Selected quad for the lemma: father_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
father_n	ghost_n	son_n	work_n	16,121	5	6.3028	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A20540	Three godlie and fruitful sermons; the two first preached by Maister Iohn Dod: the last by Maister Robert Cleauer. Whereunto are annexed, fiue propositions, or points of doctrine, comprehended in three other sermons, by the same author	Dod, John, 1549?-1645.; Cleaver, Robert, 1561 or 2-ca. 1625. aut	1610 (1610)	STC 6950; ESTC S117481	100,240	192

treason or haue bene at great charges to deliuer him being cast in prison for debt will walke more circumspectly and aduisedly all the daies of his life and will be so farre from aduenturing vpon those bad courses againe that he wil be so much more careful to auoide thē by how much more paines and cost his friends haue bene at for his redeeming Vse 2 Secondly let this teach vs to exercise our thoughts often and earnestly in considering what euils we haue committed against our blessed Sauiour and what he hath done for vs notwithstanding let vs looke vpon him by the eye of faith and see him crucified and hanging vpon the crosse for our iniquities And this we may better behold Gal. 3. 1. in the preaching of the Gospel and in the administration of the Sacraments then if we had bene standing by when he was put to death betweene the two theeues for that would haue daunted and amazed vs as it did the disciples that were Christ his followers whereas in these ordinances of God viz. the word and the Sacrament his sufferings are liuely expressed and represented vnto vs so that wee may more clearely and fully see the loue of the Father and of the Sonne through the working of the holy Ghost in our hearts than they could that were eye-witnesses of his bitter passion Doct. 5 And they shall lament for him as one mourneth for his onely sonne c. In these words as also in those that follow is declared the measure of their sorrow viz. that it was exceeding great as the two comparisons here vsed doe euidently expresse whence obserue this doctrine that Great sorrow for sin very requisite Se M. Dod● Sermon on Isa 1. Doct. 1. where this point is largely handled It is not sufficient to mourne for sin but we must make our sins to be our greatest sorrow Nothing must so pierce the hearts of Christians as that by their iniquities they haue slaine their Lord and Sauiour Reasons This through and sound lamentation is required Ioel 2. 13. and was found in Dauid Psalme 51. and in the people of God of whom mention is made 1. Sam. 7. 6. who are said in the day of their fast to draw water viz. out of their hearts and to powre it out before the Lord whereby is meant that they wept very bitterly and aboundantly for their offences against the Lord. And the reason why we must thus lament is First because sinne is the matter of all our woe and smart it is that which doth vs most hurt and that which keepeth from vs all manner of good Isa 59. 2. and haue we not iust cause then to grieue that we should lodge such a guest in our soules especially if we consider how beneficiall this holy griefe will be vnto vs for First it will be a means to make vp pure in Gods account and so to free vs from the guilt thereof 2. Cor. 11. and also to purge our hearts and hands from the corruption thereof so that we shall not bee in bondage therunto any longer Iam. 4. 8. And hence it will come to passe that either crosses shall not at all light vpon vs or at least they shall not bee burdensome vnto vs. If we keepe an Assises at home in our owne soules and finde our selues guilty and condemne our selues then shall not we be iudged 1 Cor. 11. 2. of the Lord but because we deale very partially in our owne matters therefore is the Lord driuen to helpe vs by laying his correcting hand some way or other vpon vs or if crosses do not fall vpon vs in that regard but our hearts tell vs that we deale faithfully in this behalfe then will our troubles be more easily borne for when sinne lyes heauy afflictions lye light And therefore when men are so vexed and disquieted at iniuries and indignities or any outward distresses that they cannot eate nor drinke nor sleepe it is sure that they haue little godly sorrow and store of worldly sorrow for if that holy griefe did possesse their hearts it would eate vp and consume carnall vexation euen as Moses serpent did the serpents of the Aegyptian sorcerers And this euery godly man shall finde in his owne experience that looke what day or howre soeuer he hath wept most bitterly for his offences against God then he esteemeth crosses to be most light and easie and findes matter of thankfulnesse in whatsoeuer grieuances befall him as knowing it to be Gods goodnesse that it is not worse with him Vse 2 Here then are those to be reproued that will tell vs a long tale of their repentance and of their sorrow for sinne but what kinde of sorrow hath it bene a shallow and hollow and sleight sorrow that neuer made them to shed one teare in secret nor to make one feruent prayer from