Selected quad for the lemma: word_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
word_n	faith_n	hear_v	preacher_n	3,672	5	10.0113	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A39761	The dead saint speaking, or, A sermon preached upon occasion of the death of that eminent man, Mr. Mathew Newcomen ... wherein is succinctly discoursed (to a popular auditory in Dedham) what instructions are given and sealed to the living by the death of the righteous servants of God / by J.F., Minister of the Gospel.	Fairfax, John, 1623-1700.	1679 (1679)	Wing F127; ESTC R16035	17,568	32

scores 2. Abel a man being dead speaketh to the strong Death may overcome thee in thy strength No question but Abel was come to strength of years and that age was much stronger than this when out of the loins of one the immediate issue might be an hundred-fold and more What then speaks Abel being dead Glory not O strong man in thy strength Remember thy beauty thy vigour thy maturity thy marrow and fatness the courage of thy heart the stoutness and straitness of thy body the dexterity of thine arms and legs cannot withstand the assaulting enemy but must yield up themselves to the force of prevailing death 3. Abel a man being dead yet speaketh he speaketh to the secure and unprovided death may surprize thee unawares Abel in the Field Abel about the works of his Calling Abel conversing with his Brother Abel to whom death was so much a stranger that he never saw it who would have thought that Abel went out into the field to dye Thus Abel was taken in his calling Nabal in his feasting Belteshazzar in his cups Herod in his pomp the rich fool promising himself ease and merriment all spake the same thing 4. And lastly Abel a man being dead yet speaketh unto all Death may kill thee with thine own weapon A brother is born for adversity a brother is born for a help in danger for a defence and safeguard Oh but yet by a brother doth Abel dye What then speaks Abel being dead Why so frail is thy life that thy food thy physick thy house thy horse thy sword thy servant thy friend thy brother yea thy self may be thy death Abel a man being dead yet speaketh Secondly Abel a believer being dead yet speaketh What speaks he He speaks 1. The grace of God to be most free he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy It is Grace that makes the difference between one man and another Abel and Cain both Children of one and the same Father both lying together in one and the same womb as twins probably both partakers of one and the same means both commended to God in one and the same prayer Abel the younger and Cain the elder and yet behold Abel is a believer and Cain is a murderer Abel is loved and Cain is hated Abel righteous and Cain wicked Abel is justified and Cain is condemned Abel the Child of God and Cain a Child of the Devil What speaks Abel being dead but this That grace makes the difference 2. Abel a believer being dead yet speaketh Righteousness is by faith not by works By faith he obtained witness that he was righteous Cain had his works but he had no faith Cain sacrificed but believed not Cain is unrighteous Cain is condemned Abel hath works and faith too Abel offereth and believeth Abel is righteous he is justified God hath respect unto Abel Justification is by faith 3. Abel a believer being dead yet speaketh That it is a happy advantage to live under means Abel believed Whence hath he his faith from God as the Author from God as the principle But what without means No Abel had the happy instruction of a Father and he was taught the law by a holy Mother The Patriarchs were Priests and Prophets in their own families Adam taught his Children the fear of the Lord. Abel then being dead yet speaks this in the language of the New Testament Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God blessed are they that hear the joyful sound thereof 4. Abel a believer being dead yet speaketh this That the grace of God doth not priviledg from the greatest crosses of all evils death is the forest death is the most grievous Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life was a truth though a lyar spoke it Abel a Saint in grace and in favour with God yet he dyed he dyed a violent death by the hand of his brother It was not an enemy then I could have born it saith David neither was it he that hated me that lifted up his hand against me but thou O man my brother mine equal mine acquaintance this was the wounding of his heart What speaks he If grace exempts not from death from such a death with such circumstances much less from lesser evils God scourgeth every son whom he receiveth 5. Lastly Abel a believer being dead yet speaketh What The greatest crosses shall not make void the grace of God Abel died he is bel●ved of God still Abel dyed he is righteous Abel still he speaks this That God knows the souls of his Saints in their adversities God chuseth the Saints in the furnace of affliction He tells their wandrings and puts their tears into his bottle The supplication of the Saints come before him their desires and their groans are not hid from him Thus Abel a believer being dead yet speaketh Thirdly Abel a worshipper of God being dead yet speaketh what speaks he as a worshipper of God 1. God is to be worshipped by us His holy example speaks this God is to be worshipped as the Author of our beings as the Lord of our lives as the Father of our spirits as the God of our mercies as our King and Lawgiver the Mighty the Almighty Jehovah our Saviour and Redeemer whose we are and who we ought to serve we are not our own not our own free-men not independent beings but we are made by the power of God we are maintained by the providence of God we are bought with the blood of God we were subject to the Law of God we are bound by the Covenant of God and therefore ought to live to the glory of God 2. Abel a worshipper of God being dead yet speaketh That God that is to be worshipped is to be worshipped by faith By faith he offered a more excellent sacrifice by faith he worshipped God The worship of God in faith is a worship of Gods own constitution God is not to be worshipped by mens inventions but by his own appointments God is to be worshipped not as we will but as he commands 3. Abel as a worshipper of God being dead yet speaketh That God is to be worshipped with our best Abel he brought of the firstlings of his flock of the fat thereof Gen. 4. of the best The last or the least the torn the blind the lame the weak the sick the dregs of our beings the weakness of our age the deadness of our hearts the coldness of our affections the exercise of our bodies this alone is not to be offered unto God for he is a great King but the kindness of our youth the ripeness of our age the strength of our parts the zeal of our affections the intentions of our hearts the health of our bodies our whole hearts all our souls and all our strength the best improvement we can make of our selves is an offering becoming the great God 4. Abel a worshipper of God being dead yet speaketh That the best

