Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	abundance_n	peace_n	zion_n	29	3	8.7394	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86531	The saints dignitie and dutie· Together with the danger of ignorance and hardnesse. / Delivered in severall sermons: by that reverend divine, Thomas Hooker, late preacher in New-England.	Hooker, Thomas, 1586-1647.	1651 (1651)	Wing H2654; Thomason E635_2; ESTC R202448	184,116	264

he will say whether he will speak comfort to his soul or no and then away with carnall reason and delusions of Satan My brethren yee should in the first place go to God and advise with him and hear what his good pleasure is toward you and never inquire of your own carnall reason Again there is oft another great fault in the people of God that as they go not to Christ in the first place for advice and counsell so in the second place when they have it they rest not upon it Many a one there is who after he hath been convinced evidently and clearly by the power of the word rightly and strongly applyed that his estate is good before God and that his conscience is sincere his heart upright and that the spirit of God hath begun an everlasting work of grace in him yet notwithstanding oftentimes relinquisheth that ground that God hath given him to stand upon and letteth go that hold that hath been reached out from heaven for him to sustain himself by and returning home again to a view of his own weaknesses and infirmities he forsaketh his own mercies and groweth forgetfull of his former comforts the consolations of the Almightie seem small unto him hee will not quiet himself in that truth which God hath made known nor rest upon his word as he requireth Yea but the soul replieth alas should a man content himself with a blind perswasion that his estate is good and not try his title to heaven or search whether his interest in Christ be such as will not deceive him at the last I say Yes a man should look into himself and examine himself whether he be in the faith or no but alwaies let the Lord be Judge let his word onely passe sentence upon thee Never Judge thy self barely by what either Satan seems to suggest or thy own sinfull weakness would perswade thee unto but when the Word of God is revealed and his truth manifested unto thee when the Minister out of the Seripture hath setled thy conscience and declared thy case good by such assured Evidences as thou maist safely build upon then hold there and beleeve nothing to the contrary search your selves but still doe it by the word of God If this course were taken and well observed where there are thousands of complaints among Christians there would be scarce one For my brethren the ground of all our feebleness and distrust and distemper lieth especially in this that we neglect our grounds and doe not fix upon those truths which God hath revealed and made known unto us either publikely or privately Hold this therefore for ever as the best direction I can give thee If my soul shall be condemned the word of God shall condemn it If I must judge my self to have no grace the Word of God shall say it If I must conclude salvation as yet belongeth not unto me it shall be because the Word saith so and not because Satan or my own imagination saith so This carrieth thousands of poor souls into manifold distempers because they settle not themselves upon the truth of God which alwaies standeth as mount Zion unmoveable and would make them rest in abundance of peace in the midst of all those disquiets that are raised by Satan and our own distrustfull hearts Lastly in a word doth the Lord himself call for and require this at our hands the Lord I say who onely hath right and authority to command us Doth he injoyn us when he speaks to hear and obey Oh now therefore though an unworthy Minister cannot perswade you to yeeld up your selves to the practice of this duty yet let the Lord himself prevail with you and woe to that soul that will not bee perswaded by the Lord himself Take notice of that place before alledged Acts 3.23 Every soul that will not hear that Prophet shall be destroyed from among the people Let every one therefore now in the fear of God observe that which Christ himself injoyneth and so often calleth for in the second and and third Chapters of the Revelation He that hath an ear to hear let him hear The Lord saith the same now to every soul in this place Let every soul that hath an ear to hear hear what the Lord saith unto him not onely now but hereafter whensoever God shall be pleased to reveal any of his counsell to him for his direction Labour to bring your hearts to that temper we read to have been in Cornelius and those that he had gathered together to be partakers of Saint Peters Ministerie Acts 10.33 When the Apostle was come mark what Cornelus saith to him We are all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God My brethren the same frame of spirit ought we to have whatsoever it is that the Lord shall speak unto us wee must hear him in all things as I told you before not onely in some easie kind of dutie such as every man is willing to imbrace but in every thing be it never so crosse to carnall reason and corrupt nature when the Lord teacheth we must bring docile hearts hearts inlarged to hear and entertain his doctrine hearts willing to be moulded into that good word of God that he shall reveal to us neither must we thinke this dutie tedious we should never be weary of it Observe what Christ saith Luke 10.24 Many Prophets and Kings have desired to see those things which yee see and have not seen them and to hear those things which ye hear and have not heard them What things Even those that are preached unto you and made known from day to day the great things of the Gospel which are now published in open view great men of great place and eminencie have desired to see and hear them The holy Patriarchs and Prophets whose spirits are now in heaven looked long for Christs day Abraham saw it afar off his eies dazeled in beholding of it If they rejoyced and delighted in these things should not we much more Nay the blessed Angels come down and delight to pore into these sacred mysteries that are now revealed to the people of God Which things saith the Apostle the Angels desire to prie into 1 Pet. 1.12 Those blessed spirits that are the subjects of joy and happiness are so ravished with those glorious mysteries that they are contented to come to our Congregations not a step or two as we doe who assoon almost as we are out of our doors are in the Church but a great journey even from heaven and with a great deal of liking and complacencie they behold the services of Gods people and are glad to see a poor soul converted and report it again in heaven rejoycing there together that a sinner is turned unto God My brethren thinke of it Shall we now that have most reason to attend these things they being that upon which our everlasting salvation depends be utterly careless of them Alas the

