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	saul_n	12,106	5	9.9774	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61221	Of happiness wherein it is fully and particularly manifested that the great happiness of this life consisteth in the fear of God and keeping his commandments in opposition to the pleasures of sin or the pretended conveniency of disobdience / by Richard Stafford.	Stafford, Richard, 1663-1703.	1689 (1689)	Wing S5128; ESTC R29533	599,907	686

man some would even dare to die Rom. 5. 7. But for preservation of a good King thousands will venture their lives and undergo the greatest extremity He is happy in the good-will and affection of his Subjects they will rejoyce and praise God on his behalf to see him also zealous for his glory that he would suffer all Godly and Faithful Ministers that a stop may be put to that torrent of iniquity which is a vexation to behold In his dayes shall the Righteous flourish and abundance of peace so long as the Moon endureth Prayer also shall be mane continually for him and daily shall he be praised Psal 72. 4 7 15. The Common-wealth will be then happy when Kings are Christians not in name or title but when they live and govern according to the Rules of the Gospel When they are Obedient to God diligent in his Worship and Ordinances exercise all manner of Righteousness and Justice towards their people and themselves observe Temperance and Sobriety and so manage all their Actions as Men that indeed look for a Judgment to come There is an excellent Scheme laid down better then that of Antient or Modern Polititians which stands in no need of them for it hath Providence and Wisdom from above and will make a Prince renowned for all Ages It will give him satisfaction of mind that is in beginning for the utmost happiness here is Light Sowen Psal 97. 11. A laying in of Joy and Peace as Seed to the future Harvest of Extasy and Glory His glory is great in thy Salvation Honour and Majesty hast thou laid upon him Psal 21. 5. I hope none of the Grandees of the Earth think otherwise that Religion doth not thus much but seems to them an undervaluing of Majesty as rather calculated for low sneaking and not for noble Spirits Least any who term themselves brave Souls should say so in the heart for they will not with the tongue for fear of betraying their own infidelity and ignorance let this short question be put to them the first words of the Creed Whether they do believe in God And those descriptions given of him confirmed by his visible works Deut. 10. 17. 1 Kings 8. 27. Psal 18. vers 7. to vers 16. Psal 113. 4. Job 11. 7 8 9. 37. 22. Isa 40. throughout Jer. 10. 6 10. Dan. 4. 35. 7. 10. Rom. 11. 36. 1 Tim. 6 15 16. and many other like places It may not be surmised that the Spirit bearing Witness of it self should over magnify for there seems to be an higher strain then all these Wisd 11. 22. Ecclus 43. 27. 30. Who considers but the least of such an infinite Glorious Being can no more think it a dishonour for the greatest Emperor to prostrate himself with his face to the ground in Dust and Ashes before this High and Lofty one that inhabiteth Eternity then it would be for the most abject fellow to kneel before him This comparison is sufficient proof but comes not near for the distance between Almighty God and the greatest personage on Earth exceeds that between him and the most contemptible fly Now if the vilest in●ect should open its Mouth and say it was as Man should we therefore think so Or if the meanest beggar should speak out that it was a disgrace for him to be uncovered before My Lord the King we could not but be moved with indignation at his Pride and Folly. Yet I wish it be not thus among too many who are neither Kings nor Lords but take as much upon them who being purse proud have not only lifted up their hearts above their Brethren it is for the poorer sort to be Religious forsooth they think themselves too good to be in subjection Deut. 8. 13 14. unto the Lord their Maker If Kings and Princes are not much less are they for if the matter be considered aright it must be acknowledged Whatever the World esteems greatness there is none greater then he that feareth the Lord It is meet and right so to do even for Angels and Arch-Angels and all the Host of Heaven much more is it for those that dwell in Houses of Clay for they also are in this little mouldring Tenement who inhabit Palaces and larger Buildings and therefore let them not absurdly conceive that an under-valuing which is their Highest Honour to be Servants of the Lord. An illustrious Example of this we have in David 2 Sam. 6. When the Ark was brought up himself played before the Lord and Danced with the rest of the People And Michal Sauls Daughter looked through a Window and saw King David Leaping and Dancing before the Lord and she despised him and came out to meet him and said How glorious was the King of Isr●●l to day who uncovered himself to day in the Eyes of the Handmaid of his Servants as one of the vain Fellows shamelesly uncovereth himself * To be Noted by the way of the silly proud Women of this and former Ages who have mean thoughts of their Husbands if they serve God as if not so Gentile and Men of Honour as others they will use to them or others privately the like contemptuous Language David here was so far from being discouraged that he is more confirmed in his Duty I will be yet more vile then thus and will be base in mine own sight His resolution was to do as he ought before he examine other consequences I will play before the Lord. His praise was not of Men but of God he had rather be approved of by him and despised of them then to be had in honour by them and despised by him Such must be the mind of those of the more exalted condition who will enter into his service and expect his favour I am the Lord that is my Name and my Glory I will not give to another neither my praise to graven Images Isa 42. 8. Nor yet to living Men he will not allow of that the things which please him shall be dispensed withall for pleasing others Whosoever will not come unto him or afterwards leave undone several Acts of Duty for fear of diminishing his Honour and Reputation in the World he may stay away for he lightly esteems of the Rock of his Salvation He is unworthy of the Favour and Blessing of God who will part with them for a puff of breath from talking Worms of the Earth which neither is so High Universal or Loud as the Wind which passeth away Here will arise another short Gale of Exhortation As for Man his days are as Grass as a Flower of the Field so he flourisheth for the Wind passeth over it and it is gone and the place thereof shall know it no more Psal 103. 15 16. An exact resemblance of our Condition in this World but of a different Reflection to two several sorts of Men. It is matter of Vexation to them who have their Portion in this Life and have none assurance of that which

