Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	john_n	robert_n	thomas_n	48,108	5	8.1096	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A15341	Large letters Three in number, containing much necessarie matter, for the intruction and comfort of such, as are distressed in conscience by feeling of sinne, and feare of Gods wrath. Written heeretofore by T. W. for some deare friends of his, and now published and printed for the raising vp of such as labor vnder the heauie burthen of an affected spirite.	T. W. (Thomas Wilcox), 1549?-1608.	1589 (1589)	STC 25624; ESTC S103076	55,013	150

LARGE LETTERS Three in number containing much necessarie matter for the instruction and comfort of such as are distressed in conscience by feeling of sinne and feare of Gods wrath WRITTEN HEERETOfore by T. W. for some deare friends of his and now published and printed for the raising vp of such as labor vnder the heauie burthen of an afflicted Spirite PSAL. 42.11 ●●y art thou cast downe my soule and why art thou disquieted within me wait on God for I will yet giue him thanks hee is my present h●lpe and my God AT LONDON Printed by Roger warde for Thomas Man 1589. TO HIS FAITHFVLL friends and verie deare brethren in Christ Mast Roger Ofield Robert Washborne George Smith Thomas Shipton Iohn Field Robert Iones Iohn Harper Iohn Hounsell and all the rest of his Christian acquaintaunce in London as well as though they were particularlie named together with all those that els where in the land vnfaignedly feare the Lord and looke for the glorious appearing of his sonne and our sauiour T. W. wisheth all spirituall goodnes heauenly comfort in this life and in the end the eternall glorification of their bodies and soules in euerlasting blisse through Christ MY loue in the Lorde and the affectiōs of my hart in him haue bin in some measure of soundnes I humbly thanke God for it in Christ strongly carried generallie tovvardes all the Israell of GOD wheresoeuer and more particularlye tovvardes you my good Breethren vvhereof ouer and besides the assured testimony of mine owne soule I haue for faithful witnesses the Lord himselfe in heauen and many of his saints vppon earth and amongst others you your selues Causes leading me hereto are manye but as in respect of God none more powerfull than his grace and holy spirite shed abroad into my heart and as in regard of you none more effectuall than sundry sincere fruites of your faith and the comfortable feeling of the communion of saints in which holy fellowship standeth not onely the spiritual felicity and good of the whole bodie but the very ioy and contentment also of euerie sounde member therein For outward kindnesses that I haue receiued from you I must will euerie where acknowledge my selfe much beholding vnto you And yet this I may vvith all boldnes professe that as that is not the on●ly or principall cause moueing me to affect you so though I haue beene beholding to you all yet not to all alike but to some more than to other some Which also I rehearse not now either to breed anie disdaine or emulation in you one of you towards another for that vvere to breake the bond of charity and vnitie of the spirit or to less●n any fauour though neuer so small that I haue receiued from you for that wer to depriue you of your praise and to declare my selfe ingratfull nor craftilie clavving after the maner of the vvorld to craue newe benefi●es for that vvere nothing els but deceit and flatterie to procure mine own good from all vvhich corruptions I haue hitherto as in respect of my selfe and you through Gods goodnesse beene graciouslie freed But to let you vnderstand that your benefits haue not bene bestowed vpon an vnskilfull or an thankefull person but vpon such a one as by the light that he hath receiued from God hath vveighing them in an equal ballance esteemed of them according to the goodnes of the gift and the christian affection of the Partie giuing The thinges indeede which haue most speciallye lincked mee fast in the Lorde vnto you are your precious faith towards God vnfaigned loue to the saints christian consciences amongest your selues and holie praiers in presence and absence one of you for an other and all of you I am assured for the holy causes and faithfull members of the whole Church and amongest the rest euen for me pore and wretched man that I am In which duties of yours as my heart hath greatly reioiced in the lord for the graces that in great mercy he hath bin pleased to vouchsafe vnto you I my selfe haue as in some sort though not to the ful in regard of your spirituall fauours performed to me by reson of weaknesse and wants in my selfe aunswered them again with the like I write not as a vaine glorious boaster so I doubt not but that therby God him selfe hath receiued glorie at your hands his childrē goten much good and you your selues reaped a gracyous measure and increase of religyous knowledge and dutifull obedience As for the worldly fauours that you haue shewed me and bodily benefites that vvay I confesse my selfe to be far behind hand with you