Selected quad for the lemma: sense_n
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A65308
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A plea for the Godly wherein is shown the excellency of a righteous person / by Thomas Watson ...
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Watson, Thomas, d. 1686.
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1672
(1672)
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Wing W1138; ESTC R10636
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40,142
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126
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more Spiritual Rule than others A sinner either lives by no rule or by a false he walks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the course of the world Ephes. 2. 2. But a righteous man goes by the Canon of Scripture as a well made Dial goes exactly by the Sun Gods Word is the Oracle he consults with 't is his pillar of Fire or Pole-star to direct him Psal. 119. 105. Thy Word is a Lanthorn to my feet The Word is a divine Pandect 't is a Model and Platform of Gods mind to which a pious man conforms his actions both Moral and Sacred he will not resolve his faith into Councils or Fathers nor will he follow the Examples of the best men further than they follow the Word 2. A righteous man lives more Spiritually as he lives a life above others whereas they live no higher than Reason The just lives by Faith Heb. 10. 38. A righteous man moves in an higher Sphere he penetrates the Clouds Moses saw him who is invisible Heb. 11. 27. Sense and Reason are too low of stature to see Christ Faith climbs up not into the Tree as Zacheus but within the Vail and there sees Jesus An holy person sends out Faith as a Spy to view the land of Promise Faith unties difficulties Rom. 4. 18. Who against hope believed in Hope Against the hope of sense Abraham believed in hope of the Promise faith anticipates future things and makes them present When God told Abraham what a glorious Country he would give him Abraham looked upon it as if it had been actually done and he had taken livery and seisin Faith can live upon God in the deficiency of visible comforts Hab. 3. 17. Although the Fig-tree doth not blossom yet I will rejoyce in the Lord A righâ—…eous man believes that if God will save him from hell he will save him from want if he will give him a kingdom he will not deny him daily bread 3. A righteous man lives more spiritually as he shows forth more of the power of Holiness in his life than others he is a pattern of Piety Psal. 106. 16. Aaron the Saint of the Lord his sanctiâ—…y adorned him more than his Mâ—…tre oâ—… Linnen Garments a Moraâ—… may live as a man but he who is regenerate lives the life of Christ Joh. 2. 6. The Macedonians on the birth-day of Alexander did wear Alexander's picture about their necks set with Gold and Pearl So the righteous carry the lively picture of Christ in their holy Example they live so devoutly as if they had seen the Lord with bodily eyes 2. The life of a righteous man is more excellent for Usefulness He is a blessing in the midst of the Land Isa. 19. 24. He spends and is spent for Christ he had rather wear out than rust Nec propter vitam vivendi perdere causam The â—…ives of the wicked are unprofitable therefore compared to chaff Mat. 3 11. and hurtful therefore compared to thorns Mica 7. 4. But a righteous man is like the Bee or Silkworm working for the good of others It comforts me said worthy Jewel that I have exhausted my self in the labours of my Holy Calling A good man hangs between these two as a Needle between two Loadstones longing to be with Christ and love of doing service 1. A righteous man is helpful to the bodies of others He is a Temporal Saviour he hath one eye shut to wink at the failings of others and another eye open to spy their wants He is like the Heaven diffusing his influence and sending down his silver drops of charity he is a staffe to the lame bread to the hungry he puts under a golden crutch to support others when they are falling It is reported of the young Lord Harrington that he gave the tenth part of his yearly Revenue to charitable uses As Mary brought her sweet Ointments to anoint Christs dead body so a gracious soul brings his oyntments of Charity to anoint the Saints which are Christs living body A good man judiciously considers how he himself lives upon Contribution the earth enricheth him with veins of Silver crops of Corn One Creature brings him Wool another Oyl another Silk and as every Creature conspires for his good so he studies to lay out himself for the good of others Jam. 2. 17. Faith if it hath not works is dead Faith sanctifies works and works testifie faith A Believer with one hand receives Christs Merits with the other relieves his Members and he not only gives to the necessities of the poor but gives freely Deut. 15. 10. Charity drops froâ—… him as myrrh from the Tree He doth not put his Alms among his desperate Debts he is thankful that God hath made him in the number of givers and not receivers 2. A righteous man is helpful to the Souls of others He who pities his Neighbour's Ox when it is fallen into a pit doth much more pity his Neighbours Soul that is falling into hell he doth counsel the ignorant confirm the weak reduce the wandring Convert the sinner from the error of his way Jam. 5. 20. 3. A righteous man is helpful to a Kingdom He stands as a Screen between it and the fire of Gods wrath Psal. 106. 23 Therefore he said he would destroy them had not Moses his servant stood before him in the breach to turn away wrath from them When a breach is made in the wall of a Castâ—… Soldiers stand in that breach till the enemy be beaten back so when the wrath of God was coming against Israel Moses stood in the breach and by his prayers kept it off The Saints are the Atlasses that bear up a Nation from sinking the Poets fained of Hector as long as he lived Troy could not be demolished Psal. 75. 3. I bear up the Pillars St. Ambrose was called the wall of Italy Lot while in Sodom kept off the fire Gen. 19. 22. Hast thee escape to Zoar for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither A wicked Nation is oft reprieved for the righteous sake The Tares are spared for the Wheat sake 11. The Death of a righteous man is more excellent Death comes with an Habeas corpus Psal. 89. 48. What man is he that liveth and shall not see death Grace it self gives no charter of exemption from it An earthen pot though full of Gold may break The righteous who are earthen vessels though they are filled with the golden Graces are not freed from breaking by death but their death is precious Psalm 116. 15. Wicked men like Hawks are set high upon a pearch vervel'd with Jingling bells but then comes their passing-bell and calls them away and when they die there is no miss of them their life was scarce worth a prayer nor their death worth a tear the wicked die in their sins Joh 8. 21. Death to them is but Inferni porta a
