraid I will trust in thee Psal. 56. And he would have others to do the like and that at all times Trust in him at all times ye people Psal. 62. And this doe we as at all times so specially in these unsteady and unstable times Resolve we to make not man but God our confidence The former we have made tryall enough I feare too much of And we see how that anchor hath come home how that confidence hath failed us That which David hath written wee may signe to Psal. 62. Surely men of low degree are vanitie and men of high degree are a lye to be layed in the Ballance they are altogether ligher then vanitie Whatever they be be they never so great nay never so good yet take heed how wee trust in them If we doe it is both possible and probable at one time or other our Anchor will come home Let God be true but every man a lyer Such are all men as men lyers both Actively and Passively subject to Deceive and be deceived God alone is Immutable Vnchangeable like firme ground which will not cannot give way Would we ride sure Anchor upon him Here the Iesuite himselfe will yeeld us a Tutissimum est that it is the safest course so to doe Totam in sola To place our whole trust and confidence in the alone mercy of God and merits of Christ for Eternall Salvation And doe we the like for Temporall salvation Vse meanes as David would his Bow and Sword but trust not in them I will not trust in my Bow neither shall my Sword save me Make God alone our Trust By that meanes may wee come to Stand still to ride sure and steady in all weathers not to be changed in the midst of changes In the Lord put I my trust saith David how say ye then to my soule flee as a Bird to your mountaine Psal. 11. They which trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion which cannot be removed but abideth for ever Psal. 125. Thirdly The third and last Branch of this Direction is behind I will dispatch it in a word The Anchor and ground being good now what wants but a strong-Cable to fasten the Anchor to the ship Thus the soule having placed and pitched her confidence upon God what wants now but a firme and strong-Resolution not to let that confidence goe Cast not away your confidence saith the Apostle to his Hebrewes Heb. 10. Let not this Anchor slip hold it fast Whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence saith the same Apostle Heb. 3. If the Cable breake or slip so as the ship be put from her Anchor she is presently a drift in danger of running upon the maine of striking upon Rocks or Sands Thus if the soule have once let goe the confidence which it hath on God and so be put from its Anchor it is now driven too and fro like a Weafe not knowing where to rest being in continuall and eminent danger of miscarriage And therefore whatever come however God be pleased to deale with us yet put on this Resolution not to let him goe I will not let thee goe saith Iacob But still to hope in him Still hope thou in God saith David to his disquieted soule still to trust in him Though he

the out-casts of Israel Psal. 147. Expulsos Ejectos those that are cast and driven out as Exiles from house and home Incertâ sede vagantes wandring as those Primitive Saints are said to doe not having any certaine habitation but exposed to the wide world as we say such the Lord gathereth Stepping into his people in the midst of their greatest straits and extremities then shewing himselfe to them most clearly most gloriously perfecting his Power his Goodnesse in their weaknesse their wants Whatever our condition then be though wee be stripped never so naked of all humane helpes and creature-assistances yet despaire not If God have a purpose to save us to deliver us his counsell shall stand his purpose shall take place My counsell shall stand saith the Lord and I will doe all my pleasure I have spoken it I will also bring it to passe I have purposed it I will also doe it Take wee this for an universall Truth and build upon it whatever God hath purposed to doe whether against his Enemies or for his people it matters not what seeming improbabilities or impossibities may crosse the way of his Providence it shall be performed It is that which the Prophet Ieremy saith concerning Babylon Jer. 51. Every purpose of the Lord shall be performed against Babylon What he there speakes of the literall it may as truely be said of Mysticall Babylon One purpose of the Lord shall be performed against Babylon Now wee know what the Lord hath purposed concerning it Babylon it is fallen it is fallen It shall certainly fall it shall speedily fall both imported in that phrase and manner of speech And this purpose it shall be performed It matters not what Babylon it selfe be though seemingly never so impregnable Such the Eastern Babylon was and such the Western Babylon is yet this shall not frustrate or make void the purpose of God Babylon the Great is fallen Though Great for Power Great for Iurisdiction Great for Wealth Great for Honour and Reputation Great for Friends and Allies yet Babylon the Great is fallen On the other hand we know what God hath purposed concerning his Church Ierusalem shall be established and made a praise in the earth Isa. 62. The Mountaine of the Lords house shall be established in the top of the Mountains and shall be exalted above the Hills Isa. 2. Above the Hills I above those seaven Hills whereon the