Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	lay_v	zeal_n	zealous_a	36	3	9.0267	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96519	The gainefull cost. As it was delivered in a sermon preached before the Right Honourable House of Lords, in the Abbey Church of Westminster, on VVednesday the 27. of November, being the day appointed for solemn and publike humiliation. By Henry Wilkinson, B.D. Pastor of Faiths under Pauls.	Wilkinson, Henry, 1610-1675.	1644 (1644)	Wing W2222; Thomason E23_2; ESTC R20564	35,536	37

a talent to the other they thus make friends of unrighteous Mammon but when they faile they shall never be received into everlasting habitations they give full weight heapt up and prest down to the one but a gomer or an Ephah shall serve the turne for the other Some there be that offer their service but it is as those did Ezra 4. 1 2. and they will help to build the Lords house but it is only that they might hinder the work and destroy the building I could wish that as those were refused by Zerubbabel and Ieshuah and the chiefe of the Fathers who told them they had nothing to do with them to build an house unto their God but they themselves would build an house unto the Lord God of Israel vers 3. that such as these and we have abundance of them had never been entertained in the Lords work and service Fourthly there be some that are at cost but it is rather for the building themselves a name then the Lord a house They are at cost but it is as men that lay out their money for a purchase they drive a bargaine for themselves they seeme to be very zealous and they will tell you so as Iehu did and say Come see my zeale for the Lord If you did not see it the Lord should have no more from them then he should have had from the Pharisees if a trumpet had not been sounded before them that they might have glory of men Mat. 6. 2. they have so interwoven their own interests with Gods Cause that as they have handled the matter it looks like a linsey woolsey stuffe and they have twisted them so fast and so close together that now it will be a very hard matter to sever between them 5. There be that offer to God their own but not that which God will own even bastards of their own begetting and God must father them that which beares their own image and superscription and not Christs they stamp institutions of their own and baptize them in the name of Christ they bring models span out of their own brain for the most part like a Spiders cobweb woven out of its own bowels and these as Spiders ●oe they will hang upon the Lords house as the richest ornament they can bestow Look on the whole frame and modell of the Papacie and see if from the Pope with his long c. of Church-officers down to 〈◊〉 Apparitor it be not a humane creation there be some of whom 〈◊〉 say no more but onely I think are too bold in this that they entitle Christ to coyne It was truly said by the great Philosopher Multafa samult●s veris probabiltora a●parent But as the great Or ●our sayes so say I in this case Vt pule●er rimum judicem esse ver 〈◊〉 videre sic proveris salsa probare turpissimum est fetcht out of their own mint but Christ will never own creations and productions of mens brains nor will he accept of any coyn that is offered to him in the building of his house but that which bears his own image you know that counterfeit coyne though it beareas a similitude with the true yet it carries treason in the very forehead of it You have severall sects walking in severall ways speaking severall languages all helping to build they say the Lords House but if a man may judge by the confusion of tongues it is a Babel however those frames of mens setting up and those models of their creating may seem to be very like the Lords yet men should not be so bold as to mak any like his as it was said concerning the anointing oyle Exod. 30. 31 32. and when they have made it like his put it off in Apud me constat multos plurimum potic●sse ad detegendam veritatem nisi se illam penitus arripuisse credidissent Pet. Gassendus in praes in 1 lib. exercit paradox adversus Aristoleos b Petr. Gassendus Exercit. 4. contr Arist asserit maximam esse incertitudmem doctrinae Exerc. 5. asserit probat quod in numera deficiant 6. quòd in numera superfluant 7. quòd in numera sallant 8. quòd in numera a contradicant apud Aristotelem his name this is to offer a great indignity to Christ a I think that many had come neerer the truth in matters of the Church if they had not thought so stiffely and peremptorily affirmed that they had found it every one insists upon his own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thinks every one out of the right way that is not in his I may say of these as a very b learned Author doth concerning Aristotle that many things are uncertain many defective many superfluous and many false and many contradictions and therefore I conclude them not fit to be offered to the Lord. You have in Lucian and Boetius and others Sophia brought in miserably cōplaining of the unworthy usage of the pseudo-Philosophers who did usually put their falsities under her name and canonize their errours under the name of truth Sure I am Christ hath as great reason to complain of some