Selected quad for the lemma: water_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
water_n	drink_v	eat_v	wine_n	18,017	5	9.0842	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93747	The necessity of keeping still unto the ordinances of religion, prayer, hearing the word, baptism, and the Lord's Supper set forth in a sermon preached in the countrey, on Acts VI.4. : wherein is also laid open, and manifested the errour of those people (commonly call'd Quakers) who do neglect the two latter.	Stafford, Richard, 1663-1703.	1698 (1698)	Wing S5126; ESTC R202451	24,791	32

words the meaning seems to be to this purpose and effect that is there is nothing or no great matter whither the foreskin of ones flesh is cut off or not There is no great Good or Evil in the thing abstractedly whither it be done or not done So it would have been if God had given no Commandment at all concerning it But God having Superadded and Annexed a Commandment concerning it The Soul that is not Circumcised shall be cut off from his People Here it ought to be observed and done by the Jews as long as that Dispensation did remain among them Not so much for the thing it self but to fulfill all Righteousness and therein to keep the Commandment of God which same Commandment is now done away and abolished in Christ And therefore it was become indifferent under the Gospel as appears by the foregoing verse and from the Practise of Paul who altho' he was not for bringing them back again to Bondage and to Jewish Observances yet to please the Jews as also to bring over more Jewish Converts who did retain a Tincture of and Zeal for the Mosaical Institutions did Circumcise Timothy but would not do so as to the Gentiles which should receive the Faith Now the reason is alike and eternally the same as to those two Ordinances of Christ Baptism and the Lords Supper As to sprinkling or dipping in water and in Eating and Drinking a little Bread and Wine there is nothing or no great matter in them taken abstractedly The Reason of Man is apt to despise them because it presently sees no Intrinsick Goodness in using them and no Evil in letting them alone And so far it would have been true if Christ had given no Commandment concerning them But Christ and his Apostles having given Commandment for the once observance of the one and the often observance of the other they ought accordingly to be so observed by his Disciples and Followers to fulfill all Gospel Righteousness and out of obedience unto and for keeping the Commandments of Christ Moses therefore gave unto you Circumcision not because it is of Moses but of the Fathers and ye on the Sabbath Day Circumcise a Man that the Law of Moses shall not be broken John 7. 22 23. This is plain and obvious enough and accordinly they have been retained all along down in the Christian yea and the Reformed Churches Tho' we cannot here presently assign how Baptism and the Lords Supper are means of Grace as Preaching the Word and Prayer manifestly and sensibly are For we know feelingly and experimentally that Preaching the Word and Prayer are as two Conduit Pipes through which Good and Perfect Gifts do come down from above from the Father of Lights into our Souls And we very well conceive how these help to make a People prepared for the Lord. But we cannot altogether give so clear an Account concerning Baptism and the Lords Supper how they do this altho' here we can somewhat apprehend as to the things signified by them which hath been afore-mentioned Nevertheless because Christ hath Commanded and Instituted them in his Gospel it is not only the safer way to use them but I will go on to add there can be no sasety in neglecting them or in the omission of them because of what himself saith Whosoever shall break one of these least Commandments and teach Men so He shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 5. 19. Which there signifies the Dispensation of his Gospel For we are not sure that such will ever be admitted into his Kingdom above at the end of time Having afore-mentioned what Grounds we have for the same in the Scriptures of Truth and therefore these things keep still unto the Ordinances of Religion We teach and affirm constantly We read in Isa 58. 2. Of the Ordinances of Justice but in our present and intended Discourse we wave and let alone all that it being not altogether so pertinent to the matter in Hand which is the keeping constantly unto the Ordinances of Worship For it is a great Gospel Command Worship God Rev. 22. 9. And to allude unto Heb. 9. 1. This Second Covenant hath Ordinances of Divine Service and a Spiritual or Heavenly Sanctuary Which may be performed in a true and right manner So that it is meet requisite and necessary That the Children of thy Servants should continue therein Psal 102. 28. Or otherwise they are no longer Servants of God For his Servants shall serve him Rev. 22. 