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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
word_n	death_n	sin_n	sin_v	3,442	5	9.4313	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A44341	Righteousness rained from heaven, or, A serious and seasonable discourse exciting all to an earnest enquiry after and continued waiting for the effusions of the spirit unto a communication and increase of righteousness, that faith, holiness, and obedience may yet abound among us, and the wilderness become a fruitful field / as it was delivered in a sermon preached at Harford Connecticut in New-England, May 10, 1677, being the day of election there by Samuel Hooker.	Hooker, Samuel, 1635?-1697.	1677 (1677)	Wing H2638; ESTC W1119	25,479	34

to him for such as are infinitely better even his Kingdome and Righteousnes● Mat. 6.33 6. Seek him unanimously The stress lieth here therefore lift together We in New-England are a poor and an afflicted people It is not for us to rejoice with other Nations in our number or our strength but that mattereth not if God be with us we shall do well enough notwithstanding our poverty our littleness and mean outward estate Past experience proclaimeth it that our hazard lieth not in these things If the mun●tion of Rocks be our defence we are safe Can we desire greater serenity peace and safety then we have injoyed in years past Jeko●ab● arm is not shortened there is no shadow of turning with him If we be righteous he will love us and we shall dwell safely by his side If any thing undoe us it will be sin our unrighteousness our want of the fear of God our want of love to Jesus Christ our forsaking the fountain of living waters our undutiful and provoking carringe to the Angel that leadeth us by the way but if righteousness be rained on us all will be well It is enough O therefore let every one put in for that with all the strength he can make 1. Fathers Ancient Christians yee have been at the beginning of the work of God in this Country and you are greatly concerned in the progress of it lose not the things ye have wrought for which ye have prayed and wept and travel'ed and ventured so much you have in some measure experienced the worth of Righteousness labour as for life that it may live when you are dead your Glass is even out you are almost at home strengthen the feeble knees brighten your example shine in the fear of God let not your sun go down in a cloud your prayers avail very much O sp●ak yet again unto God for this poor land in which you so journe least he bring evil upon it by slaying your Sons 2. Young men ye are strong let not sin overcome you consider the price that is in your hands Religion priviledged as sometimes it hath been and thorough grace still is in this Land is a costly Legacy take heed you do not forfeit it let not the fear of God dye as long as you live shall it be said in time to come that godliness dwelt in the land until you arose but then failed shall this ruine be under your hand O seek the Lord till be come and rain righteousness on you 3. Ye Masters of Families will not you and your houses serve the Lord surely it is time for you to seek him also The fcundation of all societies is laid in families you therefore who are Leaders in them and have the first seasoning of young ones had need look to your selves If the Foundations be destroyed what can the righteous do If the Springs be corrupt what will the Streams be consider the grea● t●ust which God hath committed to you and command your children and Houshold after you to keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgement that the Lord may bring upon them that which he hath spoken of the righteous see that your example be good that those who come after you and tread in your steps may walk safely Let not your vain conversation be a stumbling-block in the way to Heaven least your children rise up and call you cursed at the last for the irreligion and prophaness which you have taught them 4. Ye house of Aaron this matter belongeth in a special manner unto you Ye are the Lords Ministers O weep betwixt the Porch and the Altar and say Rain down Righteousness on thy People Lord and give not thine Heritage to reproach wherefore should the Heathen say where is their God It is your Office to teach Jacob Gods Judgements and Israel his Law Take beed therefore to the Ministry which ye have received in the Lord that ye fulfil it Preach Righteousness ●o your Congregations plainly declare and powerfully p●ess that Grace of God which bringeth Salvation Make it your work to watch for Souls as those that must give an account Be instant in season and out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine Soke your Sermons in prayer print them in your practise and conversation Follow the example of the Baptist who was the voice of one crying in the wilderness Joh. 1.23 all voice his word and his works his language and his life spake this make strait the way of the Lord go ye and do likewise 5. Ye also who are Judges in the Land the Lord make you higher then the rest of the people from the shoulders and upward in wisdome and holiness the Lord give you an open mouth for righteousness Prov. 31.8 9. Let your eyes be upon the righteous in the Land to encourage them promote Religion bear up against sin suppress iniquity put life into your wholsome Laws by vigorour execution thus do in the fear of the Lord faithfully and with a perfect heart Be it that the Battel is against you