Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	command_v	day_n	sabbath_n	10,415	5	9.9260	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93347	Gods unchangeableness: or Gods continued providence, in preserving, governing, ordering and disposing of all creatures, men, actions, counsels and things, as at the beginning of the world, so to the end of the world, for ever, according to the counsel of his own will. From whence is gatherd six necessary inferences very applicable to the changes, alterations and vicissitude of these our present times. Wherein is clearly demonstrated and proved, that Oliver Cromwell is by the providence of God, Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland, &c. to whom the people owe obedience, as to him whom God hath set over them. Unto which is added, the causes of discontent, repining and murmurings of men: also, some serious advertisements, and seasonable admonitions to the discontented, and reprehensions to all impetuous, arrogant murmurers. Together with answers to some cheif objections made against the Lord Protector and his present government, endeavouring (if possible) satisfaction to all men. / Therefore written and published for publicke good, by George Smith, Gent.	Smith, George, 1602 or 3-1658.	1655 (1655)	Wing S4036; Thomason E824_4; ESTC R207687	84,417	65

wicked design by which he thought to establish himself became his ruine r See the like by the experiences of our time King James Father to our late King not thankful for Gods mercies to him bringing him from a mean Kingdom to a rich and plentifull Nation flowing with milk and honey grew wanton and like Jeshurn● kicked he came to strong Cities a fat Land houses filled with goods Wells digged Vineyards Olive-yards Fruits c as is expressed by Nehemiah Ch. 9. 25. but he like Israel rebelled against his God and cast his Law behinde his back and persecuted the Prophets and Ministers that testified against him exalting himself and prerogative to make his Son and Family like Nimrod What strange wickednesse did he act in his private chamber and openly gave away the lawful wives of men to others viz. the Lady Rich to the Lord Mount-joy the Countesse of Essex to Carre c. Did he not design to bring the people of this Nation under by laying heavy burdens upon their shoulders What else was Loan-money illegal Fines for Buildings and his fooling of Parliaments endeavouring to make them uselesse and himself a great Monarch preparing for a greater work which his Son was to act which design our late King endeavoured to exalt and in pursuance thereof followed the footsteps of his Father not in personal sins but in publike grievances Like Rehoboam to make one of his fingers heavier then his Fathers loins And like Jeroboam to set up Calves in Bethel and in Dan to ensnare the people to advance prerogative Did not he endeavour by his Prelats or his Prelats by him to bring in a compliance or neer Union between England and Rome and to effect their design they endeavoured to weaken the Nations of able religious men and of Arms why else was Rochel betraied under pretence of releeving it and many able and godly men slaughtered Why else was that mock-voyage to Cadis why else were our honourable Parliaments disgraced called only of necessity for money sake but not suffered to reform any evil nor to put them to any shame which were the Actors of abominable wickednesse but honourable members of Parliamennt for such things were imprisoned where many died others were banisht their houses into remote Countreys Prisoners and Exiles c. And for the advance of prerogative new waies were invented to get money without Parliaments or Law Loan-money Knighthood-money Ship-money Compositions for Cottages Compositions for New Buildings Moneys for Forrest Lands Woods Timber c. Monopolies upon all our necessary commodities Taxes upon Customs and gun-powder ingrossed and kept from the Subject their Arms seized Companies of Souldiers were billeted in most Market-Towns of the Nation and lest that should be too little to effect the Tyrannical design the Duke and his plotrers had provided to have 600 Flanders Horse brought into England with Swisser Riders No man is so silly I think as to ask why all this was done for the reason is plain to every reasonable man Nor was this all for all zealous and godly Ministers were weeded out of every Town and Countrey Bishop Wren can easily name you some scores if not hundreds that he drove from their Livings and Habitations besides them he procured to be imprisoned and banisht Arminianism was advanced and they were made Bishops that defended it Lectures were put down Afternoon Sermons on the Lords Day were forbidden Books were published to give way to prophane the Lords Day by sports and pastimes these Books were commanded to be read in all Churches to ingratiate the multitude and such Ministers as refused to reade these Books were suspended the morality of the Sabbath was denied preached against Sunday called no Sabbath the name Minister was changed to Priest the Table to an Altar on which Basons and Tapers were set there was very little wanting to plain Popery but the name Thus far the design was carried on smoothly Scotland only stood in