and much indebted in deed though not in affection surely and readinesse of good vvill for so my heart is verie large in humilitie I speake it neyther will I wish better witnesses of it than your selues yet in regard of action vvherein still my griefe groweth great and increaseth daily vpon me as vvell by the feare that I haue of my future wants as by the feeling of my former and present disabilities Hovvbeit sith thys is the Lords doing and that he is pleased thereby to sift me and to sound you mee for my patience and comfortable induring of these necessities and you for your faithfull obedience and vnfaigned loue I can not but vvith some measure of spirituall ioy vndergoe mine owne lacks and againe recomfort my spirites because hauing to deale vvith God and his seruaunts vvho haue learned from his holie example greater than all exception to accept of men according to that they haue and not according to that they haue not I rest resolued my good vvill shall bee accounted as a deed specially sith I am ready euery vvhere vvithout flatterie in my self or favvning vpon you to acknovveledge to the glorie of God and the good of his people the great good turnes that by you I haue receiued euen from the Lords ovvne handes And yet gladly vvould I if I could tell hovve some vvay recompence though not all yet som part peece thereof And in that respect indeede haue I long looked vvished for as some good occasion from you wherin it might haue pleased you all or any of you to haue imployed and vsed me to my pore vttermost So some sufficiencie in my selfe at the leastwise in some mean measure to haue requited that ouerflowing heape of your kindnes and holy loue But hitherto I deliuer it with my griefe of heart as a man sensiblie seeing and feeling gods hand vpon my selfe both that and other waies also my expectation and hope hath bene frustrat and my power very short and skant A small thing the Lorde vvas pleased some years ago to inable me in two or three Letters to performe for the comfort of some of my christian acquaintance whose conflicts in conscience vvere great and many which lying by mee vvith some other simple thinges that I haue done and I beeing earnestly requested to make that cōmon to many which was written for

diligent obseruation of naturall courses that there is no tempest or storme so greate but there insueth euen in the necke of it as a man would say a verye quiet calme nor any winter so colde and deadlye but there commeth both a springing time and summer also after neither yet by the examples of some worthie partitular persons alone as Abraham Iob Dauid and such like whose endes and issues you haue heard off to bee comfortable and as it were heauenlie but by manifolde experiences in your selfe the Lord making you in your owne hearte to finde that to bee true which as hee had promised in hys woord so hee faithfullye perfourmed to his seruauntes in all ages and hath accomplished to and in you that o 1. Cor. 10.13 he wil not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you be able to wit to beare thorow him but will euen giue the issue with the temptation that ye may be able to beare it Waite therefore with all christian patience for the Lordes Spring-time and haruest wherein hee will come himselfe being reconciled vnto in Iesus Christ and comfortablie call you foorth yea take you as it were by the hand walke with you into the fieldes and say p Cant. 2.11 Arise my loue my f●ire one come thy waie for behold vvinter is past the rain is chaunged and gone away the flovvers appeare in the earth the time of the singing of birdes is come the voice of the turtle is heard in our land meaning vnder these earthlie similitudes and comparisons all spiritutuall and heauenlie graces together with the excellent fruites and effectes that by the same he will worke in you Concerning which as you muste not bee discouraged eyther with the length of time in which they are withhelde from you or the hardnesse and sharpnesse of the instrumentes and meanes whereby they are brought to passe in you so must you assure your selfe that at the length they will come because hee is faith●ull and willing and able to perfourme that hath promised and their delaie doubtlesse wil be recompenced with all manner of spirituall aboundance For euen as in husbandrie the daylie moisture harde frostes and thicke snowes that fall in the winter season doo indeede nothing els but season the ground mellowing it and making it fitte for the better receiuing and bringing foorth also of that which is committed to it and shall bee sowen in it howesoeuer it seeme contrarie sometimes vnto mans iudgement So no doubt the raine the frostes the snow and the I se of your afflictions are as it were not onelie prepaparatiues for the grounde of your heart and soule fitting you for yea filling you with the pleasaunt fruites of righteousnesse and religion which are as it were Gods summer and haruest q phil 1.11 fruites and so in Christ shall be accounted and accomplished in you Till which time come assure your self of this that as he r