Selected quad for the lemma: kingdom_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
kingdom_n	hand_n	heaven_n	lord_n	3,518	5	3.6493	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A79420	A discourse of divine providence I. In general: that there is a providence exercised by God in the world. II. In particular: how all Gods providences in the world, are in order to the good of his people. By the late learned divine Stephen Charnock, B.D. sometime fellow of New-Colledg in Oxon.; Treatise of divine providence	Charnock, Stephen, 1628-1680.; Adams, Richard, 1626?-1698.; Veel, Edward, 1632?-1708.	1684 (1684)	Wing C3708; ESTC R232630	167,002	420

God's kindness to renew him shall never want God's kindness to supply him his hand shall not be wanting to give where his heart hath been so large in working Others live that have an interest only in common providence but good men have providence cabinetted in a promise and assured to them by a deed of covenant-conveyance he was a provider before he hath made himself now your Debtor You might pray for his providential care before with a common faith now with a more special expostulation For in his promise he hath given a good man the key of the Chest of his providence because it is the promise of this life and that which is to come * 1 Tim. 4.8 of this life not to our desires but necessities of the life to come to both wherein they shall have whatsoever they can want and whatsoever they can desire Again consider God doth exercise a more special providence over men as cloathed with miserable circumstances and therefore among his other Titles this is one to be a helper of the Fatherless * Psal 10.14 'T is the argument the Church used to express her return to God Hos 14.3 for in thee the fatherless find mercy Now what greater comfort is there than this that there is one presides in the world who is so wise he cannot be mistaken so faithful he cannot deceive so pitiful he cannot neglect his people and so powerful that he can make stones even to be turned into bread if he please Further take this for a comfortable consideration God doth not govern the World only by his will as an absolute Monarch but by his wisdom and goodness at a tender Father 'T is not his greatest pleasure to shew his Soveraign power or his unconceivable wisdom but his immense goodness to which he makes the other attributes subservient What was God's end in creating is his end in governing which was the communication and diffusion of his goodness we may be sure from hence that God will do nothing but for the best his wisdom appointing it with the highest reason and his goodness ordering it to the most gracious end and because he is the highest good he doth not only will good but the best good in every thing he acts What greater comfort can there be than that we are under the care of an infallible unwearied and righteous Governor infallible because of his infinite Wisdom unwearied because of his incomprehensible Omnipotency and righteous because of his unbounded Goodness and Holiness 3. Vse of Exhortation The duties arising from hence will run as a thread through the web of our whole lives and all the motions of them This Doctrine hath an influence upon our whole course there is nothing we meet with but is an act of providence and there is no act of providence but calls for some particular duty Is there any good we want we must seek it at his hands we must depend upon him for it we must prescribe no methods to him but leave the conduct of it to his own wisdom Is it a cross providence and contrary to our desires and expectations Murmur not at it Is it afflictive and troublesom Submit to it Is it either good or bad and present we must study to understand it is it a good present give God the glory of it 1. Seek every thing you need at the hands of God 'T is not only the skilfulness of the Pilot but a favourable gale from Heaven which must conduct the Ship to the intended port As his providence is the foundation so it is the encouragement of all prayer The end of the Lords prayer is for thine is the kingdom the power and the glory the providential Kingdom belongs to God Power he hath to manage it and his glory is the end of all seek to him therefore for the exercise of his power in thy concerns and for his directing them to his glory in his providential administrations Every one of our daies and both the mercy and the misery of them depend upon him Pro. 27.1 thou knowest not what a day may bring forth But God foresees all events have recourse the refore to his care for every very day success What are our contrivances without the leave and blessing of providence Like the bubbles blown up from a nut-shell easily broken by the next puff Our labour will be as fruitless as Peter's with all his toyl and catch nothing till God speaks the word and sends the fish into our net * Luk. 5 5. The way of man is not in himself * Jer. 10.13 O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himself it is not in man that walks to direct his steps Dangers are not within the reach of our eye to foresee nor within the compass of our power to prevent Humane prudence may lay the platform and God's power blast the execution when it seems to be grown up nearest to maturity Hezekiah was happy in his affairs because he was assisted by God Ahaz unhappy because he is deserted by God If we would have a Clock go well we must look chiefly to the motions of the chief Wheel a failure in that makes an error in all the rest nothing can terminate it's motion to our benefit without providence Coloured glass can reflect no beams without the Sun's light nor fruits be ripened without its influence Our dependance on God is greater than theirs on the Sun God lets men play with their own wit and strength and come to the brink of execution of their designs and then blows upon them that they may know there is a God in the Earth Pythagoras could say it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ridiculous thing to seek that which is brave and virtuous any where else than of God * Jamblich● vita Pithag lib 1. cap 18. p. 89 Cyrus is a brave pattern who is mentioned in Scripture and represented by Xenophon calling upon God when he was first chosen General and in his Speech to his Captains to encourage them to hope for a good success of the expedition Xenophon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib 〈◊〉 p. 23. tells them they might expect it because I have begun with God which you know saith he is my custom not only when I attempt great matters but also the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things of lesser concernment The seeking of God should be the prologue to all our affairs we are enjoyned first to pray and then determine Job 22.27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him thou shall also decree a thing and it shall be established unto thee The interessing Providence in our concerns is the high way to success The reason we miscarry is because we consult not God but determine without him and then we have no reason to complain of him for not prospering our way when we never commended our affairs to his conduct It hath been the practice of holy men Nehemiah first petitioned God

