Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	believe_v	faith_n	word_n	11,191	5	4.5836	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77155	Zeale for Gods house quickned: or, A sermon preached before the assembly of Lords, Commons, and Divines, at their solemn fast Iuly 7. 1643. In the Abbey Church at Westminster. Expressing the eminencie of zeale requisite in church reformers: / by Oliver Bowles, Pator of Sutton in Bedfordshire. Published by order of both Houses of Parliament.	Bowles, Oliver, ca. 1577-1646?	1643 (1643)	Wing B3884; Thomason E63_6; ESTC R9592	34,766	57

parts and learning his applause in the world priviledge him when the hand writing shall appeare upon the wall Surely when a Minister shall lie upon his death-bed nothing can uphold his drooping spirit but the testimony of his conscience that he hath fought a good fight kept the faith This alone must be our Paradise Finally my Brethren why consider we not that God hath engraven our duties upon our names we are watchmen shepheards workemen builders the Lords husbandmen his souldiers if we slack or forget our duties we shall forget our names Nay our names will be our accusers the ground of the Lords quarrell against us That which of old was given in charge to a Roman Consull Pium nomen est reatus impii Salv. de provid lib. 4. Consul es praesta nomen the same should euery one of us enforce upon our selves Minister verbies hoc age pastor es praesta nomen tuum I conclude with that of Hierome In Ep. ad Nepot Reade what your name is and be what you are call'd And now beloved having endeavoured to quicken you and my selfe to the duty of preaching give mee leave to suggest something concerning the manner that it may be done to the best purpose the Lord requires not onely that we preach the Word but so to preach it as that our hearers may bee brought on to the Faith Acts 14.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paul and Barnabas are said so to have taught that multitudes beleeved If it bee an advantage to a hearer in his work how he hears is it not so to a preacher how he preaches That our Ministery may bee successefull First We must preach zealously that was the honour of Iohn the Baptist that he was a burning light Iohn 5.35 Act. 7.16 of Saint Paul that with respect to the Idolatry at Athens his spirit was stirred within him so of Apollos it is witnessed that he was fervent in spirit Act. 1● 21 This Zeale must shew it self by a holy indignation against sinne Sozemen lib. 8. c. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is reported of Saint Chysostome that he reproved sinne against God as if he himselfe had received an injury It appears also by enlarged desires that the souls of the hearers may be brought to God so in S. Paul Rom. 9.3 I could wish my selfe accursed from Christ c. This Zeale in a Preacher will put life and quicknesse into their expressions Men of cold and dead spirits their words die in their mouthes and usually beget a coldnesse in their hearers Zeal is as Rosin to the strings of the musicall Instrument without which it makes no sound Only as the good Huswises fire on the hearth is enlarged or lessened according as the family occasions so according to the nature of the Offences as great or small should the Preachers Zeale be proportioned Secondly We must preach compassionately what else is insinuated in those phrases wherein God is brought in speaking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as putting on the bowels of a man Deut. 5.25 ●zek 33.11 Os 11. and teaching us so to do It is said of Christ that he had compassion on the people for that they were as sheepe without a Shepherd Mat. 9.36 and in another place speaking to Hierusalme how compassionately doth he expresse himselfe O Ierusalem Ierusalem Mat. 23.37 how would I have gathered thee together as a Hen gathereth her Chickens no compassion greater than that of the Hen to her Chickens How did he in the foresight of her miseries approaching Luke 19. weepe over her and crie O that thou hadst known Heb. 5.2 c. The high Priest was therefore to be taken from among men that he might have compassion on them that were ignorant and out of the way Is there any object in the world that deserves more pitie than a lost Soule in the snare of the Devill blessing it selfe as if it were well when it is poore blinde beggarly and naked and every houre lyable to an insufferable an eternall destruction Thirdly We must preach convincingly First there must be evidence of reason convincing the understanding of that we would perswade men to Man is a reasonable creature not drawne hither and thither by a thunder and lightning of blustering termes which at the utmost onely starrle the affections for a time but afterwards for want of a convicted judgement they return to their old temper Col. 2.