Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	david_n	king_n	people_n	14,785	5	5.1891	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85805	The path-way to peace. Or, The only assured and most certain means, whereby to heal the sores, make up the breaches, remove the fears, prevent the ruine, reconcile the differences, and put a finall end to the manifold divisions of this famous (though now much distracted) kingdom. By that faithfull and painfull preacher of Gods Word, Thomas Gardener, late pastor of St Maries in Sandwich. It is ordered this thirteenth day of February, 1642. by the committee of the House of Commons in Parliament concerning printing, that this book, intituled, The path-way to peace, be printed. John White.	Gardener, Thomas, d. 1635.; England and Wales. Parliament. House of Commons. aut	1643 (1643)	Wing G250; Thomason E105_1; ESTC R5591	12,202	17

negatively The second Point THe manner how the Lord doth make our very enemies at peace with us The Lord makes our enemies at peace with us by changing their affections Prov 21 1. Gen. 41.38.39 1 Sam. 29.6.9 This he bringeth to passe divers wayes 1. By altering and changing their affections for he turneth mens hearts as the rivers of water which way it pleaseth him and working in them an admiration of his hidden ones Thus Pharaoh King of Aegypt wondered at the wisedom of Joseph and his gift in the interpretation of dreams So was David admired of Achish King of Gath an Heathen as if he had been an Angel of God This effect was most illustrious in the Officers which were sent by the Scribes and Pharisees to apprehend Christ and went to seek him for that very purpose but when they came and heard him preaching to the people they either forgot their errand or willingly disobeyed the command of their masters and fell into admiration of our Saviour saying Never man spake like this man John 7 46 Converting them Isa 11.5 6. 2. By converting their wicked hearts to become godly Saints for JEHOVAH by the power of his Word can change the savage Leopard into an harmlesse Kid and the ravening Wolf into an innocent Lamb. Thus persecuting Saul Acts 9.1.6 who breathed out nothing but threatnings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord was made a true convert and a preaching Paul And thus the Jaylour who once imprisoned stocked and whipped Paul and Silas Acts 16.24 33 34. was converted to the faith and became a friend to those whom formerly be hated washing their stripes and setting meat before them 3. By a divine terrour which the Lord striketh into the hearts of their enemies Striking terror into their hearts Gen 31.24 Thus the Lord dealt with the fury of Laban when he and his company pursued after Jacob in all probability intending to offer violence unto him he charged him that he should not so much as speak ought but good unto Jacob. This terrour was wrought in Jeroboam 1 Kings 13 48 by withering of his arm miraculously when he intended evill against the man of God who spake to him in the Word of the Lord and thereby Jeroboam was constrained to receive him courteously Destroying them 4. By destroying them that their irreconciliable hatred may perish with their lives if their heart be so hard that it will not be made pliable to his will Thus dealt the Lord with Senacherih and his Host 2 Kin. 19 35 37 when they encamped against his people he slew him by his own sons and of his Army 185000 men by an Angel Thus doth the Lord with the enemies of his Church when they will needs band themselves against his anoynted Ones Isa 8.9 Let them associate themselves they shall be broken in pieces let them gird themselves they shall be broken in pieces saith the Lord by his Prophet 5. By working as we say against the hair when by permitting of the wicked to be at enmity with us Suffering them to do their worst he procures our peace and prosperity Satan was at enmity with man-kinde and the Lord permitted him to do his worst He thought to bring everlasting contempt upon all man-kinde Rom. 5.15 through Adams fall but God made it an occasion of the greater exaltation of his Church God suffered the AEgyptians to afflict his people but the more they were afflicted Exod. 1.12 Deut. 23 5. Gen. 50.20 Rom. 8.28 the more they multiplied Balaams curse was turned into a blessing The hatred of Josephs brethren turned to his greatest advancement Thus all things conspire for the welfare of Gods beloved ones Thus of the manner how the Lord maketh our very enemies to be at peace with us The third Point The Lord doth thus deal with his own 2 Sam 19.36 WHy the Lord doth thus graciously reward his servants As B●rzillai said to David Thy servant will go with thee this little way and why should the King recompence it me with such a reward So may we say in this case Behold we have done the Lord this little piece of service and why should be recompence us thus bounteously Surely not for this our service for is it any pleasure to the