before and behind yet be of good courage and play the men for your people and for the Cities of our God and the Lord do what seemeth him good 7. Seek him perseveringly minde the language of the Text Seek the Lord until be come then shall we know if ye follow on to know the Lord Hos 6.2 pray alwayes with this prayer and do not faint Luk. 18.1 ye therefore which make mention of the name of the Lord give him no rest till he ●a●● down righteousness on the land To Conclude Seek God by all means in all his own wayes 1. Maintain a high esteem of the Word and ●rdinances of God wo be to you if your souls loathe the Manna or call it a light food 2 Take heed you be not overcharged with the love of the world and the cares of this life these ●ho●k the Word Be cloathed with the Sun and let the Moon be under your feet 3. Study the method of conversion held forth in the Word and fall in with the good spirit of God breathing in the same to the wonderment of men and Angels life and immortality are come to light thorough the Gospel There is a sure way to save sinners opened thorough Jesus Christ admire it study it labour to know it set your hearts to it and follow it let wisdome enter and understanding be pleasant love the light but on a humble teachable frame of spirit entertain conviction kindly Be content to know the worst of sin look upon it in that peculiar direct opposition in which it standeth to the wisdome and goodness authority and holiness of God in the command see it in its sad effects the end of these things is death Behold it thorough the bloody glass of Christs sufferings look on it from a death-bed and as it will look on you at the last Give that honour to God to believe that he hath good reason for all that he hath said against sin in his word concluding that at length sin will prove to be as he hath spoken and if God and you can be of one mind about sin the great difficulty is over Fall in love with Jesus Christ let him have a name in your hearts above every name that is named in this world or that which is to come Cant. 5.10 16. Hate all the pleasures of sin let all external priviledges personal performances and worldly imployments be dung and dross in comparison of winning him and being found of God in him Do duty with conscien●ious care and diligence but say not to the works of your own hands Ye are our Gods Go not about to establish a righteousness of your own but submit your selves to the righteousness of God Abraham found by experience that the Hand-maid taken into Sarahs place brought with her great v●xation insomuch that at length he was put upon it to cast her and her Son quite out of doors But least I be tedious let me shut up all with this word Be not discouraged To the Lord belongeth righteousness and salvation although to us confusion of face The residue of the spirit is with him who knoweth but he may return and make his work appear to his servants and his glory to their children Jerusalem was greatly fallen Isai 1.21 when of a faithful City she was become a Harlot and from being full of righteousness and judgement to be full of Murtherers But God lifted her up again Jer. 31.23 Thus saith the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel as yet they shall use this speech in the land of Judah and in the Cities thereof The Lord bless thee O habitation of justice and mountain of holiness He can strengthen the things that remain which are ready to dye There was a time mentioned Mark 9.14 15. in which Christ being withdrawn to the mount his Disciples were hard put to it below The poor man brought to them his Son which had a dumb Spirit but they could not cast him out at length Jesus came down took to himself his mighty power rebuked the fool Spirit healed the Child● comforted the Father and sent the multitude away am●z●● and wond●ing at all the things which he did Truly we have 〈◊〉 time wherein to experience the naughtiness of our own hea●●● how bent we are to backslide and go off from God as also 〈◊〉 ●akeness and utter insufficiency of all means in themselves ●●●dered to keep vs with God or reduce us to him when tur●●●●●●y●● But it may be Christ will shortly come down and then 〈◊〉 ●●ll ●●mended Jer. 17 14. Save as O Lord and we shall be 〈◊〉 heal us and we shall be healed for thou art our praise ●●●er us seek him therefore till he come for he loveth Righteousness and hath not forsaken them that seek him FINIS

that is poured out from on high Judgement shall dwell in the wilderness and righteousness remain in the fruitful field Isai 32.15 16. Therefore in the sense of our own nothingness and believing Gods power and grace it becometh us suitably to apply our selves unto him So much for the scope of the words More particularly for their meaning For it is time The season calleth hard If the Husband-man loseth his season he loseth all now is your opportunity you are chastened but not destroyed you have a breathing time yet left two things seem to be implyed in it 1. Matter of encouragement there was yet hope in Israel concerning this thing in as much as God was willing to be intreated for their help therefore let them be encouraged it was not altogether too late 2. Matter of awakening It was high time to look about them no allowance left for sloth or security now is the acceptable time now is the day of salvation to day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts To seek Jehovah Seeking is the use of meet endeavours to finde Mat. 7.7 Ask and it shall