the way as some rub that must be removed and to that end a Liturgy was sent down to them which they would not swallow Therefore they must be forced an Army to that purpose was prepared The Scots make opposition money grew wanting to manage that design to leavy more forces A Parliament was called to raise money which refusing to give were quickly dissolved The Scots grew enraged had encouragements make invasion which caused another Parliament to be called That Parliament would give no money except they might be established to sit till they had reformed abuses and things They were established by an Act to sit until both Houses consented to dissolve and also two Acts of grace was passed viz. to take away the High-Commission and Star-Chamber All this to please the people that they might assist in their further design of war as shortly after appeared wherein providence ordered their designs counsels aims and ends to Gods glory and to their own ruine Here take speciall notice of six severall peeces of providence 1. That the great pressures innovations and the designs apparent of bringing on greater oppression even to a perpetual slavery caused great fears in the people which could not be secured but by an established Parliament 2. That providence infatuated the late King and his counsell in passing an Act of unlimited time for establishment of that Parliament which was the giving away of one chief part of prerogative by which he might else have dissolved that Parliament after some years and saved his head Esau sold his birthright but he designed to have the blessing Providence had infatuated him that he considered not that the blessing was annexed to the birthright Our late King sold that part of his exercised prerogative with design to get it double not only to be King still but Tyrant too How Providence hath ordered those designs we know Thirdly That after the signing of the Act aforesaid the Soveraign Authority was in the Parliament which the late King by a wicked Councel and lying Clergy was seduced to take Arms against as Ahab was by his Councell and 400. lying Prophets to go up to Ramoth-Gilead to his own ruine and the ruine of his Family Fourthly That his heart was hardened and the hearts of his Councel and would not hearken to any offer of peace or reconciliation though many addresses were made to him from time to time by the whole house unanimously but his heart like Pharaohs was hard and the time of his peace was hid from him until it was too late when he desired it and might not have it Fifthly That Providence should make use of the Earl of Essex to be the Instrument to drive the late Kings wife from him whose Wife the late Kings Father gave to another man Sixthly That the late King by his refusal of all offers of reconciliation and his delaies entreaties providence over-ordering all things against his designs became his irrecoverable ruine of whom we may say as Sir Walter Rawleigh saith of Darius He was

for them who shall be heirs of salvation And the b Psalmist exhorting us to the praise of God saith Who is like the Lord our God that hath his dwelling on high and yet abaseth himself to behold the things in the heaven and in the earth Psa. 113. 5 6. He so beholdeth all things as to order all things and all actions not only Men and Angels but the unreasonable creatures yea inanimate things by a providence As the Israelites were led through the wildernesse by a pillar of a cloud by day and by a pillar of fire by night So all creatures are guided by providence You know that when the cloud was taken up from the Tabernacle the Israelites journeyed and went forward so long as the pillar went before them but when the ●pillar staid they staid in that place where the cloud abode there they pitched their tents as is said Num. 9. 17. Again when the cloud was taken up whether by day or by night they journeyed and so long as it rested they remained in their Tents whether it was for a day or for daies for moneths or for years c God is the same to us that he was to Israel his providence is the same though altered in the dispensations c. God is eternal and he is unchangeable in all his waies he made himself known in times past by his wondrous works and special Revelations but now he maketh himself known by his word as well as by his works The visible things created which are but part of the works of God do set forth to the whole world his power and wisedom Psa. 19. and as the Psalmist saith The Lord is known by the judgements which he executeth Psa. 9. 