Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	christian_a	good_a	great_a	1,688	4	2.1264	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A43580	Job's appeal Being a funeral discourse delivered at Northonnam in York-shire, upon occasion of the death of Mr. Jonathan Denton, wherein a Christian's state is stated before God, and his sufferings from the hand of God cleared. Grounded upon Job X.7. By Oliver Heywood, minister of the gospel.	Heywood, Oliver, 1629-1702.	1695 (1695)	Wing H1769; ESTC R216792	23,707	37

an one Doct. 1. That a truly gracious Soul dare Appeal to God that he is not wicked The Child of God makes God Witness of his Integrity when Enemies scorn Satan accuseth Conscience nips and God himself keeps at a distance then the devout Soul can say as Job 16.19 Also now behold my witness is in Heaven and my Record is on high This may seem a Paradox but it 's a great Truth that the holiest Saint on Earth dare not justifie himself before God yet he dare stand before God to justifie his Integrity This must be understood in an evangelical sence not in a legal thro' Christ the Mediator not as in himself according to the Covenant of Grace not of Works A great Divine saith Journal Armour par 2 p. 88. The Gospel-Covenant relaxeth the rigor of the Law which called for compleat Obedience by resolving all that into this of Sinecrity and Truth When we go upon the Tryal for our Lives before Christ's Bar the great Inquest will be whether we have been sincere or not he means not that Sincerity is set up in Christ's Room but as it is evidential of our Interest in him Hence saith Job Let me be weighed in an even balance that God may know mine integrity Job 31.16 He means a Gospel-balance for by the works of the law shall no Flesh be justified nor doth he mean Gal. 2.10 that God must weigh him before he know him but it 's spoken after the manner of Men Hence David saith Ps 139.23 24. Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me There is Sin in me too much Wickedness in my naughty Heart God knows but I dare appeal to thee that there 's no wicked way or way of Wickedness i. e. no ordinary Road nor any uninterrupted Path of Sin in me it doth not make a Thorow fair of my Soul I give it many a turn and dare appeal to thee that I would be gladly rid of it All I shall do in this point is to propound and answer this weighty Case of Conscience Quest How may a Christian make it out in his Appeal to God that he is not wicked I confess this is a great Question and hard to be resolved but I shall follow the Scripture-line in representing the Good Soul's Case in his Appeal to God 1. Lord thou knowest I am not as I have been there 's a great change wrought in my Heart and Life a turn I have had thou knowest whether it be saving or no whether from the power of Satan to God but I can say such Acts 25 18.1 Cor. 6.11 such a one I was but I am not I a new Frame I am put into thou knowest whether it be the new Creature 2 Cor. 5.17 the Stream of my Affections runs in another Channel thou knowest whether in the Channel of Grace and Heaven-wards 2. Thou knowest I have made a solemn Covenant with thy self thou knowest the time place manner inducements ends witness of this Covenant I did study the Nature of this Covenant Psal 73.25 Isa 41.5.2 Cor. 8.5 and felt the Pulfe of my Soul whether I was cordial in it and I thought I chose thee only to be my chiefest Good and utmost End and gave up my self entirely to thee when there was no witness besides God and my own Conscience thou knowest whether I had any Reserves Distinctions Evasions in this solemn Transaction I have given thee the Keys of my Heart and am glad of such a Guest and Lord. 3. Lord Isal 66.18 thou knowest I do not regard Iniquity in my Heart I cannot look pleasantly upon it there is a secret dislike of every Sin not only as Soul-damning but as God dishonouring Psal 119.104 I hate every false way as contrary to the Law of God yea methinks I find an Antipathy to it as contrary to my new Nature tho' suited to my carnal Palate yet Grace raiseth my Stomach against it for the intrinsick Evil in it as well as Consequence of it I hate it tho' delectable profitable yea and abhor what is evil Rom. 11.9 Jude 23. ● even the garment spotted by the Flesh 4. Lord thou knowest I do daily resolve and pray against Sin Mat. 6.13 all Sin of Heart and Life thy self is privy to my earnest supplications that I may not be led into Temptation Psal 141.3 4. Gen. 39.9 or left under the power of it Lord set a watch before my mouth encline not my heart to any evil thing Psal 17.3 God forbid I should do this or that wickedness and sin against God I am purposed that my mouth hand feet shall not transgress God hath heard my Prayer and known my Vows against this and that particular Lust to which I was formerly addicted