Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	abraham_n	know_v	zion_n	52	3	8.7618	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A97021	None but Christ, or A plain and familiar treatise of the knowledge of Christ, exciting all men to study to know Jesus Christ and him crucified, with a particular, applicatory, and saving knowledge, in diverse sermons upon I Cor. 2. 2. / By John Wall B.D. preacher of the word of God at Mich. Cornhill London.	Wall, John, 1588-1666.	1648 (1648)	Wing W469; Thomason E1139_1; ESTC R210079	152,329	343

is some love for a Traytor to injoy meat drink other comforts a while but this were love indeed if he might have his pardon so this is love indeed if God give us Iesus Christ But otherwise we may say as Abraham did murmuringly when God told him what great things he had and would give him what dost thou give me said he so long as I go childlesse and truly what doth God give us in comparison if he give us not the child Iesus But then we may say to God as God said to Abraham Now I know thou lovest me seeing thou hast not denyed to give me thine only sonne 4. Fourthly The Lord Christ is the Rarest gift given but to a very few here one and there another Iewels we know are not common but rarely given tho pibble stones are common every body have something of the world but few have part in Christ yea very few Matth. 7. 14. few find it In all ages God hath given this Iewel to very few there is but twenty righteous families mentioned from Adam to Abraham which was above 2000. years in the old world but eight persons In Sodom and the five cities not ten righteous and to this day the most part of the world are heathens and Christ is not given to one of them to whom yet God hath given the riches of both the Indies The Turkes whom God hath given leave to sit in the midst of the world a mighty nation yet not to one of them so dying hath he given Iesus Christ The Iewes from every one of them is Christ hidden who all must perish and are accursed except God extraordinarily revealeth Christ to any of them Among the Papists millions of millions perish for not knowing and trusting in Iesus Christ as their only Saviour though perhaps some poor and ignorant ones God may have mercy upon And among our selves how many ignorant civill hypocritical profane and deluded with common graces and a forme of Godlinesse wih being garnished for being sanctified who take copper for gold weeds for flowers presumption for faith Now though God feeds them with worldly pleasures and delights yet none of these doth God bestow Christ upon Though Israel be as the sand of the sea yet but a remnant are saved was not Esau Iacobs brother saith the Lord yet Iacob have I loved and hated E●au Mal. 1. 2 3. There were many widdows in Israel yet only to the widdow in Sarephta was Elias sent Luke 4. 26. so there are many people in the world nay in England yet to a very few is Christ given as there is much common earth but little dust of gold Then what cause hast thou for admiration and thankfulnes Lord why dost thou give this Iewel to me rather then to others 5. Fifthly the Lord Christ is the sweetest gift of all other for if God gives us Christ then he gives all other gifts in his As the tree sweetned the bitter waters Exod 15. 25. love and they come as blessings sweetned to us What good did Hesters banquet do Haman while the king was wrath with him and his face was covered Wee esteem a ring of gold from the king more then it is worth in substance because it is a token of the Kings favour Sixthly Christ is the freest gift of all other It cost us nothing we shall pay no Gratia evacuatur si non gratis donatur Non esset gratia si non erat omni modo gratu●ta Aug. Epist 109. more for it then for the sunne shining upon us God so loved the world that he Gave his sonne we bought him not nay we begd him not in some respect he may be said to be freer then the bread we eat for for that we sweat labour but so we did not for Christ Nor shall men pay any thing to obtain him but only receiving him Ho every one that thirsteth come buy without mony and without price Quest But how is Christ said to be freely given when I must repent and beleeve to receive him I answer As if a beggar should say my dole is not free for I was fain to go for it and receive it and yet that is not of thy selfe neither for God is faine to give thee legs to go and a hand to receive even to work that condition in thee which he requires of thee By grace you are saved through faith it is the gift of God Eph. 2. 8. Quest But how is it free when we must buy it Esay 55. 1. I answer yet its free because we pay nothing but our sinnes which are worse then nothing and we give them not to God but cast them from our selves because they would hurt us O then let us be thankfull for and content with Christ though wee want all things else As if a father should leave a rich Iewel to his son and nothing else no other lumber yet he is content with that alone because it is more worth then all other lumber wouldst thou sel thy pearle for all that the world injoys wilt thou change portions with them Who would exchange a Pearle for a pibble a Crown for a coronation flower earth for heaven Christ for the world Then say as Jacob did I have enough so long as Joseph is alive and as Esau though Gen. 28. 20. upon better grounds I have enough my brother and let us resolve with Jacob if God will give us bread to eat and clothes to put on we will chearfully serve him seeing he hath given us Christ And not only to be content when God giveth but when he taketh when we receive good from the hands of God but when we receive evill when we abound with blessings but when with crosses when we enjoy all and when stript of all as the sheep is patient as well when she is shorne as when her fleece groweth upon her back This lesson though hard yet Paul had learn'd it I know Psal 4. 11. 12. how to be abased and I know how to abound I can be full and hungry abound and want I have learned in whatsoever estate I am therewith to be content and the reason is because he had learned Christ Yea though thou beest never so poor yet if thou knowest Christ to be thine learne to be content for it is no token of Gods displeasure to be poor but to want Iesus Christ neither to speak properly can he be said to be a poor Saint that hath got so rich a Saviour nor he poor that is rich in faith Suppose a man were robd of all his money and had a rich Iewel about him which they found not would he not go home rejoycing that still he saved his Iewel All thy happinesse lies in this one precious Jewell and it is portion enough Eccles 10. 19. it is the one thing that is needfull so as nothing is more necessary because that one thing will be to thee instead of all things Solomon said it of money

