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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	abundance_n	church_n	zion_n	24	3	8.7662	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A89565	Emmanuel: a thanksgiving-sermon preached to the Honourable House of Commons upon their solemn day of praising God for the victory obtained by the Parliaments forces in Southvvales. In the church of Margarets Westminster, May 17. 1648. / By Stephen Marshall B.D. minister of Gods Word at Finchingfield in Essex.	Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655.	1648 (1648)	Wing M753; Thomason E443_3; ESTC R204197	25,337	44

upon the Church yet the Lord sets bounds to them that they cannot go so far as the enemy would here the waters should come up to the chin but yet not over head and eares the Lord often afflicts his people but he will not give them up to a totall spoile and desolation all these things deserve to be handled more fully but the time will not allow it I come now therefore to that onely lesson that I intend more full to insist upon and that is this Immanuel our blessed Saviour doth turne all the plots and conspiracies that are against his Church upon the heads of the contrivers and makes them for the salvation and deliverance of his people that is the lesson That all the associations and plots that are against Gods people Jesus Christ doth so order the matter that in the result and event they shall be all turned upon the heads of the adversaries and for the welfare of those that are his servants there is no one argument in the whole booke of God more frequently repeated in various instances then this doctrin which I have propounded that of Aegypt of Sisera of Senacherib of Haman of the conspiracie against Christ and a hundred others more some relating to the Church in generall some relating to particular godly men in all of them the Lord hath ever made it good that the mischief intended against his people turns upon the heads of the contrivers But to make it a little clear to you I pray you note these four or five conclusions which all lie in my Text First That all the plots and conspiracies that wicked men have against the Church and people of God Jesus Christ hath a hand in the contriving of them here was Senacherib he and his people had confederated and associated in this plot but God sent him verse 7. Now therefore the Lord bringeth upon them the King of Assyria the Lord had determined how far he should goe how hee should spread over all the land and his waters should reach up to the neck in the next Chapter but one in the 10 Isa. God saith of him I sent him against them though he did not thinke so So also in the 4. of Micah Many nations are gathered together against thee c. but it followes presently I gather them as sheaves so in the famous case of the death of Christ Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ but it was to do what Gods hand and counsell had before determined to be done Secondly In this contrivement Jesus Christ intendeth one thing and the enemies intend another thing each of them working according to their owne principles that you have plain here the Assyrian comes in his intent is to swallow up all the Lords intent is that he himself and all his company shal be broken to pieces thus Iosephs brethren thought evill against him but God meant good to him thus Pharaoh intended the extirpation of Israel by that which God intended their propagation thus Haman intended the ruine of Mordecai and all the Iewes when God intended light and gladnesse and a good day to them thus the nations Micah 4. intended to tread down Zion when God intended they themselves should be threshed out and a hundred examples more might be given but I can only point at these things Thirdly That Jesus Christ doth very frequently let the designs of the adversaries of his Church goe on with a great deale of successe and prosperity untill they think themselves cock-sure of the whole businesse this you may see in the Text here they came with such a mighty Army that they made no question of carrying all before them made account all was their own thus Pharaoh went on till he was confident his wrath should be satisfied upon them Exod. 15. So Haman had got his decrees signed by the Kings letters which by the law of Persia was irrevocable thus was Peter kept in prison untill the very night before he should be executed and so in abundance of other designs against the Church you may see the like though it is very true that sometimes the Lord crushes them in the egge and will not let them break out into Serpents yet very often as we say in the Gunpowder-treason there wanted nothing but to put the match to the powder and the blow had been given so God lets the plots and contrivements of the enemies of his Church go on untill they make account that there be no way in the world to stop them or to prevent them so that if Gods people be delivered their soules must escape as a bird out of the snare of the Fowler The next conclusion is That when the enemies make account all is sure that they question not but the day is their owne then doth the Lord in some unexpected way dash all their plots bring them to nothing thus God defeated Pharaoh Exod. 15. thus was Haman defeated thus was the conspiracy against Paul defeated Acts. 26. a hundred instances might be given but I shall only open one similitude which God use to set down the manner of the destruction of Nineveh Nahum 1. 