Selected quad for the lemma: ground_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	bring_v	good_a	see_v	1,546	5	3.3026	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A51487	Aug. 7: 1670. A most useful sermon preached in London, By a most worthy and faithfhl [sic] minsiter and servant of Jesus Christs, most learnedly pressed from Amos 8. 11. ... From which text of scripture, he learnedly shews the dreadful and deplorable condition of that kingdom which a famine of the word of the Lord seizes upon; and further shews, that they are the greatest felons who would rob us of the word of God, and that there is more justice in hell then is here upon earth, for in hell they do not punnish the innocent		1671 (1671)	Wing M2931BA; ESTC R213887	17,302	48

our Temple into Howleing Oh lay hold upon Christ by importunitie you read of those in the Gospel when Christ made as if he was going away the Text saith they did constrain his to stay with them Luke 24. Verse 29. Is not the Lord upon the Thrashal of his Temple as if he was ready to take his wings and flye from us Oh let us by humble prayer lye at his Feet and if it be possible constraine him yet to stay with England stay Lord rather any Judgement than this rather lay a stroake upon my body or Estate but doe not bring a Famine of the Word of God and if we would prevaile with the Lord use Arguments in prayer when we come to God for the poor Gospel of England Lord hast thou never a Remnant left among us a People that love thee and fears thee that hangs about thee that will not let thee goe Oh destroy not the cluster is not there a blessing in it Oh wilt thou be gone from us art not thou our Father will the Father take away Bread from his Children Lord will not the Enemie insult to see thee leaving thy Temple where thou hast put thy Name wilt thou make the hearts of thy people sadde and wilt thou rejoyce thine Enemies Oh Lord hast thou not given Bond and is there better Security hast thou not promised under thy Hand and Seale thou wilt give us Pastors after thine own heart to feed us with Knowledge Lord thou wilt never Forfeit thy Bond. It is true we are an unworthy Nation not worthy to be Beloved Oh but canst not thou make us fit for Mercie canst not thou give us Repentance as well as Deliverance Nay Lord let us farther press thee is not thy Honour concerned in all this we are called by thy Name leave us not thus should we use Arguments and follow God by prayer and surely the Lord will not depart from us Prayer it makes a sweet sound in Gods Ear and he will not goe away where he hears this Musick Againe Thirdly Would we prevent a Gospel Famine which we have cause to fear let us this day turne to God and break off our sinnes by righteousness Jer. 7. Verse 3. Amend your wayes and your doings it is a vain thing to pray unless you reform amend your wayes and your doings What should God continue his Gospel for to an impenitent sinnefull Land that are resolved they will sinne who will lay out cost upon ground that brings forth nothing but Briars who will power Rose-water upon a Dunghill Would we prevent a Gospel Famine let us breake up the Follow ground of our hearts by Repentance I will say but this if we Reforme not we can expect to see no good dayes more God will un-People us he will un-Church us ere he hath done Oh better loose the Sunne in the Firmament than that the Gospel Sunne should be Eclipsed in our Horison who would desire to live when the Arke of God is gone what good Christian can forbeare weeping at the Funeral of the Gospel that is the first exhortation let us labour to prevent the coming of Gods Famine upon us as we would prevent Fire and Plague so labour to prevent this Soul Famine Seccond Vse of Exhortation is this if a Famine of the Word be so sad as you have heard let us doe what we can to keep God still amongst us and his Gospel You will say how shall we keep the Gospel it is a blessed designe to keep the Gospel I will name three or four things and I have done First Entertain the Gospel into your houses that is one way to keep it Obadiah he entertained the Ark and his house was blessed for the Ark sake if you cannot have the Gospel in poblick as you use to have with purity and freedome get it into your houses I am sure of this you can never put your houses to better use then to entertain Christ and his Gospel I beseech you let it not be said that the Gospel is put to seek its lodging does not this Gospel bring Salvation Oh how glad should you be to have Salvation come to your House Secondly Would you keep the Gospel among you Improve it the best way I know still to enjoy the Gospel is to improve it lay up a stock of knowledge let the word of Christ dwell richly in you coll 3. Verse 16. Receive the Word not only into your heads but into your hearts get good by the word Preached while the