Selected quad for the lemma: kingdom_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
kingdom_n	glory_n	power_n	time_n	1,784	5	3.3791	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A90268	God's presence with a people, the spring of their prosperity; with their speciall interest in abiding with Him. A sermon, preached to the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland, at Westminster, Octob. 30. 1656. A day of solemn humiliation. / By John Owen, D.D. a servant of Jesus Christ, in the work of the Gospel. Printed by Order of Parliament.	Owen, John, 1616-1683.	1656 (1656)	Wing O757; Thomason E891_4; ESTC R206508	24,955	44

them and diverts them with all Earnestness to things quite of another nature and of unspeakably greater importance and concernment to them Here ye me saith he it is not your own Counsel nor your own valour that hath brought about this great work this mighty victory the Lord himself hath done it by his presence with you It is not of any concernment unto you what other Nations do or may do but the presence of God Concerns you alone to look after The great concernment of any People or Nation is to know that all their prosperity is from the presence of God amongst them and to attend to that which will give continuance thereunto You may tire your selves in the imaginations and contrivances of your own hearts and lay out your thoughts and time about things that will not profit nor advantage you this is your interest this is your concernment Hear ye me Asa and all Judah and Benjamin Of this proposition afterwards For the words themselves the first thing proposed to be inquired into for their explanation is this what it is for God to be with a people God may be said to be with men or present with them in sundry respects First he may be said to be with them in respect of the omnipresence of his Essence so he is naturally and necessarily present with all creatures indistant from them present with them The ubiquity and immensity of his Essence will not allow that he should be distant from any thing to which he hath given a beeing The heavens even the heaven of heavens cannot contain him 1 Kings 8. 27. Doth he not fill heaven and earth Is he a God at hand only and not afar off as to the ends of the Earth This presence of God with all things David emphatically declares Psal. 139. 7 8 9 10 11 12. But it is not that that is here intended that is universal to all Creatures natural and necessary this especial to some voluntary and of mercy that of nature and essence this of Will and Operation Secondly God may be said to be with one in respect of personal union so he was with and only with the man Christ Jesus Acts 10. 38. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} God was with him that is in personal union the humane nature being taken into subsistence with the son of God Thirdly God is present or with any in respect of the Covenant of Grace He is with them to be their God in Covenant the Tenor whereof is that he will not leave them nor shall they forsake him he will be for them and they shall be for him and not for another He is with them for all the ends of mercy love kindness pardon salvation that are proposed and exhibited in it But neither is this the presence of God here intended though this be something that flows from it and does attend it for First that presence of God with his people hath not such a conditional establishment as this here mentioned it stands on other terms and better security than that here proposed it hath received an Eternal ratification in the bloud of Christ is founded in the immutable purpose of Grace and is not left to the conditionality here expressed as we shall see afterwards Secondly the presence here mentioned respects the whole body of the people all Judah and Benjamin in their national state and consideration unto whom as such the effectual Covenant of grace was never extended For they were not all Israel who were of Israel Thirdly the presence here promised respects immediately the peculiar end of blessing the whole people with success in their wars and undertakings so the occasion of the words and the Context with regard to the following discourse do undeniably evince It is not then this presence of God only that is intended though as it will afterward appear it is not to be separated from it Fourthly there is a presence of God in respect of providential dispensations and this is twofold First General Ordering disposing guiding ruling all things according to his own wisdome by his own power unto his own glory Thus he is also present with all the world He disposes of all the affairs of all the sons of men as he pleaseth sets up one and pulls down another changes times seasons Kingdoms bounds of Nations as seems good to him The help that is given to any he doth it himself The shields of the Earth belong unto God He works deliverance in the Earth even among them that knows him not And the Evills desolations and destruction that the Earth is full of are but the effects of his wrath and Indignation