Selected quad for the lemma: peace_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A45687
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A sermon on the decease of Mr. Hanserd Knollis, minister of the Gospel Preached at Pinners-Hall, Octob. 4. 1691. By Tho. Harrison.
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Harrison, Thomas, fl. 1700.
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1694
(1694)
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Wing H911; ESTC R221275
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16,595
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74
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are his Embassadours to make Offers and Tenders of Salvation to poor sinners and intreat them to be reconciled to him in vain and to no purpose When Men rebelliously stopt their Ears against his Gospel Calls and slights those compasionate Invitaons which he gives them by his Prophets he calls them home unto himself 3. When desolating Judgments are hastily advancing towards and make a near approach unto the places wherein they live Noah that famous Preacher of righteousness enter'd into the Ark but a few days before the old World was destroyed by the Deluge God frequently calls his Servants into the Chambers of Death when an overflowing scourge is coming The setting of these Lights in the World portends a gloomy night These Righteous Men are often taken away from the Evil to come tho few observe and lay it to heart 4. I shall now make some improvement and Application of the whole And that 1. By way of Information 2. By way of Exhortation 3. By way of Consolation 1. By way of Information 1. Are the Ministers of Christ mortal men then this may inform us what cause we have to admire the goodness of God intreating with us by them Should the great Jehovah treat with us immediately we should be forc'd to say with the Israelites Let not God speak with us least we die Exod. 20.19 Nor could we in our mortal state bear to converse with those glorious Angels who continually behold his face and stand before his August Throne but God in compassion to our weakness treats with us by men like our selves such who tho they are in God's stead are also form'd out of the Clay whose terrour shall not make us afraid neither shall their hand be heavy upon us as Elihu says to Job 33.6.7 who can from the acquaintance they have will their own hearts tell us the baseness of ours and with whom we may converse with the greatest familiarity 2. Are Ministers mortal men This may inform us that we ought not to Idolize them honour and respect them we must but Idolize them we must not tho they are men highly dignified by God yet they are mortal men still tho they are sent to proclaim the Promise of Everlasting Life yet they are liable to a temporal Death Tho the rich treasures of Spiritual Gifts and Graces are pouer'd into these Vessels yet they are but earthen ones and will soon be broken by the blow of God's hand tho these goards are very delightful to us and we find great refreshment in sitting under their shadow yet the worm of Death will soon make them to wither 3. Must Ministers Die and give an Account of their Ministry unto God Then how diligent and laborious should they be therein Surely they should endeavour to bring as much Glory to the reverend and holy Name of God and to do as much good to the precious Souls of Men as they can while they Live for when they Die they can do no more when Death hath seised upon them they can no more proclaim the glad Tidings of Peace to the rebellious World they can no more inform the Ignorant quicken the Slothful convince Gain-sayers perswade the Disobedient strengthen the Weak or comfort the Disconsolate Moreover they should be excited to Diligence in their Work by that awful Account which they must give e're long to their Lord. Will a prudent Servant loyter in the day time who knows that his Master will take an account of his Work at night Oh! how little do some who enter on the work of the Ministry consider that dreadful Account that they have to give unto the Judg of all the Earth when they depart out of this World Ministers must be accountable for those Souls which are lost by their unfaithfulness and negligence as appears from Ezek. 33.6 And therefore the Apostle Paul charges Timothy to be diligent in his Work as he would answer it unto the Judg both of quick and dead at his appearance and his Kingdom 2 Tim. 4.1 2. 4. Must the Ministers of the Gospel die and give an Account of their Ministry Then how unreasonable is it for the People to be offended with them for their faithfulness and Eagerness in the discharge of it It may be you are ready to think them too sharp in reproving Sin too earnest in pressing duty and too severe in urging the threatnings of the Divine Law but consider they do it for their own sakes as well as for yours that if they cannot deliver your Souls yet they may deliver their own 5. Must the Minister of the Gospel Dye that they may rest from their labours be eased of their Troubles and receive their reward Then it is a great peice of self-denial in a Minister that is satisfied in his fitness for Death to be willing to Live We have an instance of this in the Apostle Paul who tho upon his own Account he desired to depart and to be with Christ yet for the sake of the Church he was willing to abide longer in the flesh 1 Phil. 23.24 2. By way of Exhortation Have a care that you do not hasten the Death of your Ministers It is true their days are determined by that God in whose hand all our Times are but you may be instrumental to shorten their Lives and that not only by putting them to death as wicked persecutours have â—ften done but by other means 1. By over valuing of them If you give that honour to them which belongs only to the Lord of the Prophets you will provoke him to take them away from you if ye fall down and Worship these bright and glittering Stars no wonder if the Father of lights remove them from your sight If you advance them to God's Throne he will quickly lay them in the dust 2. By undervaluing them by slighting and contemning their Persons their Gifts or their Message If you do not prize your Mercies when you Enjoy them God will make you to know the worth of them in the want of them if you despise God's Ambassadors it is time for him to recal them Moreover hereby you will wound their Souls and break their Hearts and why will you bring their heads with sorrow to the grave who have so great a regard to your welfare 2. Look upon your Living Ministers as dying men and that to these two ends and purposes 1. That you may moderate your Affections towards them The consideration of the vanity and frailty of all created objects should wean our Hearts and Affections from them and this consideration should have the same influence upon us with respect to Gospel Ministers Why should we set our eyes our hearts upon those who are not for they will soon take to themselves wings and fly away from us into an invisible world Secondly that you may make the utmost improvement of them while they continue with you endeavour to get as much good as you can from them while they live for when they are