Manna falls gather Manna the best way to enjoye the Gospel is to improve it God will not take away the Brest so long as Faith draws the brest And then Thirdly Prise the Gospel and that is the way to keep it the Ordinances of God are the most signal blessings they are better then Gold Silver they are the food of your souls they strengthen faith they increase joy these are the Conduits that holds the Water of Life that soul that before was dry like Aarons Rod being planted near these waters of the Ordinances have flourished have brought forth Buds and Almonds and therefore prise the Ordinances Beloved here we converse with the Lord Jesus Christ if ever we enjoy Christ upon earth it is here if ever we see his face it is through this Lattice Gods Ordinances are like the place of the Mercy Seat where the Lord did speak from heaven to his People oh then prise these Gospel blessings and that is the way yet to keep them among you And lastly If you would keep the Gospel with you adorne the Gospel you that are here present you do all profess the Gospel that is not enough unlesse you adorn the Gospel Phil. 1.27 Let your Conversation be as becomes the Gospel but when do we adorn the Gospel I answer when we live according to the rule of the Gospel in sobriety and sanctity Oh that is to adorn it when we walk according to the rule of it in sobriety and sanctity we adorn the Gospel when we walk as the Members of Christ and as those that are acted by his Spirit we adorn the Gospel when we shine forth in a kind of Angelical brightnesse and live so holy as if we had seen the Lord this is to adorne the Gospel and this is the best way I know to have the Gospel intailed upon us and upon our posterity after us

the Word it must needs be a heavy and a dismal Judgement Now to speak more distinctly to these 1. Consider what a great blessing the Gospel is and 2. The dispensers of it and then you will easily conclude what a Judgement it is to be deprived of them As for the Gospel it is a blessing which Crowns a people the very Engine which God uses to convert a Soul It is called in Scripture the word of life because it enfuses life into the people it is a two edged sword Heb. 4.12 with one edge it strikes sin dead with the other edge it strikes the soul alive besides consider the great blessing of this people in these three particulars and you will see what it is to be deprived of it 1. The Gospel of Christ it is the beauty the riches it is the strength of a Kingdome the most sparkling Jewel in their Crown the beauty of God shines in the Gospel Brethren the Gospel is the glasse in which we see the unsearchable riches of Gods love to a sinner The Gospel preached gives us the presence of Christ and Christs presence is the spiritual beauty of a Nation now if there be a famine of the Word then the glory is departed England without the Gospel will be like unto a house when the rich furniture and hangings are pulled down the house is naked and deformed so if the preaching of the Word be Eclipsed then the glory of a Kingdom is Entombed and all places of honour lye in the dust 2. The preaching of the Gospel is the riches of a Kingdome it encreases a Kingdoms treasure and revenue there are many temporal blessings that come along with the word it hath been observed that those places have been most fruitful and have been most enriched where the Gospel hath been planted trading in those parts hath been most quick it is observable that same place of King Jehosaphat that when he had taken care for a preaching Ministry and sent his Princes and his Nobles to encourage his Ministers Oh how rich did his kingdome grow they brought him presents of silver and he waxed exceeding rich 2 Chron 17.11 The Gospel it is like the Ark which carries a blessing with it where ever it went Hag. 2.18 saith God Consider from this day even from the day that the Lords Temple was laid from this day will I blesse you Israels mercies did bear date from the Temple building so that the Gospel is the riches of a Kingdome Mark what I say to you this day the ready way to beggar a Kingdom is to take away the Gospel I beseech you remember a Famine of Gods word will soon bring a Famine of Bread upon a Land 3. The Gospel preached is the defence of a Kingdom it is a Kingdoms safely and defence it is the Fort-Royal of a Land it is the very lock where on Englands strength lies what was the strength of Israel God was there there was his word and there was his ordinances that was the Rock where Israels strength did lye not brazen Walls but silver Trumpet are the best defence of our Land It is said of the Levites or Ministers that when they came preached at Jerusalem 2 Chron. 