a broken heart for the pardoning of their iniquities Let them heare that one of their kine is dead or one of their horses stolne or their barne on fire or the like and they will mourne in good earnest at such a casualty and bee more moued to heare that their goods are in danger to bee burnt then that their soules are likely to burne in hell This is a plaine argument that what shewes soeuer they make yet they haue not truly repented for their euill workes for if the holy Ghost had giuen them an inward touch for their sinnes they would grieue most for that which hurts them most and not for those things the hauing whereof cannot much benefite them nor the losse thereof proue very inconuenient vnto them Yet so beastly are many that if they be vrged to sounder repentance and greater reformation they presently aske What would you haue vs to doe more than wee doe already wee loue God aboue all and our neighbours as our selues and repent continually for our faults What would you haue vs so melancholy and pensiue as some are that vse to runne to Sermons nay we will be aduised of that for they are so grieued for their sinnes that they are almost driuen vnto desperation Miserable men little doe they know what sound repentance meanes for that is the thing which Gods Ministers must aime at euen to make men despaire in themselues that so they might rest wholly vpon Christ Iesus And happy is that Sermon and happy that day which maketh men so to weepe ouer Christ Iesus as that they vtterly fall out with themselues and with their naughty and prophane courses for this will best proue vnto their soules that they haue receiued the Spirit of grace and haue attained vnto true repentance Vse 2 Secondly this maketh for the sharpe rebuke of those who when the Lord doth knocke at the doore of their hearts and make knowne vnto them that they are liable to Gods wrath in regard of their vile and sinfull course of life they seeke by all meanes to quench these good motions and to driue away the feare of hell from

Rom. 8. 15. wherby we cry Abba father So that none can confidently call God father but by the helpe of his blessed Spirit If vnregenerate men will pray to their father Christ telleth them who he is when speaking to such kinde of persons he saith You are Ioh. 8. 44. of your father the Diuell And how proueth he that The lusts of your father yee will do As those that are willing to do the workes of God are assuredly the children of God euen so they that are ready to doe the workes of Satan are without doubt the children of Satan and if they wil pray vnto their father they must pray vnto the Diuell Againe in that very place it is sayd that the Spirit helpeth our infirmities for wee know not what to Rom. 8. 26 pray as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh requests for vs with sighes that cannot be expressed where it is euident that the best of Gods seruants without the helpe and assistance of the holy Ghost are ignorant both of the matter and manner of prayer but the Spirit doth informe their mindes what to aske and frame their affections how to aske in an holy and acceptable sort so that albeit sometimes they want words to expresse their meaning yet they are full of inward sighes and heauenly desires But what are they the better for them will some say if they cannot powre them forth before the Lord in an outward forme of prayer They are much the better because as it is in the 27. verse He that searcheth the hearts knoweth the meaning of the spirit and he so knoweth it that he approueth of it and delighteth in it If there be neuer so many good words and those vttered by the very Saints of God themselues yet if they proceede not from the Spirit but from the flesh as sometimes they may they are not pleasing vnto the Lord but abhorred of him And on the other side albeit there be no words at all as many times it fals out when the heart is oppressed through extremity of griefe yet if there bee a multitude of holy desires in the soule stirred vp through the powerfull working of the holy Spirit they are accepted of him and shall bee rewarded by him for as it is added in the place aboue named The Spirit euen at such times maketh requests for the Saints according to the will of God And therefore their suits according with his will he cannot but yeeld vnto the same Againe it is the proper worke of the Spirit to conuince the iudgement of sinne and to humble Iohn 16. 