10. Nineveh was then the head of this Assyrian Empire and God expresseth the ruine of Nineveh thus when they are folden together like thornes and when they are drunken like drunkards then shall they be devoured as stubble fully dryed that is when their plots are curiously weaved and set so that no man shall dare to touch them no more then he would touch a wreath of thornes they have so contrived the businesse that they would faine see the man that durst appeare against them They are folded together as thornes and when they are drunken like drunkards that is they are drunken with pride and confidence of their successe they can hardly speak or goe they are so drunken with confidence when they are come thus to the top then shall they be devoured like dry stuble some way or other fire will be put to the thatch of the house and set it a burning and in a moment all is gone off Thus when the enemy is come in like a floud the spirit of the Lord lifts up a standard against him Thus God delights to take his time when they are at the highest and feare the least then God breaks their design the last conclusion is That when God breaks their designes hee delights to break themselves not onely to frustrate their designes but to ruine them too and deliver his people so it is here Associate your selves gather your selves gird your selves take counsell but still you shall be broken to pieces ye shall be broken to pieces ye shall be broken to pieces three times it is in one verse all breaking to pieces ruin and destruction to them and salvation and deliverance to Gods

Emmanuel A THANKSGIVING-SERMON PREACHED To the Honourable House OF COMMONS Upon their Solemn day of praising God for the victory obtained by the Parliaments Forces in SOUTHVVALES In the Church of Margarets Westminster May 17. 1648. By STEPHEN MARSHALL B. D. Minister of Gods Word at Finchingfield in Essex MICAH 4. 11 12 13. Now also many Nations are gathered against thee that say Let her be defiled and let our eye look upon Zion But they know not the thoughts of the Lord neither understand they his counsell for he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor Arise and thresh O daughter of Zion Rom. 8. 31. If God be with us who can be against us London Printed by R. C●tes for Stephen Bowtell at the sign of the Bihle in Popes-head Alley 1648. Die Mercurii 17 Maii 1648. ORdered by the Commons assembled in Parliament That Sir John Trevour doe from this House give Thanks to Mr. Marshall for the great pains he took in his Sermon he preached this day at Margarets Westminster before the House of Commons it being a day of publick Thanksgiving for the Victory obtained by the Parliaments Forces in Southwales And that he be desired to Print his Sermon wherein he is to have the usuall priviledge in Printing thereof H. Elsynge Cler. Parl. D. Com. I doe appoint Stephen Bowtell to Print my Sermon STEPHEN MARSHALL To the Honourable THE House of Commons Assembled in PARLIAMENT IN obedience to your commands I here humbly present to publique view what you were pleased with ready affections lately to attend unto In it is cleared how vain the attempts of all men are against the people and Cause of God and these seasonable Mercies and Deliverances may help to confirm us in waiting for the full accomplishment of all these promises I confesse for our unworthy walking and little improving many like Mercies we continue still in a low condition and lye under many heavie pressures our times are like that day in Zach. 14. Neither clear nor dark not day nor night we are cast down but not forsaken of our God no not though our land be filled with sin against the holy One of Israel God sill appears in the mount of our difficulties Methinks this his gracious dealing shews how willing he is yet to heal our backslidings to take away our iniquities to doe us good and to preserve and establish us a people to himself O! that God would now in the end teach this Nation to leave struggling one against another for a curse and all to joyn together to wrastle with him for a blessing and seek him in his own Gospel-way O! that God would perswade such of this Nation who are engaged against the cause of God to leave plotting and contriving of Designes which shall not prosper and in stead thereof joyn hands with those who desire to see the prosperity of Zion And that all who are engaged in this Cause of God would labour to manage it in Gods own way That they would remember their Covenant what they have sworn and promised and by his grace study to make it good how abundantly should we finde the fruits of his loving kindnesses showred down upon us That this may be the study and endeavour of you all who represent the whole Commonalty of this Nation is the humble and earnest prayer of Your humble Servant in Christ STEPH●N MARSHALL A SERMON PREACHED Before the Honourable House of Commons at their Publick Thanksgiving May 17. 