Almighty that thou art righteous Or is it gain to him that thou makest thy wayes perfect Job 22 3. Luke 17.10 And when we shall have done all those things which are commanded us we may say We are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our duty to do nor for the righteousnesse of our wayes in pleasing him Deut. 9 4 5. The Scripture teacheth us another lesson The main reasons are these For the manifestation of his goodnesse 1. His goodnesse and kindenesse towards us free and undeserved whom it pleaseth to reward his own gifts and to crown his own graces in us 1 Cor. 15.10 That we can do any thing well pleasing to God it 's his gift and that while we do thus please him he makes our very enemies to be at peace with us is also from him who neglecteth nothing that might be an encouragement unto us in well-doing For the demonstration of his power 2. The necessity of consequence for if the Lord be once our friend who can or dare be our enemy This the Apostle sheweth Having evidently demonstrated That God hath reconciled us unto himself in Christ Jesus and is become our friend he doubts not of the infallibility of this consequence If God be for us who can be against us Rom. 8 31. As if he should have said I ask you all if you can name that creature that can be at enmity with us no ye cannot He is the Lord of Hosts namely Of the Armies of his Creatures and he rules over them with more then Imperiall Authority And if he be on our side the very stones of the street Job 5.22 23. Simil. and the beasts of the field shall be in league with us It 's not with the favourites of the King of heaven as with the favourites of the little kings of the earth These may be in great favour with their Prince and yet one of the subjects of the same Prince may lay violent hands upon them even to the deprivation of their life as was long ago exemplified in Abner who though in league with King David and entertained into his favour 1 Sam. 3.27 yet was treacherously slain by Joab Davids subject Isa 37.38 Yea even Kings themselves cannot in this case protect their own persons from the injury of their own subjects but those are in a more safe condition And in this respect he that hath a care that his wayes may be pleasing to God hath more security and safety for his person then even the greatest Monarchs that are without this care The Lord is a sure Bulwark to all those that are his

enemies others are Neuters like Gallio the Deputy Act. 18.16 17. caring neither for the wicked Jews nor zealous Paul now the Lord will not onely make such at peace with us who as yet are indifferent but even our very professed enemies The wicked can never truly love the godly At peace The wise man doth not say That the Lord will make his enemies love him no for the unsanctified heart cannot truely love a righteous man as righteous that is the property of the faithfull soul but he will make him at peace with him that is Outwardly there shall be quietnesse and profession of love He maketh It s of the Lord not from the wicked when they are at peace with the godly Isa 57.19 namely The Lord. It 's not any naturall inclination or vertuous disposition the wicked have to the righteous but the Lords work He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him Again Who is the author who worketh our Peace It 's the Lord that createth Peace for us whether it be peace within or peace without us The wicked have peace such as it is inward and outward but not from the God of peace There were that prophesied Jer. 14.13 Ezek. 13 16. 1 Thess 5.3 That the Jews should have assured peace whose Prophesies were found Lyes God having said That there was no peace for them When the wicked shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travell upon a woman with childe and they shall not escape This is the comfort of the faithfull That what they have of these temporall blessings it 's from the Lord. So long as our wayes are pleasing to God this promise belongeth unto us When a mans wayes c. This promise is warranted unto us during our continuance in well-doing while our wayes are so undefiled that they be acceptable before God If we forsake this secure way we forsake our own mercy Thus of the Particulars observable from the words severally confidered Jonah 2.8 Come we now to the two Generalls of the Text which have been already propounded namely 1. The duty of every Christian To order his wayes so that they may please God 2. The reward of the duty namely That then the Lord will make the enemies of these his friends to be at peace with them Joh. 15.14 both which may be reduced into this one Point which is here chiefly aymed at and the principall scope of the whole Text namely That The Doctrine When our conversation is pleasing to the Lord and we so live as walking with God he brings it to passe that our very enemies are at peace with us This Doctrine will be sufficiently laid open unto us if we shall examine 1. The truth of it by