who when their errours are pursued fly to him as to a City of refuge and shroud falshood under the wing of truth It is come to that passe c Iactabant quidam solaecismos esse laudes gemmas Philosophorum if you finde fault with their Haeccietates aliquitates and their absurd incongruities they answer you with laughter thus Non curamus de verbibus sed de sensis vide copiose de his Hermol Barb. Scalig. Exercit. Patricum Aristotelomast tet Gassendum c. now as it was in Philosophy that solecismes and barbarismes in the businesse of Christs Church are accounted exquisite and absolute patterns to be commended unto others I forbeare to quote some bloody tenets and licentious doctrines all offered to Christ as his own institutions what they speak and write is as if it were è tripode you must not question it and as if there were an infallible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon what they deliver for truth it hath a pasport among many and travels up and down without question or controule Such also is the frenzie of many that as one speakes concerning the d It was the saying of a profess●ur of Philosophy mallet se errare cum Aristotele quam bene sentire cum aliis great Philosopher they had rather erre with their masters and Lords of their faith then speake truth with others 2. I come now to a use of Examination and enquiry into three The second use is of Examina●ion and enquiry after 3. particulars things 1. What cost we have been at for sinne 2. What cost we have been at for God and his service in generall And 3. what cost we have been at with the Cause of Christ now at this time amongst us 1. Let us call our selves to some account concerning our accounts 1. The first enquiry is to know

by shewing us how that men if they be to undertake any great businesse will first sit down and consider and wisely fore-cast with themselves what way and by what meanes they may bring about their designes Luc. 14. 28. 31. He that is not a good husband for the Lord and a wise Steward in improving things for the best advantage for God he may lose all his cost and therefore there must be a cost of wisdome in what we offer to the Lord. 5. It must be offered by the hand of a Mediatour whatever we present to God He that offers the best sacrifice in the world to God 5. What is offered must be given up by 〈◊〉 hand 〈◊〉 a Mediator but doth not offer it by the hands of Christ offers a sacrifice of no worth wherefore in the Law anciently it was commanded that though the sacrifice were a male and without blemish so that there could be ●o exception against the sacrifice yet it was to be brought to the Priest and to be offered by his hands ●ev 17. 3 4. c. The Priest was to stay it and to offer it it was death to do otherwise In like manner now it is Suppose a man prays or heares c. and he doth it in the most exact manner yet if he presents these services in his own name and not in the name of Christ if he doth not bring his sacrifice to the Priest the Lord Christ if he doth not bring his sacrifice to the Priest the Lord Christ and that he offers it in his name it will be loathed It is not because we perform a duty in the most excellent manner that it is accepted but because Christ our High-Priest presents both us and our services to the Lord So that if a man should offer as many sacrifices as were at the Dedication of Sa●omons Temple and all without blemish and that the persons were clean that offer them and that all qualifications did meet that are required yet all these are accursed if they be offered in their owne name the least things that were offered even an Epha or a Gomer or a payre of Turtle Doves or a mite were accepted from the hand of the Priest when rivers of Oyle should be refused if presented otherwise This is set out in the type Levit. 5. 8. ad 11. every sacrifice must be sprinkled with Christs blood this is the chiefe ingredient his incense must go along with the sacrifice and then he will smell a sweet smelling favour Levit. 10. 11. 16. 11 12 13. All our performances must be dipped in his blood and be presented by his hands and then the Lord will accept them for in him alone he is well pleased those services are costly indeed that are besprinkled with Christs blood and offered up by Christs hands Having confirmed the Doctrine and shewed how we must 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 to the practice of 〈◊〉 doctrine confirmed 〈◊〉 He that 〈◊〉 out for God layes up 〈◊〉 say out our cost for God I proceed in the next place to propose some Considerations to move you to the practice of the dutie 1. He that layes out his cost for God especially in Temple-work layes up a treasure for himselfe he lends to the Lord and he will be his pay-master If any thing in the world can put God in debt to the creature this will he is pleased to enter bond as it were for payment of all arreares in this kinde So it pleased God to order things that though there was a whole tribe taken out of the number of the children of Israel to serve at the Sanctuary yet when they came to be reckoned the second yeare and the tribe of Levi was left out it is found that the number is just the same to a man as it was before that tribe was taken away as appeares by Exod. 38. 