8. the heart therefore without which there can no faithfull prayer be made vnto the Lord. Bring neuer so strong reasons to adulterers or gamesters or Saboth-breakers or any that liue in the continuall practise of such dangerous and damnable sinnes and presse them neuer so forcibly to cause them to forsake their lewd and wretched courses and yet can they not see why they should leaue them but rather imagine that they may lawfully follow the same still And no maruell for till the God of heauen do set downe their carnall reason it can neuer be set downe and till he stop their mouthes they will neuer be silenced but still haue somewhat to say for their wretched and vile behauiour Reasons collected from the former places Seeing then it is euident that Gods Spirit alone can perswade vs of the loue and fauour of our heauenly Father towards vs that so we may be in case to pray vnto him and withall must furnish vs with the matter and helpe vs in the manner of our praiers and humble vs in the sight of our owne miserable wants that so we may bee more earnest and feruent in the requests that we make the point now in hand may hence be strongly concluded to wit that none can make a faithfull prayer without the speciall ayde and direction of the holy Ghost which serueth Vse 1 First for the confutation of those sencelesse people that will be talking and bragging how they pray day and night They that know what it is to lift vp a feruent prayer vnto the heauens doe easily discerne that they are but meere braggers and boasters and that indeede they neuer made one faithful prayer since they were borne because they are and still haue bene sensuall and carnall and vtterly void of any sanctifying grace of Gods spirit and therefore so farre are they from hauing any cause of reioycing in regard of their good prayers as they call them that they haue great cause to be humbled for them as being workes of the flesh and not of the Spirit such as doe rather prouoke the Lords displeasure against them then pacifie his anger or any way procure his fauour towards them Such are the prayers of all blind and ignorant Papists who pray in an vnknowne tong to whom it may be said as it was by our Sauiour vnto the sonnes of Zebedeus Ye know not what yee aske They may speake what they list of their often praying and how readily they can goe through with their stint and taske but they that vnderstand what it is to bring God and their owne soules together in earnest requests and feruent supplications cannot but iudge them to bee bragging Pharises who thinke that the Lord is beholding vnto them and indebted vnto them for such prayers whereas in truth he may iustly condemneth em vnto hell for the same and will do so if they be not humbled for them as well as for the rest of their iniquities And therefore they that haue indeed the Spirit of prayer are of another mind for when they haue vsed the best preparation that possibly they can they finde so many defects in their prayers that they are driuen to make a new prayer for the pardoning of those their wants and are stirred vp heartily to praise the Lord when they can in any poore measure powre out their soules before him as knowing that it is not from any strength that they haue in themselues but from the helpe and furtherance of his good Spirit Secondly let this be an instruction vnto vs that if we would pray aright and speede accordingly we labour as Iude exhorteth to pray in the Iude V. 20. holy Ghost For those be the petitions that pierce the heauens and bring peace comfort vnto the conscience But how shall we know whether our prayers proceed from Gods Spirit or not for our sinfull hearts are apt to deceiue vs on both sides viz. either to make vs thinke through Satans suggestion that we doe not pray in the holy Ghost because we haue so many frailties when in truth we doe or that we pray as we ought to doe because we haue matter and words at will when indeed there is no such thing but onely a naturall gift of vttering that which is in our mindes and memories in apt and fit tearms and in a fluent manner of speech Therefore if wee

that sometimes they would because the spirit strugleth and fighteth against the lusts of the flesh Now concerning wicked men they are altogether fleshly and therefore when they haue vile motions from nature or bad suggestions from Satan they like of them and nourish and cherish them and if meanes and opportunitie bee offered proceed to the execution of them Herein then may Gods children reioyce that they are farre vnlike the limmes of the diuell in that they mortifie the deedes of the flesh by the spirit Rom. 8. 13. and therefore shall liue whereas others walke after the flesh and satisfie it in the lusts thereof and therefore shall die In the meditation whereof they should raise vp their discouraged hearts and fainting spirits to sound ioy and due thankfulnes for that the Lord hath by his good spirit and powerfull word wrought a change in their hearts and made them that were naturally set on mischiefe and did drinke in iniquitie with delight euen as beasts drink water to be in any measure tractable vnto holy duties and to carrie a perfect hatred against all impietie and vnrighteousnesse albeit they cannot get that masterie of their sinfull lusts as they should and as they would This is a wonderfull worke of God for which we cannot sufficientlie praise his name and therefore wee should doe as the Prophet Dauid did when the Lord had put it into his heart and into the hearts of his subiects to be liberall towards the building of the Temple Now therefore our God saith he 1. Chron. 29 13. 14. 