3. And as anothers abuse of a thing should not take away my Good and Right use thereof So here again it is the Controversies and Questions which are among the Servants of God concerning the manner or Circumstantials of his Worship or of those positive Ordinances as whither Baptism should be observed in Infancy or Riper Years with dipping or sprinkling with the sign of the Cross or without it and of the Lords Supper whither it should be received sitting standing or kneeling or whither in the Morning or Afternoon altho' these are somewhat apt to perplex and trouble the Minds of Christians and are the occasion of different and distinct Congregations Yet we should in no wise so far stumble as to surcease the use of them at all God forbid By the way tho' we ought to assert the Truth and Confute Errour yet it is no Christianity to Reproach or Malign any Sect or Party For the Servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all Men in Meekness Instructing those that oppose themselves if Peradventure God will give them Repentance to the acknowledgment of the Truth The much greater Part of those Churches which are reformed from the Idolatry and Superstition of Rome both in these and also in Forreign Countries do all unanimously agree that these Ordinances ought by all means to be retained and that the neglect or omission of them is Sin Certain it is that the best and wisest way for every one is To keep unto and observe them as near according to the Rule and Direction of Scripture as ever they can and abstracted from all will Worship and Institution or Precept of Man I am now going to speak after my Judgment and by Permission and not of Commandment And therefore ye may weigh in your Minds but not rely on this Affirmation or rather Opinion Viz. That as the Early Dew which goeth away is better then no Dew at all So the observance of the ordinances any of the ways afore-mentioned seems according to my sentiment of things to be better and safer then the not observance of them at all Because there is a Commandment of God and of Christ for the actual observance of them Tho' here I charge ye all in the Name of God and of Christ and here ye are to take notice of it that I speak again by Commandment seeing that these positive ordinances serve also unto the example and shadow of Heavenly things see well to it

at any time thy Commandment Luk. 15. 29. Such a thing perhaps may be possible as to our Fathers or Masters according to the flesh But David prays by the Spirit when he saith And enter not into Judgment with thy Servant for in thy sight shall no Man living be justified Psal 145. 2. When God comes to enter into Judgment and to bring to remembrance all the steps of our course here on Earth I believe there will not be found any Man ever living whatever some pretend unto or say but herein they are guilty of falshood which is a fall except Jesus Christ the righteous who was more then a Man who was not guilty of some fall or at least of a Backsliding yea of several and of many But they will be pronounced to have been the best Sons and Servants who in their course through this Earth had the fewest Falls and the fewest Backslidings and in the least instances My Business in my Preaching unto ye is to direct ye all a long so to walk that ye may please the Lord. Accordingly I having warrant and Ground from his Word so to do I testify against all Backslidings yea and the least Backslidings O do not that abominable thing which I hate Nor yet do ye give way willingly unto the least Backslidings which the Lord is displeased with and doth not approve of Though after all your Circumspection and taking heed which should be yet more then it is considering how things stand ye have fallen into some Backslidings in your Past Life and it is odds but ye will fall into more before ye die Though in Gods Gods Name and for your own Souls Good do whatever ye can to avoid them This I teach and affirm constantly and I do here put ye in mind of the Apostles Exhortation and command And having done all to stand I say again And having done all to stand and let him that standeth take heed least he fall I will go on to add yet further if any should be overtaken with a fault or fall into a sin let him cry mightily to God for Pardon and Strengthening Grace Put forth all thy Strength and Power to get out of it and rise up again as soon as ever thou canst Thus saith the Lord Shall they fall and not arise Shall they turn away and not return Temptations do beset Good and Godly People as well as the mixt Multitude of the World Yea rather Satan is most busy with the first and serves greater ends upon them if his Temptations should take effect he having already taken the latter sort Captive at his will There is a like old corrupt Nature in all although it is kept under and subdued in regenerate People which doth actuate and prevail and rule all in all in the Children of Disobedience And the Lord said unto Moses Go get thee down for thy People which thou broughtest out of the Land of Egypt have corrupted themselves They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I have commanded them and made a Molten Calf and Worshipped it Exod. 32. 