26. Num. 〈◊〉 46. the summe in both six hundred thousand three thousand five hundred and fifty men So that there were so many young men of 19. yeares old as now supplyed the want of the Levites which were set apart for Gods service that the people of God might see that they should be no losers though they gave a whole Tribe to God There is a blessing promised to them that set about this Temple-work Hag. 2. 18. 19. And how were David and Salomon and Ezrah and Nehemiah blessed in the work How was Hezekiah blessed and all the people also with abundance after they brought offerings to the house of the Lord 〈◊〉 Chron. 31. 10. 21. 2. The Lord takes speciall notice of all those that doe engage 2. The Lord takes exact notice of persons and their behaviour in this busin●s●● that he may accordingly reward them themselves in this Temple work he takes notice of all particulars that he may be sure to reward men accordingly 1. He observes if a man have but a disposition to a good work he lookes into purposes of a mans soule they stand not for cyphers before him but carry great weight with them 2 Corinth 8. 10. How well did God take the very purposes of David in this businesse 2 Chron. 6. 8. 2. He takes notice of the time punctually when men doe set about his work he puts down the day of the month in the Almanack of Heaven Hag. 2. 18. and this is onely that he might blesse them from that day forward 3. He takes notice of what men doe give to his work to ashekel Num. 7. So also 1 Chron. 29. 6 7 8. is set down what the Princes offered likewise Ezra 2. 68 69. there is set down to a dram of gold and the pounds of silver which were offered he hath his book of accounts in which he sets down exactly the gifts to Temple-work that he might require them to a dram and to a shekel nay that he might pay use for what they so lend What an honour is it that the contribution-money and the names of those that gave should stand upon record to all posterity 4. He takes speciall notice of the willingnesse of mens hearts in his work and therefore it is often set down how willingly every one offered to the Tabernacle and to the Temple Exod. 25. 2. 35. 21 22 29. 1 Chron. 29. 9. their willingnesse twice observed there and v. 14. taken notice of again v. 17. twice more spoke of the Lord looks on this in regard he requites men according to this 2 Cor. 8. 12. If there were any that did offer unwillingly amongst them before cited they are not taken notice of as being unworthy the very naming 5. The Lord take notice of mens carriage and behaviour in the businesse how they doe advance his work or hinder it in any kind that so he may deal with them accordingly he observes what paines as well as what cost men are at Neh. 3. how they did carry on the building of the Temple what part such a one built and what part such a one what

proportion and measure they had how farre they went It is noted of some of the builders how they repayred and laid the beames and set up the doores and the locks and the barres ver 3 6 13 14 15. the Lord takes notice even to a barre a beam and and lock he observes further how they went thorow with the work it did not stick on their hands he observes of one how he and his daughters did ingage themselves v. 12. the weak endeavours of this sex shall not be omitted v. 5. there is a note of ignominy set upon the nobles of the Tekoites and others that either did withdraw from the work or hinder it from going forward Neh. 3. 5. it is said the Tekoites repaired but the Nobles would not put their necks to the work the Nobles stigmatized then chap. 4. 1 2 3 8 11. you have the reproaches and affronts set down which the enemies did offer to them that were in the work Vpon that you have set down the valour courage and resolution of those that did fall to the work maugre all oppositions whatsoever v. 16 17 c. then ch 6. you have a treaty propounded but not yeelded to v. 10. c. they would have drawn him perhaps to propositions but Nehemiah as he will not send to the adversaries so neither will have to doe with them when they send to him Then you have set down what intercourse of Letters there were betwixt the Nobles of Iudah and Tobiah and how there was an oath passed from them to him in regard he was a great man v. 17 18. It is set down also how these treachetous Nobles did extoll Tobiah to Nehemiah and told Tobiah what ever he said of him upon which Tohiah sent him Letters to make him afraid The Nobles of the Tekoites and the Nobles of Iudah have a very ill name in this whole work Hence we may observe that God takes speciall notice of underminers and opposers of the work and sets a black coale upon them that in due time he may remember them according to their deeds Wherefore since God doth observe every mans carriage so exactly as he doth in that work which doth more immediatly concern his own glory every one had need be the more carefull to approve themselves faithfull and diligent in that work and to offer themselves most willingly in that service Thirdly A third argument to offer to God all our labours and 3. An argument from the builders of Babel to be at cost in his service may be drawn from those that are at so much paines and cost in the building