prayer Daniel three times a day prayed in his closet when he was in danger of his life Nazianzen reports of his sister Gorgonis that her knees seemed to cleave to the earth by her often praying and Gregory of his Aunt Trucilla her elbow was as hard as a horn by often leaning upon a desk when she prayed Eusebius reports of James that his knees were as hard as Camels knees bereaved of sense by often praying And one reportes of Ioachim the father of the Virgin Mary that he would often say Cibus potus mihi erit oratio Prayer is my meat and drink whereas naturall men have no ability or gift of prayer they cannot pray many a wise man that can speak eloquently yea before a king yet is not able to speak five wise words to God in prayer whereas many a poore simple man that is scarce able to speak five wise words to a man especially if he be some great man yet can speak to God by prayer even to admiration To say we have no gift of prayer is to say we have not received the spirit of grace for the spirit of grace and supplication are put together Zach. 12. 10. Nor that we have received the spirit of Adoption for that would make us cry Ab●a father Rom. 8. 15. It may be such cannot pray eloquently nor so as their words will well hang together yet they can weep sigh and groan which are the strongest prayers Rom 8. 26. 27. Others there are that have no list to this duty they cry what a wearinesse is it Mal. 1. 13 and never pray for conscience sake out of love to the duty but only out of custome for fashion sake or in distresse as the Mariners in the ship with Ionah when they were in a storme Jonah 1. 5. then they cryed every man to his god but yet he delighteth not himselfe in the Almighty he will not alwayes call upon God as Iob speaks of the hypocrite Iob. 27. 10. Now these and such like are so farre from having any faith in Christ that they may rather be called Atheists who think there is no God nor do they beleeve his providence The fool hath said in his heart there is no God saith the Prophet David Psal 14. 1. hence it followes v. 4. He calleth not upon the Lord. 2. Secondly by the spirit of prayer the heart is not only excited and enabled to pray but to pray spiritually to make a spirituall prayer as the Apostle exhorts that we pray with all manner of prayer and supplication in the spirit a Eph. 6. 18. and to pray in the Holy-Ghost b Jude 20. and the Apostle Paul tels us the spirit helpeth our infirmities though we know not what nor how to ask yet the spirit makes intercession for us with groanings c. c Rom. 8. 25 26. which assistance of the spirit consists not in orderly invention or composure of words and eloquent phrases for some godly people may want this and it is but a common gift and the common not the speciall help of the spirit promised in Rom. 8. 27. But the spirit of prayer consists in three things First in enabling us to pray in faith with a childlike spirit that can go to God as a father and not as to a stranger d Rom. 8. 15. Esa 63. 16. Lords prayer Wicked men pray but they have not the spirit of prayer because they pray not in faith but shoot their arrows at randome never regarding nor looking after them Now these are but bold narratious or orations not humble petitions It is true a man in Christ may have risings of infidelity but they are overcome by faith 2. Secondly The spirit of prayer consists in enabling us to pray fervently the spirit helpes us saith the Apostle to c Rom. 8. 26. pray with sighs and gronings which cannot be expressed the affections are as it were set on fire by the Holy-Ghost Thus Hannah poured out her soul before the Lord 1 Sam. 1. 15. So Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and wept sore Esa 38. 1. and Jacob wrestled with God in prayer Gen. 32. 24. Wherefore cryest thou to me saith God to Moses Exod. 14. 15. and Abraham strove with God from fifty to ten Gen. 18. 23. especially our Lord Christ who prayed with strong crying and tears Invention may make us speak but Non semper opus est clamore quia deus suspiria audit Non vox sed votum non musica c. the spirit will make us cry which yet consists not so much in strength of words as of affections naturall men may have externall elocution but want inward affection they are dead and cold prayers they usually pray as though they cared not whether God heard them or no like cold Suitors that care not whether they Ludit deum qui ore petit quod corde negligit speed or no they want the aspiration of the spirit to pronounce Shibboleth Caut. Not that a Christian is alwayes alike in prayer but as the spirit pleaseth to help with his adjuvant cooperating grace without me ye can do nothing the spirit must inspirare or we cannot exspirare The wind must blow that the spices may flow Cant. 4. 