Scriptures 2. The manner how the Lord doth make our very enemies at peace with us 3. The reasons why he doth thus shew his love to his Saints Then 4. Answer such places of Scripture as seem to oppose this truth 5. Make use and application of this comfortable promise The first Point The proof of the Doctrine out of Gods Word Proved This we will expresse 1. Affirmatively shewing That when our wayes please the Lord he makes our enemies at peace with us 2. Negatively or by way of contraries to make the truth more evidently appear namely That when our actions and life are displeasing to God he makes our very friends at enmity with us Affirmatively by examples Affirmatively and that by sundry examples for they are more familiar and convincing The first is between Abimelech King of the Philistims The 1 example Gen. 26.16.27 28. and Isaac the faithfull seed of Abraham Isaac was hated of this Heathenish King and driven away yet in processe of time the Lord apparently shewed his blessings upon him that the King could not but perceive it and is constrained to come and seek to make a League with him The second is of Jacob The 2 example Gen 35.5 who thought his sons had so tyrannously slaughtered a whole City of men the inhabitants of Shechem that there could be nothing expected of upright Jacob but that the neighbouring Nations should have revenged their cruelty with the like slaughter of him and his houshold yet the terrour of the Lord fell upon the people round about them as they travelled that they suffered them peaceably to take their journey without making any pursuit after them The third unto the Israelites The 3 example Exod. 12.26 when the Lord gave them favour in the eyes of the Aegyptians their cruell enemies The fourth The 4 example Jer. 39.11 12. This promise was also made good unto Jeremy when being ungently used of his own people in the generall Captivity of the Jews he was restored to liberty and kindely entreated of the enemies The fifth The 5 example Gen. 33 4. But never was this truth more compleatly accomplished then when the Lord made Esau at peace with his brother Jacob for where there is hatred betwixt brethren it s usually most extreme Prov. 18 19. as the wise man teacheth the brother offended is harder to be won then a strong City and their contentions are like the bars of a Castle This is more marvellous if we consider That he was even then in his march with four hundred men towards his brother to revenge himself of his long unforgotten injuries when he was reconciled unto him Negatively by examples Negatively When we displease God he makes our very friends at enmity with us whereof we have also pregnant examples The first The 1 example 1 Sam. 15.23 of Saul because his wayes were rebellious against the Lord his own servants his own Tribe his son in law David and his own son out of his bowels all were against him Sam 22 7 8. yea Jonathan did favour David his greatest adversary whereof he himself did pitifully complain The 2 example The second of David under whom the Lord had subdued all all his enemies till such time as he sinned against God in the matter of Vriah the Hittite and then the Lord raised against him his own darling Absalom 2 Sam. 15.10 to conspire against him for his Kingdom The 3 example The third of Solomon All the while his heart was perfect with his God he had peace within his own Dominions from Dan to Beersheba 1 King 4 24. but after he multiplies women to himself and sacrifices to strange gods then God stirs up Hadad and Rezon 1 King 11.14.23.26 28. such as were formerly at peace with him yea even his own servant and favourite Jeroboam The fourth The 4 example 2 Chron. 24.18.25 of Joash who thrived while he did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord but falling to Idolatry and hatred of Reformation his own servants conspired against him and flew him Thus have we the truth of the doctrine both affirmatively and

precious treasure For the accomplishment of his promises 1 King 8.49 1 King 9.3 3 That he might fulfill his promise which he made unto Salomon when he prayed That if his people should sin against him and he given over into the hands of their enemies that then if they should repent them of their evill wayes the Lord should give them favour in the sight of those which had carried them captives How this prayer was heard of God as the Lord testified unto him in a Vision Thus why the Lord doth thus gratiously reward his servants The fourth Point THe cleering of such places of Scripture as seem to oppose this truth nay to imply the direct contrary viz. Object That when our wayes please the Lord our very friends are at emnity with us Thus Jeremiah's brethren Jer 12 6. Jer. 15.10 and they of his fathers house dealt treacherously with him and though he had done no evill yet every one cursed him whereof he himself complaineth Also the Prophet Isaiah saith Isa 59.15 He that departeth from evill maketh himself a prey Our