to provoke to labour in the Word and Doctrine Then doth he speak to us as the Apostle Paul to Timothy 2 Tim. 1.6 Stir up the gift that is in thee 4. He speaketh yet again unto us Ministers That the Preachers Doctrine must be exemplified by the Ministers life So did his great example speak he did as well live as speak the Doctrine that he preached not like the Pharisees Mat. 29.23 That said and did not And then he speaks again as Paul to Timothy Be thou an example to the believers in word in spirit in conversation in charity in faith in purity And as Christ to his Apostles You are the light of the world Let your light so shine before men that others seeing your good works may glorifie your Father which is in heaven 5. And lastly He speaketh unto us Ministers Love pity compassion to precious souls Earnest eager desires of their salvation this is a powerful Motive and Principle to be laborious in Doctrine and exemplary in Life this was his Motive herein he excelled His dear love to this Congregation fixed him immoveably in this Candlestick from which no discouragement whatsoever at home on the one hand nor no temptation from abroad on the other could ever unsettle him till removed by a power not to be resisted His labours were the labour of love It was love that moved Christ the great Shepherd and Bishop of Souls to lay down his life for the sheep and the same principle of love will move the under-shepherds to lay out their lives to spend and be spent and to call nothing dear or precious that may contribute to the saving of a soul He speaketh again being dead unto this Congregation What speaks he unto you He speaks this 1. While you have the light walk in the light while you have the light improve it make use of a faithful Minister while you hear his voice and see his face he is not a perpetual blessing he is not always to be with you The Prophets do not live for ever I have saith he to you spoken to you in the Name of the Lord but now you shall see my face and hear my voice no more If God betrust you with a faithful Minister make use of him while you have him 2. He being dead speaks to this Congregation The impenitency of peoples hearts and incorrigibleness of peoples lives may stop the mouth may cut off the life of a faithful Pastor May I not beloved without breach of charity advise you to enquire whether Dedham's sins did not bereave Dedham of a faithful Pastor Is it not the Judgment that God threatned upon the Vineyard that did not answer his tillage Isa 5.6 I will command the Clouds that they rain no rain upon it And is it not the judgment God threatned to rebellious Israel Ezek. 3 Thou shalt be dumb and shalt be no more a reprover to them for they are a rebellious house Yet withal he speaks that God is very loath to execute such a Judgment upon a disobedient and unbelieving people How loath was God to remove your Pastor from you By degrees he executed it or at least not all at once he stopped his mouth first that he should not speak but you saw his face Then God removed his person that you should not see his face but he had communion with you by his Letters but now God hath removed him far away that there shall be no more seeing of his face nor hearing of his voice nor any communication between him and you in this world 3. He being dead yet speaks to this Congregation Dedham thy account is great see that thou discharge it well thou art not in an equal state with other places but like Capernaum hast been lifted up to Heaven and he can say as Paul to the Ephesians Acts 20.19,20 You know from the first day that I came among you after what manner I have been among you at all seasons serving the Lord with all humility of mind and with many tears and temptations and how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you but have shewed you and have taught you publickly and from house to house Now having lived under the Ministry of so worthy so able and so faithful a Pastor your account is great To whom much is given of him much shall be required and he that knows his Masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes 4. He being dead speaks to this Congregation Hold out the profession of your faith with patience and constancy His example speaks What faith I have taught you I have asserted I have testified I have sealed by my Sufferings see now that you keep it that you lose it not by treachery or cowardise 5. He being dead speaks to this Congregation Have the Ministry of Gods faithful servants been effectual for the conversion edification salvation of any soul let him give God the glory Thus he speaks again as Paul to the Corinthians We have this treasury in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of men It was not his gifts and graces his pains and industry that wrought grace in any of the hearts of his people but this was the power of God he was an earthen vessel but now is broken and the word he spoke was not the word of a meer mortal man but of the everliving God that endures for ever that God may have the glory of his converting mercy 6. He being dead yet speaks to this Congregation Weep not for me but weep for your selves I would not prophesie of evil things but who can tell but some dreadful Judgment may be at hand some dreadful Judgment may hang over the head of England and this righteous man may be taken away from the evil to come Who knoweth but God hath said to him Thou shalt dye in peace and shalt not see all the evil that I will bring upon the land of thy Nativity 7. He speaketh unto all and that he speaks is this The testimony of a good conscience the power of faith the joy of Gods salvation overcometh the very King of terrors So far was this holy man of God from the fear of death that in the sight and presence of it with his dart ready to strike him to the heart he begins to sing his heavenly Hellelujah He died in full assurance and great joy in the sight of Heaven in the very arms and embraces of the Lord. Lastly He being dead yet speaketh he speaks unto God He speaketh unto God by his cryes and supplications his fervent prayers are continually before God before that God that heareth prayers His prayers speak to God for the Church of God in general His prayers speak to God for this Church in particular the Church whereof we are all Members And more especially his prayers are before God for this place the Souls that were his charge His ardent entire affection prompted his most earnest cryes to Heaven for their salvation Thus Abel being dead yet speaketh Thus Newcomen being dead yet speaketh Now may God hear the dead that speak And may we hear the dead that speak That when the dead that speak shall speak again and hear again as one day they shall we may also hear with them the voice of the Archangel the sound of the trumpet the voice of the Son of God that shall raise them and us from the dead and the voice of the Son of God upon the Throne saying Well done good and faithful servant enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the World FINIS