Psal 18.23 and hope I can say as David I was also up● 〈◊〉 before him and I kept my self from mine iniquity it prevails not over me 5. Lord Rom. 6. ● thou knowest I am daily seeking not only to lop off the Branches but to stub up the Roots of Sin to cut off Members that but weaken and mortifie the Body of Deam to crucifie the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts Gal. 5.24 Alas it 's not enough to cease the Acts but my Soul would weaken the Habits of Sin Oh that the Old Man were crucified with Christ that the body of Sin may be destroyed Rom. 6.6 The only Conquest is wrought by Christ's Death and Resurrection I do find it is nothing but the Law of Life in Christ Jesus that must make me free from the law of Sin and Death he only came to destroy the works of the Devil Rom. 8.2.1 John 3.8 6. Lord thou knowest I set my self against secret and spiritual Sins cleanse thou me from secret sins Psal 19.12 13 as well as keep me back from presunptuous sins I am afraid of Pride hardness of Heart lukewarmness hypocrisie vanity formality and all spiritual as well as fleshly Wickedness 2 Cor. 7 1. Now I understand by the Holy Law Rom 7 7. that the least motions of Sin in my Heart are evil and deserve Death thou knowest whether I make not conscience of those Sins which others make no reckoning of even vain thoughts Psal 119 113 risings 〈◊〉 7. Lord thou knowest the Conflicts and Combats betwixt 〈…〉 the flesh lusting against the spirit Gal 5 1. Cant. 6. ● and the 〈…〉 the flesh Methinks I find within me as it 〈…〉 ●panies of two Armies Rom 6 14. my Corruption is not on the Throne but in the Field Sin hath not dominion over me I am daily warring and tho' I am ost soiled by it yet fall on again it is not a King but a Tyrant in me I go daily armed into the Field and must militate under the Banner of my dear Lord and shall be Conqueror 8. Lord these

How often doth David chear up himself with this Your Names may lye under a Cloud for a season Psal 37.6 but God will bring forth your righteousness as the light Thus did he with holy Job 2. Against Satan's sore Temptations when he accuseth you to God he will say The Lord rebuke thee Zech. 3.1 2 3 4.1 John 3 26. O Satan He will take away your filthy garments When Satan accuseth you to your selves and Censcience condemns God is greater than your Hearts and will supersede all these Pleas. 3. In the hour of sad desertion when God hides his Face withdraws his Grace this will chear you when you can go to God and say Thou knowest I am not wicked let God carry as he pleaseth to me his Kisses are his own he doth me no wrong I will cling to him still Though he kill me Job 13.15 I will trust in him if he carry strangely to me yet he is good worthy to be follow'd in the dark I will stay my self on the Lord my God Isa 50.10 4. In a dying hour this will be a blessed Reflection when a Soul can say with good Hezekiah under the Sentence of Death Isa 38.3 Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart Oh happy Soul that can look Death in the Face and with confidence approach the tremendous Tribunal under the comfortable fence of this Upright and Scriptural Appeal Yet take a Caution or two 1. Take heed of Ostentation pride not your selves in it Job 9.20 for this is contrary to the nature and ends of this Appeal If I justifie myself Job 46.4 42.6 saith Job mine own mouth shall condemn me Alas I am far from Perfection I am vile what shall I answer thee I will lay my hand upon my mouth yea I repent in dust and ashes 2. The Lord Jesus is to be our only Surety Rom. 3.25 26 27. to answer for us where is boasting It is excluded By what law of works nay but by the law of Faith The Gospel-language is In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory Isa 45.25 Thus I have dispatch'd the former part of my Text I proceed to the latter There is none that can deliver out of thine hand What none then our condition were sad as forlorn as the fallen Angels but none here must refer to meer Creatures for Jesus Christ can deliver us out of the hands of Justice from present wrath and wrath to come 1 Thess 1.10 The Hand of God is the Power of God Deliverance is either temporal or spiritual or eternal Deliverance which way soever it be taken it will afford this Doct. That no means on Earth can rescue a Person out of the Hands of the Infinite God Job 9.12 Behold he taketh away who can hinder him who will say unto him what doest thou In opening this Text and Doctrin I shall observe this method 1. Shew the meaning of the Text. 2. In what cases Men are in GOD's Hand 3. What may most likely deliver Men. 4. Why no Creature can deliver So make Application 1. For the sence and meaning of the words Interpreters take them in a twofold sence First Some take it as vox dolentis the Language of Job's Sorrow and Complaint moving God's