Saviour also foretold That even they of our own houshold should be our enemies Mat. 10.3 36. all which seem to thwart this truth For Answer unto these and such like places we are Answer 1. To search our selves whether there be not some speciall sin abiding within us deserving this speciall punishment that God should with-hold the fulfilling of this promise from us 2. To confider That as God hath made this promise so he hath appointed the use of all lawfull means conducing thereunto Thus Jacob Gen. 32.28 though he had a promise from Christ wrestling with him in the form of a man That he should prevail with man Gen 35.8 and consequently with his brother Esau yet he prepare a Present that he might thereby reconcile himself unto his brother Esau Thus also did Jacob send a Present unto his son Joseph who did then govern in Aegypt under Pharaoh Gen. 43.11.14 conceiving him to be his enemy So must we use all lawfull means to have the good will of all men Heb 12 14. 3. To comfort our selves Forasmuch as however the wicked are at variance with us for our sincerity yet this enmity proceedeth from their own hearts and not from God 4. To conceive of all temporall promises made unto us in Scripture that we are not to expect them as absolute promises but conditionally made unto us so far forth as they shall be for Gods glory and our comfort and salvation and if promises be not sanctified to these ends we are far better without them then with them Psal 119 7● It 's good for us sometimes to be afflicted sometimes to be persecuted of enemies that we might have the stronger evidence that we are not of the world because it hated us Joh. 15.19 Yea it is good for us sometime that we should be suffered of God to fall into sin though not in it self yet bee use it makes us more fervent in prayer more wary and faithfull It may be demanded Whether we ought being hated for righteousnesse sake to suspect that our wayes are not pleasing to God Quest because of this promise made of peace with our enemies and the Command of our Saviour That we should rejoyce when we suffer persecution for his Names sake Matt 5.11 12. As this promise made in this Text should not make us despair of the uprightnesse of our wayes Answ so neither should that rejoycing which our Saviour commands us restrain us from en●ring into an examination of our own wayes and the true cause of our suffering the hatred of others that thereby we might take occasion to magnifie Gods goodnesse unto us in translating the punishment of our sins upon an unjust cause that we should suffer for righteousnesse sake when as at other times many sins have passed from us for which we might justly have suffred the malice of the wicked The fifth Point THe Vse and Application of this comfortable promise This may be branched into divers particulars 1. Is it thus That the Lord if our wayes please him will make our very enemies at peace with us Use 1 When our friends are at enmity with us we have then cause to suspect the upr●ghtnesse of our wayes ●hen what shal we think of our selves when not only our enemies but our very friends are at debate variance with us and ready to do what mischief they can unto us When servants children wives conspire against the Master of the family when Prince and subjects are against each other Have we not here just cause to suspect the uprightnesse of our wayes and that we walk contrary unto God and that therefore God walks contrary to us and crosseth us even in those things which should be blessings unto us Lev. 26 23 24. Yet we impute these things usually unto the second causes as to the wickednesse and bad disposition of such as are becom our enemies as if the Lord had no stroke in this Who stirred up Absalom against his father was it not the Lord yes I will stir up an enemy against thee out of thine own house saith the Lord to David 2 Sam 12.11 and yet we in such cases cry out upon the unnaturalnesse of children wickednesse of servants perversenesse of wives churlishnesse of husbands c. whereas we ought principally to look up unto God warning us of our sins by such like castigations intimating unto us thereby That something is amisse in the family good duties are neglected servants not instructed Sabbath not wholly sanctified or something there is not as it should be This I am sure here lies the cause Our wayes are not pleasing to the Lord Lam. 3 39. Use 2. When our wayes please God our friends shall be at peace with us Luk. 15 20.22 for man suffers for his sins 2. Shall our enemies be at peace with us if our wayes please the Lord then surely much more our friends and such as have been well-willers of the houshold of faith unto us in the time of our unregenerate estate whether fathers brothers or other friends If the father bear a naturall affection to the prodigall whilst he is wasting his substance amongst harlots how much more will he run unto him when he is yet afar off after he repenteth and is come to himself As the Apostle speaks in another case not much unlike to this If when we were his enemies Rom. 5 8 9 10. God loved us and sent his Son to redeem us much more now will he be affected towards us and save us 3. If our enemies and our friends be at peace with us then what can be against us Use 3. When our wayes please God nothing can be against us What can Satan hell death and all the armies of darknesse for they also are of the number of those which shall will they nill they be at peace with

