Selected quad for the lemma: nation_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
nation_n	lord_n	people_n	zion_n	1,583	5	9.6197	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93076	The clear sun-shine of the gospel breaking forth upon the Indians in Nevv-England. Or, An historicall narration of Gods wonderfull workings upon sundry of the Indians, both chief governors and common-people, in bringing them to a willing and desired submission to the ordinances of the gospel; and framing their hearts to an earnest inquirie after the knowledge of God the Father, and of Jesus Christ the Saviour of the world. / By Mr. Thomas Shepard minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ at Cambridge in New-England.	Shepard, Thomas, 1605-1649.	1648 (1648)	Wing S3109; Thomason E431_14; ESTC R206115	39,184	54

THE Clear Sun-shine of the Gospel BREAKING FORTH UPON THE INDIANS IN NEW-ENGLAND OR An Historicall Narration of Gods Wonderfull Workings upon sundry of the INDIANS both chief Governors and Common-people in bringing them to a willing and desired submission to the Ordinances of the Gospel and framing their hearts to an earnest inquirie after the knowledge of God the Father and of Jesus Christ the Saviour of the World By Mr. THOMAS SHEPARD Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ at Cambridge in New-England Isaiah 2 2 3. And it shall come to passe in the last dayes that the mountain of the Lords house shall bee established in the top of the mountains and shall bee exalted above the bills and all Nations shall flow unto it And many people shal go and say Come ye and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his wayes and we will walk in his paths for out of Zion shall go forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem London Printed by R. Cotes for John Bellamy at the three golden Lions in Cornhill near the Royall Exchange 1648. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE THE LORDS COMMONS Assembled In High Court of Parliament Right Honorable THese few sheets present unto your view a short but welcome discourse of the visitations of the most High upon the saddest spectacles of degeneracy upon earth The poore Indian People the distance of place if our spirits be right will be no lessening of the mercy nor of our thankefulnesse That Christ is glorified that the Gospel doth any where find footing and successe is a mercy as well worthy the praise of the Saints on Earth as the joy of the Angels in heaven The report of this mercy is first made to you who are the Representative of this Nation That in you England might bee stirred up to be Rejoycers in and Advancers of these promising beginnings And because to You an account is first due of the successe of the Gospel in those darke corners of the World which have been so much inlightned by Your favour enlivened by Your resolutions encouraged by Your fore past indeavours for God hope stil being parts of Your selves to be further strengthned by Your benigne aspects and bountifull influences on them The present troubles have not so far obliterated and worn out the sad mispressions which former times have made upon our spirits but we can sadly remember those destructive designes which were on foot and carryed on for the Introduction of so great evils both into Church and State In order to which it was the endeavour of the Contrivers and Promoters of those designes to wast the number of the godly as those who would never be brought to comply in such destructive enterprises which was attempted by banishing and forcing some abroad by burthening and afflicting all at home Among those who tasted of the first I say not the worst sort of their cruelty were these our Brethren who to enjoy the liberties of the Gospel were content to sit downe and pitch their tents in the utmost parts of the Earth hoping that there they might be out of the reach of their malice as they were assured they were beyond the bounds of their love God who doth often make mans evill of sin serviceable to the advancement of the riches of his owne Grace The most horrid act that ever was done by the sonnes of men the ●●rther of Christ God made serviceable to the highest purposes of Grace and mercy that ever came upon his breast That God doth shew that hee had mercifull ends in this their malicious purpose as hee suffer'd Paul to be cast into prison to convert the Act 16. 30 33 34. Acts. 8. 1. 11 Jaylor to be ship wrackt at Melita to preach to the barbarous so he suffer'd their way to be stopped up here and their persons to be banished hence that hee might open a passage for them in the Wildernesse and make them instruments to draw soules to him who had been so long estranged from him It was the end of the adversary to suppresse but Gods to propagate the Gospel theirs to smother and put out the light Gods to communicate and disperse it to the utmost corners of the Earth that as one saith of Paul his blindnesse gave light to the 〈…〉 whole World so we hope God will make their distance and estrangednesse from us a meanes of bringing many near and in to acquaintance with him Indeed along time it was before God let them see any farther end of their comming over then to preserve their consciences cherish their Graces provide for their sustenance But when Providences invited their return he let them know it was for some farther Arrand that hee brought them thither giving them some Bunches of Grapes some Clusters of Figs in earnest of the prosperous successe of their endeavours upon those poor outcasts The utmost 〈…〉 ends of the earth are designed and promised to be in time the possessions of Christ And hee sends his Ministers into every place where he himself intends to come and take possession Where the Ministery is the Harbinger and goes before Christ and Grace will certainly follow after This little we see is something in hand to earnest to us those things which are in hope something in possession to assure us of the rest in Promise when the ends of the earth shall see his Psal 22. 27. Rev. 11. 15. Psal 72. 8 9 10 11. glory and the Kingdomes of the world shall become the Kingdomes of the Lord and his Christ when hee shall have Dominion from Sea to Sea and they that dwell in the wildernesse shall bow before him And if the dawn of the morning be so delightfull what will the clear day be If the first fruits be so precious what wil the whole harvest be if some beginnings be so ful of joy what will it be when God shall perform his whole work when the whole earth shall be full of the knowledge Isa 11. 9. 10. of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea and East and West shal sing together the song of the Lamb In order to this what doth God require of us but that we should strengthen the hands incourage the hearts of those who are at work for him conflicting with difficulties wrestling with discouragements to spread the Gospel in that the same and honor of this Nation to the utmost ends of the earth It was the design of your enemies to make them little let it be your endevor to make them great their greatnesse is your strength Their enemies threatned their hands should reach them for evil God disappointed them And let your hands reach them now for good there is enough in them to speak then fit objects of your incouragement they are men of choice spirits not frighted with dangers softned with allurements nor discouraged with difficulties

