Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	blood_n	body_n	soul_n	10,399	5	5.2639	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A67743	The cause and cure of ignorance, error, enmity, atheisme, prophanesse, &c., or, A most hopefull and speedy way to grace and salvation, by plucking up impediments by the roote reduced to explication, confirmation, application, tending to illumination, sanctification, devotion / by R. Younge ...	Younge, Richard.	1648 (1648)	Wing Y143; ESTC R16605	116,892	303

of his word So that all the difference between them and very infidels is only this the one are infidels in their hearts the other are infidels in their lives as Augustine pithily And what 's the reason they curse us but this They are the Devils best schollers and of his highest Forme the language of Hell is so familiar unto them that they speake not a word of our Countrey language And indeed how should they speake the language of Canaan to whom blasphemy is become the mother tongue Secondly they curse us because they cannot be suffered to kill us for in heart and Gods account they are no better then murtherers nor will it bee any rare thing at the day of Judgement for Cursers to be indited of murther they would kill us if they durst they doe kill so far as they can I would be loath to trust his hands that bannes mee with his tongue It is easie to guesse how they would deale with us if we were at their mercy He that smiled on David in his throne curseth him in his flight Now his unsound and treacherous heart discovers it selfe in a tongue full of venome a handfull of stones and had not David been yet too strong for his impotent Subject he had then breathed his last Prosperous successe hides many a false heart as a drift of snow covers a heape of dung but when that white mantle melts the filthy rottennesse will soon appeare Neither is it any sinne we commit or offence wee give them that they Curse us Who could have lesse deserved those curses those aspersions those stones then David Had Shimei beene other then a dog hee had never so rudely barked at so harmeles a passenger That head deserved to be tonguelesse that body to be headlesse that thus blasphemed an Innocent though hee had beene lesse then the Lords Anoynted Againe Why would they kill our bodies but because they could not slay our soules For it is soule-soule-blood which the Serpent and his Seed thirst after as I shall shew afterward But alasse if all their Curses and threats all their aspersions and Anti-christian slanders could flout us out of the integrity of our devotion when our forefathers feared not the flames we were fearfull cowards As for their banning of us we have learnt from Solomon That the causelesse curse shall not come Prov 26.2 or at least it shall not come where the curser meant it Yea the Psalmist tells us plainly That though they curse yet God will blesse Psalm 109.28 And his blessing shall doe us good while their curses hurt none but themselves for what saith the Holy Ghost in the same Psalme speaking of the desperately wicked whose brand is that they love cursing The words are these As he loved cursing so shall it come unto him and as he loved not blessing so shall it be far from him As be cloathed himselfe with cursing as with a rayment so shall it come into his bowels like water and like oyle into his bones Let it be unto him as a garment to cover him and for a girdle wherewith he shall be alwayes girded ver 17 18 19. Heare this all yee whose tongues run so fast on the Devils errand Yee loved cursing you shall have it both upon you about you and in you and that everlastingly if you persevere and goe on For if Christians be charged to blesse their enemies what will bee their case that curse their friends Yea if he which but curseth Satan curseth his owne soule as it is Eccles. 21.27 What doth he that curseth the Saints and deare children of God Surely their curses shall bound backe into their owne breasts as the stones which Shimei threw at David did rebound upon Shimei and split his heart yea and at last knockt out his braines Cursing mouthes are like ill made Peeces which while men discharge at others recoile in splinters upon their owne faces Their words and wishes bee but whirle-winds which being breathen forth returne againe to the same place Cursed be he that curseth thee Gen. 27.29 Yea hee shall be cursed with a witnesse for even Christ which came to save the world shall say unto them at the last day Depart yee cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his Angels Matth. 25.41 Where they shall doe nothing but curse for evermore Revel 16.11.21 And indeed Who should goe to Hell if cursers should be left out Wherefore let all those learne to blesse that looke to be heires of the Blessing SECT 35. 