woman in the Revelation is said to sit whereon the Citie of Rome is built The Church shall be elevated and lifted up above all Romish Power and Iurisdiction This is Gods purpose concerning Babylon and concerning Sion the one shall Fall the other shall Rise this shall come to passe It matters not though at the present we see no meanes no likely instruments to effect this great worke God can if he please Create both rayse up both in an instant A truth excellently represented and set forth unto Zachary in a vision the vision of the foure Hornes and foure Carpenters Zach. 1. I lift up mine eyes saith the Prophet and saw and behold foure Hornes vers. 18. And the Lord shewed me foure Carpenters vers. 20. Now what were those foure Hornes Why the Enemies of the Church as the 19 verse expounds it which are called Hornes for their Power and said to be foure in reference to the foure parts of the World East West North and South from all which they come as the Geneva Glosse explaines it And what are the Carpenters Why instruments raysed up by God to break batter those Horns to oppose to overthrow that adverse power so the last verse explaines it and they againe are said to be foure to import an equalitie of power and strength Thus when God hath a worke to doe be it to ●eat downe Babylon or build up Ierusalem he can rayse up Carpenters instruments that shall be sufficient for the worke It may be making use of meane instruments to effect great matters by Trumpets of Rams Hornes to lay the walls Iericho flat Nay more rather then faile he both can and will worke without instruments Hee hath done it he can doe it and rather then his purpose should not stand he will doe it Though instruments faile yet the Promise shall not faile Though the Carpenters should not strike a stroake yet God hath wayes to take off the Hornes of his Enemies Though the Church should be destitute of all humane protection yet God hath wayes to deliver it to secure it Expresse is that of the Prophet Esay Isa. 4. The Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Sion and upon her Assemblies a cloud and smoake by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night alluding as you know to the Pillar of the Cloud and of the Fire which went before the Israelites in the wildernesse pledges and tokens of Gods gracious protection and direction These saith the Prophet the Lord will Create Now to Create you know what it is viz. to bring something out of nothing to worke as I said without meanes without instruments And thus rather then faile God will worke salvation and deliverance for his Church he will Create it bring it out of nothing effect it without any such meanes or instruments as it may be our eyes are fixed upon Which let it serve as for the bearing up the hearts of the Lords people in the midst of these drooping and doubtfull times So in the second place for the taking off their eyes from looking too much at meanes too much at instruments a thing which generally we are very act to doe And there is it that our pulses beat so unequally that there is so much unevennesse in our spirits they are up and downe like wells digged upon the Sea shore neere the highwater marke which rise and fall according as the tide ebbs and flowes Even thus is it generally with our spirits they Rise and Fall with the Tide and current of meanes and instruments When the Tide commeth in meanes and instruments appeare to us so as wee apprehend things outwardly in a hopefull condition then our spirits are up but if there be a slake of them presently they are downe againe Thus it should not be and thus it would not be did we not live more by Sense then by Faith Faith will tell us that Gods decrees and purposes they doe not Stand or Fall to secondary causes That which God hath purposed to doe he can doe it he will doe it he will carry through his owne worke Bring wee it home to the particular case of the Kingdome at the present as sad a case as ever this Kingdome saw If God have a gracious purpose towards it to save and deliver his people to build and to plant and to purge his Church to establish his Gospell to settle Truth and Peace amongst us it is not the deficiency of whatever

instruments that shall hinder the worke It is that which Moses here telleth the Israelites that God having a purpose to get himselfe honour in their deliverance and his Enemies destruction this he would doe though none of them should lift up a hand to the worke Let them stand still yet shall not that hinder Gods designe Quamtumvis torpeant velut examines it is Calvins expression upon the Text Though they should be so st●pified and benummed with their faithlesse feare as that they should not be able to move a hand to stir a foot yet In uno Deo satis praesidii God alone was able to doe the worke for them and he would doe it without them Apply it to our owne present condition Suppose it those instruments which hitherto have shewne themselves most active for the good of the Church and State amongst us that some of them nay all of them should fall off as some of them have done or be taken off as others of them have beene yet shall not this hinder Gods designe Mans designe it may but Gods it shall not Whatever mercy God hath intended towards his people in this Nation he will effect it though there should be never so great a deficiency in meanes