us also prevail against us Oh how comfortable is the state of a Christian in this regard Come war the sword captivity yea and death is self or any outward calamity through enemies opposition yet here a word of sure comfort That if our wayes shall be so ordered that we may have peace with God he will so bring it to passe one way or other as hath been already shewed that our enemies shall be at peace with us The Lord will be that unto us which he promised to be unto his elect under the Babylonish Captivity Though I scatter them into the furthermost parts of the earth Ezek. 11.16 yet I will be a little sanctuary unto them in the midst of their enemies Oh how ought this to stir us up to be undefiled in all our wayes especially in these times of the generall combustion of Gods Church wherein the time is come 1 Pet. 4 17. whereof Saint Peter spake That judgement should begin at the house of God that so in the times of distresse we may have boldnesse towards God and challenge the Lord of his promise here and in other places of Scripture That he would be a sanctuary to us in the midst of troubles and that we may say as good Hezekiah Remember Is● 38.3 O Lord that I have walked before thee with a perfect heart and fulfill thy promise to thy servant 4. Since it is a confirmed truth Use 4. We must labour that our wayes may please the Lord. Psal 120.7 That they whose wayes please the Lord he will make their very enemies at peace with them Is there any that with David are for peace or that would be freed from the grievances of outward enemies here 's the way chalkt out unto him by Salomon to strive that all his wayes may please the Lord. Most of us when we seek the favour of others trie all wayes but this true way this comes last or never into our mindes and yet sure I am it 's the most cheap and husbandly of all wayes Quest But some will ask me Joh. 6 28. What wayes are those which are pleasing to God as the Jews said to Christ What shall we do that we may work the works of God For we may be deceived in the choice of our way Prov. 14 2. There is a way saith the wise man seems good unto us and the end thereof is death Answer Answ The Scriptures are the onely lantern and light to direct us into the true way they must be our guide Psal 119.105 Wayes pleasing to the Lord. and they will inform us that these are the wayes must be our wayes we must walk in if we will please the Lord namely 1. The way of faith for without this whatever we do it is impossible to please God not onely a bare knowledge of the lawfulnesse of such actions as we perform to be pleasing to God but also faith to do them The way of Faith Heb. 11 6. even for this very respect that God requires them and yet so doing them as expecting only salvation by Christ 2. The way of Gods Commandments The way of his Commandments Matth 15.9 Psal 119.1.3 not mans inventions of will-Worship nor humane prescriptions they are all vain if we may believe him in whose mouth there is no guile but Blessed are they that walk in the Law of the Lord and they do no iniquity that walk in his wayes 3. The strait and narrow way The strait and narrow way Matth 7 14. Strive to enter into the strait gate for strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life This is not the way of the loose Libertines and profane persons of these times 4. The old way Stand ye in the wayes The old way Jer. 6.16 and ask for the old way where is the good way and ye shall finde rest for your souls This old way is the way of faithfulnesse and truth which are called Gods counsells of old as being that eternall truth of God written in the heart of Adam in the state of inno●●●cy and after revealed in Scripture and more briefly unfold●● in the ten Commandments opposed to the new devised doctrines of the Popish Church so strictly binding the consci●●ces of simple people 5. They must not be unequall and uneven wayes swelling with the high mountains The way of humility and pride and presumption either of Gods mercy or our own merit but plained and made equ●● with a sanctified humilty of heart When Iohn the Baptist wa● to prepare the way of the Lord Isa 40.4 he cryed out That every valley of despair should be exalted and every mountain of pride and presumption should be made low These are the wayes wherein we must walk wherein if we shall walk we shall please the Lord and if our wayes please the Lord he will make our very enemies to be at peace with us Laus Domino Christo Amen FINIS