11.17 The Text saith thry strengthened the Kingdom It is remarkable in Scripture they as take away the preaching of the Gospel are like those that pull down the Bancks to let in the main Sea they open a sluce to let in the wrath of God upon a Kingdom thus you see the Gospel is a singular blessing and therefore to have a famine of the word to have the Gospel go it must needs be a great curse to a Land Again as the Gospel is a great blessing so the Dispensers the Ministers of the word they are promised as great blessings to a Land and therefore to have them removed and a Soul famine it is a heavy judgment God promises his Ministers as blessings to a Nation Jer. 3.15 I will give you Pastors after mine own heart that shall feed you with knowledge and that they are great blessings appears by the title the Scripture gives to them 1. They are called the Dispensers and Stewards of Gods word they are called Embassadours 2 Cor. 5.20 We as Embassadours of God beseech you in Christs stead to be reconciled we come to wo you in Christs name and clear up your souls to Christ we come to make up the happy match between Christ and you we bring the Kings picture along with us we set before your eyes the Lord Jesus in his most Orient Colours we show him to you in the beauty of his Person the glory of his Offices the sweetness of his love why now if on a suddain God calls home his Embassadours it is a sign he intends the match shall be broken off 2. They are called Dispensers and Stewards of the word of God they are called stars in Gods hand Rev. 1.20 They are stars First For their light how glorious is the Gospel when it is bespangled and set thick with those stars Secondly they are stars not only for light but for use they are like the star that guided the wise man to Jesus Christ if those spiritual stars be removed how shall the soul know how to steer its course they will be like Mariners that are benighted upon Shelves and Rocks Oh how many where these stars are wanting shall to hell in the Dark 3. They are called Dispensers and Stewards of Gods holy Oracles They are called Physitians Jer. 8.22 Is there no Balm in Gilead is there no Physitian there the soul of man is subject to more Diseases then the Body as one Christian is troubled with the Stone of the heart another with a dead Palsey and benumedness of Conscience now it is the work of Gods Ministers to find out these Diseases and to apply proper remedy Beloved how sad is it to have your Physitian taken away that should heal you to have a poor soul lie all in Agony in a burning Feavour of Conscience and now to speak words in due season or drop in Christ is there no Balm in Gilead 4. God calls his Ministers his Waterers 1 Cor. 3.6 Apollo's was a Waterer now you know if you have a plant set in a good soil if it be not watered it yields no fruit This City of London hath had many Apolloes in it it hath had much watering you have been watered with the Labourers of your Ministers and perhaps watered with their Tears too Oh but for your sins God may command that there shall be no more showers no more watering If the Lord should transplant his Apolloes and see there is more need of watering and planting in forreigne parts how would this work of Grace go backward in us how would your good affections wither and be as the ground that is parched and dryed for want of showers Thus Beloved you see what a great blessing it is to have the Gospel Dispensers among you and

therefore you may imagine what a spiritual famine is and to have these blessings removed well may England weep her eyes out when these are gone that should bring the Vision to her Now my Beloved if a famine of Gods word be so deplorable and dreadful as it is to have the Bread of life taken away from us as you may read Amos 8.11 It is called there A famine of the word of the Lord and in Sam. 1.4 it is called there The glory departed and in Matth. 26.47 The Kingdome of Heaven taken away The Salvation of God sent away Acts 28. and can there be any thing worse befall a people than a soul famine and an Eclipse of their spiritual glory the shuting up of the Kingdome of heaven the carrying away of the Salvation of God what worse thing can come upon a people It is a great wonder there should be no deeper a sence of this most dreadful of evils than is mostly found among Men. Men little understand what they do who either in a way of Merit or Instrumentally procure and bring on these Plagues and few understand or are sensible what they herein suffer to be an instrument in this hellish work it 's an Office for a Devil and the suffering of such a Plague to them as understand it is an hell above ground this Darkness is the very same for kind with the darkness of Hell as the light of the Gospel is the same in kind with the everlasting light as glory under age so is this thick darknesse in specei in simile the darknesse of the pit Oh what a hell of wickednesse doth this world then become the Devil is then in his Region is let loose and rules