Selected quad for the lemma: blood_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
blood_n	eat_v	flesh_n	soul_n	6,923	5	5.6839	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10929	The true conuert. Or An exposition vpon the vvhole parable of the prodigall. Luke. 15. 11.12. &c. Wherein is manifestly shewed; 1. Mans miserable estate by forsaking of God. 2. Mans happie estate by returning to God. Deliuered in sundry sermons, by Nehemiah Rogers, preacher of Gods Word, at St Margarets Fish-street. And now by him published, intending the farther benefit of so many as then heard it; and the profit of so many as shall please to read it.	Rogers, Nehemiah, 1593-1660.	1620 (1620)	STC 21201; ESTC S116104	291,820	402

it is impossible to recouer yet as Christs omnipotent voyce brought him forth bound hand and foote and brake his bands asunder and set him at libertie So is it able to bring thee forth out of the graue of thy sins and to knocke off those gyues and fetters of Satan wherewith thou art so fast bound and to restore thee to the liberty of the sonnes of God Be not then discouraged from following the meanes for though thou hast a long time lyen a rotting in thy sinnes yet in Gods good time thou maist be raised to newnesse of life by his powerful voice vttered in the ministery of the Gospel A third vse of this poynt is for Exhortation to all such Vse 3 as do liue this life of grace that they would make much of it and cherish it striue to confirme it and strengthen it in themselues I confesse indeed it is true which Christ saith Hee that hath tasted of this life shall neuer see death but yet let vs know hee may feele sicknesse and such sicknesse as is nigh vnto death and be so sicke as that he may thinke there is no way but death and all for want of nourishing this new life which is begotten in him See then you preserue your life and that you grow vp in soundnesse of grace and spirituall strength be content to vse all good meanes for this end and purpose Fiue helpes for the preseruation of life spirituall and in speciall th●se fiue First Food Secondly Recreation Thirdly Exercise Fourthly Sleepe Fiftly Physicke You all know what great good helpes these are and how needfull for the preseruation of life corporalle assuredly they are as good for the preseruation of life spirituall 1 Meanes is Food and as necessarie As for Food wee all know if it be wanting the bodie cannot long be strong nor last it must needes famish So is it with the soule if it want it sustenance and due meales it must needs pine away It is requisite therefore that wee bee frequent in hearing of the word read 1. Pet. 2.2 and preached as formerly I haue said As also in comming to the Sacrament there to eat and drinke the flesh and bloud of Christ spiritually by faith Iohn 6.35.48 50 51 53 54 55. for Hee is that bread of life and whosoeuer eateth of this bread shall liue for euer his flesh is meate indeed his bloud is drinke indeed 2 Helpe is Recreation The second helpe is Recreation How auaileable this is for the health of the bodie we are not ignorant of It is a great meanes for the preseruation of life it maketh the bodie more able and the mind more cheerefull for any worke of our callings Thus spirituall Recreation is a notable preseruer of the life of grace and therefore must be vsed of euery Christian Recreate thy selfe then in singing of Psalmes Iam. 5.13 to which St Iames doth exhort vs And when thou art a wearie of some one exercise thou art about as that we shall soone bee such is our corruption then betake thy selfe vnto another Fall from reading to singing from singing to praying let this be thy recreation and vse it often 3 Meanes is Exercise The third is Exercise Without this the body grows diseased full of aches and paines as experience proues And so doth the soule grow diseased and weake yea many times deadly sicke for want of it Exercise thy selfe therefore daily in holy dueties as in Prayer mortification Good workes And with the godly man Psal 1.2 exercise thy selfe continually in the Law of God The fourth is Sleepe 4 Helpe is Sleepe Ros naturae which is most necessarie for the entertainment of bodily health It is the dew of nature and as necessarie for the bodie as meat and drinke is To this is meditation of Gods word compared it is as sleepe and rest to a Christian soule which doth refresh and reuiue it euen as sleepe doth the bodie Thou maist not forget to giue thy soule this rest Fiftly 5 Meanes or helpe is Physicke Physicke is an excellent helpe as to keepe the bodie in good order so to keepe the soule likewise in good temper With the potion of Repentance we must daily purge our hearts and with the vomit of confession rid sin from off our consciences And bee content withall to accept of that physicke which God himselfe shall prepare for vs His crosses are his medicines afflictions are good proper recuring recouering physick for diseased affections Admit then without grudging of this potion which is prepared for thee by the hand of thy maker It may happily be vnpleasant what then wilt thou