Ioh. 14 18. wil not leaue you alwaies or vtterly no not very long cōfortles for so he hath faithfully promised in his blessed woorde but when you seeme most in danger and dystresse will visite you and replenish you with all heauenlye and holie comfort that being a moste proper and fitte tyme for hym to woorke in for the manifestation of his power in the eyes of the wicked and the declaration of his loue towardes his owne people so hee will not destitute you of all necessarye strength both to vndergoe and to ouercome too whatsoeuer it shal please him as your moste mercifull father nowe or else at anye time hereafter to laye vppon you or to exercise you withall As for mee loo●e what due●ye it shall please you to prescribe and God shall vouchsafe in mercie to enable ●e to performe I will not God aiding me fay●e therein yea I say vnto you not onely vse me but commaund me in the same and if you finde mee not therein readie to my vttermost I am content you shall write me vp with such dissembling and faithlesse friends as abound almost euerie where This I promise and by his strength that must performe all in all I hope I shall accomplish that I will not cease in my poore measure to pray for you till such time as I shall vnderstand that as by manie other meanes so particularly by that God himselfe shal be pleased to bestowe vpon you your full deliuerance and I haue occasion to yeeld him humble thankes for graunting the graces that I others as on your behalfe haue soundly though in weakenesse and wantes prayed vnto him for And thus with hartie thanks for your manifold and continuall kindnesses towardes me and mine and humble salutations in Christ vnto you and your good bedfellowe mistresse H. I doe vnfeignedly commend you to the Lord Iesus whose sith you whollie are and to whome sith your heauenly father hath giuen you to be kept I doubt not but you shal continue fast and remaine sure ●●en vnto the end not onely because he ●o whom you are cōmitted for custodie s Math. 28.18 s Math 28 18 hath al povver giuen vnto him both in heauen and earth but also because we knowe in the trueth of his worde that is the trueth it self t Iohn 10.12 that he looseth none of those that are committed vnto him u 6.37 nor casteth anie such away as come vnto him At London the last of this May. 1589. Your worships as bounden so readie alwayes in all that he may T.W. the Lords most vnworthy seruant GRACE AND PEACE from God c. WE haue right honorable if my poore iudgement deceiue me not The afflictions of the spirite most grieuous manifolde proofs of this point that the afflictions ●f the spirite are muche more great ●nd grieuous than the diseases or trou●les of the outward man For first the ●olie Ghost himselfe in plaine tearmes ●ffirmeth it saying a Prou. 18.14 The spirite of ● man will sustayne his infirmitie mea●ing thereby his outward paines and griefes of what nature or kinde soeuer ●ut a wounded spirite who can beare ● vnderstanding thereby the troubles ●f the hart or soule speaking as though ●ee shoulde saie it is not onely a very ●ard thing to performe but that verie ●●we also are found that can indeede indure it yea none but suche as are indued with some special grace from God himselfe Secondly the verie lamentable complaintes and earnest prayers that Gods Children who indeede are moste I had almost said onely exercised that way this I am sure of with fruite and profite haue especiallie in that distressed case made and powred forth doe plainlie proue it Take Dauid Paul in stead of manie or all if you will the one auouching that there b Psalm 38.3 was nothing sound in his fleshe because of Gods anger neither rest in his bones by reason of his sinne and the other crying out c Rom. 7.24 Oh wretched man that I am who

effectual pledges vnto vs as of Gods great fauor shed abroad into our harts so of the crowning of those his graces in vs with wonde●ful honour and glorious immortality at the last Lastlie it seemeth vnto me Of sin it self that e●en from sinne it selfe though not in it owne nature for so it is abhominable in the Lords sight o Ha●a● 1.13 whose pure eies cannot s●e euill neither yet in the effects that commonly it bringeth foorth for so is it alwaies bytter making a fearefull p Isaiah 59.2 seperation betweene the Lord and vs hauing for the q Rom. 6 2● wages of it eternal death and damnation yet euen in the heynousnes and heyght thereof being accompanied with gods fauour in the forgiuenes of the same we should may reap an inuincible argument of much consolation and singular comfort For wherein shal or can the mercy of God in this life so much appear towards his people as in pardoning the sinnes of his seruants To whom had they not offended neither could gods mercie that way foorth haue bin declared nor Christ for thē haue bin r 1. Tim. 3.16 God manifested in the flesh who therefore came into the world not to call s Math. 9.13 the righteous but sinners to repentaunce and did therefore appeare amongest men not onely that he might t 1 Ioh. 3.5.8 loose the works of the deuil but also that he might take