the world at pleasure deceives devours destroys souls without Contradiction takes them Captive at his will carries them down by whole-sale to distruction These dark and dismal seasons are the Devils Marker where he may vent his hellish Wares his Snares and Temptations his Deceipts and Delusions and every abominable thing by whole-sale there is nothing so false so vile and abominable but he can put it off at pleasure Adultery Drunkennesse Witchcraft Sodomy Buggery Blasphemy Idolatry Atheisme any thing that Sathan hath to offer he will find Customers enough to receive and the truth is the Devil may spare his pains Men then need not a Devil to damne them they shall do it fast enough of their own Accords Oh it were happy if the Saints were so busie in improving their light to haste them Heaven-ward as sinners do their larknesse to hurry them to Hell Oh the sad truths that the world affords of this dreadful truth look into all the dark Corners of the Earth especially there where there hath been light and see if you find not all this proved to your hand Can he then be accounted a Christian whose heart doth not tremble at the thoughts and the fears of such a sore judgment he is both dark and dead indeed to whom such a Mist is not as the first born of death or the King of Terrours Christians If ever this should be your Case make not light of it and take heed how sad soever it may seem in its first approach that no track of time do wear off the sence of it I have now done and come to improve this Proposition and proceed to the Application Vse 1. Now my friends If a famine of the word be so dreadful as you have heard next to damning of souls I know not what worse then starving of a soul if it be so dismal then what are we to think of those that endeavour by their Counsel and by their Interest what in them lies to be instrumental to bring a famine of the word upon Gods People For my part I account those and always shall do the greatest Felons in the Land who would rob us of the word of God these are the Devils Agents they are his Factors let me assure you they will be found fighters against God They are like the Philistians that stops the Wells those that would stop the Wells of the Water of Life Oh how would this inhaunce their sin What to be instrumental to starve souls I will say but this the Ministers of Jesus Christ they are to warn people of their Sins they are to tell them if there be any danger any wrath of God hanging over a Land they are Watchmen Ezek. 33.6.2 If Watch-men see the Sword come and blow not the Trumpet and the People be not warned their blood I will require at the Watch-mens hands Now Bretheren I appeal to you We Watch-men must warn the people Oh how will they be able to answer to God at the great day that shall take Ministers off from his Spiritual Watch that shall hinder him from warning the People Surely the blood of souls must needs lie at those mens doors that is the First Vse 2. It is of Exhortation if a Gospel Famine be so dreadful as you have heard as good almost be in hell why then let me exhort you this day to some duty 1. Let us labour with all laboriousness to prevent the removal of the Gospel from us as we would endeavour to remove the Sword the Fire the Plague so let us labour to prevent the removal of the Gospel from us Oh a Gospel famine is the most dismal and the more let my words prevail with you because there is so much fear if God prevent not of the Gospel departing from us I might shew you that there is a soul famine in many parts of this Land alreadie and there are many sad signs the Lord is about to bring this spiritual famine upon this Land I shall shew you the sad simptoms of the Gospel going from England there are 4. gray haires 4. sad signes of the Gospel departing which the Lord prevent 1. First of all that great contempt which is thrown upon the Gospel and professors of it do we think that God is tied to England more than to another Nation do we think the Lord will continue his mercie to a people that dispise his mercie is he bound to do that is nor the Gospel of our Lord Jesus this day slighted and persecuted the Gergesens they were more mannerly they beseeched Christ to depart out of their Coasts Matt. 8.3 But we have many among us they do not beseech Christ they would drive him out by force though nothing but hony dropps from the Lipps of the Gospel it brings salvation to a people yet how is it opposed at this day pray observe I confess the Gospel of Christ it is not suited to mens carnal interest or appetite the Gospel doth not tell them of Fields and Vineyeards it hath to bestow upon them the Gospel of Christ doth not prophesie of Wine and strong Drink then the Drunkard would gladly receive the Gospel but it is a holy Gospel it bears down mens lusts it proclaimes peace to them upon no other tearms but their