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A09442 Lectures vpon the three first chapters of the Reuelation: preached in Cambridge anno Dom. 1595. by Master William Perkins, and now published for the benefite of this Church, by Robert Hill Bachelor in Diuinitie. To which is added an excellent sermon, penned at the request of that noble and wise councellor, Ambrose, Earle of Warwicke: in which is proued that Rome is Babylon, and that Babylon is fallen Perkins, William, 1558-1602.; Hill, Robert, d. 1623. 1604 (1604) STC 19731; ESTC S114472 318,460 389

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and bring them to amendment Now for the vse of these words Christ sets downe his ordinarie dealing with his seruants which is by reproofe and chastisement and diuers visitations for this very end that he might conuince them and correct them Euery member of Christ must come vnder his rod therefore looke for it yea marke further Christ layeth vpon all his seruants afflictions in diuers sorts according to the diuers dispositions of mens natures such as will hardly be broken of their faults he laieth vpon them more sharp punishments where men are easier to be amended there he vseth milder correction The vse of this is two-fold Prouerb 3. 12. the first is despise not the Lords chastisemēt for it is a token of his loue whēsoeuer he reprooueth or afflicteth thee by visitations and crosses make not light account but make profit of it The second is faint not arme thy self with patiēce because it is the Lords maner to chastise those that he loueth and so many chastisements so many pledges and pawnes of his loue towards his seruants By this Christ is an example to all parents and gouernours they must giue tokens of loue in necessarie corrections that their children and seruants may be brought from their misdemeanure for this end chastisement should be vsed It were to be wished that all parents and maisters did vse to giue correction thus but our case is lamentable in this respect Men thinke it enough to prouide foode and raiment for their houshold all their care is for the bodie only and they neuer seeke to reforme their misdemeanours in life This negligence brings many sinnes with it and pulleth many iudgements vpon vs. So much for the second point Amend Againe marke the order of the words Rebuke and chasten Here we haue a necessary instruction seeing Christ first propounds a direct end of his chastisement that is their amendment which that he may the better effect first he conuinceth them secondly he reprehendeth and thirdly chasteneth them and all these tend to our amendment A worthie and excellent order and to be followed of all gouernors they must propound a good end of all chastisements first the good of the partie chastised then they must vse this order first a conuiction of the conscience by the word of God secondly reprehension thirdly correction if the two former wil not serue Which being so you see how they ouershoote themselues that make correction serue for nothing but a meanes of reuenge an action of choller and rage without any purpose to better the partie Whereas this order vsed would reforme the person and stop many vices and nip them euen in the head to some it is as good as meate and drinke to be fighting and brawling Be zealous Here is a remedie for luke-warmnesse In the eight verse they had a remedie for pride now he maketh a plaister for luke-warmnesse Here first marke how these words depend on the former Christ had said Whom I loue I vse to chastise according as their faults be greater or lesser therefore seeing I haue corrected thee repent Where we are taught the vse of all reproofes admonitions and visitations the speciall end of them is to driue vs to amend As oft as the Lord doth either by word reproue or by deed correct vs it is to shew that we must repent and amend therefore whensoeuer you are visited say the Lord summons you to repent take an occasion by the visitation of further reformation yea know it that so many afflictions are so many sermons of Repentance to make you grow and increase in faith repentance and obedience Now that we may the better vnderstand what this commandement Be zealous meaneth diuers points are to be handled first what zeale is Zeale is an affection that is compounded of two affections loue and indignation or sorow therefore first we must loue Christ aboue all things if we will be zealous secondly we must be grieued and angred when Christ is dishonoured Loue of religion and griefe for the want of good successe therof will make men zealous We haue an example in Christ Ioh. 2. 17. where thus much is signified that his loue to his father was so great that the heate of his indignation had almost consumed him he preferred the accomplishment of his Fathers will before all In the second place note the diuerse kinds of zeale good that is true or bad that is counterfeit To a good zeale there is required first true faith secondly repentance thirdly knowledge As for faith it is the very root of good zeale for as Paule saith Loue is from faith vnfained 1. Tim. 1. 