16. we are like a ship at sea if the wind blow it goes amain or else it creeps upon the ground sometimes like Pharaohs chariots onr wheeles are taken off and we drive heavily and sometimes like Josephs chariots we drive chearfully 3. Thirdly and lastly to pray with the spirit is to pray with spirituall desires when we pray for spirituall things or for temporall blessings with spirituall affections and spirituall ends to honour God by them as Christs petitions were John 17. and as we are taught in the Lords prayer A naturall man may be very earnest in his prayer yet it is not a spirituall prayer because his desires have only reference to self-love and naturall ends but not to God and his glory They have not cryed unto me with their hearts when they howled upon their beds saith the Prophet e Hos 7. 14. where the Prophet esteems of their prayers no better then howlings like the howlings of Baals Priests who cryed aloud O Baal hear us and they cut themselves till the blood gushed out upon them f 1 King 18. 28. Therefore such prayers God sometimes sends away with a mock rather then an answer Prov. 1. 28. 29. when distresse and anguish shall come upon you then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not find me CHAP. XX. The eighth ninth and tenth Sign of the saving knowledge of Christ Sign 8 THe eighth sign that we have attained to the saving knowledge of Christ is universall obedience when we make conscience of all our wayes and have respect to all Gods commandements which consisteth in a setled resolution and indeavour against all sin and a setled purpose

have got a Levite to be my Priest according as the Lord promised Exod. 20. 24. In all places where I record my name I will come unto thee and I will blesse thee And in Exod 23. 23. yee shall serve the Lord and he shall blesse your bread and water and especially David Psal 132. 13. 14. 15. The Lord hath chosen Sion he hath desired it for his habitation this is my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have desired it I will abundant●y blesse her provision I will satisfie her poor with bread O then that we could sing the song of Zachary Luk. 1. 68. to the end blessed be the Lord God of Israel that hath given light to us that sate in darknesse as v. 79. But alas how many are weary of the Gospel of Christ and the revelation of him like sore eyes they love not the light of the Sun He that doeth evill hateth the light Iohn 3. ver 20. like those Ethiopians that live under the sunne and are scorched with the heat of it they curse the Sunne Mal. 1. 13. Amos 8. 5. and shoot arrows against it They hate despise the messengers or candlesticks that hold forth this light Never were they more vilified and reproached then among us at this day 2 Chron. 36. 16. Nay how weary are they of hearing of the Gospel Man Hu the bread from heaven is light bread men and women will scarce come out of doores to receive it The wise men in Matth. 2. went many weary hundreds of miles to find Christ at Jerusalem some think neere a thousand miles The Queen of the South went farre some say 964 miles to heare the wisedome of Solomon The holy Martyrs thought no weather too hot no winter too cold no journey too farre no torments too great to enjoy the preaching of the Gospel though darkly O how will they rise up injudgment against some of us that thinke any paines too much account any journey too farre any weather too hot or too cold and will scarce come out of their doors to the Temple to hear Christ revealed to them One week in their shops is sweeter then all the Sabbaths in the year as if they would tell the world they have got more there and found more sweetnesse there then ever they did in hunting and seeking after Christ And how just were it with Christ to say to those men verily I say unto you none of those that were bidden shall tast of my supper Luk. 24. 14. These shall be esteemed one day as despisers of Christ yea this is the condemnation that light is Luk. 10. 16. come among us but we love darknesse more then light saith our Saviour To be in darknesse is a great evill but this aggravates it to choose embrace and love darknesse the poor heathens whom we esteem accursed are infinitely happier then Matth. 11. these men Wo to thee Chorazin c. Nay may we not justly feare God will take away the Gospell for our contempt of it and leave us and our children in darknesse as our forefathers were and go to some other people that will more embrace it and more highly prise it Act. 13. 46. This judgement God threatned the ●ewes Amos 8. 9. 11. 12. that their Sunne should go down at noon day an● that he would send a famine not of ●read or water but hearing the word as v. 1● O Jerusalem saith Christ Luk. ●9 42. that thou hadst known that is regarded in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes As Moses said Exod. 1. 6. there rose up a generation that knew not Joseph so perhaps there may spring up a generation that never knew of our plenty but may meet with as many yeers of famine as we have done of plenty and the wayes of S●on may mourn among us as they have a long time rejoyced and all for our contempt of the Gospel and the preaching of Christ What is now become of the seven Churches of Asia are they not now dungeons of darknesse and cages of unclean birds that were once Lam. 1. 4. seven golden candlesticks nay in Ireland and Germany to what a low ebbe is the Gospel brought where the enemies have burnt up all the Synagogues of God in the land And then if the Gospel be gone Icabod our glory is departed from this our Israel wo to us if once God departs from us and he departs when his Gospel departs or when Christ can be preached no longer among ●s● which judgment the Lord divert from us Then wo to them that put out the lights when they go not out by being wasted in Christs work but some ill breath has blown them out which else might stil have been burning and shining lights but happy are they that shall snuffe the lights to make them burn the clearer and tread out such snuffes as rather stink then give light And let us pray that lights may be set up in all the dark corners of the land yea that in every congregation there may be a faithfull Pastor to preach Jesus Christ savingly to the people To God be glory for ever Amen FINIS