revealing its self against the ungodliness of men He is thus present with every person in the world holds his breath and all his wayes in his hand disposes of his life death and all his concernments as he pleaseth He is present in all Nations to set them up pluck them down alter turne change weaken establish strengthen enlarge their bounds as he sees good and the day is comming when all his works will praise him Neither is this here intended It is necessary and belongs to God as God and cannot be promised to any It is a branch of Gods naturall dominion that every Creature be ruled and disposed of agreeably to its nature unto the end whereunto it is appointed Secondly speciall attended with peculiar love favour good will speciall care towards them with whom he is so present Soe Abimelech observed that he was with Abraham Gen. 21. 22. God is with thee in all that thou doest with thee to guide thee blesse thee preserve thee as we shall see afterwards So he promised to be with Joshua Chap. 1. 5. and so he was with Gideon Judges 6. 12. to blesse him in his great undertaking and so with Jeremie Chap. 15. 20. This is fully expressed Esa. 43. 1 2 3. I have redeemed thee I have called thee by thy Name thou art mine when thou passest thorow the water I will be with thee and thorow the rivers they shall not overflow thee and this is the presence of God here intimated his presence with the People as to speciall providentiall dispensations as is manifest from the whole discourse of the Prophet and wherein this consists shall be afterwards at large declared Secondly What is a Peoples abiding with God There is a twofold abiding with God First In personall obedience according to the tenor of the Covenant This is not here intended but supposed There is no abiding in any thing with God where there is not an abiding in this thing yet this as I said is not here principally intended but supposed something further is intended for as hath been declared it is National work and Nationall abiding that is intended so that Secondly There is an abiding with God in Nationall Administrations this is a fruit of the other in those who are called

in 1. First That we may abide with God this is indispensably required that wee may have Peace with him in Jesus Christ If we are never with him we cannot abide with him no man can abide where he never comes The acceptance of our persons lies at the bottome of the acceptance of our duties As the speciall presence of God with any is in and by Christ and no otherwise so is our abiding with God in and through him God with us is the name of Christ Our beeing with God is in him who is our Peace Two cannot walke together unlesse they be so agreed Amos. 3. 3. Now because this is not to be expected from all the individualls of a Nation yet this thing is to be endeavoured That the Rulers of it be such as have this Interest I do not divest of a share in Government those who have no share in Christ if lawfully called thereunto But I say when God gives Governours whom he intends to make a blessing unto a People they shall be such as are blessed of him in Christ And if ever the Government of this Nation in this present Constitution suppose it the most exactly framed and ballanced in the severall parts of it for the furtherance of Publick Good be devolved into the hands of men not interessed in God by Christ Though the constitution may be absolutely good yet the Government will not be blessed and the Nation will be ruined for God and his glory will depart Micah 5. 5 6. It is Christ that is our Peace even in outward troubles They are seven Shepherds under him and Eight principall men accepted with him that are to be our releife It is true for some particular actions or workes a wicked man may be anointed particularly as Jehu and Jeroboam the son of Joash But you have no instance that ever God was with a People to blesse them indeed in a course of special providence when wicked men by their own consent were their Rulers where the Vnion and Relation between them and the people is considerable I confesse unto you I never think of the State of Englnnd but my heart trembles at this thing Namely that those who have and it is fit should have so great a Share in the Government of this Common-Weale should have their rise from the body of the People that is darke and profane and full of Enmitie against the Remnant did not God over-rule men contrary to their own inward principles and lusts How soon would ruine and desolation breake in upon that hand And give me leave to say that God in his soveraigne Providence having called so many at this time to the place of Rule and Authoritie who indeed as we beleeve love the Lord Jesus in sincerity it seems to me to look as your Duty to consider all wayes and means whereby the Power of these Nations may be in succeeding seasons devolved on men of the like spirit and Condition I shall not interpose in that which by some is so much spoken of The reigne of the Saints I am sure the means used and attempted by some to set upon and to set