as ever England was where are the churches of Asia once famous for the gospel for general Councels now places for Zim and Ochim their habitation desolate where are those ancient people of the lews who were segulla micol hagnamim his peculiar and chosen people of al nations they are scattered abroad as a curse and their place knows them no more And shall I tel you God hath no need of us he can calthem Gnammi his people who were Lo gnammi not his people and them beloved who were not beloved Indeed he hath held up us as if he had not known where to have another people if he should forsake us we have been a Goshen when others have been an Egypt a Canaan when others an Akeldama the garden of God when others have been a wildernesse our fleece hath been wet when others have been dry But know God hath no need of us he can want no people if he please to call If he speake all the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord and 〈◊〉 27 28. c. 11 Esa 9. 10. all the kindreds of the Nations shall worship before him If he set up his standard to him shal the Gentiles flock and the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea It is not for need but for love that God abides with England and there is nothing out of himselfe the incentive of this Amat●●● ●●● aliunde ●●● habet sed ip s●●● unde an at Aug. love there can be no reason given why God should fence us and suffer other places to lye wast that we should bee his Garden and other places a Wildernes that he should feed us with the bread of Heaven and suffer others to starve men of the same mould his offspring as well as we and such did he conquer to himselfe were likely to doe him more service bring him more glory then we have done Wee see something here done in order to such a work our Harvest is much over we see little incomes there we see the fields are ripe for harvest here the ministry is contemned there the feet of them that bring glad tydings are beautifull we have outlived the power and efficacy of Ordinances there God goes sorth with life and power we can outfit the most speaking and winning discoveries of Christ there every notion breeds motion in them the glory of the Lord is much departed from us there his rising is conspicuous and glorious The blind man found it good to be in the way where Christ came And who would be in Aegypt when there is light in Goshen Oh that England would be quickned by their risings and weep ever her own declinings What a wonder is it that they should doe so much and we so little that they should be men in their infancy and we such Children in our manhood that they so active we so dead That which was Hieroms complaint may be ours O that Infidelity should do that which those who profesle thenmselvs Healquo● p●●●●●at in●●delu as quod non ●●● 〈◊〉 sides Ignis qui in paren●●●s suit Cali●lus in nobis ●ucidus beleevers cannot do We have the light of former times but want the heat knowledge abounds as the waters cover the sea but we want the salt we have a form of Godlinesse but want the power And it wil be smal comfort should God continue to us the form and cary to others the power to suffer us to wast our selvs with unnecessary brangles which are the sweat of thetimes and in the mean to cary the life and power of Religion unto others Let these poor Indians stand up incentives to us as the Apostle set up the Gentiles a provocation to the Iews who knows but Rom. 11. 14. God gave life to New England to quicken Old and hath warmed them that they might heat us raised them from the dead that they might recover us from that consumption and those sad decayes which are come upon us This smal Treatise is an Essay to that end an Indian Sermon though you will not hear us poss●bly when some rise from the dead you will hear them The main Doctrin it preacheth unto all is to value the Gospel prize the Ministry loath not your Manna surfet not of your plenty be thankfull for mercies fruitfull under means Awake from your slumber repair your decayes redeem your time improve the seasons of your peace answer to cals Open to knocks attend to whispers obey commands you have a name you live take heed you bee not dead you are Christians in shew be so indeed least as you have lost the power God take away from you the form also And you that are Ministers learn by this not to despond though you see not present fruit of your labors though you fish all night and catch nothing God hath a fulnesse of time to perform all his purposes And the deepest degeneracies widest estrangements from God shall be no bar or obstacle to the power and freenesse of his owne grace when that time is come And you that are Merchants take incouragement from hence to scatter the becames of light to spread and propagate the Gospel into those dark corners of the earth whither you traffick you take much from them if you can carry this to them you wil make them an abundant recompence And you that are Christians indeed rejoice to see the Curtaines of the Tabernacle inlarged the bounds of the Sanctuary extended Christ advanced the Gospel propagated and souls saved And if ever the love of God did center in your hearts if ever the sense of his goodness hath begot bowels of compassion in you draw them forth towards them whom God hath singled out to be the objects of his grace and mercy lays out your prayers lend your assistance to carry on this day of the Lord begun among them They are not able as Moses said to bear the burthen of that people alone to make provision for the children whom God hath given them therefore it is requisite the spiritual community should help to bear part with them Many of the young ones are given and taken in to be educated brought up in Schooles they are naked and must be clad they want al things and must be supplyed The Parents also and many others being convinced of the evill of an idle life desire to be employed in honest labor but they want instruments and tooles to set them on work and cast-garments to throw upon those bodies that their loins may blesse you whose souls Christ hath cloathed Soine worthy persons have given much and if God shall move the heart of others to offer willingly towards the building of Christ a Spirituall temple it will certainly remain upon their account when the smallest rewards from God shall be better then the greatest layings out for God But we are making a relation not a collection we leave