10. IT is their use to threaten the religious as all the men of Sodome threatned just Lot that they would deale worse with him then with the Angels Gen. 19.9 Iehoram Elisha saying God do so to me and more also if the head of Elisha shall stand on him this day 2 Kings 6.31 And thus Paul before his conversion breathed out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples Acts 9.1 2. It were no living for godly men if their hands were allowed to bee as bloody as their hearts But men and Devills are under restraint of the Almighty Neither are their words more swelling or their designes more lavish then their atchievements be vaine and their execution short Benhadad sends great words unto the King of Israel as if it were nothing to conquer him but stay the proofe Benhadad flyes and Israel pursues Commonly they that least can doe best cavill can and make the greatest flourish However it is well for the innocent that wicked men cannot keepe their owne counsels as God fetcheth their thoughts out of their owne mouthes many times even against their wills for the good of his Children as we may see in Esau when hee purposed the death of Iacob and in Saul touching David and in Iezabel touching Elisha whose threats did preserve them whom they meant to kill The wisdome and power of God could have found evasions for his Prophets with their enemies greatest secrecy but now they need no other meanes of rescue then their own lips And it is a mercy deserving thanks from God that the lightning of anger in a cruell mans eyes gives us warning of the thunderbolt in his hand But this concernes us only when we are threatned by the potent in other cases our best way will bee to stand it out for many a foe hath spoken bravely who in the push hath made more use of his heels then of his hands their threats being but like a boyes squib that onely flashes and cracks and stinks but is nothing SECT 36. 11. IT is their manner by subtlety to undermine the godly in talke that they may betray them as Saul caused his servants to undermine David by flattery thereby to worke his confusion 1 Sam. 18.17 And againe verse 21.25 thus those false Prophets and other enemies of the truth undermined Ieremiah seeking every way to destroy him Ier. 18.18 to the end of the Chap. And thus certaine of

repentance No these Flyes skip over all a mans sound parts I meane his excellencies to fasten on a scab or ulcer resembling our Prognosticators that are more diligent to make mention of foule weather than of faire stormes and thunder they much harp upon but calme and serene dayes passe them un-observed whereas an ingenious nature would passe over the evill where he findes more good considering wee are full of faults by nature good not without our care and industery for a minde well qualified is often beholding to the industry of the owner and Vlysses as Homer relates was so applauded for the accutenesse of an ingenious minde that men spared to object unto him the deformity of his body But these contrarily for want of matter to expect against will coyne it of their owne heads And that they may deliver themselves with the greater Emphasis will affirme as that Gymnosophist in Plutarch did of those Orators to Alexander That every one of them doth exceed his fellowes and sweare that the matter is so cleare and manifest that all the Towne rings of him meaning the good fellows of the Towne and to speake truth the parties faults are so cleare and evident that you may see them as well in the darke as with a candel as appeares by the sequell For ●re there not some godly and faithfull both Christians and Preachers that have beene often I say not ninety five times accused by them as Aristophanes was by the Athenians and every time found innocent though no thankes to their accusers for they indeavour all they can to corrupt such as heare them and fore-stall their judgements against the good and goodnesse O that men were so wise as to heare the tale-bearer with indignation examin before they trust beleeve his reports if infallibly true with unwillingnesse acknowledge it with griefe hide our neighbours faults with honest excuses and bury them in silence for commonly it fares with the first relator as it doth with a stone throwne into the water which of it selfe makes but one circle but that one begets a hundred and so both offends and infects many others but alwayes prooves himselfe to be uncharitable It were good for other men if tale-bearers would consider this but better for themselves True the wise and honest are able as so many Angels of God to discerne truth from slander though to the grief of many good hearts no musick can be so sweet to the eares of others as to heare well of themselves ill of the Religious And these as they often set the former on worke so they are resolutely opinionated in beleeving of lyes as Saint Austin speaks of the Priscillianists whereby they supererogate of Satan But what is the end of these tale-bearers and informers against good men Follow them to their ends and you shall see that if ever the Lord open their eyes to see this their fact they are even in this life rewarded with the strappadoes of an humane soule rackt in conscience and tortured with the very flashes of Hell fire and not seldome forced to lay violent hands upon themselves being never well nor in their owne place till they bee in Hell Acts 1.25 SECT 29. 