7. And so when the Lord writeth up the People of the several Generations and Countries He shall count and rehearse at the last day how they have turned aside quickly out of the way which he had commanded them Not only in making and sacrificing unto other Gods which is a most grievous evil and abominable Idolatry but in the Breach and Transgression of the other Commandments also He did set them aright once and again but they would and did quickly turn aside out of the way which he had commanded them As we read or hear of this in others we are to remember and take heed we are to fear and watch for we have the same or like hearts which if they do not break out quickly into actual turning aside yet we are subject unto and it is possible we may quickly fall into the same There is a Proneness woulding and Inclination to the same sin and evil Know ye not that the Spirit which dwelleth in us He speaketh there in the Person and behalf of Christians lusteth to envy Now when one lusteth to a thing he would fain be at it but he knows not whither it would be best for him He hath some looking back towards Sodom Remember Lots Wife For we are forbidden even these same lustings and covetings after worldly things and secret desires after those things which are not to be had without the hazard of the seekers thereafter for all Eternity So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain which taketh away the Life of the owners thereof Prov. 1. 19. Like as David longed and said Oh that One would give me to drink of the Water of the Well of Bethlehem which is by the Gate Now as to all these the Word of God which is very pure doth forbid all those Lustings and Covetings and Concupiscence It requires to crush the Cockatrice Egg that it break not forth into a viper To dash the little ones against the Stones Not only to abstain from all appearance of Evil but to nip and destroy it in its rise and beginning when it doth in the least appear above Ground O Jerusalem wash thine heart there is the Fountain and Spring and it is good going to the bottom from wickedness that thou mayest be saved By this it appears that there is more requisite and necessary to salvation then many People are aware of How long shall thy vain Thoughts lodge within thee Jer. 4. 14. How long shall it be e're they attain to Innocency Hos 8. 5. By which place it appears that it is the mind of God that there should be a pressing forwards and a going towards and an endeavour after Innocency Though if one had the Tongue of Men and Angels If he had all knowledge and utterance in the Law of God and Heavenly things how long do ye think he might Preach to a Congregation e're They attain to Innocency considering Men as they are I suppose he might Preach all his own life long and to their lives end before they all attain to Innocency Though withal if he is faithful in his ministry to which the Divine Blessing and Promise is Annexed it will be Instrumental towards the making some therein a People prepared for the Lord. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them because he knew all Men and needed not that any should testify of Man for he knew what was in Man John 2. 23 24. Now we learn from John 1. 1. That Jesus was the Word of God and the Word was God All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made Man himself was created and made by the Word So that by the rule of consequences if all Men were Created by the Word as they were then of necessity the Word must know all men and know what is in man There went no more towards the creating the whole

nigh unto Cursing whose end is to be burned Heb. 6. 7 8. As the Earth drinketh in the Rain so Almighty God doth require of the Inhabitants thereof that they should drink in hear and receive his word Preached And he having in his Eternal Providence opened a Door in this place where we now are he doth require of the Inhabitants of this Town and Neighbourhood to come for to hear the same And I declare to them all that he will call them to an Account for their refusal or neglect to do the same I warn them beforehand that then the false Surmises and Reproaches of some concerning the Minister nor yet will the vain and frivolous excuses of others avail as to that God with whom we have all do As to those false Surmises and Reproaches they might do as He did in reference to Hannah whom he first supposed drunken and afterwards enquired further and then he understood and said The Lord grant thy Petition So they might come to my self immediately to be throughly satisfied of their present mis-understandings And let their own Consciences try bear Witness and Judge by hearing of the same whither the Way of God is not taught here in Truth There is a very near resemblance and similitude to the Word preached unto the reasonable Inhabitants thereof and to the Rain or Dew descending upon the Earth for as the Rain makes the Earth fruitful so the Word preached if it is drinked in as the Earth drinketh in the Rain if it is mixed with Faith in them that hear it will make men and women meet and prepared for God and meet to receive a Blessing from God My Doctrine shall drop as the Rain my Speech shall distil as the Dew as the small Rain upon the tender Herb and as the Showers upon the Grass Deut. 32. 