Bowels of Compassion As if Job should say Lord why dost thou deal thus severely with me Who can rescue me when thou arrests me Thou maist keep me under restraint for ever and take time enough to punish me thou needst not set me upon such a grievous wrack as tho' I were in danger to be rescued or to escape thy hands as men will take their penniworths of Malefactors while they have them so Princes fearing a rescue of the Prisoner send forth a Writ of Execution to dispatch him The tormented Prisoner desiring a dispatch out of his Misery by Death was answer'd by the Tyrant Nondum tecum in gratiam redii I am not so far Friends with thee It may be this Text is parallel to Ch. 7. where Job would be glad to be shut out of his Pain But saith he I see I cannot till God's time but Lord pity me smite me not both sharply and long Secondly Some make it sound as vox profitentis Job's heroick and magnanimous Profession and stout Resolution to adhere to God and Duty tho' he were kept under God's Hand all his days q. d. Lord I have appealed to thee that I am not wicked and I hope hitherto my Integrity hath appeared and by thy Grace assisting me shall further appear th● none should deliver me out of thine Hand I humbly hope thou shalt find me holding mine Integrity as long as Life do what thou wilt with me I will honour thee I hope to prove the Devil a Lyar Job 2.5 who said I would curse thee to thy Face hitherto he is mistaken and I hope shall be by the Grace of God assisting me if I never be deliver'd God shall not be blasphem'd I will for ever have good thoughts of God whatever he do with me If I cannot be deliver'd or satisfied about God's proceedings Jer. 12.1 yet God shall be justified Both these Sences are proper enough we may take it in either 2. What it is to be in God's Hand Ans God's Hand in Scripture-phrase implies these ten several things 1. God's Eternal Purpose and Design Acts 4.28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy councel determined before to be done Psal 33.11 This cannot be altered the councel of the Lord standeth for ever the thoughts of his heart to all generations This is a Truth but not pertinent here 2. God's supreme actual Power extended and put forth to do good Acts 4.30 By stretching forth thine hand to heal And this is true when God will help and heal the Devil and his Instruments cannot pluck the Patient out of God's Hand Nor can this be the proper sence here 3. By God's Hand is meant his Provision for his Creatures Psal 104.28 Thou openest thy hand they are filled with good And indeed none can starve those that God will supply In the days of famine they shall be satisfied Psal 37.19 Yet this is not the meaning of the Text. 4. God's disposing ordering Providence is held forth by his Hand Psal 31.15 My times are in thine hand No mortal can lengthen or shorten my days but thy self Man's days are determined God appoints these Bounds Job 14.5 I think Job means not this directly here 5. By God's Hand is meant the Divine Assistance Psal 74.11 Why withdrawest thou thy hand even thy right hand This is either Protection or Help Let thy hand be with the man of thy right hand Indeed none can hinder or weaken if God strengthen Yet this is not the sence 6. By Hand is meant God's special Love and Favour Luk. 1.66 The hand of the Lord is with him

liberer It is not my own Integrity that can free me from the Stroke of God's Hand Tho' I be not wicked yet I am not exempted from Affliction no nor any good man upon Earth Eccl. 9.1 2. Psal 73.10 14 Heb. 12.7 8 All things come alike to all the best men may be sadliest punished Waters of a full cup are wrung out to them they have been chastened every morning It 's no sign of God's Hatred but rather of his Love to correct his dearest Children yea to strike them with death It 's true Righteousness delivereth from death Prov. 10.2 but not from natural but spiritual and eternal death Josh 1.2 Moses my servant is dead Your Fathers Zech. 1.5 where are they and the Prophets do they live for ever we must needs dye It is the Royal Statute of Heaven mens Holiness and believing prayers cannot secure them from this Stroke as daily Experience testifies 4th Head is the Reasons why and whence it is that none can deliver out of the Hands of God 1. From GOD's Soveraignty and Man's Subjection His Kingdom ruleth over all Ps●l ●3 19 He is Supreme Lord and Law-giver to the vast Universe coelestial and terrestrial yea infernal Creatures are under his command and controul God put the greatest Monarch on Earth seven years Apprentice to the Beasts of the Earth to learn this great Lesson of the Almighty's Soveraignty Dan. 4.35 All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing None can say unto him what doest thou Things must be as God orders them 2. From GOD's power and Man's weakness God is