Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	able_a	great_a	zion_n	104	3	8.9113	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93240	Divine cordials: delivered in ten sermons, upon part of the ninth and tenth chapters of Ezra, in a time of visitation. By that godly and faithfull preacher of Gods Word, Iosiah Shute, B.D. and late rector of Mary Woolnoths in Lumbard-Street London. Published by authority.	Shute, Josias, 1588-1643.; Reynoldes, William.	1644 (1644)	Wing S3714; Thomason E38_7; ESTC R7756	101,687	190

with what ladders and engines God built the Fabrick of heaven if they had but consulted Gen. 1. they should have been resolved Genes 1. for that shewes them that by his word speaking all things were made and it is worth our observation in the Book of God where hee is said to effect things by meanes we shall finde that he hath done the greatest things by the smallest meanes Thus by Moses and Aaron a couple of poore men he delivered his people Israel out of Egyptian bondage in spight of Pharaoh that great Potentate and by Gideon and his three hundred men hee conquered that great Army of the Midianites which lay as as Grasse-hoppers on the earth for multitude So he ruined the Walls of Iericho by the sound of rammes hornes and he wrought those great wonders in Egypt by Moses his rod which was a contemptible thing This also by Shamgars goad hee laid the Philistims heapes upon heapes and by a jawbone of an Asse in the hand of Sampson he slew a thousand men and by little David overcame and slew that great Goliath When hee would work redemption for the Sons of men hee brought it to passe by him who was novissimus hominum the meanest of men who was poore in his birth obscure in his education poorely attended when he came to the execution of his Ministry and poorest of all in his death for qui in vita non domicilium in morte non sepulchrum he that in his life had not a house to hide his head in when hee died was buried in another mans Tombe and when hee will dispence the Gospel hee makes choyce of Fishermen to publish those glad tidings to the World Thirdly God is said to bee powerfull because he can doe more then he will he could of stones have raised children to Abraham but hee would not and when our blessed Lord was apprehended hee tells Peter that hee could have obtained of his Father more then twelve legions of Angels to help him but he would not He can doe more then hee will but hee will not doe all that hee can Vse 1 It meets with those that deny this to God Plinius secundus saith God is not Almighty because hee cannot lie nor deceive Lodovicus Vives wonders at this saying I admire that a man so wise should cavill at Gods power but Saint Augustine answers him well and saith therefore is God ommipotent because hee cannot he nor deceive for these argue impotency Secondly it confutes others who say God is not so powerfull as the Scripture makes him to be because hee cannot make a thing to bee against its nature as to bee and not to be to whom I answer things which in their nature are simply impossible with reverence bee it spoken God cannot doe but all other things though impossible to created nature God can doe therefore this vaine objection doth not disparage Gods power Vse 2 In the second place let it comfort Gods people God is the Lord Almighty in power what then shall bee obstaculous to him to performe with them where humane help failes there God puts in with his power and makes mans extremity his opportunity hee comes not to Sarah till it had ceast to bee with her after the manner of women he comes not to deliver Israel till they were upon the brink of the red sea and then Moses said Feare yee not but stand still and see the salvation of the Lord hee came not to deliver the three children till they were cast into the fiery furnace nor to Daniel till he was among the Lyons there can be no falshood in what he saith for nothing is too hard for him to effect Vse 3 Lastly it should teach us to stand in awe and not sinne against God for hee is able to grind the greatest Prince to powder if he be rebellious nay he can make the flies the lice the locusts the ants those contemptible creatures to destroy man if hee continue refractory therefore let us stand in awe of this great Lord that his mighty power may bee armed to our preservation not to our destruction So wee come to the second which is that hee is the God of Israel And if in the first he was maximus the greatest then in this he is optimus the best l know hee is the God of all the earth Psal 24.1 Psal 24.1 but more especially hee is the God of Israel First secundum specialem cultum by a speciall and peculiar worship to them above other people hee revealed how hee would bee worshipped they were scriniarii legis the treasurers of the Law God dealt not with the Heathen as hee dealt with Israel they are described by calling on the Lord as if no people called