1648. Isaiah 8. 9 10. Associate your selves O ye people and ye shall be broken in pieces and give eare all ye of far Countries gird yourselves and ye shall be broken in pieces gird your selves and ye shall be broken in pieces take counsell together and it shall come to nought speak the word and it shall not stand for God is with us THis Chapter doth containe a threatning of two judgements One against the Kingdomes of Syria and the Kingdome of Israel or the ten Tribes that is in the foure first Verses and the summe of it is this The Prophet had a young son the Lord bids him at the Circumcision of his son name him Maher-shalal-hash-baz which signifies Make haste to the spoil make haste to the prey and the Lord gives the reason of it because before that child should bee able to call my Father my Mother before hee should bee able to say Dad or Mam The riches of Damascus and the spoile of Samaria shall bee taken away before the King of Assyria and it came to passe accordingly for this Prophesie was about the third yeer of King Ahaz and in the fourth yeer which was the yeer after a great part of Israel was plunder'd and spoiled and the Kingdome of Syria was wholly broken The second part of the chapter begins at the fifth verse and that containes a threatning of judgment against the Kingdome of Iudah and in it there are foure things remarkable First Here is the cause of this terrible judgement that God would bring upon the Kingdome of Iudah Secondly Here is laid down the judgement it self what it should be Thirdly Here is contained the deliverance of Gods people from the judgement and Fourthly Here is laid down the uses that God would have made of all this The cause of the judgement you have laid down in the sixt verse Forasmuch saith hee as this people refuseth or slights the waters of Shiloah which run slowly and rejoyce in Rezin and Remaliahs son because of this that is in one word because of their infidelity because they did not rest upon the Gospell promises made them in Immanuel that salvation which hee had promised to come from the house of David but slighted it because the house of David was now low and their neighbour Kingdomes of Syria and Israel were more pompous and stately then Davids throne therefore they regarded not the promises made to it but would bee glad to bee like those Kingdomes who overtopt them and to this end they made a confederacy with the King of Assyria that they might bee the better able to cope with Rezin the King of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah the King of Israel this the Prophet signifies in the words of refusing the waters of Shiloah that run softly and rejoycing in Rezin and Remaliahs son Shiloah was a little River which arose at the foot of Mount Sion whence ran slowly and in a crooked channell which some thinkes it 's called the Dragons Well Nehem. 2. 13. and this smooth stream was conveyed in some subterranean channells into that pool mentioned Iohn 9. 7. and was thence by pipes conveyed into the Kings Gardens and Orchards and was of use to the whole City yea and Temple of Ierusalem The same River of Shiloah is that which the Prophet mentions Psalm 46. There is a River the streames whereof make glad the City of God the holy place of the Tabernacle of the most High By

this River the Lord shadowes out the Kingdome of Sion and the house of David which now was in a mean and low estate and therefore despised by those unbeleeving Jews and it is usuall with the Prophets by Rivers to signify the adjacent Provinces Egypt by Nilus Babylon by Euphrates c. Now for this sinne of their unbeleif and relying upon an arme of flesh the King of Assyria was this judgment to come upon them Then Secondly Here is the judgment which therefore shall come upon them because that little River of Shiloah would not in their esteem doe them good would not comfort them the Lord would bring them waters broad enough foraine waters such as they desired but little for their good he would bring the Assyrian upon them hee who they trusted in to be their deliverer should come in and be their spoil Now therefore behold the Lord bringeth upon them the waters of the rivers strong and many even the King of Assyria and all his glory and he shall come up over all his channels and goe over all his banks and he shall passe through Judah he shall overflow and goe over he shall reach even to the neck and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land Oh Emmanuel This terrible judgement is laid downe in two comparisons one of a great river or the sea that had broke over all his banks a floud should spread over all their land and reach up to the very neck the other comparison is of an Eagle or fowl of prey he should come and spread his wings over the breadth