of Babel and in opposing the building of the Lords house they move every stone they leave nothing unattempted whereby they may retard or put back or obstruct any way that building It costs them not only a great deale of paines and vexation of spirit and vast expences but the losse of their soules to boot Let us but look on the Antichristian party in this Kingdome and see how industrious they are how vigilant how wise in their generation to make use of all advantages to promote their designes they doe not offer to the Divell that which costs them nought hee is a hard Master and his service is a very troublesome dangerous desperate service and yet how zealous are they in it How many lifes have been sacrificed in it Let it never bee said that Satan should have more cost bestowed on him more paines and care and time laid out in his drudgery then the noble and honourable and glorious work of God now in your hands should have bestowed on it Fourthly The excellency of the service together with the difficulty should be a great incentive to the work to draw out your 4. From the excellency of the work this respects noble spirits in a speciall manner cost and lay out your paines in it This to a noble spirit is one of the greatest perswasives which to a low degenerous poore spirit is a discouragement If it be matter that carries weight and importance in it and that it is dignus vindice nodus who so fit to undertake it as one of Davids Worthies Now there is something in noble persons truly noble which as it is an incentive so likewise it is an engagement on their spirits that they of all men should undertake the most difficult service and the most excellent which is the building the Lords House It is said concerning water that comes from Springs and Fountaines that it will ascend and rise in a Conduit or Cisteme so high as the head of the Spring lies but no higher so it is with the spirits of men those that are of a low base descent will not rise up to any high employments but those that are of a high descent rise up without forcing or constraint to the highest enterprises Hence it was that the ancient H●roes did desire to be accounted of the off-spring of the gods and men did desire to perswade great persons that they were so descended that so their spirits might be raised up to their spring-head a In Lucian we have him thus speaking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And 〈◊〉 sayes thus 〈◊〉 est 〈◊〉 ut se 〈◊〉 fortes eitam● falsam sit ex 〈◊〉 genito●● credant 〈◊〉 to moilo an mus 〈◊〉 a us ●lut elivina 〈◊〉 fiducians gerens res magnas aggred●eda prasumat 〈◊〉 us agat 〈◊〉 tius 〈…〉 earitate saelicius Alexander thought it very conducible to him that he was esteemed the Son of Jupiter for he was feared by reason of this opinion men had of him by the Heathens We shall finde the Ancients very ambitious in this kind so the Romans said they were descended of Mars and Venus Hercules and Persens are reported to spring from Iupiter Seleucus of Apollo Augustus and Scipio of a Dragon and the maine reason was that they might have a greater engagement on their spirits to doe nobly Whence also it was that men of low parts and such as would not or could not undertake great matters were called terrae filii So that it is cleare that noble spirits have great engagements on them for the undertaking of great designes It lies more upon them then upon other men they seeme to degenerate when they begin to feare or draw back A truly generous and noble spirit is so far from being discouraged by difficulties that like the Palm the more weight it hath laid upon it it gathers strength the more to encounter the Assaylant Hence it is that those that stood before the Throne had palmes in their hands the ensigne of victory You have a remarkable instance of such a spirit as wee speak of in Caleb Numb 13. when the Spies had seen the Anakims and Gyants the walled Cities and those multitudes of enemies vers 28. 29. their hearts began to faint but Calebs spirit did rise at them and he said Let us goe up at once and possesse it

cost you your plate and such like superfluities such things as might be well spared but may it not be said of this offering as Christ said of theirs whom he saw cast something into the Treasury that you gave of your abundance he looked on all that they cast in as a thing of no value not so much as a mite But you will say that there hath been a great deale offered since I could wish we could say it has been offered hath it not been fetched and extorted from many as so many drops of blood I am sorry that such is the hardnesse of mens hearts that our Parliament must be faine to make Ordinances to take that from men which they will not offer and that Gods Cause must be beholding to an Excise I am sorry that we should be so little affected with the Cause amongst us that of necessity by reason of the sordid condition of men Ordinances for loan and that upon Interest must be made to maintaine and support it whereas every one should rate himselfe and strive to goe before another in this businesse and put an excise upon himselfe not of a part but of all not of his estate but his life in this businesse Is this to offer that to God which costs me