after this i. e. after a reproof by a Prophet after ill success in his league after eminent care of God in his deliverance after a signal freeing him from a dangarous invasion in a miraculous way he enters into a league with Ahab's Son as wicked as his Father ver 36. he joyned himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish and after that a third Prophet is sent to reprove him and the ships were broken v. 37. Here is a remarkable opposition to checks of providence and manifest declarations of God's will as if he would be the Commander of the World instead of God Abner's action is much of the same kind who would make the house of Saul strong against David tho he knew and was satisfied that God had promised the Kingdom to David 2. In omissions of prayer One reason to prove the fools denying God's government of the world is that they call not upon the Lord. Psal 14.1 4. The Lord looked down from heaven to see if there were any that did understand and seek God 'T is certainly either a denying of God's sufficiency to help us when we rather beg of every creature than ask of God or a charging him with a want of providence as though he had thrown off all care of worldly matters 2 King 1.3 Is it not because there is not a God in Israel that you go to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron Seeking to any thing else with a neglect of God is a denying the care of God over his creature Do we not in this case make our selves our own governours and Lords as though we could subsist without him or manage our own affairs without his assistance If we did really believe there was a watchful providence and an infinite powerful goodness to help us he would hear from us oftener then he doth Certainly those who never call upon him disown his government of the world and do not care whether he regards the Earth or no. They think they can do what they please without any care of God over them The restraining prayer is a casting off the fear of God Job 15.4 Thou casteth off fear why and restrainest prayer before God The neglect of prayer ariseth from a conceit of the uprofitableness of it Job 21.15 What profit should we have if we pray unto him Which conceit must be grounded upon a secret notion of God's carelesness of the world such fruit could not arise but from that bitter root But the Prophet Malachi plainly expresses it Mal. 3.14 Ye have said it is in vain to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinances Whence did this arise but from a denial of providence upon the observation of the outward happiness of the wicked ver 15. And now we call the proud happy yea they that work wickedness are set up yea they that tempt God are even delivered Sometimes it riseth from an apprehension that God in the way of his providence dealeth unjustly with us A good Prophet utters such a sinful speech in his passion 2 King 6.33 Behold this evil is of the Lord what should I wait for the Lord any longer 3. When men will turn every stone to gain the favourable assistance of men in their designs and never address to God for his direction or blessing When they never desire God to move the hearts of those whose favour they court as though providence were an unuseful and unnecessary thing in the World It was the case of those Elihu speaks of Job 35.9 10. they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty but none saith where is God my maker who gives songs in the night c. none in the midst of their oppressions and cryes under them did consider either the power of God in the Creation as he was their Maker nor his providence in the government of the World as he raised up men from low estates and gave matter of cheerfulness even in a time of darkness This was the charge God by his Prophet brought against Asa 2 Chron. 16.7 before the text Thou hast relyed on the King of Syria and not relyed on the Lord thy God herein thou hast done foolishly v. 9. where he sets a relyance on the Creature and a relyance on God in direct opposition In several cases men do thus deny and put a contempt on God as the governour of the World when we will cast about to find out some creature resuge rather than have recourse to God for any supply of our necessities Doth not he slight his fathers care that will not seek to him in his distress This was Asa's Sin 2 Chron. 16.12 in his disease he sought not to the Lord but to the Physicians The Jews think that one reason why Joseph continued two years in prison was his confiding too much upon the Butler's remembrance of him and interest for his deliverance which they ground upon the request he makes to him Gen. 40.14 but think on me when it shall be well with thee and shew kindness to me and make mention of me unto Pharaoh and bring me out of this house I must confess the expressions are very urgent being so often repeated and seems to carry a greater considence at present in the arm of flesh than in God We do not read that Joseph prayed so earnestly to God though no doubt but being a good man he did Methinks the setting down his request with that repetition in the Scripture seems to intimate a probability of the Jews conceit Or also when we do seek to him but it is out of a general belief of his providence and sufficiency not out of an actuated consideration or when we seek to him with colder affections than we seek to Creatures as if we did half despair of his ability or will to help us as when a man thinks to get learning by the sagacity of his own wit his indefatigable industry and never desires with any ardent affection the blessing of God upon his endeavours When we lean to our own Wisdom we distrust the providence of God Pro. 3.5 trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not to thine own understanding Trust in God and leaning to our own wisdom are opposed to one another as inconsistent or when a man hath some great concern suppose a suit at law to think to carry his cause by the favour of friends the help of his money the eloquence of his advocate and never interests God in his business This is not to acknowledge God in thy wayes which is the command Pro. 6. in all thy waies acknowledge him as though our works were not in the hand of God Eccles 9.1 This is to take them out of God's hand and put them into the hands of men To trust in our wealth it is to make God a dead and a stupid God and disown his providence in the bestowing it upon us The Apostle seems to intimate this in the opposition