upon God but they Secondly hee is the God of Israel secundum specialem curam in regard of that speciall care hee had of them he was a wall of fire round about them to preserve them from their enemies God is said to carry his people as an Eagle carrieth her young ones on her wings Deut. 32.11 Deut. 32.11 it is a sweet comparison the Eagle feares nothing from above to hurt her young ones because she soares higher then any other bird and if there come any danger from beneath her body is between it and her young shee will be hurt rather then they shall So God interposes between his people and their enemies so that no mischiefe shall befall them but by his permission Thirdly hee is the God of Israel secundum speciale praemium by a speciall reward which hee hath promised them he saith to Abraham I am thy exceeding great reward and that God that told him hee would give the land of Canaan to him and his seed for a possession doth not only provide for his people a temporall Canaan here but an eternall Canaan hereafter of which the other is but a Tipe they be called segullam his chiefe treasure and Saint Peter cals them a chosen generation a royall Priesthood a holy Nation a peculiar people 2. Pet. 2.9 2 Pet. 2.9 And to spread it a little further it is not only now Deus notus in Iehuda God is known in Iudah but notus inter Gentes he is known among the Gentiles for wheresoever the Gospel is preached they be the Israel of God they be the piece of ground culled out of the whole world to be a garden for the Lord they bee his inclosure and are tied to him by the strictest relations in the world hee is their Master and they bee his servants yet more hee is their Father and they bee his children yet more hee is their Husband and they bee his Spouse for hee hath married them to himselfe Ierem. 3.4 Ierem. 3.14 Vse 1 This that hath been said may assure Gods children of his affection towards them be they his then they may bee sure that hee will have a care of them relation hath ever been a ground of affection a man

Gen. 18.25 Shall not the Iudge of all the world doe right Nay let mee tell you it is not triviall but grosse sinnes which cause God to punish men mark it in his dealing with the old world did hee take advantage at every petty impiety No but hee staid till all flesh had corrupted their wayes and then and not till then brought he the deluge Gen. 6.12 Gen. 6.12 so before ever he punisht Sodom and Gomorrah their sinnes were exceeding grievous Gen. 18.20 Psal 78. ●8 Gen. 18.20 It is said in Psal 78.38 he being mercifull forgave their iniquity and destroyed them not but oft-times called back his anger and did not stirre up all his wrath Another pregnant place to prove this 2 Chro. 36 16. is 2 Chro. 36.16 where the Spirit of God saith They mocked the Messengers of God and despised his words and misused the Prophets untill the wrath of the Lord arose against his people and till there was no remedy Mark he must of necessity punish them unlesse he would have his justice truth and providence troden under foot and when he saith he is prest under men as a cart is prest that is full of sheaves Amos 2.13 Amos 2.13 it shewes evidently that God doth not punish for every small sinne hee is propense to mercy but loath to punish hence it is that he calls opus judicii the work of judgement opus alienum a strange work Isa 28.21 Isa 28.21 and when he must needs punish his people hee saith he will shave them with a Rasor that is hired Isa 7.20 Isa 7.20 as if he had none of his own but was faine to borrow so prone is God to mercy that hee would ever think thoughts of peace towards us but wee will not suffer him Vse 1 We should ever justifie God in all the judgements he brings upon us the Saints of God have done this in all times thus did David Psal 119.75 Psa 119.75 I know O Lord that thy judgements are right and that thou in faithfulnesse hast afflicted me it was so also with Nehemiah Nehem. 9.33 Chap. 9.33 Thou O Lord art just in all that is brought upon us for thou hast done right but wee have done wickedly the like we see in Daniel Dan. 9.7 Chap. 9.7 O Lord righteousnesse belongeth unto thee but to us confusion of faces as at this day and the poore Thiefe on the crosse tels his fellow when be reviled our blessed Saviour Luk. 23.41 Wee indeed suffer justly for we receive the due reward of our deeds but this man hath done nothing amisse in Matth. 16.27 when our blessed Lord called the woman of Canaan Matth 15.26.27 dog she digests it saying Truth Lord yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their Masters Table and let wicked men dispute and plead as long as they are able it shall never be found but that God punishes deservedly But if it shall come into the minds of any to say as those in Ierem. 16.10 Wherefore hath the Lord pronounced all this great evill against us Ierem. 