5. Now zeale is an affection compounded of loue and faith And as for repentance we see that zeale and it are conioyned in this place Iehu indeed was zealous but because he repented not but liued in the sins of his predecessors it was no good zeale And for the last we must know that zeale without knowledge is but rashnesse And thus you see how to distinguish true zeale from counterfeit euen by the companions of it Now further by the fruites it may be discerned First it compelleth a man to please God in all things it will enforce one ouer-rule and maister him 2. Cor. 5. 13. Whether we be out of our wit we are in it vnto God c. The very loue of Christ and his Gospell inforced him that he could not but preach So wheresoeuer this true zeale is in any measure it will make a man that he cannot but do his dutie It will burst foorth and find an issue like a flame as Elihu said he could not containe his belly would burst Secondly It will make a man indeuor to obey God with all his heart strength power Example Good king Iosia turned with all his heart Dauid prayed with grones vnspeakable according to the multitude of thy mercies c. and so goeth on maruellous earnestly and feruently he prayed not slackly and coldly but with all his force and power from the heart for pardon and reconciliation And so when he gaue thankes he saith My soule praise the Lord and all that is within me c. Psal. 103. 1. Thus you see what be the fruites of zeale and what it is to be zealous In a word then it is this to haue our hearts enflamed with a loue of Christ and his word aboue all things and to be exceeding angrie when it is disobeyed enforcing vs to do our dutie with all the strength we haue Now to end this point we heard before that lukewarmenesse in religion is our sinne generally throughout the land our zeale is cold and our profession but formall How shall we reforme this Become zealous beare a feruent loue to religion loue Christ aboue all and be grieued when you see him dishonored or his word disobeyed and false worship established Away with this slacknesse in religion otherwise it had bene better you had bene of no religion then to be neither
gifts might be humbled in the consideration of this point Naamans seruant perswadeth him when Elisha the Prophet cannot 2. King 5. 12. Behold These words may also be vnderstood of the whole Church I haue giuen thee a doore that is a speciall priuiledge to enter into the kingdome of heauen and title to it I approue thy workes and this is a signe of it that I haue giuen thee entrance into the same Now this is a priuiledge not belonging to all men but onely to the Church of God Which confuteth vniuersall redemption If this then be a priuiledge of the Church to enter into the kingdome of heauen and to haue such liberty we must labour to vse it striuing to enter into that place We haue this priuiledge to see heauen open by faith we must not then be so slacke to enter into it but alas we make no account of it we are wholy possessed with the profits and pleasures of this life and our sinnes are such a loade to vs that we cannot enter in Oh let vs cast off such burthens that so we may more easily enter Which no mā shall shut That is no power after I haue opened heauen shall be able to shut it Here after the libertie he sheweth the continuance of it namely for euer How then is it true that Christ died for all men effectually if all men are not saued because they will not So Christ should for his part open heauen and they should shut it by their wils But Christ saith no power either of the diuell or man can shut it he hauing once opened the same For thou hast a litle strength Thou art indued with a litle and small measure of grace of faith hope regeneration yet according to that measure thou hast defended my word and not denied me in persecution By this we see that a man indued with a small measure of Gods spirit may do works acceptable to God and by the same come to life euerlasting if his grace be true grace Math. 17. if their faith be but as a graine of mustard seed it shall be able to remoue mountaines Now that which is true of miraculous faith that is true of iustifying faith if it be true though neuer so litle yet it shall be able to do workes pleasing to God and by the same we may come to saluation for God regardeth not so much the measure of grace as the maner that it be true not fained In this is a speciall comfort for those which labour to keepe faith and a good conscience Such are often troubled with the consideration of their owne weaknesse and wants but they must know that if they haue true faith though it be but in small measure the Lord accepteth of them if they labour to please God in all things for the Lord accepteth a man not for that he should haue but for that he bestoweth on him be it much or litle This may incourage those which be not so forward in religion which haue not made such proceeding as they should for many seeing the Lord to require so much they cast all off and neuer labour to come to know religion and to keepe faith and a good conscience But these shold remember that the Lord accepteth of small gifts if they be true he accepteth a man according to the measure of grace he bestoweth on him be it more or lesse Then we must not be discouraged for our wants imperfections and ignorances for if we labour to haue true faith the Lord regardeth not the measure of grace but that it be true grace Yet we must take heed we abuse not this mercie of God and take occasion to sinne and to become negligent and carelesse in the duties of religion but still labour to come to such measure as the Lord