4. IT is their manner to perswade and give devillish counsell to others like themselves to persecute the godly as Balaam gave w●cked councell to Balack against the Children of Israel when he could not be suffered to curse them Revel 2.14 Th●s the Princes and Rulers did to Zedekiah the King against Ieremiah saying Wee beseech you let this man bee put to death for thus he weakneth the hands of the men of Warre c. Ier. 38.4 and the Iewes of Thessalonica to the people of Berea against Paul Acts 17.13 That the enemies of the Crosse of Christ are still accustomed to deale after this manner with the religious I need not demonstrate plain things which our selves are daily witnesses of need no proofe Onely note their matchlesse malice herein who that they may be sure to prevaile first dazell their friends eyes with false accusations against us as true and certain as that Naboth did blaspheme God and the King and their associates are as sure of it as Darius was that the Idoll Bell did eate and drinke every day forty Sheep twelve Kakes and six great pots of Wine because threescore and ten of the Priests gave it out so And that their mortall enmity may be taken for a zeale of the Churches good as Iudas would have his covetousnesse taken for Charity Iohn 12.6 And the Pharisees their Cruelty thought Piety Matth. 23.14 All the reproaches that the Devill and these his Scavengers can rake out of the Channels of Hell shall be flung in our faces the worst language that hath ever been dipt in the forge or tipt at the fire of Hell shall be bestowed upon us wherein they resemble those ancient enemies of the Gospel who clad the Martyrs in the skins of wild Beasts to animate the Dogs to teare them This evill world hating true Christians as it did Christ without a cause readily takes up Arms against the most innocent and so cloathing them with pretended causes to colour that her hatred For as no man loves evill but under the shew of good so no man will appeare to hate what is good but under the appearance of evill Truth it selfe is arraigned as a deceiver And he by whom Kings reigne represented as an enemy to Caesar and under such representations to the people he is crucified by them Though perhaps this is more then needs for not seldome the counselled are more ready to yeeld their ayd then they are to ask it being of Maximinus his humor who seeing none offer themselves set on work certain vile persons to accuse the Christians of heynous crimes that so he might persecute them with more shew of reason for that one may supply the others defects the first finds an head the second a tongue the third hands As Vlysses may contrive but Diomedes must thorow with it so altogether deale with the poore Minister or Christian as the Soldiers did with Christ first blind him then strike him and last ask him Who is it that smote thee And he may answer the best man of them It was thou O mine enemy thou wast an Achitophel in the one a Doeg in the other a Belial in both And let such men know that this their instigation will end at last either in anguish or confusion teares or torment will become their recompence SECT 30. 5. IT is the manner and custome of wicked men to scoffe at the righteous as Ishmael scoft at Isaac Gen. 21.9 Rabshakeh at Hezekiah and his people 2 Kings 18.27 And the Philosophers at Paul Acts 17.18 to 21. And to this day the world is too full of scoffing Atheists and mockers of Piety Michal was barren yet she hath too many children that scorn holy exercises every houshold almost hath some in it

eye-sore of our enemies and let envy looke herselfe blinde And so much of the first Cause SECT 59. Quest. WHat is the second Cause why ungodly men hate and persecute the religious Answ. Their ignorance of God of Christ and the Scriptures Quest. How is that proved Answ. By Testimonies Examples Reason and our own Experience 1. First by Testimonies They shall hate and persecute you yea they shall excommunicate and kill you for my Names sake saith our Saviour to his Disciples because they have not knowne the Father nor me John 16.2 3. and 15.21 And again they are an offence unto us because they understand not the things which are of God but the things which are of men Matth. 16.23 And are deceived because they know not the Scriptures neither the power of God Matth. 22.29 Luke 19.42 2. Secondly by Examples and Reason This the Apostle confesseth to have been the cause of his persecuting the Church 1 Tim. 1.13 Who so soon as he was inlightned with the saving knowledge of the truth changed his note with his name and preached that faith which before be persecuted It s worth the noting how he was no sooner informed but he was reformed Now if we looke upon him as Saul wee shall see what we are by generation if wee looke upon him as Paul we shall see what we are or should be by regeneration Neither is it strange that the world through ignorance should hate and persecute the members of Christ for upon the same ground they even crucified Christ himselfe Father forgive them saith he of his murtherers for they know not what they doe And why have the Kings of the earth in all ages banded themselves together against the Lord and against his Christ Psal. 22. But because they knew him not John 15.21 For if the Princes of this world had knowne they would not have crucified the Lord of glory as the holy Ghost speakes 1 Cor. 2.8 Alas poore ignorant soules they did but imitate Oedipus who killed his Father Laius King of Thebes and thought he had killed his enemy And what do the Cavaliers now in killing the Saints But as if one with his Hatchet should cut off the bough of a tree upon which hee standeth For they are beholding to the Religious for their very breath Neither is their great plot any other peece of policy then as if the Sodomites should make hast to turne out Lot and his Family that fire and brimstone may make hast to destroy them For as when Noah and his Family were once entred the Arke the Flood came and destroyed the first World Gen. 