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is that which is called The full assurance of understanding 2. There is also required a conviction of the consciance whereby we evidence to men that they be guilty convincing them that they are the men That was it that vexed the Priests that the Apostle taxed them in particular Act. 5.28.33 as guilty of the blood of Christ He intends to bring this mans blood upon us The Jewes that stoned Steven Act. 1.35 were cut to the heart when he charged them in particular as stiffenecked and uncircumcised in heart Men will endure much so be it you let their since alone or them in the practice of their sins but if they be apprehensive that your reprooses come home to them they then are stined and filled with wrath Luke 4.28 1 Cor. 14.25 When the Preacher is manifest in the conscience of the hearers then they consesse that God is in him they crie out 1 King 22.8 Omnis actio fit per contractum You prophecy evill to us As the Philosophers say that all action is by touching so all doctrine works by particular application he that delivers himself altogether in generalls seldome workes upon the people Ab usu doctrina ad ejus applicationem descensus est quidam quasi a specie ad individuū transitus Zeppar de habend Concio It is the spreading of the Net which is done by particular application which takes the Fish Alwayes provided that we must not decipher men by personall circumstances or distinguishing Characters this will take off the efficacie of our reproof in that the reproved will question the good affection of the reprover as not tendring his good name while he does that openly which should have been done secretly only if any mans sinne or a known circumstance of his sin do discover him 't is not the reprover but the offender does discover himselfe Sinnes must not be passed over in silence which declare themselves because men complaine that wee particularize Fourthly We must preach feelingly according to the nature of the Doctrine we doe so when we preach as sensible in our own hearts of what we would have take impression upon another The best way to speake to the heart is to speak from the heart 2 Cor. 2.4 Saint Paul when he would beget in the Corinthians a godly sorrow of heart he writes unto them out of much affliction and anxiety of spirit with many tears He that will make men sensible of wrath and damnation or

inability to help themselves in their passage from Babylon to Ierusalem So we being now upon a further progresse not from Babylon as some have unjustly slandered us but from the remnants of Babylon to the new Ierusalem our work is the Lord assisting to humble our soules before him in a more then ordinary way Oh that the Lord would put us into such a posture of abasement as might make both our persons and services acceptable before him so should we not doubt but the Lord Christ would be in the middest among us The words read unto you are for the latter part taken out of the sixty ninth Psalme uttered by David as a type of Christ as appears by this application of them Consider in the verse first the Scripture alledged secondly the meanes whereby it came to be alledged For the latter it was an act of a sanctified memory in the Disciples calling to minde what was written whereunto the fact done did serve as a remembra●cer Observe Observ That conscionable reading of holy Scriptures shall be attended with seasonable remembring That is conscionable reading when we take up reading the Scriptures in the severall seasons which the Lord commands as an act of obedience unto him this shall have seasonable remembring for so is the promise of Christ Iohn 14.26 The Comforter shall bring all things to your remembrance How industrious then should we all be in frequent search of Scriptures Are not they the Paradise of God wherein growes the Tree of Life Ambr. Ep. 42. and the leaves are good to heale the Nations Are not Scriptures as that Poole whereunto God hath promised a vertuall power wherein we may wash and be cleane Scriptures are that golden Mine wherein we may dig riches that may make us rich to God that enrich us to life eternall Luther in Gen. 19. So zealous was Luther to have the Scriptures read that he professed that if he thought that the reading of his Books would hinder the reading of the Scriptures he would burne them all before hee died But thus much of these things briefly the Scripture it selfe alledged being that which I intend principally by Gods help to insist upon And in this Scripture alledged in the Text three particulars offer themselves 1. The grace Zeale 2. The Object whereabout it was conversant Gods House 3. The Degree wherein it seized upon David and Christ they were eaten up with it Quest First then for the Grace it selfe What is Zeale Answ It is a holy Ardour kindled by the holy Spirit of God in the affections improving a man to the utmost for Gods glory and the Churches good Zelus est intensus gradus purae affectionis It is not so much any one affection as the intended degree of all Affections are the motions of the Will as carried out to the prosecution of good or avoiding of evill They are as the Philosopher speaks exitus animae the out-goings of the soule What the Wheeles are to the Cart the Sinewes to the Body Wings to the Bird the Wind to the Sailes spread such are the Affections to the Soule implanted by God to carry it hither and thither as the objects do more or lesse affect Man lies like a logge the soule moves not but as the Affections stirre For their order they are so placed in the soule as that they are subservient one to another the irascible to the concupiscible When the desiring faculties flag grow remisse by intervenient impediments then comes in the irascible faculties as removens impedimenta as taking away the impediments and is not this that which is properly called Anger This made Luther to