received The last and principall thing is the stooping of the soul and subjection of the heart to that which is understood and remembred For then indeed according to the Phrase of the Spirit of God in Scripture a man is said to hearken when the soul begineth to yeeld and subject it self and to take the impression of that truth which God is pleased to make known unto it and that is the meaning of the Phrase 1 Kings 12.15 The Text saith there of Rehoboam that when the ancient men came to counsell him he hearkned not unto them as if it should be said he heard them well enough and he understood them well enough and he retained their counsel in his memory well enough but his soul yeelded not to it his heart imbraced not that counsel he did not subject himself thereunto therefore the Text saith He hearkned not to the counsell of the old men The like Phrase we have touching the sons of Eli 1 Sam. 2.25 When their father spake to them after a cold fashion the Text saith They hearkned not unto the voice of their father They heard his words well enough and understood what he said but their souls stooped not their hearts submitted not they did not subject themselves to take in the impression of the truth upon them and to be framed to the wisdome of God revealed to them in the same So that my brethren then a man is said to hearken when his ear heareth the sound his understanding closeth with the sense and his memorie retains it and his heart cometh under it stoopeth to it yeelds up it self to the impression of the truths delivered to be disposed of thereafter In brief therefore this is the meaning A carefull attention to the word that includes the three former and obedience and subjection of heart to the word thus attended to comprized in the last Now for the party to be hearkned unto that is unto me What is meant here by the word mee If you have recourse to the beginning of this Chapter you shall see it is Wisdom And by Wisdom here you are to understand the Lord Jesus Christ so far as he hath pleased to reveal himself to us either in the Word of God or work of his grace For Christ is here especially meant but not Christ meerly or barely as God nor Christ in the second person but so far as the Lord Jesus Christ the wisdome of his Father is pleased by the work of his grace by the power of his Spirit in the Ministory of the word either written or preached to reveal himself to us So far he is said to be Wisdome The words now are clear you see what is to be understood by hearkning and who the par●ie is to whom we must hearken The Point then that ariseth from these two parts of the Text thus joyned together in the Explication is evident and it is to this effect Namely ●hat The voice of the Lord Jesus Christ ought onely to be attended to and must be obeyed of all his faithfull servants I say Of all his faithfull servants The Lord Christ thinketh 〈◊〉 vain to speak to others therefore he addresseth himself onely to his children These are they that must attend and obey his voice whatsoever he shall be pleased to reveal unto them they must submit themselves unto it and that before and above all others in the world The Point is clear and evident You see it is the main purpose and intent of Christ in this place and therefore hee calleth for audience he desireth to gain acceptance at the hands of men As if he should say in other terms Lay by all other advice onely hearken unto me my children let corrupt counsell carnall advice the sinfull delusions of all ungodly persons in the world let them all passe onely hear and hearken unto me entertain and unbrace my counsell submit your hearts to my instructions And not onely Christ requires this of his children in this place under the name of Wisdome but it is the injunction of God himself and that from heaven it is such a truth and of so great importance that God himself from heaven makes it known and giveth it in speciall charge to all the sons of men Matth. 17.5 When Christ was transfigured in the Mount There came a voice out of the cloud which said This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him Mark there came a voice out of the cloud It is not onely the voice of man that perswades you a●d enjoyns you to give audience to the Lord Jesus but God himself and that from heaven and that in mediately with his own mouth layeth this upon us as a dutie that we are to perform that we should hear his Son that is hear him above all more then all nay hear him onely and none but him It is that also which Christ himself calleth for Mat. 11.29 Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart As if he should say There are many masters and teachers in the world but leave all the rest and come hither and learn of me for I am c. Yea it is not onely the charge of God and command of Christ but it hath been and is the generall resolution of the Saints of God from day to day Mic. 4.2 all the people joyned hand in hand as it were Come say they and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord and to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his waies and we will walk in his paths for the Law shall go forth of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem As if they should have said Because from Zion cometh the Law because at Jerusalem the word of God is taught and revealed therefore it is high time for us to go thither come let us goe let us wait upon God there he will teach us of his waies and what remaineth we will walk in his paths we will stoop unto the truth delivered we will submit our selves to it and conform our hearts and lives to the will of God revealed to us from thence And you shall observe the holy Prophet David as though there had been no Temple no Priest no Teacher besides how his good soul is still breathing upward in many passages of the 119. Psalm Lord teach me Lord quicken mee Lord give understanding to thy servant c. He repaireth ma●nly and chiefly to the Lord for guidance and direction Enough for the proof of the point But a man may aske after what manner must I hearken Hearkning I told you implyeth attention and obedience therefore you may remember that I put them both together in the Doctrine that it was our duty both to attend to the voice of Christ and to yeeld obedience unto it But how must I doe this For the opening hereof give me leave to discover unto you three particulars which are specially to be considered and are required of