of the whole land the whole land of Iudea should at one time be overspread by the mighty Army that Senacherib whom they expected to be their Saviour should bring upon them with a purpose to destroy them and in the close of this threatning there is an elegant Apostrophe he turns his speech to Christ he shal spread his wings over the breadth of thy land O Immanuel though it be thy land and thy people O Emmanuel yet because of their unbelief all this shall come upon them This turning of his speech to Christ seems to be an indignity to Christ that his land under the notion of his land should be wasted by such a wicked King but this appears to be added for two ends one to signifie the certainty of the judgement all that could possibly be pleaded why there should be any hope of keeping off the judgement was Emmanuels title to this land but it shall come though it be Emmanuels land secondly this is added as a secret ground of comfort of deliverance because it was the land of Emmanuel the land and people where Emmanuel was to be borne and where he was to reign where he had and would have his fire and furnace his seat ●nd habitation therefore their faith may expect deliverance these are the two first parts of the Chapter now my Text containes the third which is the deliverance which the Lord would give them notwithstanding their great unworthinesse but before I come to that let me name this one lesson from the other two parts namely That it is ordinary with God when his people doe forsake his promises and trust to an arme of flesh he makes that arme of flesh to bee their scourge which they expected to be their helper they had nothing that they would trust to against these two neighbouring Kingdomes but the power of the King of Assyria and this King of Assyria shoud be their scourge to beat and almost to breake them in pieces which is notably expressed 2 Chron. 28. 20 21. Ahaz sent all the treasure he could rap and rend thereby to ingage the King of Assyria And Tilgath-Pilneser the King of Assyria came to him and distressed him but strengthned him not he helped him not therefore Let us learne that when we do trust either to any nation to any Army or to any Councell and relie upon them with with-drawing our selves from the gratious promises of God we take the ready way to bring ruine and destruction upon our selves The third part of the Chapter is that which I intend by the Lords assistance to treat upon and that is the deliverance which the Lord was pleased to promise this unworthy people in this 9 and 10. verses for the understanding whereof I would open two things First The matter contained in these two verses Secondly The manner how the Lord is pleased to lay this down and expresse it The matter of the two verses containes these three Heads First Here is a great conspiracie against the Church of God Secondly Here is an eminent deliverance of the Church from this conspiracy Thirdly Here is both the author of the deliverance and the cause why they should be delivered The conspiracie against them is laid downe in these branches First Here is the multitude of people that were engaged in it called ye people and ye of far Countries a great many of them Secondly Here is their association their meeting about their businesse gather your selves together associate your selves ye people come and meet Thirdly Here is the Association of their Councell take counsell together contribute every one what you are able toward this designe Fourthly Here is their agreement in the Conclusion Speake the word set it positively downe nemine contradicente this is the businesse we will doe and carry it on as one man then Here is the preparation likewise of their Armes Gird your selves doe not only meet and talke and agree but arme and march and goe on with your businesse all this is the preparation to the plot Secondly Here is the defeat of this plot and that is very notable even the dissipating of their counsells the ruine of all their enterprizes Associate your selves but ye shall be broken gird your selves but ye shall be broken take counsell but it shall come to nought speak the word set downe your conclusion that you 'l never part from yet all shall not stand all shall be a vain thing it shall not onely not take effect but returne upon your owne heads to your owne ruine ye shall be broken in pieces Thirdly Here is the Authour of it and in the Author the cause for God is with us the Hebrew is for Emmanuel gather your selves gird your selves take counsell speak the word all shall come to nought for Emanuel that is for it is Emmanuels cause that you oppose it is Emmanuels people that you fight against it is Emmanuel who is the Leader the Generall of that Army one that will out-wit you and out-plot you and out-fight you one for whom you are too few and he alone will be too many for you it is against Christ and you doe but kick against the prickes this is the matter of these two verses then Secondly Note likewise the manner how the Lord is pleased to lay this downe which is done by severall