will most approue of Because c. Here Christ sheweth for what workes he commendeth this Church first she kept his word secondly she denyed not his name but maintained it in persecution against all his enemies And these two containe euen all the duties of a true Christian and the whole practise of all religion And these must be an example for vs we must labour to keepe his word and in all things to do his will Secondly we must in time of persecution defend his name and maintaine his word against all his enemies To keepe his word A few wordes but a great dutie for it signifieth that she in all things in euery commaundement of the law and Gospell had care to obey his word and will And happie were we indeed if Christ could say so of vs that we obeyed his word all the commandements of the law by obeying and the Gospel by faith and repentance c. But it cannot for though in shew we professe we do yet in life we shew we faile in most points of both Vers. 9. 10. In these verses are two promises concerning the conuersion of certaine Iewes Behold c. Here is the first promise concerning the the confirmation of the Church of Philadelphia Now it is likely in this citie there was a synagogue of the Iewes which bare men in hand that they were the true worshippers of God yet denied Christ the Sauiour and so persecuted this Church Now Christ here promiseth he will make this synagogue repent and become true members of Christ to professe Christ and worship him In this promise note three points first who is the author of their conuersion namely God for so it is said I will make them or I will bring them to that estate to worship me Secondly who be conuerted namely the synagogue of the Iewes Thirdly the fruites of their repentance they shall worship before thy feet First the author of their conuersion is Christ himselfe for so he saith I will make them to repent These are significant words which giue all to God in their conuersion of some and of all sinners God is the sole author man hath no stroke in his owne conuersion man indeed willeth it and is conuerted willingly yet not by nature doth he will it but by grace This confutes the Papists who hold that nature and grace may concurre in the conuersion of a sinner for a man say they being stirred vp by grace can will and do that which is good As a man being sicke he hath the facultie of walking yet being faint he cannot vnlesse he leane on anothers shoulder so a man hath a power to will that which is good but it must be stirred vp first by grace But Ephes. 2. man by nature is not onely sicke but starke dead in sin and cannot moue one foote no more then a dead man Obiect But say they then man should be but a blocke if he doth nothing in his conuersion Answ. Though he do nothing in the matter of conuersion yet he hath sense and vnderstanding which he can vse in naturall and ciuill causes though he cannot vse them in spirituall actions and so he is not
is called that Counseller He is both King of and Counsellor to his Church And surely this title of right belōgeth to him for first by his office he aduiseth men how they shall escape eternall death and be saued secondly he teacheth how a man may please God in all his actions thirdly how he may flie sinne These three he doth daily in his church and children and that not by extraordinarie but euen by ordinarie meanes as by his word and spirit and therefore may well be called our Counseller neither can any either Angell or man thus counsell vs but onely Christ. Now in that Christ is such a person by office and profession therefore we must acknowledge him to be our Counsellor yea the Counseller of the Catholike Church and euery part therof Therefore we learne to do him all the honour we can Counsellors of the common law are feed reuerenced and honoured for their counsell though it be but for worldly matters and it oftentimes faileth Much more is Christ to be honoured whose counsell concerneth the things of God and cannot faile but shall stand Nay as his counsell is infinitely more excellent then the counsell of any other creature so much more is he to be honoured Further in all dangers and temptations one must resort to Christ for counsell for to this end is he a Counseller He told them they were miserable and therefore gaue them counsell declaring that he is at hand in all our miseries and distresse And therefore we must resort to Christ for his counsell and rest vpon it and order our selues according to it The good king Iehosaphat when the Moabites and Ammonites banded together was in great distresse but what did he We said he know not Lord what to do but our eyes are toward thee That is we looke to thee for counsel and direction we must rest rely vpon thee for wholesome counsel good direction So should all men do in distresse and daunger as we are now by reason of our sinnes and the professed malice of our enemies for by all likelihood these dayes are the time of our chastisement and correction therefore we must say as he said Therefore in all distresse whether it be sicknesse or pang of death forsake all ill counsell go not to wizards and Astrologians for helpe but humble your selues and pray for his counsell So much for the first part that is the maner of prescribing this remedie Now of the remedie it selfe As the miserie had three parts and those great miseries all so Christ propoundeth his remedie in such sort that it is answerable to the three branches of the miserie first gold that thou mayest be rich secondly rayment thirdly eye salue By gold according to the analogie of the Scripture we are to vnderstand the graces of Gods spirit as true faith repentance feare and loue of God man All these are called gold as the triall of our faith is said to be more precious then gold We may likewise vnderstand al other gifts of the spirit yea all Christs merits Christ himself the fountaine of all Purged by the fire That is precious and fine gold of speciall account that is purged from all drosse by the art of man This sheweth what is the propertie of his gifts and graces they are as precious as fine pure gold as 1. Pet. 1. 