be displeased with the relish when thy sicke heart is thereby eased of her paines hee is worthie to dye who will rather chuse a wilfull sicknesse then a harsh remedie And yet here is not all for good dyet is also necessarie vnto physicke In vaine doth the potion worke our recouerie if our euill behauiour afterwards bring a relapse See therefore that after you haue purged your hearts by repentance you obserue the strict dyet of obedience Refraine from those corrupt meats whereon your soules haue formerly surfetted Let all sinne be carefully auoyded Come not in euill company follow no euill example hearken to no euill counsell and then your soules shall liue Isay 55.3 And these are the meanes which whosoeuer would grow strong in grace and preserue the health of his soule must vse If then thou desire to haue thy soule thriue and be in good liking see thou practise them and that constantly and conscionably as in Gods presence So shalt thou find the benefit of it in the end to be exceeding great Vse 4 Lastly is this so that he onely liues which liues the life of grace Then here is matter of exceeding great ioy and reioycing to all such as vpon examination of themselues by the former notes haue some assurance that they liue this life Better saith Solomon is a liuing dogge then a dead Lyon Better it is to be a liuing soule though neuer so poore then to be a dead corp● though neuer so well be-stucke with flowres What though many in the world haue thousands of pounds great lands large reuenewes yet if they haue not grace they are but stinking carkases Farre better is thy estate though thou hast neuer a groat for thou art a liuing soule borne anew and an heyre of heauen Blesse God then more for this then if be had giuen thee a kingdome reioyce in thy new estate and happie condition It hath beene an ancient custome for men to celebrate their birth-day Math. 14.6 as wee see in Herod who vpon that day that hee was borne made a banquet to his Princes and Captains and chiefe estates of Galylee How much more ought a Christian to remember if he can the day of his new birth and make that a day of ioy and gladnesse a day of feasting and reioycing to the

and accusest him of impotencie and weaknesse doth not he cut short the Princes power and mercy that shall say he can pardon lesser offences but not treason and rebellion And doth not he in like sort shrinke vp the sinewes of Gods mercy that sayth he can pardon onely smaller sinnes but not such as are of a larger size Againe what doest thou but giue his Maiestie the lye For he saith he will extend his mercy vnto all that come vnto him Ezeck 36.25 and promiseth to clense vs from all our filthinesse But thou replyest No he will not extend it vnto me neither will he cleanse me from all my sinnes Now is not this to contradict the Lord in not giuing credit to his word and promises Wherefore though you haue sinned greatly yet despaire not of Gods mercy grace nothing can be too hard from him that is omnipotent whose mercy is aboue all his workes and therefore farre aboue our sinfull workes be they neuer so many Remember his promises are made indefinitely to all that repent and turne no matter what they haue beene though Publicans or Harlots Sodomites or Gomorreans exclude not thy selfe for God doth not exclude thee Should a Prince send forth his pardon to a company of traytors and except none and if one amongst the rest should thus say this concernes not me because I haue beene so great an offender therefore I will still stand in doubt of my Princes fauour suspect his word would not euery one accuse this man of folly and vnthankefulnesse Thus doest thou who dost still stand in doubt of pardon for thy sin though the Lord hath sent forth a generall pardon for thee and all others that doe truely repent Doe not thus dishonour God and wrong thy owne soule thou canst not want mercy if thou doest truely seeke it Call to mind the dayes of old search and see if euer thou canst finde an example of any one from the beginning of the world to this present houre were their sinnes neuer so hainous or innumerable who haue not found mercy vpon their Repentance and turning Rahab an Harlot Abraham by all likelihood an Idolater Paul a Persecutor Mathew an Extertioner Zacheus a Vsurer euen these professed sinners vpon their Repentance obtained mercy And doe we not read how many of those Iewes who beate and buffetted the sonne of God who mocked him reuiled him and preferred a wicked murtherer before him and lastly in most ignominious sort crucified and killed him were conuerted to the number of three thousand of them at one Sermon Acts 2.41 and had their sinnes pardoned and remitted Who can despaire to obtaine pardon of his sinnes when they doe but remember that they who bathed their hands in the bloud of the Sonne of God should haue their soules bathed with it and that they should haue their sinnes washed away with that blood which they shed Take notice of one example more and it is that of Manasse 1. King 21. Verse 3 4.5.6 whom the Scripture makes known to haue been a