Selected quad for the lemma: saint_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
saint_n	incense_n	prayer_n	smoke_n	1,391	5	11.4786	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A65301	Light in darkness, or, Deliverance proclaimed unto the church in the midst of all her despondencies and discouragements in a sermon / preached by Thomas Watson.	Watson, Thomas, d. 1686.	1679 (1679)	Wing W1132; ESTC R38516	12,192	38

The Philosopher saies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Light is the most glorious Creature 't is the Beauty of the World What were the World without Light but a Dark Prison Here 's the Beauty of Heaven 't is an Inheritance in Light Heaven it is a Diaphanum or a bright-Body all over embroidered with Light and Glory There are no Eclipses there There are no dark shadows to be seen but all is Orient Brightness Celestiall Glory In Heaven Christ the Son of Righteousness will alwayes be shining with his illustrious Beams In Rev. 21. 23. The Lamb is the Light thereof O how should we long to be in that blessed place that Paradise of God that is so Adorned with the bright illustrious Rays of Celestial Glory There 's nothing but pure Light nothing but Glory shining in its perfection So much for the first Use. Use 2. The second Use is of Consolation for the Church and People of God This Text is a Pillar of Light a Breast of Consolation Unto the Upright there ariseth Light in the Darkness Does God make Light and Joy and Peace to arise to the Righteous Why then should we despond or throw away our Anchor Why should we despair Why may we not hope that the Morning-Star of Deliverance and Mercy may yet appear unto this Island Why I say should we despond when 't is God's great Project and Design to lighten his Peoples Darkness I confess things have a bad Aspect a dark Face at present Gray hairs are here and there My Brethren we see how things go Sin grows higher Enemies grow bolder Divisions grow wider These are bad Symptoms of a dying Patient England is like that Ship in the Gospel which was almost covered over with Waves Here 's that may humble us and set our Eyes abroach with Tears Yet that we may not mourn without hope let me tell you there are some sparks of Light that do seem to arise to us in the Dark Unto the Upright there ariseth Light in the Darkness Let me come as a Dove with an Olive-branch of Peace in my mouth that that is some spark of Light to us 1. That there are many Upright ones in this Nation That 's a Spark of Light The Text saies Light ariseth to the Upright 'T is to be hoped there are many such in this Island Were the Godly removed as 't is the design of some to destroy them God would make Quick work with the Nation he would soon break up House here God would quickly sink the Ship of Church and State if he had not some of his Elect in it But for the sake of those that are Upright God may be pleased yet a while to Reprieve the Nation and Adjourn Englands Funeral a while longer In Isa. 65. 8. As the new Wine is found in the Cluster and one saith Destroy it not for a Blessing is in it So will I do f●r my Servants sakes that I may not destroy them all Though it cannot be denied but our Vine in this Land planted bears much very bad fruit yet doubtless there are some good Clusters in the Vine and for these God may spare the Vine and say Is t●ere not a blessing in it The Saints of God stay his Hand when he is going to strike In Gen. 19. 22. Haste thee saies the Angel to Lot Haste thee to Zoar escape thither for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither q. d. Thou holdest my hand I cannot strike till thou art gone The Saints of God though others look upon them with a contemptible eye they are the Safety of the Land God will do much for their sakes The Upright they are the Excellent of the Earth Psal. 16. 3. Others are but the Lumber God knows bad Lumber These are the Jewels Mal. 3. 17. The Saints of God they are the Chariots and Horsmen of Israel They are the very Flower and Cream of the Creation they are the Glory of Christ 2 Cor. 8. 23. And for their sakes God may yet cause Light to arise and he may be propitious and his Arm may bring Salvation 2. Another Spark of Light arising in Englands Darkness is this That yet God is pleased wonderfully to keep up in his People a Spirit of Prayer They cry mightily Certainly God will not say to us Seek ye me i● vain The Spartans Walls were their Spears The Wall and Bullwark of a Land is Devout Prayer Whole Vollies of Sighs and Groans are every day sent up to Heaven for Mercy here 's a Spark of Light in our Darkness God hears these Sighs Pray observe when the Lord intends to pour out the Vial of his Indignation and to bring wrath upon a People he presently stops all the sluces of Prayer no more Prayer to be made In Jer. 7. 16. Pray not for this People God has not said so yet concerning England Prayer is a powerful Orator for Mercy and may cause Light to spring up yet The Key of Prayer oyled with Tears and turn'd with the Hand of Faith unlocks God's Bowels Prayer when 't is importunate it staves off Wrath from a Land In Exod. 32. 10. Saies God to Moses Let me alone that my Wrath may wax hot against them Why what did Moses do He only Prayed Fervent Prayer it overcomes the Omnipotent as Luther saies Prayer it finds God Free but it leaves him Bound Haec Domina Mundi fructuat Solum Prayer ties God's Hands It staves off Judgment This my Brethren lets in some dawning of Light to this Land this day in the mid'st of all our Clouds of Obscurity Prayer is made for the Church This gives us some ground to hope that God will not wholly leave us Especially when we consider Christ is our Advocate He prays over our Prayers again sprinkles them with his Blood and perfumes them with his blessed Odours and so they go up to Heaven as sweet Incense In Rev. 8. 4. The smoke of the Incense which came with the Prayers of the Saints ascended up before God out of the Angels hand 3. And lastly Another spark of Light arising in our Dark Hemisphere it is this God's Compassions his Bowel-Mercies Mercy it is God's Darling Attribute that he loves most of all to magnifie Mercy pleaseth him Micah 7. 18. Though We don't please God yet Mercy pleases him Justice is God's strange Work Isa. 28. 21. He is not so much used to that But Mercy it is his proper Work it flows naturally from him as the Honey from the Bee or as the Myrrhe drops from the Myrrhe-tree While God so delights in this Darling Attribute of Mercy why should we despair Why may not Mercy give the casting Voice for this Nation In Isa. 63. 9. In his Love and in his Pity he Redeemed them O! Love and Pity will do great things In his Love and in his Pity he Redeemed them God's Mercy 't is not only Free sending out Pardons where it pleases but here 's the Comfort God's Mercy can as well