16. But especially by his word he hath made himself known to his people his word is contained in the sacred Scriptures of the Old and New Testament there he hath revealed himself in his Attributes Names Titles eternal essence and being and by his word we come to know what his works are they are revealed in Scripture to be Decree Creation and Providence Decree was the purpose of God before all time what should be in time and till time shall be no more Creation was the making of the worlds and all things in them of nothing and that was in the beginning of time Providence is the governing and disposing of all things by which God the Creator doth exercise his Kingly power for ever according to the decree and secret counsel of God effecting every purpose in the time place and by the means pre-ordained by God Now that there is such a ruling providence that ordereth all things and every thing in the world is necessary to be known and beleeved by all Therefore I shall endeavour to prove it by Scripture and experience and that nothing comes to passe by chance or meerly by nature nor can be effected and done by any devisings contrivings wisedom or power of men without the disposing of providence For if there be a God that made all things it must needs be that the same God governs all things and their Actions according to his will But God made all things that 's confessed why did God make the creature not for themselves nor to leave them to act and do as they list But God made all for himself for his own glo●y d yea he made the wicked for the day of wrath It was indeed a glorious work to make the worlds and all creatures but it is a more glorious work to govern the worlds and every creature by his most wise providence This providence he calleth the eyes of his glory e by it his glory is manifested in every thing and this glory he will not give unto any other f Providence is the absolute Soveraign power of God over the creatures exercising his eternal Decrees and secret counsell ordering things and actions according to his good pleasure after the counsell of his own will g Thus saith the Lord speaking of things done from the beginning of the world and things to be done my Counsell shall stand and I will do all my pleasure h Seek ye out of the Book of the Lord saith the Prophet and reade not one of these things shall fail nor ssiall misse one of another i All things shall come to passe and be so ordered and fitted unto another as the sword to the Scabbard or knife to the sheath I will speak the word and the word that I speak shall be done k The Lord of Hosts purposeth and who shall disanull it l he spake and it was done saith the Psalmist he commanded and it stood fast m There was a sore Famine in Samaria and the Prophet telleth them that the next day there should be great plenty but this seemed a thing impossible and was not beleeved the Assyrians being then with a mighty Army besieging Samaria n Now the Lord made the host of the Assyrians to hear a noyse of horses aad chariots and of a mighty host and for fear they all fled from their Tents and left their Tents and Camp even as it was with all provisions and fled for their lives o Now there were four lepers that were in distresse and ventured themselves to go to the Camp of the Assyrians where they found abundance of food and treasure and all the host was fled these bring tidings to Samaria And as the Lord had said by his Prophet so it came to passe p Here was no contrivance nor wisedom nor power of men in all this but the work of providence So you shall see that when two men go into the field to hew wood the head of the Axe sticth from the helve at unawares and killeth one of these men q This is the work of providence and in such a case God himself saith I have delivered such a man to the slayers hand r If God take care of a Sparrow he much more taketh care of a man But a Sparrow falleth not to the ground without the providence of God and a mani of more value then many Sparrows ſ Two men travell on the way the one is robbed of his purse the other is never assaulted this is providence in the one and in the other You know Ahab would needs go up to Ramoth-Gilead he was very confident of victory he takes much advice and counsell about it strengthens himself by the assistance of King Jehosapha● and is encouraged by no lesse then four hundred false Prophets all say to him Go and prosper t Only Mic●iah the Prophet of the Lord tels him from the mouth of God that he should not return in peace Ahab scorns the Prophets words and imprisons him and goes on with confidence of his design Now what crossed him in his design contrivements and power c. the Text tels you a certain man drew a bow at a venture ●nd shot an arrow He knew not Ahab nor

distributed to every man through one man is oppression Every mans waies are right in his own eyes o as the holy Ghost is pleased to express And they would do as when there was no King in Israel but every one did what was right in his own eyes p to adulterate Religion abuse the Ministers of the Gospel teach for doctrines the precepts of men commit adultery blasphemy and kill or what not as in the time of vacancy of Judges in Israel that there was no publike Magistrate in the Land to put them to shame in any thing q Was not England almost brought to this condition And is it not the thing so much laboured for at this day and that under the specious pretence of a Reformation such a Reformation as ascendeth out of the smoak that came out of the pit r blessed be our Jehovah that hath thus far holpen us against such designs that they have been prevented by his good providence And let the Instrument be blessed by Iehovah who hath been used by his hand to disappoint their purposes of whom I hope and expect much better things then from those Reformers or then we have seen in our Age for due administration of justice and establishment of Religion and Laws that Religion may be advanced