up such a rule and dominion have not become sobermen much lesse Saints of Christ yet this I must say and in the saying of it I dare say Heare ye me Asa and all Judah and Benjamin If ever God cease to call Saints that is men interessed personally in Christ to places of Chief Authoritie in this Nation or commit the power of it into other hands and when those called to Power cease to exert it in a subserviencie to the Kingdome of Christ for the true spirituall advantage of his people there will be an end of Englands glory and happiness I say heare ye this all ye People This I have delivered long ago and many times in this place this I say still and in this perswasion hope to live and die The Lord guide you in this thing however we shall live on the good providence of our God who hath hitherto taken care for us This then I say is prerequired as a qualification of any person to the performance of this duty of abiding with God It is the Psalmist's advice Psal. 2. 11 12. Let this principle be alwayes owned amongst you by it honor Christ in the world give him the preheminence it is the Fathers will he should have it in all things Expect not the presence of God but upon this account Beare Testimony herein against the world of profane men who despise these things Seing then it cannot be expected to have this qualification diffused universally as yet through the body of the People let the Rulers take care that they be not the Cause of Gods departure from us Secondly What is it now for such persons to abide with God so as they may expect Comfortably the continuance of his presence with them which is their all that they need or desire I shall name some few things that are signally required thereunto First that they enquire of God aske Counsel at his hand look to him for direction in all their Affairs He is present with them to give them direction not to seek for it at his hand is exceedingly to despise him it must arise from one of these two apprehensisions either he cares not for us or he knows not how to direct us When he gave direction by the cloud on the Tabernacle the people being reproved for their carnall feares and unbelief upon the return of the Spies some of them would needs instantly into the Mountaine and fight with the Canaanites but sayes the holy Ghost the Arke abode in the Campe They went without Gods Direction and prospered accordingly With what contempt doth God speake of the wisedome and Counsells of the sonnes of men when they will adhere unto them How does he make it his glory to turne all their Consultations into folly and to make them erre in their wayes like a drunken man how doth he bid them take Counsell together when he intends to destroy them what instances may be given of all good and prosperous Rulers of old of their seeking direction from God what Promises of a successe and a blessed Issue in so doing are there The words of my Text will suffice as an instance in every kind But you will say how shall we enquire of God the Nations had their Oracles whereby they deluded themselves The People of God had their Vrim and Thummim their Prophets and Oracle Bring hither the Ephod and enquire of God was the word with them but alass what is all this to the advantage we have of seeking Counsell of God and taking direction from him We have an High Priest alwayes present with us by whom we may enquire Our High Priest is the Angel of Gods Presence the mighty Counsellor the power and eternall wisedome of God himself and where is he he appears in the presence of God for us in the holy place not made

with hands having made a new and living way for us to come within the Vaile to enquire of the Oracle What would we have more he is our Captaine our Leader our High Priest Urim and Thummim our Oracle our Arke on whom the cloud of direction rests and abides for ever Would you then be with God take direction from him by Christ in all your undertakings so doe indeed and not in word or profession onely I hope I need not stay to give you directions how this duty is to be performed the Vnction will teach it you and your fellowship I hope is with the Father and with his Son Christ Jesus Onely now take these few words with you First Captivate all your desires to his glory set your hearts on nothing but with this expresse reserve if it is consistent with and expedient unto the Glory of Christ and his Kingdome Be not sick of your owne violent Desires but lay all your aymes and designes at his feet alwayes becoming as weaned Children before him Secondly Beare before him a reall sense of your owne weakness and folly both severally and joyntly if not directed by him that in his pity and Compassion he may relieve you Thirdly Keep your hearts in that integritie that you may alwayes presse and urge him with his own Concernment in all your Affaires this is a thing that none but upright hearts can doe uprightly Fourthly Actually enquire by faith and prayer what is his will and mind doe it severally and joyntly doe it privately publickly doe it every day and in dayes set apart for that