16.10 or what is our iniquity or what is our sinne that we have committed against the Lord our God I tell these as the Prophet told them you are plagued for your swearing lying Sabbath-breaking hypocrisie drunkennesse lusting oppression these and other sinnes bee the procreant causes of all plagues these bee the traitours which open the gates to all judgements Vse 2 In the second place seeing God punishes none without cause let it teach us patience under his afflicting hand And the truth is why should men be impatient under the crosse when as he punishes not till he be provoked neither is it every patience which will serve the turne there is asinina patientia an asses patience when a man is not sensible though never so much load be laid upon him Secondly there is canina patientia a doggish patience when like a snarling dog tied up in a chaine wee indure what is inflicted upon us against our will Neither of these will stand us in stead but Christian-like with all submission wee must take thankfully the hand of God upon us saying with holy Bernard Lord that which thou layest upon us is durum pro viribus hard to be born in regard of our poore strength sed dignum pro meritis but just in regard of our iniquities Let us be as the good corne which when it is winnowed falls at the winnowers feet not like the chaffe which flies in his face and let us say with David 2 Sam. 15.26 Behold here I am 2 Sam. 15.26 let him doe unto me as seemeth good unto him Further wee may observe that Ezra speaks not only of sinne in generall but of a great trespasse what was it it was the peoples mingling themselves with the Heathen which was a foule transgression the Doctrine arising from hence is thus much Doct. 5 When God arises to judgement hee ever sets himselfe against the foule sinnes of men Will some man say which be the foule sinnes for which God is so much offended They be these The first is pride what was it that put on David to number his people but the pride of his heart for which you know he smarted shrewdly 2 Sam. 24. A second 2 Sam. 24. is Idolatry this is a grievous sinne and for this God is exceeding angry wherever it is practised or countenanced Exod. 20.5 A third is lust Exod. 20.5 especially when it growes impudent as was that of Zimri and Cosbi A fourth is blasphemy wherefore was Senacharib that proud monster and a hundred fourescore and five thousand of his Army slaine but for blaspheming the God of Israel Isa 37. A fifth is murder this is that sinne for which God hath a quarrell with a Land Hosea 4 2. Hosea 4.2 The sixth is oppression the Lord is very wroth where this is committed therefore wee finde him saying Psal 12.5 For the oppression of the poore Psal 1● 5 and the sighing of the needy I will arise and set him in safety from him that puffeth at him And elsewhere he threatens to make his arrowes drunk in the bloud of oppressours The last sinne that I will name causing God to rise to judgement is the prophanation of his Ordinances Moses knew this which made him request Pharaoh to let them goe three dayes journey into the Desart and sacrifice to the Lord their God lest hee fall upon them with the Pestilence or sword Exod. 5.3 1 Cor. 11.33 a Exod. 5.3 and S. Paul saith in 1 Cor. 11.30 for this cause to wit for prophaning Gods Ordinance many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep Vse 1 It shall be a use of examination to us to search whether or no these sinnes be among us which if wee doe as wee ought wee will soone conclude that God plagues us for these very sinnes First for Idolatry is not that among us and

in forgiving them God forgives them pounds nay talents and shall not they forgive their brother pence Neither tell me hee is a base and unworthy fellow for there is not that distance betweene him and thee be hee never so base as between thee and God O but it is a grosse wrong which he hath done mee is it worse then the sins which thou hast committed against thy God O but hee hath done it often What of that yet not so often as thou hast offended thy Maker O but it stands not with my credit to pardon him thy pride at once eats out both thy Piety and Charity and let me tell thee looke to obtain that from God which thou art willing to doe for thy brother Christ Jesus the Sun of righteousnesse would not set in a cloud though hee was put to death without cause but hee prayes for his persecutours Pater ignosce nesciunt quid faciunt Father forgive them they know not what they doe If thou follow not the example of our Blessed Lord take heed lest he stop his eares to thy Prayers because thou refusest to be reconciled to thy Brother Before wee leave this clause another observation offers it self to be handled there is hope in Israel concerning this that is in the Church and the point which I hence infer is this There is no remission of sinnes out of the Church Doctr. Remission of sins is not a flower that growes wild it onely growes in the Garden of Zion For proof of this look that