5. This is worth the marking that the gifts of Gods spirit are of great price and value and that before Gold Psal. 119. 72. Math. 13. 4. This teacheth all how to beautifie themselues in soule and bodie The blind and false opinion of the world is that strange attire and forreine fashions beautifie and adorne the bodie and it is commonly thought that Iewels and precious stones adorne vs and indeed it is true in some persons such as be great personages but strange fashions and outlandish attire disgraceth the bodie The right way to beautifie the bodie indeed and to make it truly glorious and to adorne the soule also i● to get these graces for these are as precious as fine gold Our bodies shold be the temples of the holy Ghost the houses of a worthie guest therefore we should the rather labour for the best ornaments And if you will adorne your selues as you ought you must do it with the graces of Gods spirit and abhorre these fond and absurd fashions which no wise man can like of That thou maist be rich c. These graces haue a further effect and serue not onely to adorne and beautifie but also to make men rich Here then see the common folly nay madnesse of men which spend all their time wit and strength to enrich their bodies and leaue their soules vnfurnished What a madnesse is this that so many should neglect true riches and studie for nothing more then that which is nothing lesse then riches euen counterfeit riches By this text it is more then manifest that such are more then mad and that this folly is very great Therefore seeing true riches be the graces of Gods spirit seeke for these So much for the first part of the remedie White garments That is Christ himselfe and his righteousnesse imputed As Gal. 3. 27. euen as a garment is put on the bodie so is Christ and his righteousnesse and the fruite thereof that is sanctification all this is meant by garments here Now the end is to couer the nakednesse of the soule which is deformed and defiled with sinne Eye salue That is the spirit of illumination knowledge wrought in the mind by the spirit of God For as eye-salue doth cleare the eye sight and sharpen the same where it was by some occasion hindred so doth Christ by illumination make a man know and vnderstand God in Christ and discerne betweene good and euill of things temporall and eternall Thus you haue the meaning of these words Now by the exposition you may see that by all these we can vnderstand nothing but Christ himselfe and his merits One and the same thing is signified by three words to shew that there is in Christ the fulnesse of grace and that he hath remedies for all our wants The Laodiceans were poore in spirituall goods and Christ was their riches naked and he their garment blind and he their eye-salue So that looke how many sinnes there be in men so many contrarie remedies there be in Christ. What wants soeuer be in vs he hath a supply of them all The Papists make him an insufficient Sauiour in that they patch our merits to his and so they disgrace Christ but we are to count Christ a most perfect and absolute Mediator and Redeemer in himselfe without vs. To buy The meanes how these worthie gifts of God are gotten Christ saith by buying and bargaining he saith not receiue but buy This is an allusion to the state of that citie which was rich and consisted most of Merchants which liued by buying and trafficke therefore he speaketh to them in their
wil sup c. This is the promise it self namely a mutual fellowship with Christ this is the ground of al ioy comfort happines therfore it is here propounded as the principal thing and it hath two parts first I will sup with him secondly and he with me The true communion betweene Christ and his members stands in these two things Here is a double feast and these two containe the summe and substance of Salomons book called the Canticles for there Christ entertaineth feasteth the church and the church feasteth him For the first I will sup with him How Cant. 4. end Come my wel beloued and eate of the delicate things and pleasant fruites there you may see how euery Christian soule conuerted makes Christ a feast to wit with the fruites of true repentance Psal. 51. The broken and contrite heart that is a most worthie part of the feast and a sacrifice acceptable to God Secondly a beleeuing heart for without saith it is vnpossible to please God Heb. 11. and when we giue vp our bodies and soules a liuing sacrifice Rom 12. 