say Ira suo loco est optimum Dei donum The second thing is the Object Gods House the house of God under the Law was all the externall pledges of Gods presence the Altars Temple Tabernacle Ark c. The house of God under the Gospel is as the people of God elsewhere so the Ordinances of God here The third thing is the Degree hath eaten me up a metaphor taken from men that receive nourishment and the meat after its severall concoctions is assimilated into the nature of them that receive it Zeale doth totally surprize us in what concerns God we so minde the things of God as if we minded nothing else What was said of Peter that he was a man made all of fire and of Saint Paul in respect of his sufferings that he was a spark of fire burning in the middle of the sea Flamma inextinguibilis in medio mari that may be much more said of Christ when he was upon the work of Church-reformation The Text thus opened this proposition offers it selfe Doct. That Church-reformation doth call for utmost zeale Our love to promote that work must be such Can. 4 12. as many waters cannot quench Our desires must be enlarged Ps 119 20 as those which break through all impediments admit of no deniall give me my request or I die Vers 171. our hope must be more longing our endeavours full of activity our hatred of the opposites more perfect our anger in removing the hindrances more violent These stirrings of the Spirit expell Lukewarmnesse induce Zeale Zeale sets on work the whole tide of our affections Psa 87.7 All my springs are in thee in promoting the good of Gods Church David had a spring-tide of his affections they all ran in that channell To what dangers hazards and censures did Christ here in the exercise of his zeale expose himselfe in the case of Church-reformation Davids zeale for the setling of the Ark how did it make him deny himselfe in his most necessary refreshings I will not goe into my house c. Psa 132.3 his house was no house his bed no bed his rest no rest so in his worldly credit I will yet for my Gods sake 2 Sam. 6.22 bee more vile So in those innumerable heaps of gold and silver 1 Chro. 29.3 which out of his earnest zeale he had prepared and set apart for the building of the Temple Nehemiah that Embleme of Reformers what a measure of zeale did he discover in leaving all his Court preferments putting himselfe in his owne person upon a hazardfull and tedious journey in the encounters and oppositions both open and secret he met withall in his expensefulnesse and that to prodigality as it may seeme for the common cause in his unwearied persisting in the work till it was accomplished How iron-like was the spirit of Elias how did he out of a spirit of zeale against the Idolatry of Baal set his face against Ahab Iezebell and all the Priests of Baal how was he driven to flie for his life some Geographers compute his journey at many hundreds of miles How great were the exigences he was put unto even near affamishment to a wearinesse of his life Iohn the Baptist of what an invincible spirit he was his encounter with a generation of vipers

Ecclesiast●cis Quid est qued c. Ezek. 22.26 Lib. de Eccles defect Quid est quod Gladius Ecclesiae scilicet Excommunicatio extrahitur pro re nihili ut pro re nummariâ This once established will direct us to put a difference betwixt the holy and the prophane the cleane and the uncleane for want whereof the Lord challenges the Priests Hath not this been and is it not yet in a great part remaining upon us as one of our land destroying sinnes the promiscuous thrusting in of scandalous and ignorant persons upon the Sacrament of the Lords Supper to the horrible prophaning of the same and no power that would hitherto bee allowed as legall no not for making stay of such Misunderstand me not I meane not that men should be cut short of that latitude which the Lawes of Christ allow only let that hedge and mound of Discipline be erected whereby holy things may not be indifferently administred as well to men egregiously prophane and that after conviction as to the Lord his holy ones Thus of things now of persons These bee as all Church Officers whereof a ground in Scripture so more specially the Ministers of the Word the Dispensers of holy things These if good are the best of men as who are one of a thousand Ioh. 33 2● 2 Cor. 5.19 when others at the utmost but one of foure or five hundred to these God hath committed the Ministry of Reconciliation even of God with men these the Lord hath betrusted with the power of opening and shutting Heaven when the like Commission is not given to the Angels themselves for to which of the Angels did God ever say Whatsoever yee binde on Earth is bound in Heaven c. These worthily stiled Saviours Iohn 20.23 Obad. 1.21 and of such as these Reformers hold out a hope all their endeavours are and ought to be that the Churches those who have sate in darknesse and in the shaddow of death may bee furnished with bright shining lights Now as these who attend at the Altar if good the best so if evill the worst for as it is among the Marriners who see the wonders of the Lord in the deep they either are the best or worst of men the best if what they see works for the best or the worst if not bettered so we Ministers whom God acquaints with the depths of Scripture come off from that priviledge either as most prophane or most holy If Salt hath