horrible Idolater sacrificing his owne children vnto his Idols a notable Witch a wicked Sorcerer Verse 16. a bloudy Murtherer of Gods Saints and Prophets insomuch that he filled Ierusalem from one end to the other 2 Cro. 33.12 with innocent bloud yet this trascendent-sinning King found fauour and mercy at Gods hands Now is not this and the other examples written for our learning to assure vs of the like fauour if wee bring the like repentance feare not then though thy sinnes be many yet Gods mercies are aboue thy sinne It is impossible for thee to commit more Math. 12.32 Mark 3.28.29 1. Ioh. 5.16 then hee can remit and forgiue I confesse indeede there is an vnpardonable sinne that shall neuer bee forgiuen neither in this life nor in that which is to come but the reason is not because God cannot forgiue it but because such as haue committed it cannot relent nor repent of it they are gone so farre that they can neuer returne backe Heb. 6.4 5.6 Obiect as the Author to the Hebrewes sheweth This sinne I feare I haue committed therefore I am out of hope Indeed God is readie to shew mercie but there is none for mee Dost thou feare it Answ Such as feare they haue sinned against the holy Ghost haue not Heb. 10.29 then I dare pronounce peace to thy soule thou hast not committed it neyther canst thou commit it so long as thou thus fearest for such as doe commit this sinne doe it to despite the Spirit of grace and count the bloud of the couenant as an vnholy thing They are not afraid of it but rather boast of it glorie in it and liue and dye in it And therefore be not thou discouraged from seeking to the Lord God hath mercie in store for thee yea euen for thee if thou becommest penitent be thou what thou wilt be But if thou resoluest to lye still snorting in sinne then let mee tell thee that as there is no sinne be it neuer so great but vpon thy repentance shall be forgiuen so there is no sinne be it neuer so small that thou hast committed but without repentance will be thy damnation Bee wise therefore and make a good choyce for this day I haue set before thee life and death at thy choyce be it Vse 3 The last vse may serue for Imitation Let vs be like to our heauenly Father and be as readie to forgiue others who haue offended vs as God is to forgiue vs who haue and doe daily offend him It may be some haue offered thee wrong yea great wrong yet must thou forgiue and that redily Why is there then so much suing and intreating and begging for reconciliation before pardon be obtayned Remember God is more gracious vnto thee and oughtest not thou to be so vnto thy brother Doctr. God is more readie to shew mercie then we are to receiue it Esay 65.24 Further in that we here find the sonne comming to confesse and the father running to forgiue Hence learne we God is more readie to shew mercie then penitent sinners are to sue for mercie the one comes softly the other swiftly An excellent place to proue this is that of the Prophet Esay Before they call I will answer and whiles they speake I will heare God will not stay vntill they doe call Vers 1. but before they call hee will grant them their desire And so in the first verse of that Chapter I was found of them that sought me not Vse 1 Vse Take notice then of Gods wonderfull loue who albeit he be the partie that is offended yet is more readie to forgiue then we to seeke or to begge pardon My thoughts are not your thoughts Esay 55.8 neither are my waies your waies saith the Lord. It is most true indeed for of how stiffe stubborne implacable a disposition are wee of Haue we once conceiued a displeasure against any how

still complaining against his dealings as vnequall and vniust But of how contrary a disposition is the childe of God who is euermore content to submit himselfe to Gods seuerest courses alwaies acknowledging and confessing that God is righteous in his proceedings and pure in his actions Neh. 9.33 Ezra 9.10 So much did Nehemiah confesse when he thus said Surely thou art iust in all that is come vpon vs for thou hast dealt truly but we haue done wickedly And so did Daniel Dan. 9.7 Righteousnes belongeth vnto thee and vnto vs open shame c. Thus doth the Church acquit the Lord from all iniustice in his dealings I will beare the wrath of the Lord Mic. 7.9 because I haue sinned against him The like affection was in Dauid as doth appeare by these and the like sayings Psal 51.4 Iust art thou when thou speakest and pure when thou iudgest And againe I know oh Lord that thy iudgements are right Psal 119.75 and that thou hast afflicted me iustly And else-where he thus speaketh vers 137. Righteous art thou O Lord and iust are thy iudgements This might be further shewed by diuers other instances as by that of Ely who hearing of the iudgement intended by the Lord vpon him and his house said thus It is the Lord 1. Sam. 3.18 let him doe what seemeth him good as also by that of Hezekiah who being reproued and seuerely threatned for his folly in shewing his treasure vnto the Embassadors of the King of Babel vsed these words The word of the Lord is good which thou