1. bring broken beleeuing and obedient harts these are the dishes and delicates wherewith Christ is fed wherein he delights And he with me We must also be feasted by Christ for Christ comes not for this end to be entertained but to entertaine The feast which Christ makes is his own bodie and bloud in the administration of his Supper his bodie is true meate and his bloud is true drinke And the vessels in which it is serued out are the seales of the word and the guests are penitent sinners which haue broken hearts which hunger and thirst after Christ. Now from this feast ariseth righteousnesse peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. All ioy that heart can thinke comes by this feast Now seeing Christ makes these promises as a principall token of his loue we must make some vse of them We must renounce all our carnal vanities and earthly delights and giue our selues no more to surfetting and drunkennesse and sumptuous banquetting Here is a better kind of feasting therefore turne your eyes from those lift vp your hearts and haue care to entertaine Christ feast him with the graces that God hath giuen you and labor againe to be feasted of him feed of his bodie and bloud to life eternall Labour to be acquainted with these that you may know by experience how Christ feasts you and you him You know one friend how to entertaine another euerie man according to his dignitie but you should haue more care of this spirituall and mutuall entertainment betweene Christ and you Againe see here a notable abuse of those that come to the Lords table for marke how these two go together Christ feasts vs and we must feast him so that there may be an enterchange of feasting but our communicants come to the Lords table and they will haue Christ feast then but they will not feast him whereas we should feast him daily by faith obedience and repentance and good duties of our callings but we like churlish vngratefull Nabals haue not one good dish to feast him withall This is our shame Or if we be good guests for a day yet after that is past we haue no care to entertaine Christ. Looke to it therefore and see that you feed Christ not by your owne natural power but by your gifts of grace To him that ouercometh c. This is the conclusion of the Epistle in which note two parts first a promise secondly a precept The promise To him that ouercometh that is he that holds out keeping faith and a good conscience against all the enemies of his saluation Shall sit that is haue fellowship with Christ in his glorie Christ doth not promise equall glorie and honor for that is not possible for anie creature because he is the head of his church but onely a participation as if he should say he shall be partaker of my glorie so farre as shall be meete and conuenient for him as appeareth by the words following But this wil some say is no great matter True the carnall heart of man may surmise so therefore he addes as I ouercame c. This is no small glorie for like as my father did aduance me when I had ouercome so will I aduance all my members when they haue ouercome their spirituall enemies Now as Christ is inferiour to the Father as he is Mediator and yet sits with him so the members of Christ may sit with him and yet be vnequall to him in glorie Verse 22. Let him that hath an eare This hath bene expounded often before The memoriall of the righteous is euerlasting but the name of the wicked shall rot Prou. 10. Laus Christo nescia finis ❧ An excellent Sermon plainely prouing that Rome is Babylon and that Babylon is fallen Preached long since by a famous Diuine and added as a Commentarie to the hardest part of the Reuelation REVEL 14. VERS 8. She is fallen she is fallen euen Babylon that great Citie for of the wine of the furie of her fornication she hath made all Nations to drinke THE holy Euangelist S. Luke in the fourth chapter of his Gospell recordeth that on a time when our Sauior came into the Synagogue at Nazareth to reade as his custome was there was deliuered to him a booke containing the Prophecie of the Prophet Esay Which after he had opened at the first he found the place where it was written in these words The spirit of the Lord is vpon me because he hath annoynted me that I should preach the Gospell to the poore He hath sent me that I should heale the broken in heart that I should preach deliuerance to the captiues and sight to the blind that I should set at libertie them that are bruised and to preach the acceptable yeare of the Lord. Then after he had closed the booke and deliuered it to the Minister he sate downe to preach and the eyes of all them that were in the congregation were bent vpon him Then he opened his mouth and spake vnto them these words This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your eares and they all gaue him testimonie that it was so In like maner may I say concerning this place of Scripture which I haue read vnto you In your eyes and eares is this Scripture this day fulfilled And I pray God you may all likewise beare witnesse with me that it is so The last time that I spake in this auditorie I intreated of the flourishing and prosperous estate of Ierusalem which is the Church of God set foorth in the 122. Psalme and therefore good order now requireth that I should speake of the decay and ouerthrow of the enemie of Ierusalem which is Babylon the See and Church of Antichrist and for that purpose principally haue I chosen this text of Scripture to speake of that by the one we might be enflamed with loue of the true Church