the object which is near the glass the beams of Gods love are more intensly enflamed towards them who are near him by grace these have the strength and spirits of his love distilled he loveth them as he loveth Christ Joh. 17. 26. Indeed in one sense Gods love to Christ and Believers is not alike for Christ is loved purely for his own sake but Believers are loved for Christs sake yet in another sense God the Father loves Believers as he loves Christ It is the same love for the quality the same for the unchangableness of it God will no more cease to love Believers then he will to love Christ. 6 Br. See from hence what a venerable opinion we should have of the righteous they are to be prized by us above others Psal. 15. 4. He honoureth them that fear the Lord. A Sa in rags is better than a sinner in scarlet We prize things that have an excellency in them why do we value Gold and Pearl but because they excell glass-bugles Oh then esteem the righteous as most worthy because of their intrinsick holiness whereby they out-shine their neighbours The righteous carry Christ about them Gal. 2. 20. Christ liveth in me Queen Cleopatra put a Jewel in her cup which contained the price of a Kingdom how rich are they who carry the pearl of Price about them Despise not the Saints for their worldly Poverty but honour them for their Vertue we esteem of a Ruby or Diamond though it be in the dust John Baptist was girt with a leathern-girdle yet he was more than a Prophet Mat. 11. 9. He was honoured to usher in the King of Glory into the World John was so eminent a person that doubtless Herod might have kept his oath though he had not beheaded him for he sware to the Damsel to give her what she asked unto half of the Kingdom Mar. 6. 23. But John Baptist was more worth than all his Kingdom A Saints facing may be mean but he hath a rich lining the out side of the Tabernacle was Goats hair but within it was embellished with Gold Psal. 45. 13. The Kings daughter is glorious within Jesus Christ himself was outwardly mean yet in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom Col. 2. 3. A Soul inspir'd by the Almighty and beautified with grace doth exceed others more than the light of the Sun doth exceed the light of a Taper 7 Br. If the righteous are more excellent than others then how severe will God be against those that wrong them the wicked are thorns in the sides of the godly Saint Paul was scourged by cruel hands 1 Cor. 11. 35. Thrice was I beaten with rods aâ—… if you should see a Skullion whip the Kings Son but shall not God avenge his Elect Surely he will Isa. 34. 6 8. The sword of the Lord is silled with blood for it is the day of the Lords vengeance and the year of recompences for the controversie of Sion As if the Prophet had said The time appointed is now come sor Gods avenging Sion's wrongs Jer. 50. 10 11. Chaldea shall be a spoil saith the Lord because â—…e were glad because ye rejoiced O ye destroyers of mine heritage Jer. 30. 16. All that prey upon thee will I give for a prey The Saints are persons of Honour they are God's first-born Oh how enraged will the Lord be against such as offer injury to them they trample God's pearls in the dust they strike at the apple of his eye The righteous are Gods royal diadem Isa. 62. 3. Will a King endure to have his Robes spit upon and his Crown thrown in the dirt What is done to the righteous is done to God himself When the Kings favourite is struck at the King himself is struck at 2 King 19. 22. I know thy rage against me The rage of Sennacherib was against the person of Hezekiah but there being a league between God and his people the Lord took it as done to himself I know thy rage against me Certainly it shall not go unpunished Psal. 105. 14. He reproved Kings for their sakes What became of Julian Nero Dioclesian One of them had his deaths-wound from Heaven others of them had theit bowels come out and died raving Charles the ninth of France who had glutted himself with the blood of so many Christians in the Massacre at Paris was in such inward horror that he never durst be waked without Musick and at length blood issued out at so many parts of his body that he died bleeding These were set up as publick Monuments of God's vengeance 2 Use. Let us try whether we are in the number of these righteous ones then we are more excellent than others 1. A righteous man is an humble man he who is proud of his righteousness is unrighteous Luk 18. 1. God I thank thee that I am not as other men are I fast I give Tythes Here was a Triple crown of Pride the Pharisee wore Righteousness though it raiseth the name it depresseth the heart Job 15. 10. If I am righteous I will not lift up my head The Violet is a sweet flower yet hangs down the head such a flower was Job The righteous are like the Silk-worm while she weaves her curious works she hides her self in the silk The righteous man is more in judging himself than in playing the Critick upon another He shrinks into nothing in his own thoughts 2 Cor. 12. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Though I be nothing David cries out I am a worm and no man Psal. 22. 6. Though a Saint though a King yet a worm St. Austin Lord I am not worthy of thy love Bishop Hooper Lord I am hell but thou art heaven One of the Martyrs subscribed his Letter The most hard-hearted-sinner John Bradford He who is righteous puts a greater value upon others than upon himself Phil. 2. 3. Let each esteem other better than themselves The higher Grace is the lower the Heart is the more Gold you put in the Scale the lower it descends the richer the Ship is laden the lower it sails When the Soul looks black in its own eye it is most comely Isa. 57. 15. I dwell with him also that is of an humble spirit God hath two Heavens and the humble heart is one of them 2. A righteous man is devoted to holiness The Priests under the Law were not only wash'd in the great laver but adorned with glorious apparel Exod. 28. 2. the emblem of a righteous man who is not only washed from gross sin but adorn'd with inward sanctity he is what he seems he hath not only holiness painted on him but living in him 'T is said of Zachary and Elizabeth they were both righteous before God walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless Luk. 1. 6. A good Christian is Gods Temple his body is the outward Court of the Temple and his