purpose he will assuredly be found of you You know how easie it were to exemplifie all these things by testimonies and instances but time will not permit If in stead of these things you beare your selves up on the wings of your own Wisedome and contrivances though you may seem for a season to have attained a faire pitch and flight you will be entangled and brought down in the midst of your Course with shame and sorrow for the Lord will not be with you Secondly Another thing wherein we are to be with God is by trusting in him for protection O! trust in the Lord for ever for in the Lord Jehovah there is everlasting strength This man made the Lord his refuge He that trusteth in the Lord shall be as Monnt Sion that shall never be removed Commit your wayes to the Lord roll your burthen on him stand still and see his salvation What glorious things are spoken of this trusting to the Lord for protection you all know It were endless to insist on Commands and promises to this purpose and to single out one or two were but to weaken the Cause in hand seeing hereunto the whole Scriptures bear witness I shall only shew you what it is so to do in some few particulars First It is to strengthen and encourage your hearts in difficult affairs a comfortable Issue whereof you cannot on visible causes conjecture on the account of Gods engagement for your good To omit the instance of Asa Jehosaphat and many others take that signal one of David in his great distress at Ziglak 1 Sam. 30. You know the story His habitation was burnt and spoiled his wives and children captiv'd his people consulting to stone him so that he was greatly distressed the enemy numerous and without his reach all means of relieving his condition and bringing it to a comfortable issue farr removed But what course did he now take did he despond did he give over did he rest on his own Counsel and strength No saith the holy Ghost But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God Have you any Affair that lies before you that is good and honest but yet dreadful difficult entangled your hearts are ready to faint when ever you think of it it is almost beyond your Imaginations to contrive a comfortable Issue In such a season if you will be with God he will be with you if you so trust him as to encourage your hearts on the account of his wisdome goodness power that he can finde out and bring about a comfortable glorious end this is to trust him for protection Psal. 46. is this Doctrine delivered to the full Secondly To trust God for protection is to wait under discouragements and disappointments for a desired Issue of the affairs we commit to him He that beleeveth will not make hast Isa. 28. 16. This the Lord pleads for Hab. 2. 3 4. Men will have their desires precisely accomplished this year this moneth this week or they will wait no longer these sayes God are proud men their hearts are lifted up in them they trust not me for protection Men love to trust God as they profess for what they have in their hands in possession or what lies in an easie view place their desires afarr of carry their accomplishment behinde the clouds out of their sight interpose difficulties and perplexities their hearts are instantly sick they cannot wait for God they doe not trust him nor ever did Would you have the presence of God with you learn to wait quietly for the salvation you expect from him Then indeed is he glorified when he is trusted in a storme when he is waited for under long perplexities and distresses Want of this ruined the Israelites in the wilderness their work was long their difficulties and intanglements many they would have had an immediate end of their troubles What! more difficulties more hardships nay then let us chose a Captain and go down again into Egypt we know the worst of that where this will end we know not This laid their carkasses in the wilderness and deprived them of enjoying the good land Thirdly It is to commit your affairs to the Lord with submission to his will as to their Issue and accomplishment Trust respects protection but it prescribes not as to perticular Events It is to commit our Affairs to God with thoughts of his infinite wisdom soveraignty and goodness with resolutions thereupon that the product of his will is that which will be good be best for us though it should not at all fall in with our present desires It is true the Psalmist sayes Commit your wayes unto the Lord trust also in him he shall bring it to pass Psalm 37. 5. and so he shall and will in all such cases as that there particularly insisted on by the Psalmist wherein his own Glory is particularly engaged But this prescribs not as to all cases that we should cry give me this child or I die The rule is known Abide in this frame and we shall have that we desire or that which is better for us but I must not abide in these things See Psal. 37. 3 4 5. Psal. 73. 23 24 25 26. And these are some of those wayes wherewith we abide with God as to our trusting of him in reference to special protection A third thing I should fix upon is