lost its favour what is it good for but to be cast to the dunghill What hope of salvation for such where remedies are turned into loathing poison as a Qualis spes salutis esse poterit ubi quae suerint remedia convertuntur in nauseam venenum Gerson tract de vita Cler. Gerson And hence is that of b Chrys hom 40. in Math. Qui● unquam vidit Clericum cito respiscentem Chrysostome Who ever saw a Clergy man easily brought to Repentance And does not that work which will thus reserve all honour to Gods ordinances keep them from the prophane ones furnish the Church with faithfull watchmen and ridde us of such burdens as are of all other most insufferable require our utmost zeale Reason 2 The second particular evincing the necessity of zeal is the difficulty of the work in respect of the mountianous oppositions Reformers shall and must encounter with as first not onely a large-spread but also an unanimous combination of the Churches enemies Gebal Ammon and Amaleck the Philistims and them that dwell at Tyre and they have consulted together with one consent c. Pope Spanyard French and the whole generation of the English-Jesuites Papists and Prelaticall Faction and Libertines all looking upon the work of Reformation not only as hindring their design their good work in hand as they call it but undermining their Kingdome How industriously vigilant are they in laying out themselves their heads hands and purses They leave no stone unremoved that may hinder our work or promote their own Doth not all this challenge our utmost zeale Secondly in respect of the prevailing nature the close adhering of Church-mens as they are called sinnes with whom Reformers must contest These are sensuality ambition and idlinesse It was the Monks bellies and the Cardinalls Caps which as Erasmus observed did create Luther his greatest trouble Sensuality is a sinne where ever it seizes maximae adherentiae of the greatest adherence as the Schoole speaks a Prov. 23. last v I will though smitten saith the drunkard seek it yet againe and of sensuall sinnes it is said b Prov 2.19 They return not againe The Philosopher could say c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The intemperate man is seldome a penitent man The guise of such Church-men an old Writer deciphers as those which did turn their d Petr. Blessensis Ep. 7. scribere into bibere and their codices into calices Such the Prophet describes e Isai 55.12 Come say they and we will fill our selves with wine and to morrow shal be as to day f Fran. Duarerus de Beneficiis Another describes them as patinis magis quam paginis incumbentes Such belly-gods as these g Bernard Serm. 30. in ●ant another sayes of them no dainties suffice them as if to bee judged rather by their complexion then their profession Against such evill beasts and slow-bellies not only the Ancient h Concil Laodic can 24. Concil Carthag tertium Synod Turonensis Councels and Synods but even Iulian himself shall rise up in judgment He perceiving that the Christian Faith did grow and encrease by the sobriety and abstemiousnesse of their Ministers gave command to his Arch-Flamine Arsatius that his Priests should not drink in a i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tavern if any should doe so he should bee removed from his Priests Dignity and for that horse-leach humour of ambition which hath so eaten up the vitals of our Clergy-Masters May wee not see a picture of them in Balaam who that he might have been capable of Balack's great perferments how doth hee wind and turn himselfe every way that he might curse Gods people Num. 22. 23. How lively doth Bernard decipher them Curritur in Ecclesiastica c. learned and unlearned runne ad curas Ecclesiasticas ac si sine cura victuri cum jam ad curam pervenerint as if men were to live without all care when they came to a charge The same authour tartly derides them when hee speaks on this manner k Festina mu●t●plicare praeb●ndas inde evola ad Archidiaconatum d●in as●ira ad Episco●atum nec ●bi requ●e●● habiturus quia sic ●t●r ad astra Q●o progrederis m●ser Bern. i● Serm. Ec●e reliquimus ●●nia Hasten to multiply Prebends from thence flie to an Archdeaconry at length climb up to a Bishoprick not satisfied with that because this is the way to Heaven Whether dost thou post ô miserable man So a

5. Was it not our shame that even Bellarmine yea the Councell of Trent it selfe should stile Preaching Praecipuum Episcopi officium the chiese duty of a Bishop when we suppressed it put gaggs in the mouthes of the Preachers cast all scorne upon it The Lord bee blessed who hath in a degree restored it to its pristine dignity opened the mouthes that were stopped encouraged the faithfull Preachers Oh that our sinnes may not make the shadow of the Dyall to goe back A maine danger here may be from those that will thrust in upon this worke that are not fit for it that will be Canales before they be Conchae Bernard is Cant. Serm. 18. Channels to let out before they be vessels to retaine There is in many an effusion before infusion Cum ●daedificium arbasta succidim●s c. Greg. Ep. 95. Excellently spake that Father who said We cut not greene wood to build withall but we first season it lest it shrinke and deceive us Why observe we not that such are not to be admitted to the Ministery that are Novices * 1 Tim. 3.6 It was the complaint of Greg. Naz