18. we thanke thee and praise thy glorious name But who am I and what is my people that we should be able to offer willingly after this sort c. O Lord God of Abraham Izhac and Israel our fathers keepe this for euer in the purpose and thoughts of the heart of thy people and prepare their hearts vnto thee From which words it is apparent that it is an admirable and supernaturall worke to haue a well disposed minde and a well affected heart vnto any thing that concernes the worship of God and his glorie to be franke and free-hearted in bestowing ones substance vpon sumptuous buildings costly apparel great house-keeping setting vp Lords of misrule and the like is a thing not worth the speaking of because a mecre carnall man in arrogancie and vain-glorie may bee very lauish and prodigall to such ends and purposes But to haue a liberall heart for good vses either for the furtherance of Gods seruice or for the reliefe of the distressed Saints is a matter that wee should take speciall notice of and bee carefull to magnifie the name of the Lord for it and earnestly to intreate the continuance of it as Dauid doth in this place And though we be not alwaies alike but now and then dull and heauie and lumpish and drowsie when it pleaseth the Lord for our humbling to let the flesh play it part yet if wee sometimes and for the most part finde spirituall motions and affections and from thence proceed to holy speeches and actions as occasion and abilitie is offered wee haue great cause to blesse the name of God for his singular fauour and goodnesse towards vs in that behalfe Doct. 5 AL the sorrowes and teares of Gods children All the afflictions of the Saints shal end in consolatiōs Isaiah 30. 20. shall end in ioy As they haue their times of feeding vpon the bread of aduersitie and the water of affliction so haue they also seasons of reioycing and of singing Psalmes of praise for their happie deliuerance 29. out of troubles and miseries Heauinesse may abide Psal 30. 5. at euening but ioy commeth in the morning They may sow in teares for a time but they shall reape in ioy This is the very patrimonie and inheritance of the Saints as the Wiseman saith Surely to a man Ecclesiast 2. vlt. that is good in his sight to wit through Christ God giueth wisedom and knowledge and ioy this he may build on and make full account of euen in the middest of all his sorrow and anguish And there is good reason why it must needs be thus Reasons 1 First because the afflictions of the Saints doe exceedingly humble them for they looke vpward in their distresses and behold Gods righteous hand smiting them and thereupon descend vnto themselues and diue deepe into their hearts to search what corruptions doe lurk there whereby the Lord is incēsed against them that so those being remoued by sound repentance his heauie displeasure may bee turned away from them and his louing countenance may shine vpon them This is it that Gods children will sooner or later come vnto albeit for a fit they be passionate and discontented they will at length turne their eies from looking vpon their crosses to see the true cause thereof and so be grieued for their offences against God and smite vpon their thighs in a holie Ierem. 31. 19. indignation against themselues in regard of their pride and vnbeliefe and vnthankfulnesse and other the like corruptions They then leaue off musing on other mens iniuries and begin to bethink themselues of their owne transgressions that so casting downe themselues by godly sorrow the Lord may raise them vp to pure and holy 1. Pet 5. 6. ioy which he will certainly doe in due season neither shall all their sinnes and sorrowes bee able to keepe them downe when once they are thoroughly humbled vnder the holy hand of God It is his promise then to lift them vp and Christ his office to comfort them that mourne therefore Isai 61. as those that in their miseries are passionate and desperate full of murmuring against God and of fretting against men cannot expect any ioyfull issue out of their troubles so on the other side they that are lowly and broken harted much deiected and abased in the presence of the Lord and milde and peaceable in their carriage before men they may be assured that all their sighs shall end in songs that all teares shall be wiped away from their eyes and that in stead of the spirit of heauinesse they shall in due time be clad with the garments of gladnesse Secondly Gods seruants doe pray in their afflictions which is the very high way vnto sound comfort Call vpon me in the time of trouble saith Psal 50. God and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me This Asa and Iehoshaphat had good experience 2. Chron. 14. 20. of for when they being in a great straite had humbled themselues by fasting and prayer their hearts were full of ioy and their mouthes full of the praises of the Lord for their wonderfull deliuerance from their enemies And the like may be said of Hester and Mordecai and the rest of the Hester Iewes in his time And our Sauiour telleth his Disciples Verely verely I say vnto you that yee shall Iohn 16. 20. weepe and lament but your sorrow