away our sins Outward tokens of Gods fauour All the outward fauours that wee haue in this life if we should reckon thē vp one by one as for example creation preseruation health wealth c. or binde them all in a bundle together cannot so sensibly set before vs Gods loue because some of them are in some sort commō to other creatures with men reach but to the bodie for the most part this time present onely the wicked many times beeing before Gods saintes in some of the same God also v Ps 17.14 filling their bellies with his hid treasure their children hauing inough and leauing inough of their substance for their children Spiritual graces Nay I will say more many of those spirituall graces that God vouchsaseth vnto his Church as h s worde sacraments praier of which the holy ghost saith he x Psal 147.19 sheweth his word vnto Iacob his statutes and his iudgments vnto Israell and he hath not dealt so with euerie nation doe not so plain●iy ex●r●sse the fauour and loue of the Lorde towardes hys people as the free pardon and full forgiuenesse of their transgressions the reason is because y Math 22.14 manye are called and fewe are chosen and diuers bee in the Churche that bee not of the Church This grace also extending it s●●e not onelye to bodye and soule in says lyfe carrying with it comfort and the peace of a good conscience here but reaching euen vnto the life that is to come eternal saluation and life euerlasting being an inseperable companion to the forgiuenesse of our sinnes And that we might the better be perswaded that this is a verie speciall fauour God himselfe taketh vpon himself as a principall point of his glory this great worke of forgiuing laying z ●saiah 42.25 I euen I am he that putteth away thine iniquities for my owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes And in an other Prophet rehearsing the graces that he will vouchsafe vnto his people in the newe Testament he reckoneth vp this as the last and chiefest a Iere 31 34. I wil forgiue their iniquitie b Rom. 5.20 and remember their sinne no more that beeing true here that the Apostle saieth that where sinne abounded there grace abounded much more To conclude then good Madam out of all that is gone before The co●clusion S●●h in thys poynt of the forgiuenes of sins God who is greater than al is b Rom 8 3 on our side therefore wee neede not care who be agaynst vs Iesus Christ standeth for vs who is c Math 3 17 his dearely beloued sonne in whome onely hee is well pleased and thorow whome he hath d 2 Cor 3 19 reconciled the world vnto himselfe the word generally part●cularly the promises in the same which are in Iesus Christ e 2 Cor 1 20 yea and amen speake comfo●table things vnto vs the holy sacramentes ordeined by God for the strengthning of our weake faith seale vp that great and gracious fauor vnto vs the dis●pline and voyce of the Church which is the f 1 Tim 3 16 piller ground of trueth and as it were Gods owne voyce from heauen confirmeth it the particular examples o● his saintes hauing in former time found it and felt it true doe ratifie and confirme the same the peculiar fauo●s that God hath giuen vs our selues in this life and namely faith g 2 Thess 3 2 which all men haue not with the sound tru●tes thereof doe pledge it vp and that god that maketh the h Psal 76 10 rage of men to turne to his praise and in the beginning comma●nded i 2 Cor. 4 6 the light to shine out of darkenesse now maketh sin to serue for the magnifying and manifesting of his mercie and the comfort and good of his children who is it that can distrust or rather who hath not iust cause with the Apostles and saintes of God to sing and say k 1. Cor. 15.54.55.56.57 death is swallowed vp into victorie O deathe where is thy sting O graue where is thy victorie The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the lawe But thanks be to God which hath giuen vs victorie thorow our Lord Iesus Christ And againe l Rom. 8 38 39. I am perswaded that neyther death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor thinges present nor thinges to come nor height nor dep●h nor anie other creature shal be able to separate vs frō the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Thus good Madame I haue as your honour seeth plainely deliuered my poore iudgement in this worthie point touching the comfortable feeling of the forgiuenesse of sinnes and some such assured seales and pledges of the same as by m Deut. 17 18 19 Ioshua 1 8 Psalm 1.2 Iohn 5 39 dayly reading of the holie scriptures and continuall meditation in the same holie duties that I and all other christians of what qualitie or calling so euer are bound vnto by Gods word to performe and woulde to God all did it as may knowe and confesse it the Lorde in much fauor I freely confesse it hath bene pleased in the dayes of my distresse to manifest to me miserable man that I am and that not onely for instruction and comfort vnto my self alone for God neuer bestoweth anie grace vpon vs much lesse such excellent fauors to that ende onely but for the good and consolation of others who being n 2