Selected quad for the lemma: city_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
city_n	day_n	great_a	town_n	4,664	4	6.2812	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A59665	The parable of the ten virgins opened & applied being the substance of divers sermons on Matth. 25, I-13 wherein the difference between the sincere Christian and the ... hypocrite ... are clearly discovered ... / by Thomas Shephard ; now published from the authours own notes ... by Jonathan Mitchell ... Tho. Shephard, son to the reverend author ...	Shepard, Thomas, 1605-1649.; Mitchel, Jonathan, 1624-1668.	1660 (1660)	Wing S3114A; ESTC R23612	617,665	458

wonder if the City be taken though never so strong if it grow once secure no wonder if the world be entred and men are grown more worldly and if Satan be entred and men grow more passionate than ever before no wonder a mans work be neglected if he be asleep Ordinances more slighted than ever before Never shall you see Security fall upon a man alone but it brings its train with it when the Husbandmen sleep tares will be sown and when the Disciples sleep temptations will enter This is that which the Lord testifies of his people Ier. 2. 2 3 4. I remember what thou didst in times of streights in a land not sown every one that touched you did offend but in the seventh and eighth verses when brought to a plentiful Country they did not so much as say Where is the Lord that hath done this for us But yet the Lord questions his people for this What iniquity have you found in me which question you cannot answer without grief here or confusion another day You that are the Lords often have heard this complaint for this may be your condition as well as Noah's and Lot's but now see the cause of it how hard to awake on hour how hard to walk with God one day short awakenings you have but long sleeps this may be your condition for a time but you cannot continue so for ever if you are the Lords But if you do continue so especially without bemoaning this unto the Lord 't is a question whether ever there was that oyl in your vessel which others have when not only a mans acts grow worse but the very spirit of a man degenerates when not only the leaves of the Vine fall but the Vine it self groweth degenerate and hence continueth so this is a sore evidence of a woful state Ier. 2. 20 21. When the yoke was upon thy nick thou saidst Thou wo●l●st not transgress but the Lord hath broken thy ●ands and now thou art becom a strange Vine Remember it will be an heavy indictment against thee to be good in Mesheck but base in Sion to be then worst when the Lord is best Use 3. Hence see one reason why the Lord pursueth many a Soul with inward terrors and outward sorrows Those that are fast asleep because soft speechs cannot awaken them hence we lay our hands upon them and sometimes knock them because this is the way to awaken them and then they hear so the Word and Spirit speak to a man but such soft still winds rock them asleep rather than awaken them hence the Lord layeth his iron hands upon a man and knocks by blows and now when affliction is upon you now you can hear When as the winds and water were ready to tear the ship in pieces now they enquire Why were they sent And the lot fell upon Ionah who was then sleeping it is easie to awaken out of natural sleep but very hard out of spiritual security All the terrors of God on Ionah within and without are little enough but at last he could hear and run on his errand Psal. 30. 6 7. Why did God hide his face from David he said in prosperity he should not be moved this was the reason of it the Lord sees you have need of it seldom shall one see an awakening Christian without inward temptations and terrors or outward sorrows Oh consider then if the Lord do meet with thee consider thy own security thou hast been in or art apt to fall into This is the sin you must enquire after and finde out and do not account it hard though long though bitter for never greater misery than for the Lord to say Sleep on it is one of the heaviest Judgements for the Lord to let a man go on in a secure condition without blows mark therefore unto the end of those blows to be throughly awakend by them For sometimes when the Lord sends them a man if they be not very bitter if he hath any rest lays them not to heart Isa. 42. 25. Fire burnt about him and in this Country I know not what curse befalls men peace makes men secure and sorow makes men discontented and sunk and discouraged which may be for a fit in a Saint but to continue so this is that Ahab Oh when as thou feelest the blow look now that thou dost awaken and be thankfull for it that you met with that you did never reckon upon viz. to be frighted out of security thereby SECT VI. Of Exhortation TO watch over one another by exhorting one another while it is called to day Heb. 3. 13. Let both the Watchmen and Members of Churches do this for this is one means appointed by the Lord to preserve the soul from sleeping 1 Thes. 5. 1 5 6. Exhorting one another as it is in Cities when the Watch is apt to sleep they have their companies that are passing up and down the walls the greatest part of the night and so they are kept waking and we shall finde that as it is in a Town where men are all asleep one Bell-man one waking Christian will keep life and spirit and the power of godliness in many and when he sleeps all are fast Nothing in the world brings security sooner upon men than sleepy company Officers of Churches watch not over members nor they one over another exhorting and crying one unto another to their work while it is called to day Oh then let every man get up and fall to this work of mutual exhorting go and visit one another go and speak oft to one another and if thou be a childe of the light see that thou endure not thy fellow servants to sleep in the open day in one duty or another Know if God stirs thee thou wilt awaken others 2 Cor. 5. 10. We knowing the terrors of the Lord perswade men 2. Consider thy labor cannot be in vain here the best mettalled horse needs spurs others are asleep You will say if I knew such a sin I would speak but I dare not Answ. It is the case of all the Virgins they have need of it Iude 23. Some save with fear pulling them out of the fire Matth. 3. 3. Consider this is one part of your Warfare to keep your watch whereby you may be made conquerors You complain you have many sins and temptations arising and prevailing never do they usually prevail but when you are secure first the Watch is taken and then the City is suddenly taken now look as Paul 2 Tim. 4. 6 7. he hath finished his course and fought his fight and now expects the crown how can you end your days in peace that cannot in some measure finde and feel this The Church is the City of the living God this is taken and every man in it unless you be watchful and exhort one another daily while it is called to day And that I may not speak in the clouds 4. Their sin will be yours First Labor to