and instruments Though both we and they should stand still yet God will carry on and carry through his owne worke A truth an undoubted one but let it not be misconstrued as if my aime in delivering it were to make any of us secure either carelesse or fearelesse or to take off the edge of whatever warrantable indeavours for the furthering of what we desire and hope God is about to doe for us No I have received no such promise from God as Moses here had to warrant me in giving this advice to you that he doth here to them to bid you stand still This direction of his as I told you it was in this particular an extraordinary not to be drawne into President by others in a like condition In an ordinary way that of the Father holds true He that made us without us will not save us without us He spake it I know of Eternall but it is no lesse true of Temporall salvation Ordinarily God maketh use of our indeavours in the obtaining of those mercies which himselfe intendeth to bestow upon us And therefore farre bee it from me to perswade much more to command any in this sense in these busie and active times to stand still Some directions I acknowledge as occasion hath beene offered I have tendred unto you for the regulating and ordering of ●our motions that they might be with safetie and beautie as the motions of a well-ordered Army are But never did this word of Command yet fall from my mouth in this sense to bid you stand still neither was it ever my purpose to take you off from whatever warrantable indeavours that might be subservient to the Providence of God in obtaining what we desire and hope for Herein I shall rather lift up my voice like a Trumpet incouraging you to the worke Calling you first to your Prayers These are the most proper and most tryed weapons of the Church Preces lachrymae Prayers and Teares You that have done any thing this way stand not you still Goe on and advance making your approaches neerer to the Throne of Grace which is at this day strongly besieged by an Army of Suppliants You that are the Lords Remembrancers give him no rest You that make mention of the Lord keep not silence doe not you stand still do not you hold your peace For Zions sake I will not hold my peace and for Ierusalems sake I will not rest untill the righteousnesse thereof goe forth as brightnesse and the salvation thereof as a burning Lampe In this way I shall exhort and stirre up all the Lords people my selfe amongst the rest not onely to continue but to double their indeavours Neither shall I confine you to your Prayers onely I remember what the Lord said to Ioshuah when hee and the Elders of Israel were fallen upon their faces to the earth before the Arke bewailing that unexpected Repulse which some of their forces had received at Aye where their men were beaten off with the losse of some of them to the discouragement of the whole Army The Lord finding Ioshuah in this posture he saith unto him vers. 10. Get thee up wherefore lyest thou here upon thy face What might not Ioshuah doe what he did Might he not pray and humble himselfe before God in such a case as that Yes he might doe it he ought to doe it there being no readier way to stay or prevent judgment then this But this was not enough there was something else to be done Alio remedio opus erat saith Calvin upon it there was another Salve to be applyed to that Soare And what was that Why there was an Achan in the Campe who by his medling with that execrable thing contrary to the expresse command of God had made the people execrable laying the whole Congregation under a Curse And this it was that must be taken away otherwise Ioshuahs prayers though able to arrest and stay the Sunne in the Firmament of Heaven yet could they not be able to stay the course of Gods judgements Beloved thus standeth the case with us at this day The judgements of God being gone out and having broken forth upon us in a most terrible manner Prayers and Humiliations are requisite and necessary never more but not sufficient Alio remedio opus est There is something else to be done viz. the taking away of the Execrable thing from amongst us that accursed thing which hath provoked the eyes of our God against us Unlesse this be taken away all our Prayers and Humiliations though never so frequent never so earnest yet will they not be available to the stopping of the course of judgement And therefore let me speake unto all the Lords people as the Lord there to Ioshuah Get you up wherefore lye you upon your faces Not but that you may doe this and ought to doe it but this is not enough there is more to be done then this There is an Achan many Achans amongst us Execrable Persons say some I excuse not them Execrable things say I Accursed Sinnes Accursed Abominations which whatever in the Toleration or Connivance sure I am in the practice they are no lesse then Nationall having over-spread all places and all sorts of persons Surely these are the Achans the chiefest Troublers of this our Israel Now untill these be taken away taken off from the head of the Nation by a Generall a Nationall Reformation wee cannot expect that the course of judgement should be stayed In the feare of God then let all of us up and be doing doing what we may for the furtherance of this great worke Every one beginning at home reforming our owne Hearts Lives Families Then doe