this is the first step of the faith of Abraham that he was content to yeeld to the call and to be under the command of God to let his good pleasure take place in his heart to leave all kindred country fathers house and never return any more And this is that first step that God lookes every faithfull man should take that he be willing that the command of God take place in his heart that God should make room there for himselfe that he should pluck away his dearest sinnes that are as neer to him as his right hand and as his right eye If the Adulterer were converted he would be contented that God should take away his lust that is as dear to him as his very soule nay he would fain and that with all his heart have God make way in his soul for his own Majesty by beating down all the holds of Satan and tumbling that Dagon to the ground which standeth before him This is the first step of faith The next step that Abraham and so every faithfull soule sets forward is this That when ever faith commeth powerfully into the heart the soule is not content barely to yeeld to the command of God but it breatheth after his mercy longeth for his grace prizeth Christ and Salvation above all things in the world is satisfied and contented with nothing but with the Lord Christ and although it partake of many things below and injoy abundance of outward comforts yet it is not quieted till it rest and pitch it selfe upon the Lord and find and feel that evidence and assurance of his love which he hath promised unto and will bestow on those who love him As for all things here below he hath but a slight and mean and base esteem of them This you shall see apparent in Abraham Gen. 15.1 2. Feare not Abraham saith God I am thy sheild and thy exceeding great reward What could a man desire more One would think that the Lord makes a promise here large enough to Abraham I will be thy Buckler and exceeding great reward Is not Abraham contented with this No mark how he pleadeth with God Lord God saith he what wilt thou give me seeing I goe childlesse His eye is upon the promise that God had made to him of a sonne of whom the Saviour of the world should come Oh Lord what wilt thou give me as if he had said What wilt thou doe for me alas nothing will doe my soule good unlesse I have a sonne and in him a Saviour What will become of me so long as I goe childlesse and so saviourlesse as I may so speak You see how Abraham's mouth was out of tast with all other things how he could relish nothing injoy nothing in comparison of the promise though he had otherwise what he would or could desire Thus must it be with every faithfull man That soule never had nor never shall have Christ that doth not prize him above all things in the world no certainly a faithfull soule breatheth after nothing so much as mercy in Christ lookes after and longeth for nothing so much as the assurance of the love of God Though all the comforts of this world were afforded a faithfull man yet still he would plead with the Lord Oh Lord what will become of me notwithstanding all this so long as my soule is comfortlesse what availeth it me to live here Oh thy Mercy Oh thy Salvation Oh the Lord Christ these are the things my soule breatheth after This my brethren is the nature of faith if it be rightly wrought in the soul as you shall fee and find by ordinary experience For take a man that is truly awakened and whose conscience is throughly touched and offer him crowns and scepters and honours and all the delights of the sons of men alas his soul will care nothing for them but as Esau said Gen. 25.32 Behold I am at the point to die and what profit shall this birthright doe to me So will the poor soul say What will it avail me to be high in the favour of men here and to be a fiend of Hell hereafter What are all these profits and pleasures to me so long as I am not in the favour of God What good can these outward contentments afford me when I am without Christ Oh Lord what wilt thou give me unlesse I have my Saviour and mercy in him and pardon in him and all in him and through him Still thus beateth the pulse of a faithfull soule and this is the nature of saving faith the faith of Gods elect As for these things here below these matters of the world they are little in the regard and esteem of a Christian man If he have them he seeth God in them If he want them he is never a whit the worse The Apostle speaking of beleevers and the faithfull people of God Heb. 11. saith That they let their hold goe of all these things below let the world take the world if they would let the dead bury their dead but as for them Having seen the promises afar off they were perswaded of them and imbraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth even in that country that God had promised them Vers 13. The third step of Abraham's faith was this He casteth himself and flingeth his soul as I may say upon the all-sufficient power and mercie of God for the attainment of what he desireth he rolleth and tumbleth himself as it were upon the all-sufficiencie of God This you shall finde Rom. 4.18 there saith the Apostle speaking of Abrahyam Who against hope beleeved in hope That is when there was no hope in the world yet he beleeved in God even above hope and so made it possible It was an object of his hope that it might be in regard of God howsoever there was no possibilitie in regard of man So the Text saith He considered not his own bodie now dead when he was about an hundred yeers old neither yet the deadness of Sarahs wombe but was strong in faith He cast himself wholly upon the precious promise and mercie of God This then is the third step of true justifying faith That when the beleever is informed touching the excellencie of the Lord Jesus and that fulness that is to be had in him though he cannot find the sweetnesse of his mercy though he cannot or dare not apprehend and apply it to himself though he find nothing in himself yet he is still resolved to rest upon the Lord and to stay himself on the God of his salvation and to wait for his mercy till he find him gracious to his poor soul Excellent and famous is that example of the woman of Canaan Matth. 15.22 27. When Christ as it were beat her off and took up arms against her was not pleased to reveal himself graciously to her for the present I am not sent saith he but to the lost sheep of the house of