of which hereafter The Disciples fall asleep in the garden after a trebble warning yet it was against much relucta●cy hence Christ pitied them the Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak and when they were awakened their vessels were not found empty Peters vessel was full of love to Christ before and when the Lord awakens him he tells the Lord he loved him and his fall and security in it for a time made him more humble and love the Lord with less self-confidence and more purity But oh wonder at it rejoyce in it and be thankful for it especially you that have fallen into any secure frame since ye came into these Virgin-Churches which you cannot but do if you consider the greatness of this sin to sin and be long secure and fast asleep is strange 1. This is the great provoking sin look throughout all the Book of God let the sin be grear and immediately after conscience smitten bones broken and heart awakened we shall never see the Lord but he is pacified the Lord hears their groanings and remembers his Covenant but little sins fallen into and by security continued in the Lord visits for this Psal. 50. When a man shall not only sin but take delight in it as a man doth in his sleep 2. This is a sin in places of liberty and Ordinances whereas the Lord was never so good to thee and thy heart never worse to him never so secure you thought and purposed never to be so watchful and tender as now to be secure here greatly aggravates such security 3. This sin is a common sin now this adds to a sin when a man has a hand in a national sin that runs in the blood of all the Churches for so you see it is all the Virgins secure when all forget the Lord as though there were not enough to lay more loab upon the Lord what doth this but harden others in security thy wives heart thy brethrens heart such a one is secure as though it were not enough to fight against the Lord but Ciant-like to fall among the troops of them that securely dishonor the Lord When the old world was secure we heard nothing of that but when the Sons of God came to be secure and all flesh corrupted their ways the Lord falls a mourning and repents that he had made man When any sin groweth general in Churches that sin is most grievous to God Princes children when they sin alone it is grievous but when they take part with all the mutinous crue against their Father this strikes deep Oh that ever mine eyes should see this evil 4. It is a sin which is the last and is the ruine of all the foolish Virgins and perfects their perdition as here it did they slept till it was too late oh that the Lord should not cast you off for this admire at this and let thy heart and house and work be filled with praise for this You have complained long of a secure heart see it humble thee that it continueth but make thee wonder that the Lord will not cast thee off SECT IV. TO all those that have been long secure let this compassion of the Lord awaken you and draw you to him and make you come out and meet him and give entertainment to the Lord who hath not yet cast you off from him but yet crys oh come and meet me Methinks this should awaken you what hath not the Lord cast me off yet no! but his cry this day is Oh come out and meet me The Lord might have cut thee off in thy security this is his season to others when men cry peace peace and he might have let thee slept and never awake more till past hope yet here is his grace oh come and meet him and will you despise it and refuse the Lord Object 1. I have no oyl in my vessel no grace in my heart what should I meet him for or look for him I am s● vile and so secure he cannot look upon me Answ. 1. You have the more need of receiving him as your Bridegroom that so you may receive the eternal anointing of his Spirit of Grace and Life in your hearts 2. Now you have time to get both Object 2. But it is long before the Bridegroom comes there 's time enough for this hereafter Answ. 1. Would you never look after the Lord and being betrothed to him till the very time of his coming will you despise Grace to the utmost and weary out Grace to the last gaspe behold the Lord shall come and thy eye shall see him and waile because of him and the Lord will make thee cry out on thy death-bed and warn others to take heed of trifling with the Lord long who didst never take warning thy self 2. You see when the Cry is made the Bridegroom is not far behinde now is his cry and you see some that did awaken and after the cry had time too little to trim their lamps It may be many cryes have been sounding in thy secure ears and yet there 's time he is not come grant it and will you therefore despise this rich grace the more because of his goodness Obj. 3. But I am well as I am without the Bridegroom Ans. It may be sleep is sweet for the present but if thou wert awakened thou wouldst be of another minde there are many here present that can say they thought themselves well c. but now I see my error c. Oh Lord what if I had been left to these thoughts yet this is ever the frame of a secure heart like swine well when it is in the mire basking in the Sun 1. It is pleasure but consider it is but short long security will end in hideous affrights and doleful awakenings for one days short sleep I remember Nineveh's are set out by this Zeph. 2. 15. This is the rejoycing City that dwelt carelesly painting out their misery for this sin above all the rest so when plagues be upon you God and Angels shall point at you This is the secure sinner that lived loosly 2. It deprives you of more rest and ease carnal security keeps a man from knowing spiritual security while your sin and sleep is sweet the grace of Christ and the sense of his love shall be strangers to you and to your hearts Christ is anointed to preach to a weary not to a sleepy sinner Isa. 50. 4. There are seasons of refreshings and coolings which such shall never know 3. This which is thy pleasure is the Lords sorrow and grief look as when the sinner mourneth under his sin the Lords heart is quieted Zeph. 3. 17 18. I said I would confess and thou forgavest So when a man delights in his sin the Lords soul is then grieved and the more delight the more grief Christ mourned for the 〈◊〉 of their hearts Mark 5. 3. Now grant that you 〈…〉 what joy is it to think that while I have my ease