pregnant place Psalme 128.5 The Lord shall blesse thee out of Zion or as another translation renders it The Lord shall blesse thee out of Zion from heaven Mark he doth not say the Lord in heaven shall blesse thee from heaven but the Lord from heaven shall blesse thee out of Zion indeed the Church is a heaven for where the holy people of God be there is a heaven and there is a blessing which though primarily it come from God yet secondarily it comes from the Church and though I doe not say with some Philosophers that all influences come from the Moon to the Starres yet I will say it of the Church thither hath God conveyed his blessings to bee transmitted to the sonnes of men I would have you to marke one thing which it may be you never yet took notice of the Propitiatory was joyned to the Arke so as it could not be removed from it to shew that he that would have his sinnes forgiven him must hold close to the Arke and this is according to that ancient rule of Divines he that will have God to be his father must have the Church to be his mother Our blessed Lord was named Jesus because saith the Angel He shall save his people from their sinnes and in the end of the Creed we say I believe the holy Catholike Church the forgivenesse of sinnes by the conjunction of which two Articles together is intimated to us that out of the Church there is no forgivenesse of sins This is also proved in the 87. Psalme last verse ●s●● 87.7 Isa 33.24 All my-springs are in thee and Isa 33.24 The people that dwell therein shall be forgiven all their iniquity Vse 1 It is to let us see the miserable estate of those without the Church they being without the pale of the Church what shall become of them As Christ told the Jewes John 8.24 John 8.24 They shall dye in their sinnes And what is it to dye in sin it is immediately to goe to hell there to be tormented with the devill and his Angels for ever Heathens are here said to be without the Church and to be sure if they live and die such they shall be excluded heaven hereafter for as in Rev. 22.15 without shall be dogs Rev 22.15 Vse 2 Secondly as wee must deplore the miserable condition of those which be without the Church so let us magnifie God for our own happy condition God hath entred us into his Church blessed bee his name for it wee are in the way where his blessings be and where the heavenly Manna falls daily but this is not all that we be in the visible Church for tares grow in the field as well as good corne it is true all that were without the Ark perished but yet a Cham was saved alive in the Arke so that it is not all to be externall members of the Church but as we be admitted into it by Baptisme so we must believe and repent else we are but Tares in the field of the Church which though for a time they may grow up with the good corne yet at last they shall bee but fuell for the fire of hell A mans water in Baptisme is but a cold proofe of Gods love unlesse hee hath faith and repentance I speak not of Infants which never committed actuall sinne for unlesse there be a heart to believe and repent he may be damned for all his Baptisme as some of the Jewes were for all they were circumcised As therefore we glory in this that wee are within the pale of Gods Church so let us not content our selves with it but let us labour to be within the Covenant by getting faith and Repentance that so in Gods good time we may attain the end of our faith the salvation of our sinfull soules in Jesus Christ Shecaniah now goes on and saith Let us make a Covenant with our God It appears by this good man that as hee had heard Ezra to confesse his sins amongst the rest so he desired not onely to be pardoned for what hee had done amisse but he resolves on a new course of life saying Now therefore let us make a Covenant with our God And indeed these be the two maine stones in the building of repentance first when a man desires to be better secondly when hee resolves to bee better First when a man desires to bee better it is a good part of health wee say to desire health our blessed Lord faith to the impotent man Wilt thou bee made whole he would not heale him against his will even so we must desire to bee cured of our spirituall maladies It was so with the Iaylor Acts 16.30 in Acts 16.30 he saith to Paul and Silas Sirs what shall I do to be saved and this where it is supposeth a sense of miserie and we see it in holy David Psal 142.2 Psa 142.2 I powred out my complaint before him J shewed before him my trouble And Saint Paul saith O miserable man that J am who shall deliver me from this body of death Rom. 7.25 Thus sure it was with Manasseh Rom. 7.25 and with those Converts in Acts 2.37 who being pricked in their hearts Acts 2.37 say to Peter and the other Apostles Men and brethren what shall wee doe I feare a great many doe not truely desire to be freed from their sinnes it was the sin of Augustine when time was saith he I