something or rather is it not a kinde of exposing to sale a bargaining at least with hopes of gaine What a strange thing is it that the publique faith of the Kingdom should go further then the publique faith of heaven and that the Parliaments word should be taken before Gods word and that their security should be thought better then the security of the blessed Trinity God hath said enough to us if we would beleeve him that we shall be no losers by offering by giving to his building to his cause Besides if we consider the grudging murmuring repining the reluctance that goes along with it which I cannot say is given by men but rather forced from them certainly we must conclude that Davids minde was wanting in this businesse very much The Scripture observes the wonderfull willingnesse and readinesse of those that did help forward the work of the Sanctuary there needed no rateing of them according to their estates but every man offered so freely that there was a restraint laid upon them that they should bring in no more It seems also that at the building of the Temple there was some unkinde and unbrotherly carriage of the chiefe among the Jews towards their brethren which did cause some griefe and trouble among them Neh. 5. there were great complaints of exactions ver 1 2 3. c. which made some interruptions among them but observe how Nehemiah behaved him else when he knew of it vers 6 7. he presently rectified the thing whence I inferre that it is the desire of the Lord that his work should be carried on with all chearfulnesse and willingnesse of minde that whatever service was to be offered to him should be a free will offering Shall it ever be said that Christ hath a Cause in England to maintain that cries for help and offerings for hearts and hands for substance and lifes and could not have them at least not willingly Shall it ever be said that any of you have Thom. Lansius orat cont Hispaniam taurum est deus Christianorum a penny left that might advance this building and you would not offer it Then will I say as the poore Indians seeing the unsatiable desire of the Spaniards after gold said gold was the God of the Christians money is their god that will not give God their money Shall it bee said that any of us have a hand or a foot or a limbe or a life to lose in this Cause and wee would not spare them We would not be at so much cost in the businesse the time is now come perhaps that you may be put to it as the young man in the Gospel was to sell all not to purchase but to offer to Christ It may be the time is come in which Christ will call for honours and dignities and will your Lordships carry them and lay them at his feet and say these I lay down at thy foot-stoole that thou mayest by them be advanced into thy Throne Can you say not my honours Lord but my life honour me so far as that I may loose that for thy sake that hast honoured me so far as to loose thine for me I am sorry I have but one to loose for thee but if I had as many as there be sands on the sea thou shouldest have them all It may be the time is come that he will call for all your rents revenewes possessions and can you say I am sorry there is no more for my deare Saviour Cursed be that honour and dignity and let ignomy and reproach for ever light upon it that shall refuse to bee offred to the Lord Cursed be that estate and let beggery and basenesse shame and contempt be in the habitations of those that will not part their substance for Christ Cursed be those limbs and let them rot And cursed bee those lifes and let them perish that deny to offer themselves to Christ He that thus loves not the Lord Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha 1 Cor. 16. 22. And he loves him not Christ himselfe being interpreter that will not lay down his life for him I hope none that heares me are thus cursed but those that will not now offer their help to the Lord against the mighty they are like Meroz cursed and cursed bitterly to However we thus speak to you in the name of God yet remember that God doth not stand in need of any thing you have but he is pleased to put you upon the tryall hee will see what you will doe for him He needs not aske your leave hee may take what hee pleaseth from you as having a greater interest and propriety in what you possesse then you have your selves he is pleased to take what you give freely and to call it a gift but if you stand upon it hee will let you know that it was his before it was yours and now it is yours yet it is more his then yours Heare what God sayes Psal 50. 9 10 11 12 13. All the beasts of the forrest bee mine and the cattell upon a thousand hils c. but ver 14. he tells you what he looks for Offer unto God thanksgiving and pay thy vowes unto the most High he looks for offering though he stands in need of none And David professeth that he was ready to offer sacrifice if God would accept it Psal 51. 16. but vers 17. he tells what sacrifice God did delight in This is a day of Humiliation and this is the most proper offering for the day which should be a heart-breaking day he that offers to God a fast without afflicting of his soule without being in bitternesse for his sinnes without mourning without sighs and groanes without