Orat in Laudem Basil That though no man could obtaine the name no not so much as of a Painter but he must first have mingled many colours yet men are easily found fit for the Ministery As the Poets fained the Giants we make them Saints one day and we bid them be wise and learned men another day which have learned nothing nor brought any thing to the Ministery but onely their Velle And now my deare brethren whom I love and honour give me leave to remember you of the Prophet Ezekiels sad threatning and Saint Pauls deepe charge If the Watchman see the sword come and blow not the Trumpet and the people bee not warned their blood will I require at the Watchmans hands Who saith one of the Ancients Quis tam saxeus tam ferreus quemsententia haecnon percellat Prosp lib. ● de vitâ contemplativâ c. 20. Fulminasunt non verbe Eras Eccles so stony so iron hearted a man as whom this Scripture would not amaze And Erasmus sayes of these words they are rather thunderbolts then words such thunderbolts which the Iudge of all the world will dart against negligent Pastors Blond-guilt is a sad sinne but guilt of soule-bloud is more dreadfull and inexpiable We may have many sinnes but beware we adde not this to all the residue No such remarkeable plague fell ever upon any Family as upon that of Eli for the wickednes of Hophni and Phinehas who made people to abhorre the offerings of the Lord. 1 Sam 3. The wickednesse of Eli his house shall not be purged with sacrifice or offering for ever As for Saint Pauls deep charge upon Timothy weigh it throughly 2 Tim. 4.1 2. I charge thee before God and the Lord Iesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead in that his appearing and in his Kingdome preach the Word bee instant in season and out of season At other times it suffices to urge Gods Name here the sweet Name of the Lord Jesus that is honey in the mouth Musicke in the eare a joyfull shout in the heart is pressed At other times the Name of Jesus Christ suffices here he sets it on by an argument taken from the glorious and last appearing of Christ and that to judge the quicke and the dead which will be a day of terrour and such a day where in Christ will cast it in the teeth of every idle Minister Perditam non quaesivisti thou hast not sought the sheepe that was lost redde rationem villicationis give an account of thy stewardship Ibisid est in die judic it Petrus cum Iudea bi Paulus conversum mundum post se ducens apparebit c. Ibi omnes dominicae gregu arietescum animarumlucris apparebunt nos miseri c. qui pastores hic vocati sumus ibi gregem non ducmus Gregor hom 7. livan How heavy an account will that be to those to whom the Lord hath said Occupy your talents till I come when the Lord shall call them to a reckoning and every one come in and say Lord here bee the soules thou hast given me and thou an idle or scandalous Minister who hast built with one hand and destroyed with another hast nothing to offer but a poore leane ignorant starved Flock when others bring in large harvests How sad will thy account bee If terrour will not affright us then let the glorious crowne that abides every faithfull Minister worke upon us for such there is laid up a Crowne of Righteousnesse 2 Tim. 4.8 a Crown that withers not 1 Pet. 5 4. an Euge enter into thy Masters joy thou hast beene faithfull in a little I will make thee ruler over many Shall not they that winne many soules unto God shine as starres for ever Dan. 11.3 Doe not all the contents that are apt to Byas us from our work fall short of that eternall weight of glory Why consider wee not other men have other wayes to goe to heaven Magistrates if they rule well rich men if they distribute liberally and give to the poore private men by diligence in their Calling but a Minister can goe no way to heaven but by faithfully attending the Lords flocke Yea if it could be so that there should be no reward that abides a zealous faithfull Teacher which notwithstanding is surely laid up in heaven yet the very comfort that arises from the diligent doing of our duties would abundantly recompence all our paines Ecquod gaudium Erasmus Ecclesiast ecquod tripudium c. Is there any joy any dance can more cheere up a mans spirit then the comfort of a soule wonne to Christ Let other men enjoy their fat and rich preferments hunt after dignities be called of men Rabbi as for us if we can say here be the children the Lord hath given us it suffices Let others say who will give us such a Bishopricke such a Deanry such a rich Parsonage a good Minister will say as the King of Sodome said to Abraham Give me the persons so many Converts take thou the goods to thy selfe Was ever Caesar more glorious in his Diademe when he put downe whom he would and set up whom he pleased when he rode in triumph before whole Armies of Captives Rom. 15.17 then Saint Paul when he glories how he had spred the Gospel from Ierusalem and all the circumjacent Countryes to Illyricum I have whereof I may glory through Jesus c. And on the contrary is there any such wounding crosse is there any such torturing fury that can so torment and eat up the heart as when an unfaithfull Minister shall seriously and in cold bloud weigh what heapes of soules he hath beene a meanes to plunge for ever into the infernall Lake Can his bravery his luxury his good companions his jollity can the excellency of his