7.11 13. So the number of Christs Church being accomplished fire shal come down to destroy the second World at which time the Devill and all Reprobates shall be laid up in hell Oh the wickednesse and witlesnesse of our Malignants Methinkes the Parliament may justly twit their unnaturall Country as Themistocles once did his Athenians with these words Are yee weary of receiving so many benifits by one Assembly And certaynly if ever it shal be dissolved without their consent which God forbid it would faire with the causers of it mens eyes being opened as it did with the Authors of Socrates his death which I finde thus reported After that Socrates was put to death at Athens Arastophones rehearsed a Tragedy of his concerning Palamides at the hearing whereof the people were so moved that they presently fel upon the Authors of Socrates his death and drew them forth to punishment But to return to what we intend If we consider it rightly we shall find that ignorance is the cause of all sin Sin indeed at the first was the cause of ignorance but now ignorance is the cause of sin Swearing and lying and killing and stealing and whoring abound saith the Prophet because there is no knowledge of God in the land Hos. 4.1.2 It is a people that doe erre in their hearts saith God why because they have not knowne my wayes Psal. 95.10 SECT 60. 3 THirdly Experience proves that none are so farre transported with a mad and supertitious zeale against the religious as the rude rabble who can yeeld no other reason or confession of their faith if they be asked then this that they are no Puritans or that they hate a Puritan from their soules when as the devill himself who hates the Puritan they mean most of any can make as good a confession of his faith as this For who are the greatest censurers and the violentest opposers of goodnesse are not the ignorant fry who have more rage than reason and the more fottish still the more insolent As reprove one of them for swearing or drunkennesse or unjust dealing or for prophaning the Lords day for Atheisme and the like you are sure to be branded with the odious title of Puritane yea you are factious and schismaticall if ye will not be drunke and every whit as lewd as they are It is worth a large smile to observe what a clamour the blundering rabble will make against the people of God if one in their company but mention the word Puritane or tell them how scrupulous and precise such an one is O what a number of sharp and deadly arrows will each of them shoot both at the good and goodnesse maugre all admonition For each being stung with the Gad-slie of mis-governed zeale as Paul was before hee knew Christ they presume to affirm with incredible impudence accompanied with invincible ignorance that there are not worse men in the world then the religious Wherein it is hard to say whether ignorance or malice doe more abound whether it be more out of the strength of will or weaknesse of judgement It is the nature of ignorant and carnall men that walke after the flesh in the lusts of uncleannesse whom Saint Peter calls bruit beasts led with sensuality to speake evill of the things they understand not 2 Pet. 2.12 Especially in judging acts of zeale and piety their opinion still lights upon the worst sense like them in the s●cond of the Acts who mocked the Apostles when they were filled with the holy Ghost and hearing them speak languages which they understood not cried out These men are drunke with new wine Untill we be borne againe we are like Nicodemus who knew not what it was to be born again Iohn 3.4 Untill we become zealous our selves wee are like Festus who thought zeal madnesse Acts 26.24 Untill we be humble our selves we are like Michal who mocked David for his humility and thought him a foole for dancing before the Arke 2 Sam. 6.16 Yea to such as shall perish or are for the present in a perishing condition all religion seemes foolishnesse 1 Cor 1.18 And thus you see in grosse that Ignorance is a main cause of hatred and persecution Wee shall more clearly discerne how it comes to be so if we note The Root Ignorance The Stem Suspition or

as the precisest and so did those Iews Iohn 5. which persecuted Iesus and sought to slay him thinke they beleeved Moses writings but it is plain they did not by Christ's answer to them who knew their hearts better than themselves his words are Had ye beleeved Moses yee would have beleeved me for he wrote of me but if yee beleeve not his writings how should ye beleeve my words ver 46 47 And againe Ye have not my Fathers Word abiding in you for whom he hath sent him yee beleeve not Ver. 38 39. So bring these that persecute any of Gods Children for well doing to the tryal and their owne consciences shall testifie before God that they neither beleeve the Old Testament nor the New For did they beleeve that the godly are unto God as the Signet upon his right hand Jer. 22.24 Zach. 2.24 Yea as the Apple of his owne eye Zach. 2.8 and that whatsoever wrongs and contumelies are done to his Children he accounts as done to himselfe Psalm 44.22 and 69.7 and 74.4 10 18 22 23 and 83.2 5 6 and 89 50 51 and 139 20. Prov. 19.3 Rom. 1.30 and 9.20 Matth. 