2. Otherwise the manifold Solicitations and Objects of this World would be apt to scorch and make us fade away even in our good ways But that the Doctrine and Speech of the Word like Rain Dew small Rain and Showers whereby also is to be seen that the Word should not be only preached once and away but day after day and Sabbath after Sabbath for there is a daily succession of Dew or of Rain small Rain or Showers to do most good and then it is when the Word is constantly preached and constantly attended unto and received in then it renders the Vineyard meet for our God If his Word falls upon the Dust of the Wilderness it is Jaremiah's Phrase or upon stony and dry places Mat. 13. 5 6. I wish that the hearts of none who shall hear or read this be that Dust of the Wilderness or stony and dry places then it may seem lost and ineffectual not for want of Worth and Excellency in it self for it is the same Rain that falls there as that which falls upon good ground but the Incapacity is in the Subject It doth not profit not being mixed with Faith in them that hear it Or they suffer it to run off again as Useless Water They do not drink it in as the Earth drinks in the Rain O that some of ye here present would drink in this Sermon Take my word for it if ye would drink it in it would abide longer with ye and do ye more good than that drink which perisheth in the Draught or that strong drink which if immoderately taken in shall be bitter to them that drink it Not so much as to those Qualms of Conscience or Head-Ach which do quickly ensue thereupon But the worst Bitterness will be in the End when they must taste the Bitterness of Death and thence be called to Judgment to receive a due Reward for the Sin and Evil of their Drunkenness in the days of their flesh I would have ye drink that in not one drop further then barely for Thirst and necessary Refreshment But if ye would taste and drink in some of those words as are written by God's blessing and improvement thereon it may become in ye a well of water springing up unto Eternal Life John 4. 14. In a dry Summer that is good and convenient ground which lies next to a River or Brook or Fountains which are perpetually running and springing and when there are apt Floodgates and Instruments to let the water over the ground and drain it again This supplies and makes up from beneath for the Dew and Rain which comes from above And so it is convenient in dwelling houses to keep water always by one Even so we should be always furnished unto which the word Preached doth help us with the like Spiritual Water as it descends from above in the Dew and Rain of the Ordinances And when we have drank it in we should not let it run through but stop and keep it there that it may be turned and converted into our own Moisture For the word is nigh thee even in thine heart See to it well that by Pondering and Remembrance of what thou hearest or readest These words that I Command thee thou shalt lay up in thy heart That it may become as it were a repository of gracious Words and Divine Truths Which like Pools or Rivers of Water will refresh and supply thy need at any time For they drank of that Spiritual Rock that followed them in the Margent there it is went with them and that Rock was Christ 1 Cor. 10. 4. So that it is to have Christ who is the word formed within them that he may follow and go with them whithersoever they go or wheresoever they are This will be yet a more lasting and abiding thing then the Early Dew or the descending Rain for that is not always But to have the Spiritual Rock following us or going with us this is at Midday and Afternoon and at those times when there will be no Rain The word is not nor can be well Preached always but this supplies and helps for that in the Intervals and spaces of time between it even to have a Spiritual drink always within us and to have a Spiritual Rock following and going with us which Rock is Christ out of which we may draw and drink at any time whensoever w● will As one of the Antients said Nothing is so worthy of God as the Salvation of Mankind So it is a most wonderful thing to consider how he hath consulted contrived and provided all things for it In his word especially and also in his other doings and dispensations towards the Children of Men. Happy thrice happy and only happy are those his Servants and Creatures who know that is not all but also comply therewith That as deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy Water Spouts Psal 42. 7. So one ordinance doth follow another and one thing is appendant connected and succeeds another and all to that great end to bring about the common Salvation of Mankind as if God would never let us alone until he hath brought us unto Heaven