be given you seek and ye shall find Prov 8 34 35. Blessed is the man that heareth me waiting at the posts of my doors for whoso findeth me findeth life So that when the Text saith it is time to seek the Lord the meaning is that it is time to wait on God in the use of all suitable means until he come He is the most glorious agent none can do like God He Performeth all things for me Psal 57.2 you may speak fair resolve and promise much when under the dint of some signal providence Ier 2.20 Thou saidst I will not transgress when upon every high hill and under every green Tree thou wanderest playing the Harlot Others may wish you well strive and labour for your betterment and yet righteousness not be wrought Hos 11.7 They called them to the most high but none at all would exalt him but if Jehovah come he will make work with you he will do the thing Raine This implieth that in Jehovah our righteousness there dwelleth all fulness He hath abundance of righteousness with him and he can shed it forth upon us abundantly Tit. 3.5 6. according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Lord. Righteousness This in Scripture Phrase signifieth variously sometimes it is put for commutative justice or strict honest dealing as opposed to goodness Rom. 5.7 scarcely for a righteous man will one die peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die Sometimes it importeth conformity to the second Table especially when joyned with and yet distinguished from holiness Luk. 1.75 That we might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the dayes of our life Sometimes it is put more largely and signifieth the same with Godliness implying a heart and life evangellically conformable to Gods holy Law Luk. 1.6 and they were both righteous before Gods walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless Thus it familiarly passeth when put in opposition to wickedness and iniquity Psal 45.7 Thou lovest righteousness and hatest wickedness Psal 11 5. The Lord trieth the righteous but the wicked his soul hateth This sence seemeth to suit here as opposed to wickedness and iniquity in the words immediately following ye have ploughed wickedness ye have reaped iniquity ver 13. On you The posterity of righteous Abraham Isaac and Iacoh the Lords portion the lot of his inheritance least you degenerate into the plant of a strange vine and be laid wast at last The series therefore of the words runneth thus you have sinned and God hath afflicted you He hath passed over your neck moreover you are still threatned it is in his desire to chastise you But you are not destroyed he hath not stirred up all his anger you have yet a space to consider your selves and recover your strength now therefore it is time to seek Jehovah O that the Heavens would now drop down from above and that the skies would pourdown righteousness that which you need and without which the land is desolate is the rain of Gods power The effusion of his holy spirit to accompany and influence word and ordinances providences mercies and afflictions unto righteousness That you may be a repenting reformed religious holy people That is 1. That you may cast out the love of all known sin renounce confidence in your own righteousness and strength and be righteous by faith having the merits of Christs active and passive obedience imputed to you by the efficacy of the infinite grace of God in the new covenant Rom. 4.6 Phil. 3.9 2. That you may be inherently righteous putting off the old man which is corrupt and put on the new which is created after God in righteousness and true holiness Eph. 4.24 that the very God of peace may sanctifie you wholly 1 Thess 5 23. 3. That you may be practically righteous denying all ungoliness and worldly lusts living soberly godly and righteously in this present world purging your selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God These three go together and in them consisteth the righteousness commended to us in the Text. The words thus opened afford us this Doctrinal Conclusion Doct. When a sinful People have been chastened and are still threatned but not destroyed it is time for them to seek Iehovah till he come and rain righteousness upon them that is Till he by the efficacy of his almighty spirit make them a believing sanctified obedient People Zeph. 2.2 3. Before the decree bring forth before the day pass as the chaffe before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you before the day of the Lords anger came upon you Seek ye the Lord seek righteousness seek meekness it may be you shall be hid in the day of the Lords anger Ephraim at length found this to be good counsel Ier. 31.18 Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised turn thou me and I shall be turned Lord thou hast made me to know sorrow to see and taste the bitterness of affliction thou hast taken away my health my peace my pleasant things O take away my sin too make me to see and know that it is an evil and bitter thing that I have forsaken thee Thus the Psalmist in behalf of the Church when her shadow was departed her hedges broken down and the Boar out of the Forrest laid her waste Psal 80. for this he beseeched the Lord thrice with growing importunity and earnestness like one in an agony Turn us again O God ver 4. Turn us again O God of Hosts ver 7. Turn us again O Lord God of Hosts ver 19. Daniel mentioneth it as matter of bitterness in the days of his solemn mourning that they had failed in this Dan.