10.22 and 25.45 Luk. 21.17 1 Sam. 17.45 Esay 37.4.22 23.28 and 45.9 and 54 17. Act. 5.39 and 9.4 5. Iob 9.4 1 Thess 4.8 Iohn 15.18 20 21 23 24 25. Num. 16.11 1 Sam. 8.7 They durst not hate revile slander deride nicke-name and persecute them as they doe More particularly did they really and indeed beleive God when he saith in his word that whosoever shal offend one of those little ones that beleeve in him it were better for him rather that a Milston were hung about his neck that he wer cast into the sea Marke 9 42. That he will destroy them for ever and roote them out of the Land of the living whose tongues imagine mischeife and are like a sharpe Razer that cutteth deceitfully loving to speake evill more than good Psalm 52.2 to 5. That hee will confound such as persecute his Children and destroy them with a double destruction Jer. 17.18 Yea that he will render unto their enemies seaven fold into their bosome their reproach wherewith they have reproached the Lord Psalm 79.12 In fine that he will rayne upon them snares of five and brimston with storms and tempests Psal. 11.6 and after all cast them into a furnace of fire where shall be wailing and guashing of teeth for evermore when the just whom they now dispise shall shine as the Sun in the Kingdome of their Father They durst not doe as they doe to the godly Yea if they did beleeve but that one place 2 Kings 2.24 Where God caused two and forty little Children to be devoured of wild Beares onely for nick-naming Elisha they durst not nick-name the religious as they doe Indeed God doth not alwaies nor often so eminently punish Persecutors in this life as here it fared with these children or as it did with Lucian who for barking against religion like a dog was by the just judgement of God devoured of dogges Or as it did with Nighti●gall parson of Crondall in Kent who was strook dead in the Pulpit while he was belching out his spleen against Religion and Goodnesse Or as it did with Stephen Gardiner who would not sit downe to dinner till the newes came of the good Bishops burnt at Oxford But then came out rejoycing and saying to the Duke of Norfolk Now let us goe to dinner but it was the last that ever he are for it Or as it fared with Arundal Arch-Bishop of Canterburys and Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester in their times who putting to silence both the word of God and those that purely preached it were themselves put to silence and so smitten in their tongues that they could not swallow their meat nor speak for a good space before they died True some flagitious persons God punisheth here least his providence but not all least his patience and promise of a generall judgement should bee called in question But alasse they are so farre from beleeving wha● God threatens in his word against these sinnes that they blesse themselves in their hearts saying we shall have peace we shall speed as well as the best although we walke according to the stubburnnesse of our own wills so adding drunkennesse to thirst Deut. 29.19 Yea they preferre their condition before other mens who are so abstemious and make Conscience of their wayes even thinking that their God deceiveth them with needlesse feares and scruples as once Rabshekab would have perswaded the Iewes touching their trust and considenec 2 Kings 18.22 25 30 32 33 35. Yea how ●'st possible that any wicked man should beleive what is written of God in the Scripture especially touching his justice and severity in punishing sin with eternall destruction of body and soule For did they really and indeed beleive God when he saith that his curse shall never depart from the house of the swearer Zac. 5. They durst not sweare yea and forsweare as they doe much lesse durst they take a pride inoathing of it resembling Ballio the baud in Plautus who was not ashamed but even proud of Carting Yea which is worse reprove a swearer and hee will sweare the more to spite you Which were not possible if beleeving God they did not what in them lies give themselves over to the Devill Againe did they beleeve that neither fornicacors nor Idolaters nor adulterers nor theeves nor murtherers nor drunkards nor swearers nor raylours nor lyers nor covetous persons nor extortioners nor unbelevers nor no unrighteous men shall inherit the Kingdom of Heaven but shall have their part in that lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death 1 Cor. 6 9 10. Revel 21.8 they durst not continue in the practice of these sinnes without feare or remorse or care of amendment Did they beleeve that except their righteousnesse doe exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees they shall in no case enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Matth. 5.20 And that without holinesse no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 with many the like it were impossible they should live as they doe Yea if they did in good earnest beleeve that there is either God or Devill Heaven or Hell or that they have immortal soules which shall everlastingly live in blisse or wo and receive according to that they have done in their bodies whether it be good or evill 2 Cor. 5.10 they could not but live thereafter and make it their principall care how to be saved But alasse they beleeve what they see and feel and know they beleeve the Lawes of the Land that there are places and kindes of punishment here below and that they have bodies to suffer temporall smart if they transgresse and this makes them abstaine from murther felony and the like but they beleeve not things invisible and to come for if they did they would as well