who knows them better then he that made and established them rather then according to the common Vogue of others which is meer Opinion and Fancy of the multitude not to be justified from Truth nor Reason then he would be certainly Happy Let not thy Actions be according to others Sayings but be ruled by the Direction of Gods Word for this in most things is contrary to what is commonly received among us We are distinct and several Beings there is a mutual need to keep up Society yet that was intended for our ●enefit and not Destruction ●t is to ge● Necessaries and Conveniencies for the Body to Admonish and ●nstruct one another this is only to help but to make nothing to assist and ●hew the wa● but not to add or implant Power Still one Man is divided from another God and himself only is to work out his own Happiness and 't is not in the power of all the World besides so again if he fall away into Misery they cannot absolutely prevent He alone is sensible of the Good and none but himself shall groan ●or the Evil. In this is the Saying true God for us a●● an● 〈◊〉 one for himself What the Israelites told David Thou 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thousand of us is really so as to the meanest Pe●●●● ●e is more to himself then Ten Thousand times Ten Thousand which prompts especially to what the Prophet advi●es 〈◊〉 ye every Man his Soul from the fierce Anger of the Lord Jer. 51. 45. and in all other things relating to his Happine●s Our Sav●our was made of the Seed of David according to the Flesh Rom. 1. 3. Paul doth also Stile some his Brethren according to the Flesh but there is no relation between Souls otherwise then from the common ●●ock no more then between rayes of the Sun. They shall be all Taught of God as Children of the same Parent Only to talk together of the things pertaining to him and to put one another in mind how they shall most please him The stronger and elder should help the weak according to his different Grace But still as their Being so their End as their Works so their Reward and also of Si● and Punishment Every person s●all bear his own Burthen The way to Happiness is to live according to what is written in the Holy Book not what is thought in the foolish and corrupt minds of Men as they are such when in Opposition to that This is not so much besides the present Subject as may be first apprehended for this would help to the prevention of Murmuring and getting of Contentment The greater part of Mankind are in a middle state having neither Poverty nor Riches but Food convenient for them And yet are not satisfied Which proceeds from Covetousness Sensuality Pride of which it hath been discoursed severally By observing the ●nsol●nt and Contemptuous Carriage of others above them to avoid that they are discontented with what they have and seek greater things They are guided by the opinion of others which hinders from finding rest for it is in anothers power to disquiet them Contempt doth strangely exasperate and though a sure remedy is to despise Contempt yet through the dominion or remainders of Pride this is more easily said then done which yet Grace and Truth are able to subdue and mort●fie This would be of much Advantage ●or it is the greatest Sting of the lower Condition wherefore Men are so ashamed of it and are tempted to get higher by right or wrong For in a mean Estate Our Soul is exceedingly filled with ●he scorning of th●se that are at ease and with the Contempt of the Proud Psal 123. 4. Let not thy Heart envy Sinners but be thou in the fear of God all the day long Prov. 23. 17. Do not Sin to advance thy present Condition Look not so much upon others but mind thine own things to compare with those above thee will occ●sion fretting and greedy d●sires Consider thy equals and thou art satisfied Cast thine Eye upon those inferiour and thou art thankful Many have not so much Who Labour long and Eat little Who endure great hardship to live but it is not so with thee And they seem less discontented They give praise to God and have good will to their Benefactors for every small Mercy and Kindness Art thou apt to Murmure and be Unthankful who hast more Those poor Wretches shall rise and Condemn thee for they were contented with less things Art thou better then they Pride will dictate so why if they had the same Advantage for Education they would have been the same also but even now God is more pleased with them because they are better satisfied with little then thou with more He that made them made thee who placed them in the lowest degree might have done so with thee also Will you Sin more because he hath dealt more Graciously Doth the Wild Ass bray when he hath Grass or loweth the Ox over his Fodder Job 6. 5. you have s●fficient for your natural needs Labour therewith and be contented It is time to come and visit those who are poor indeed that they may see the way how their Condition is to be remedied It is a sore Evil depressing the mind and making the Body seem yet more Vile and Sordid Yet now our Flesh is as the Flesh of our Brethren our Children as their Children Neh. 5. 5. There is no need of describing their Miseries for they are too much known and felt already Evil is no further to be manifested then is necessarv for Provision against it as a Wound is to be Launced in order to a Cure. It is alledged That Custom Their low Thoughts and Desires make this Condition easily born which we otherwise used think insupportable But a continued Evil which one is forced to submit unto all his days is so much the more Grievous Indeed it is Wisdom to have moderate desires stretched no further then the true worth and value of the thing There are Objects answering to each Faculty in Man he is made of perishingFlesh and an immortal spirit the one for Earthly things the other for Heavenly So he hath different desires according to them One covets after the things here and is contented The other those above which at present he is only seeking and in expectation of for they are to be revealed hereafter Now the error may be two ways if the Man lets out both after present and visible things then he is but half satisfied On the contrary it is when they are both stifled and confined within this World when they are pressed down to the Earth and aim no further We have Instances of both mistakes in the Rich Voluptuary and the Poor and Foolish person the first runs out after Happiness till he is tired and disappointed the other cannot do that through Want but he rubs through as contentedly as he can with what is before him not thinking above but is Ignorant and