held forth to the people by a holy discipline according to the Word of God which is the will of Christ not the fancies of men for God is a God of order and not of confusion He is not the Authour of confusion but of peace in all the Churches of the Saints ſ And it was the Apostles joy in beholding their order and stedfastnesse of faith in Christ t And for this cause as himself saith he left Titus at Crete that he should set things in order that was wanting and ordain Elders in every City u Order by a discipline of worship in the purity of Ordinances is the way to that Reformation the Lord Jehovah looketh for and the establishment and due execution of good and just Laws that every man may enjoy his own propriety and that justice may be distributed to every man without favour or revenge impartially and that oppressors may be punished severely according to their offence This is the thing God looks for at the hand and by the place to which he hath called the Lord Protector And this I beleeve he intendeth and will do if murmurers will have but patience If he do it not he dissembleth with God and God will judge him who only knows the secrets of all hearts For Judgement belongs unto God alone he hath not given that unto men but he hath commanded us not to judge but our selves Judge not that ye be not judged w for the Lord is a God of Judgement blessed are they that wait upon him x The Prophet Malachy sharply reproveth the Jews in a case like ours at this day Ye have wearied the Lord with your words yet ye say wherein have we wearied him when ye say every one that doth evil is good in the sight of the Lord y that is you make acclamations against God and blasphemous clamours because you have not forthwith what ye desire and in their own way as if he were a favourer of evil doers therefore ye cry out Where is the God of judgement as a violent affirmative that there was no such just God thus murmurers weary God Shall not God search out this for he knoweth the secrets of the heart z Why then do we judge and condemn the man that hath done us good and no harm and why do we murmure against God and repine at providence The Lord in mercy open the eyes of all his people and bring their hearts suitable to himself that they may willingly submit their wils to the will of God You know we had a long time of peace and knew not the bitternesse of war and we had a happy beginning of Reformation in the daies of Q. Elizabeth but in stead of going forward we went backward and fell into the hands of oppressors and persecutors of Gospel-Truths which was the procurement of war a sore punishment we expected relief from men but were more oppressed they neither cared to ease us nor pitied out condition our Religion grew to be mixed with multitudes of new devices and all old heresies cried down by the primitive Church Under these calamities we groaned and cried to God yea many of Gods people sought him by praier and fasting private and publike for deliverance And that God would give us Judges as at the first and Counsellors as at the beginning a that we might be called the righteous and faithfull Nation yet we will not give God leave to do it for us though we see Providence working it we will not be satisfied except God bring his will to our will nay to our wils except God will give us the thing we ask in our own way and by the means we our selves prescribe and set down we will not own it any other way We ascribe too much to our selves therefore we prescribe unto God things times men and means God by providence hath given us again a free Parliament freely chosen by the people or it is their own fault if some of the Members that the people have chosen be discontented and are of any of those sorts of murmurers before spoken of so as they refuse to act for the good of the Commonwealth it is their fault and I fear their sin It is not his Highnesses fault nor the peoples but it will be some grief to the refusers when they shall see the work done without them or that it should miscarry by their neglect they knowing that at this day the pillar and ground of truth is shaken And the two great and standing Ordinances of God strongly assaulted by many of that kinde of temper that Korah and his company was That rose up against the office of Moses and the office of Aaron who would have no Magistrate but themselves nor no Ministry but of themselves The office of Magistracy was in Moses the office of the Ministry wa● in Aaron They are two distinct Offices and not promiscuously to be mixed nor to be severed from a Christian Commonwealth Gods word is the rule to both Moses and Aaron were Brethren and of one Tribe signifying a propinquity in their Offices they go together and are defence and instruction one to the other Now against these Offices Korah and 250 Princes of the people men of renown rise up and say Moses and Aaron wherefore lift you up your selves above the Congregation of the Lord you take too much upon you seeing all the Congregation is holy even every of them b Moses in this case makes his appeal to God the murmurers did the like as some among us too presumptuously have done God decides the controversie between them and saith he will cause their murmurings to cease God gave