hast spoken All these sayings manifestly shew their their readinesse to submit themselues to Gods good pleasure without repining The like example wee haue in Iob Job 1.22 who charged not God with any vniust dealing as the Text sheweth but in the midst of his affliction blest and praised Gods name Vse 2 And as this shewes a difference betweene the one and the other so may it also serue for triall of our selues Hath God afflicted thee any way in body or in goods and hath his hand lyen heauie on thee and that all the day long as Dauid speaketh Psal 32. Well how hast thou bin now affected and disposed hast thou yeelded thy selfe with all submission to Gods proceedings hast thou acknowledged the Lord to be iust and vpright in all his dealings and hast thou quietly and without repining submitted thy selfe to Gods seuerest courses if so it is a good signe of a sanctified heart But if otherwise thou hast murmured and repined and expostulated the cause with God complaining of wrong and iniury esteeming thy selfe to bee hardly dealt withall to bee so vsed and withall doest please thy selfe in this gaine-saying humor Then let mee tell thee it is an euident signe of a graceless soule vnsanctified spirit And if this be a true note of a wicked one to expostulate with God and murmure against his proceedings as we haue seene it is then it will discouer many to be such For how ordinary a thing is it in the day of trouble to heare men murmure and repine yea it may be curse and banne against the Lord what more vsuall then to dispute how this can stand with iustice thus and thus to punish How are Gods dealings censured and called into question by the sonnes of men And how doe men as it were challenge God to his face of vnequall and vniust proceedings I doe indeed confesse that through extreamity of anguish Gods dearest children may forget themselues somtimes and so did Iob and Dauid Psal 73.13.14 whose feet were almost gone but in their cooler bloud they will recall their errour and smite vpon their thighes and lay their hands vpon their mouthes though they speak once yet they wil answer no more as Iob speaketh And as Dauid saith Iob 39.38 Psal 62.1 his soule shall keepe silence vnto the Lord. They will not please themselues in that gaine-saying humor but labour to represse all such repining thoughts and distempered passions Thirdly Seeing it is a property of the wicked thus to Vse 3 expostulate with God and complaine of his proceedings as vniust and vnequall then let this disposition be farre from all such as feare the Lord let not the godly walke in the way of sinners Psal 11. Prou. 1.15 but refraine their feet from this path Let vs learne to iustirie God in all his waies to acknowledge him to be righteous in all his workes and actions Hath the Lord layd on thee sicknesse pouerty imprisonment or any other grieuous crosse see then thou vndergoe it wihout murmuring or repining Charge not God with any hard or vniust dealing for shall not the Iudge of all the world doe right Gen. 18.25 said Abraham yea our God cannot but doe right for righteousnesse is essentiall vnto him it is himselfe and hee may assoone denie himselfe as deale vniustly His will is the rule of Iustice and therefore it must bee iust because hee willeth it Let this then be enough for thee and me the Lord will haue it so Psal 39.9 Learne thou with Dauid to bee dumbe and silent because God hath done it Doe not dare to entertaine such a thought within thy heart as that there should be any iniustice with him learne effectually that golden saying of that kingly Prophet Righteous art thou O Lord Psal 119.137 and iust are thy iudgements Which verse Mauritius the Emperour vttered when he saw his wife and children put to death before his eyes and when he was fitting himselfe to lay his owne necke vpon the blocke because when he might haue redeemed the life of his Souldiers taken by the enemy for a small summe of money would not but suffered them all to be put vnto the sword I confesse this is sooner said the● done and sooner taught then learned for it is no easi● thing to curbe and keepe vnder our owne vnruly passions yet let vs striue and labour by all good meanes to subdue them Ier. 18.2 and represse them Arise and goe downe to the potters house and there I will cause thee to heare my words said God to Ieremiah So let vs arise and goe downe to the potters house and his clay and wheele shall teach vs many good instructions The clay in fashioning vpon the wheele is plyable and readily receiueth any forme or fashion God is the Potter and we as clay vnto him how comes it then we grow discontented with his proceedings Some are poore others base and some are sickly and othersome deformed these looking vpon others who are more noble rich strong proportionable c. say vsually with discontentment God might haue made me thus Rom. 9.20 or thus as these But who art thou that disputest with thy maker shall the thing formed say to him that formed it verse 21. why hast thou made me thus Hath not the potter power ouer the clay of the same lumpe to make one