Selected quad for the lemma: land_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A26126
|
The Christian physician by Henry Atherton, M.D.
|
Atherton, Henry, M.D.
|
1683
(1683)
|
Wing A4112; ESTC R35287
|
159,440
|
417
|
my change shall come O consider with thy self that thou art made of the same Flesh and Blood moulded out of the same Clay and that this might have been thy present Condition as well as thy Friends and that it will be so before many years perhaps moneths or days pass by thee Be wise therefore now in this thy day and provide for it before hand Lay up Treasures in Heaven that when this Earthly Tabernacle of thy Body shall be dissolved thou may'st have a building with God not made with hands but Eternal in the Heavens and then be received into Everlasting Habitations 2. Vpon the sight of Two Apple Trees growing one by the other The one tall and spreading but having only Leaves no Fruit the other low but full loaden CErtainly there hath been as much Cultivation and Mâ—nuring bestowed upon the one as the other they stand in the same soil and if there be any difference it is that the tallest seems to have had the greater plenty of Nourishment and the more prolifick Influences of the Suns Beams how then is it that we find here only a fair Spreading Tree and a multitude of shining Leaves but no Fruit This minds me of that place of the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.26 Not many Noble are called Prosperity puffeth up but Adversity humbleth Those that are advanced to a degree above their Brethren do many a times forget God and their duty and over-topping others shine very bright at a distance and make a fair shew but if we come near and examine their Lives we find indeed leaves and formal outward Profession but no real Fruit. On the other hand this low Tree represents the humble Christian which lives as it were under the shadow of others Wings He is content with his mean Condition praises God for that Competency he enjoys and makes it his business not so much to exhibit Leaves as Fruit not so much to appear as to be sincerely Religious How mean soever my Condition be grant good God that I may not be like the barren Figg Tree and after all thy patience in digging and dunging after all thy various Methods and Means of Grace I may not be barren or unfruitful in good Works and so be cut down for cumbring the ground but may through thy discipline bring forth much Fruit to the Saving of my Soul 3. Vpon the Sight of a Wasp without a Sting I Was fast asleep in my Arbour and the Noise of this Creature buzzing awak'ned me I was angry with him at first and took him in my hand thinking to have kill'd him but finding that he had no Sting and had done me no hurt but only rouz'd me from my lazy slumbers whereby I might better imploy my time I let him go and thought my self obliged to his Courtesie Thus it is with Afflictions they may be somewhat irksome and ungrateful at first to Flesh and Blood but they only serve to rouze us up out of our Carnal Security and make us to consider of our Condition but seeing they have no Sting they cannot hurt us and therefore we have great reason to thank God for them 4. Vpon the sight of Two Doves billing each other THe sight of this loving pair minds me of the mutual Endearments between Christ and his Spouse the Church He is pleas'd himself to call her by the Name of his Dove Cant. 2.14 as being the greatest Emblem of unspotted Innocence and of intire and unmix'd love When one of these hath lost his dearest Mate how pensive and melancholy doth he wander alone seeking her in every corner and calling after her till he finds her and then congratulates her with all the Expressions of Joy and Love When the Church is deprived of Christ her Husband though but for a little time she is sick of Love she seeks him she calls him she enquires after him untill her head is full of Dew and her Locks with the drops of the Night and when she finds him whom her Soul loveth she kisses him with the kisses of her Lips and her right hand doth embrace him Cant. 5. Make me O my God so much in love with my dearest Saviour that I may with all diligence and unweariedness seek him never rest satisfied until I have found him think no pains or troubles too great to endure that I may enter into a nearness and familiarity with him and then caress and welcome him exhibiting all the Testimonies of my love unto him by admiring and adoring him and engaging my self in such new indissoluble bands of Love as no Waters may ever quench no Floods drown but that maugre all difficulties my beloved may be mine and I may be his to all Eternity 5. Vpon the sight of a Ladys Fingers bedeck'd with many rich Diamonds of great value I Cannot but with much pleasure look upon those beautiful Stones and at once admire both their intrinsick value and outward lustre Where Vertue and Beauty are conjoyned the Object is much more desirable Gratior est pulchro veniens è corpore virtus But if it be not my happiness to enjoy both may I ever possess the former Give me ever O Lord the bona Animae the Graces of thy Spirit and then as to the bona Fortunae those Ornamental Endowments of Riches and other Earthly Enjoyments deal with me as it seemeth good in thine own Eyes I consider again the great value of those Jewels and think how useless they now lie which if sold and the Money employed how much over-plus would come in to relieve the Bowels of the Poor which now only please the Curiosity of the Eye and how much better I should be for the prayers of my poor Christian Brother than the admiration or applause of the Vulgar Grant good God I may not be as a Treasure hid in the Earth useless and unprofitable but diligently imploy all those Talents thou hast intrusted me with for the benefit of others as well as my self that I fall not under the sentence of the slothful and wicked Servant 6. Vpon the sight of many Millepedes kill'd for a Medicine for my Patient THese poor silly Worms which but just now had a life and being with my self made and preserv'd by the same hand of providence with me are in a moment by my means deprived of both that they may be salutary to my Patient and answer those ends for which they are design'd I am a Worm too only of a greater magnitude furnished with nobler Faculties indeed but less Innocence perhaps usefulness too Thou may'st blessed God with much more reason and justice because of my infinite transgressions cut me as suddenly off from the land of the living as I destroy these poor Creatures and I might thereby answer the end of thy Justice by teaching others not to presume too much on thy Mercy But thou O Lord art God and not Man and therefore I continue to live O let me live to answer the ends of my Creation to