the Almighty this is his essential Property Ge● 7.1 whereby he can do all things He created this World hangeth the Earth upon nothing and will burn it at the last day Heb. 11.3 he upholds all things with the Word of his power and can dissolve all in an instant and Who is able to stand before him Behold Isa 40.15 17 the nations are as a drop of a bucket yea all nations before him are as nothing yea less than nothing and vanity Who can resist him 3. From the Holiness of GOD and Sin of Man God is glorious in Holiness The Lord is righteous in all his ways Psal 145 17 and holy in all his works Never could any of the Sons of Men challenge him for an irregular act from the beginning of the World to this day all that have known God Jer. 12.1 Dan. 9 7. Lam. 3.39 have vindicated him and condemned themselves God is righteous but Man is punished for his Sins As Sinners cannot rescue out of God's Hands so if they judge aright they would not deliver themselves but say as David I know O Lord Psal 119 7 that thy judgments are right and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me 4. From the Wisdom of GOD and Man's Foolishness Alas what would Man do with himself if he were able to rescue himself out of God's Hands Cannot God dispose of him better than he can do of himself Psal 147.5 Is not his understanding infinite Rom. 8.28 Cannot God extract a medicinal Cup out of Poison and make the worst things work for the greatest good to his Children God is good to all abundant in Goodness and Truth and He doth good to them that be good Psal 125.4 Deut 8 2 1●… yea he doth good by the most unlikely means he chastens his that he may humble them prove them to do them good in the later end It were but madness then for a foolish man to desire a deliverance out of the hands of such a God whose Works are wrought in number weight and measure and disposeth all things to the best Use 1. Of Doctrine to inform us 1. That there is a God against Atheists who say in their hearts Psal 14.1 there is no God yea some say it with their Tongues and alas too too many say it in their Lives It 's a proud Pharaoh that saith who is the Lord I know not the Lord that I should let Israel go Exod. 5.2 I will not let Israel go but God will make him know his Power and Justice before he hath done with him yea the stoutest Devils in Hell feel his Hand and cannot but believe there is a God ●am 2.19 for none can deliver them out of his Hand There 's no Atheists in Hell whatever there may be on Earth 2. That God alone is absolute Soveraign over the whole Universe he alone rules the World he hath a Chain that binds Men and Devils Men may contradict his commanding Will none can contradict his disposing and punishing Will ●er 10.7 who would not fear thee O King of Nations God is absolute Lord all Creatures are his Subjects God works immediately or mediately and when he useth means it is not propter defectum suae Virtutis sed propter abundantiam suae bonitatis for want of power in him but his Goodness to us to communicate Dignity to the Creatures in their instrumentality 1 Sam. 14.6 for there 's no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few by any or by no Instruments at all 3. That it 's wonderful Condescention that the great God will concern himself about sorry Man Psal 113.6 who humbleth himself to behold things in Heaven Job 7.17 18. and in the Earth What is man that thou shouldst magnifie him and that thou shouldst set thine heart upon him Psal 119.75 Wherein in visiting and trying him It 's an act of God's care and faithfulness when God will take the pains to whip us rather than forsake us we are beholden to him for a Rod of Love much more for deliverance out of Affliction Psal 8.4 144.3 and advancing us by his right hand This makes David twice break out into this exclamation What is man that thou art mindful of him and takest knowledge of him 4. Adore we the infinite Grace of God and Christ in the blessed Gospel contrivance Man had sold himself to Sin Satan but Jesus Christ came to deliver such forlorn Captives by price and by power by the price of his Blood and the power of his Spirit 1 Thes 1.10 Psal 68 8. Eph. 4 8. thus Jesus delivers souls from the wrath to come he is mighty to save read Isa 50.1.9.53 to 63.1 2. He leads captivity captive in his Ascension yea ●n his lowest state of Humiliation even on the cross he spoi●ed principalities and powers and makes a shew of them openly ●riumphing over them in it Col. 2.15 All the Devils in Hell cannot keep a poor Child of Electing Love whom God will ●et at liberty and none can deliver out of God's hands but Christ Oh admire the Love of God in this Redeeming Love which brings along with it temporal Blessings and Deliverance for this man shall be the peace when the Assyri●n shall come into our land Micah 5.5 6 7. 2d Use is of