Mat. 6.33 Blessed are those that hunger and thirst after righteousnesi for such will be beyond complement and seek in truth 2. Seek seasonably early speedily 2 Cor 6 2 Behold now is the accepted time behold now is the day of salvation to day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts Lose not you day while God calleth while his spirit moveth while life la●teth while you have liberty means helps and advantages about you before the decree come forth seek righteousness least the Clou●s return after rain least your Sabbaths be again turned into dayes of labour and weatiness hazard and hardship lest instead of the voice of the Turtle you have the noise of War least you come too late to be accepted Numb 14 6 7. The Spirit of God strove earnestly by Ioshua and Caleb to perswade Israel to go forward but in vain for In their frowardness and fit they ●et up their spirits and would not hearken Wherefore in the 28 and 29 verses God giveth forth bis decree As truly as I live saith the Lord as ye have spoken in mine ears so will I do to you your carkases shall fall in the wilderness after this they changed their mind ver 39 40 The People mourned greatly and they rose up early in the morning and gat them up into the top of the mountain saying Lo we be here and we will go up unto the place which the Lord hath promised but their motion take not Though they rose early though they mourned and went up to the mountain Obj. But hath not God said that those that seek him early shall find him Prov. 8.17 A. True but mans early is many times Gods late Prov. 1.28 Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my band and no man regarded but ye have set at nought all my counsel and would none of my reproof I also will laugh at your calamity they shall seek me early but they shall not find me 3. Seek him earnestly Seek first the kingdome of God and his righteousness with that intention and height of desires which becometh the worth excellency and necessity of the thing sought Righteousness is the principal thing life is in it win it and you win all miss it and all is lost O therefore seek importunately not only with your hearts sincerely but with al your hearts strongly Warm your spirits with the consideration forementioned reallize them mix them with faith meditate much on them that you may be suitably raised in your desires and endeavours after righteousness 4. Seek him humbly with a heart broken down and abased in the sence of sin and misery weakness and unworthiness The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and a contrite heart he will not despise Psal 51.17 He forgetteth not the cry of the humble Psal 9.12 but until our fallow ground be broken up it will not be Gods time to come and rain righteousness upon us It behoveth us therefore to remember the Wormwood and the Gall and to have our souls humbled within us to sit alone and put out mouths in the dust if there may be hope for us accepting the punishment of our iniquity for our destruction is of our selves our own sword hath devoured our children we have procured these things unto our selves but our help is not in our own hand Be it that eternal salvation the welfare of our whole man the preservation of the land our lives our little one● our peace our liberty all good depend upon our unfained ●urning to God in Christ and being righteous yet this is wholly beyond our power we have no might for it Turn thou me Jer. 31.18 herein appeareth the ●etchedness of a natural man Should God pass by all former provocations and say to him do but this one thing and all shall be well love the fountain of goodness who is also thy life although nothing can be more rational then this yet he is unto nothing more impotent and averse Rom. 8.7 The carnal mind is enmity unto God is not subject nor can it be Moreover we cannot deserve that God should turn us we are ungodly and enemies as well as without strength Rom. 5.6 10. If therefore after many other judgements which have come upon us for our sins God should now give us up to a blind mind and a hard heart fill us with our own devices leave us to a reprobate sence make the heavens over us to be brass command the clouds that they rain not on us withhold his free spirit send a dry wind not to fan nor to purge but to blast all means making his word and ordinances changes of mercy and affliction to be a savour of death unto death He would be righteou● t is true without righteousness we perish It is as true that nothing but infinite grace working without yea against deserts of ours can make us righteous When therefore we pray for righteousness we may well take Davids words Psal 9 1. Have mercy upon us O God of our righteousness and hear our prayer 5. Seek him believingly with a holy dependance upon the mercy power truth and faithfulness of God in Jesus Christ Remember James His BUT Jam. 1.6 But let him ask in Faith 1. Our sins are indeed many and our iniquities very great but there is merit enough in the blood of Jesus to redeem them from all 1 Joh. 1.7 2. Though all means are of themselves weak and utterly insufficient to subdue our corrupt and rebellious wills yet with the Lord Jehovah there is everlasting strength if he will he can convince enlighten humble perswade sanctifie quicken and enlarge uncontroleably when he will work none can let It is nothing with him to save 2 Chron. 14.11 3 You have the countenance of Gods command to encourage in going to him for righteousness so the Text before us thus Zeph. 2.2 Seek righteousness Mat. 6.33 now let us improve this word not only to awe conscience but to strengthen and annimate faith Mark 10.49 Be of good comfort arise he ca●eth thee 4. You have the shadow of the promise to sit in and wait Luk 11 13. how much more will he give his Spirit to them that a●k him 5. Consider the example of poor needy sinners that have gone before you what happy welcome found Ephraim Jer. 31 19 surely I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised turn thou me and I shall be turned is Ephraim my dear childe It is unto God a most acceptable request to ask of him the rain of righteousness He had rather we should seek him for the meat which endureth to eternal life than for that which perisheth Let it be to him for a name and a praise for ever Oh the depth of the riches of the wisdome and love of God who knowing our frame and how eager we are in our pursuit of inferiour things maketh a bait of them wherewith to draw us