So assist us continually with thy grace that we may be able to repel all the Temptations of the World the Flesh and the Devil Teach us to deny all Vngodliness and every worldly Lust and to live more Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World that so having our Fruits unto holiness here we may have our ends Everlasting Life And grant O Lord we may not only cease to do evil but we may also learn to do well that we may have respect unto all thy Commandments and serve thee by a sincere uniform impartial Obedience all the days of our lives giving all diligence to add unto our Faith Vertue to Vertue Temperance to Temperance Chastity to Chastity Humility to Humility Meekness to Meekness Brotherly kindness Charity Preseverance and every Christian Grace That we may at length arrive to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ to be such as thou wouldest have us to be holy in all manner of conversation even as thou our God art Holy Prepare us for all Conditions that thou shalt see fit to call us unto here in this life and give us hearts truly thankful submissive and contented in all thy disposals Give us a sanctified use of all thy Creatures and such a portion of those Temporals as may best secure our eternal concerns Mind us of Death and Judgment That we dwell in Houses of Clay whose Foundation is in the dust that when a few days are past we shall go the way whence we shall not return and that it will not be long before we shall stand at thy just Tribunal and be callâ—d to give an account of all our Actions in the Flesh whether they be good or evil Give us Grace therefore all the days of our appointed time to wait until our change shall come That we may be continually trimming our Lamps and waiting for the coming of the Bridegroom that at whatsoever hour he calls for us we may be ready to enter in and be admitted to sit down at the Eternal Supper of the Lamb. Neither desire we a blessing for our selves alone but for the whole race of Mankind Let the knowledg of the Lord cover the Earth as the Waters cover the Sea Let the people praise thee O God yea let all the people praise thee More especially bless we beseech thee the Congregation of Christs Church however dispersed over the face of the whole Earth Have a particular regard to that Church and Nation in which we live Bless the principal Member of it our gracious Soveraign Lord the King the Queen and all the Royal Family Bless all that wait at thine Altar by what Names or Titles dignified or distinguished Grant that they may speak as the Oracles and live as the Messengers of God Bless all to whom thou hast committed the Sword of Justice let them not bear it in vain but so use it as to be a terror to evil doers and a praise to them that do well Bless all the Commonalty of this Land every one of us in our several places and relations and grant that we may all live in the true Faith and Fear of thee our God in humble obedience to the King and in brotherly Love and Charity one towards another Bind up the broken hearted Give liberty to the Captives and the opening of the Prison to them that are bound Comfort all that mourn in Zion give unto them Beauty for Ashes the Oyl of Joy for Mourning and the Garment of praise for the Spirit of Heaviness And as we pray unto thee so we desire likewise to laud and praise thee for all thy Mercies Spiritual and Temporal towards us for thy protection of us this Night for all the Mercies of the Week past to our Souls and Bodies More especially we beseech thee accept our praises for the great Mercies of this day for all the wonderful works of thy Creation and for the providential care and provision made for every one of them That thou hast appointed us certain seasons and opportunities to Worship and Adore thee even for our own good But above all we acknowledg thy inestimable benefits bestowed upon us in Jesus Christ We praise thee for his immaculate Conception and Incarnation his holy Life and bitter Death for his glorious Resurrection upon this day for the Mission of his blessed Spirit and continual Intercession for us at thy right hand for all the means of Grace and the hopes of Glory We praise thee for the glorious Company of the Apostles for the goodly Fellowship of the Prophets for the Noble Army of Martyrs and for all other thy Saints and Servants departed this life in thy Faith and Fear beseeching thee to give us grace so to follow their good Examples that we together with them may be partakers of a glorious Resurrection unto life everlasting And now O Lord seeing this is thy day a day which thou hast sanctified and set apart for thy Service be pleased to give us Grace wholly to devote it unto thy glory Make us more watchful over all â—ur thoughts words and actions than on other days and so assist us with thy holy Spirit that we may perform all those Duties thou requirest of us in such manner as they may be well pleasing and acceptable in thy sight Fit and prepare us for thy House of Prâ—yer and for the discharge of those great and weighty Duties which thou there expectest from us purifie bur hearts from all sin and inflame them with a Spiritual Zeal and Affection that we may enter into thy Gates with Thanksgiving and into thy Courts with Praise Give us Grace to come before thee with reverence and godly fear Make us servent in our Devotions answerable to our needs and necessities Give us hearing Ears understanding Hearts retentive Memories particular Application of it to our selves and holy Resolutions of practising it in our Lives and Conversations that we may return satisfied with the fulness of thy House and praise thee more and more Open thou the Mouths of thy Ministers every where this day O be present with the Assemblies of thy Saints Speaâ— unto thy Servants the Ministers that they may speak unto thy people and deliver unto every one such Doctrine as may be suitable and seasonable to the several Conditions of their Auditors That the most obdure sinner may be convinced and converted the most weak in faith may be strengthned the most dâ—jeâ—cted in spirit may be comforted And grant that all who speak and all that hear this day may add some Glory unto thy Name and receive some benefit and comfort to their own precious and immortal Souls Finally thou O Lord who knowest the several wants and necessities of all thy Servants O that thou wouldest be graciously pleased to put a word into the mouth of thy Minister which shall dispense thy holy Oracles unto us this day which may particularly respect our Condition whether it be for Comfort or Terror Reprehension or Exhortation