preservation of it all things must necessarily concur by the wise disposal of affairs Therefore since they are travelling to be where their head is he having the government of the world will make all things contribute assistance to them in their journey that Christ may have that compleatness of glory which God intends him He expresly tells his Father John 17.10 that he is glorifyed in his people * John 17.10 And I am glorifyed in them And at the sound of the seventh Trumpet the Kingdoms of this world are to become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign forever and ever * Revel 11.15 Now since all the motions in the world are that the Kingdoms of the world may become the Kingdoms of his Christ pecenliarly his as a being anointed King by hm It must needs be that all things must be subservient one time or other to this end was rein the good of his people doth consist otherwise they would not bless God so highly for it as they do* Revel 11.17 We give thee thanks O Lord God almighty because thou hast taken to thee thy great power and hast reigned And where there is a resistance of this glory of Christ it is a natural effect of that decree whereby Christ is constituted King that the resisters should be broken in pieces and dasht like a Potters vessel Psal 2.6 9. and the issue of all is the blessedness of those that put their trust in him v. 12. The care that God hath of Christ and the Church in the types of them seems to be equal The Ark which was a type of Christ and the Table of shew-bread a figure of the Church had three coverings whereas all the rest of the Vessels c. belonging to the cerimonial part had but two * Numb 4.5 6 7 8. On the Ark there was the vail and covering of badgers skins and a covering of blew On the Table of shew-bread there was a cloth of Blew a cloth of Scarlet and a covering of badgers skins God orders as much for the security of the Church as for the security of Christ therefore the same things that tend to the glorifying of Christ shall tend to the advantage of the Church 2. God has given the power of the providential administration of things to Christ to this very end for the good of the Church If God had constituted him Head over all things to the Church can there be any doubt but that he will manage the Government for that which is the principal end of his Government which he hath shed his Blood for and which is chiefly intended by God who appointed him 1. All power of government is given to Christ Matth. 11.27 All things are delivered to me of my Father And the Father judges no man but hath committed all judgment to the son Joh. 5.22 that is the whole Government and Administration of Affairs 'T is not to be understood of the last Judgment for then it would be a limitation of that word all not that the Father lays aside all care of things but as the Father discovers himself only in him so he governs things only by him All this power was committed to him upon his interposition after the Fall of Man He was made Lord and Christ that is anointed by God to the Government of the World For upon the Fall God as a Rector had overturned all Man could not with any Comfort have treated with the Father had not Christ stept in and pleaded for the Creation whereupon God commits all judgment to the Son that he might temper it It was by Christ as a covenanting Mediator that the Earth was established * Isa 49.8 He had this Government Anciently and it was confirmed to him upon his death Heb. 1.3 Who being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person and upholding all things by the word of his power Calvin understands the first word not only of the Deity of Christ but of the discovery the Father made of himself in and through him as Mediator The latter words some understand both of his Providential and Mediatory Kingdom by the word of his power this say some is referred to the Father whose image Christ is as ating by a delegated Authority and Commission from his Father others to Christ as that Christ upholds or bears up all things by his own powerful word Calvin thinks both may be taken but embraceth the second as being more generally received I may offer whether it may not be meant also of the powerful interposit ion of Christ as Mediator whose interest in God was so great that he kept up the World by his powerful Intercession when all was forfeited and God put it upon that interposition into his hands as heir of all things who having a hand with him in Creation understood both the Rights of God and the Duty of the Creature upon the condition of purging sin by his Death which he did and thereupon went to Heaven to take Possession of the Government at the right hand of God sat down took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high as due to him by Covenant and Articles agreed on between them I know nothing at present against such an interpretation of the words but I will not contend about it All this honour was confirm'd unto him upon his Death For having perform'd the Condition requisite on his part God deputes him and intrusts him with the Government of things that he might order all things so as to see the full Travel of his Soul 2. All this power was intended by God for this End the good of the Church As God appointed Christ a Priest for his Church to sacrifice for them a Prophet to teach them so the other Office of King is conferred upon him for the same end the advantage of the Church God acquaints us of this End aimed at by him in the Promise of the Government to him Jer. 33.15 16. In those dayes and at that time will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up to David and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land what is the end In those dayes shall Judah be saved and Jerusalem shall dwell safely He should execute Judgment that is Administer the Government for the salvation of Judah and security of Jerusalem It was his Office both to build the Temple and to bear the Glory and to Rule upon his Throne to be a Priest upon his Throne to Rule as King and Priest Zech. 6.12 13. He shall build the temple of the Lord even he shall build the temple of the Lord. The erecting a Church is the sole work of Christ by Gods appointment And he was to bear up the Glory of it He should rule to this End for the Counsel of peace shall be between them both If by both be meant the Lord and the Man whose name is the Branch it then chiefly