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A08804 The broken heart: or, Davids penance fully exprest in holy meditations upon the 51 Psalme, by that late reverend pastor Sam. Page, Doctour in Divinity, and vicar of Deptford Strond, in the countie of Kent. Published since his death, by Nathanael Snape of Grayes Inne, Esquire. Page, Samuel, 1574-1630.; Snape, Nathaniel. 1637 (1637) STC 19089; ESTC S113764 199,757 290

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waies to the waies of God I deny not but Scribes and Pharises in Moses chaire may teach well who live ungodly and being unconverted themselves may be instruments of the conversion of others But this is done by no vertue or grace in them but by the power of Gods ordinance in their calling for grace followeth the calling sometimes where it forsaketh the person Lastly we see the way to recover transgressors which is by teaching them the waies of God Transgressors are such as goe out of the way ambulant in via non bona they walke in the way which is not good and nature is no good guide for corrupt nature is like to the earth under the curse it bringeth forth nothing but brambles and thornes teaching is the culture of it The reproofe of sinne from the law breaketh up the ground doctrine soweth the good seed exhortation and continuall inculcation in season and out of season doth water it the sonne of righteousnesse shineth on it and giveth it vegetation Therefore so many as have any desire to know the waies of God let them hearken to teaching The word is given to profit withall and it is a singular blessing of God to that place where teaching of the waies of God is plenteous and where the way of obedience and salvation is declared else all we like sheepe shall goe astray and walke in crooked pathes God in wisedome knowing how usefull this would be in his Church to have some to instruct and teach others his waies began himselfe to furnish the first beginners of the world with abilities for this purpose for the state of innocency needed no other than its owne light to shew it the right way After the fall yet the remaines of intellectuall light holpen with speciall grace in the fathers served for bookes and lawes and rules of good life all the first age of the world Then the Preacher of Righteousnesse survived to see and begin a new world his sonne Sem of likelihood that Melchizedeck King of Salem so famous for a King and Priest to Abraham Abraham God knew would teach his children Moses first received the Law from God he was assisted by the holy Prophets till Christ hunc audite heare him Then he sent Goeye into all the world teach and he established the Evangelicall Priesthood in the Church yet if all converts did joyne with them the great harvest could not want labourers 2 Prophetat impiieonv ertentur adte He prophesies and the wicked shall be converted unto thee This is finis praedicationis the end of Preaching the word is given to profit Haec utilitas this is profit omnes sicut oves aberravimus reduces ad ovile we have gone astray like sheep thou shalt bring us backe to the sheepefold Opus 1 arduum 2 gratum a worke 1 hard 2 acceptable 1 arduum hard Much more then creation there his dixit said was fecit did to make man of earth was opus verbi the work of his word rather verbum opus the word his worke To recover man from Sathan it was fortitudo brachii the strength of his arme verbum factum factumcaro the word made made flesh for it is more easie to make a convert a Saint than to make a sinner a convert In the creation of man no repugnancie of the matter in the conversiō of a sinner a new creation nay reluctation In the creation God infused the body received the spirit of life and we became templum spiritus the temple of the holy Ghost Sed cum domus creationis facta esset spelunca latronum but when the house of creation became a denne of theeves When man had lost his holinesse and righteousnesse beside the privation of grace there came in also a corrupt habit of perverse opposition to God so that when God offereth grace man refuseth it and is loath to admit the holy Ghost a guest When we doe receive him we often grieve sometimes quench him naturalis homo non potest percipere non vul● recipere non potest retinere the naturall man cannot perceive will not receive cannot retaine We are ill husbands of this talent the Sonne came to call sinners Sathan hath got the hand of us for we would not be converted his temptation not onely corrupted our manners it also empoysoneth our affections Christ on earth declared his power by sea and land yet his brethren the Iewes nor by miracles nor by example nor by doctrine would be converted Facilius est rempublicā novam constituere quàm depravatam corrigere It is easier to make a new Common-wealth than to amend that which is corrupted All the imaginations onely evill querela patris filii non vultis venire ad me the complaint of a father children you will not come unto me quoties ego vos ad me noluistis as often as I would have gathered you unto me you would not Venite omnes ad me come ye all unto me venientem non cjiciam foras him that comes unto me I will not cast forth 2 Gratum acceptable first in subjecto in the subject for licet maligna natur a patiatur jugum though depraved nature beare the yoke yet man once converted would not for all the world be as he was There is great difference betweene the pleasure of sinne and gaudium spiritus the joy of the spirit The one a luscious and surfetting sweetnesse which killeth appetite and is but for a season the other hath a pleasant mixture of delight and desire rejoyceth with joy unspeakeable and glorious it is ever in growth and vegetation crescit incremento Dei increaseth with the increase of God Ovis redux nollet esse iterum in deserto nec pr●digus extra patris domum the sheepe brought backe would not be againe in the desert neither the Prodigall out of his fathers house Latro in cruce conversus regnum cogitat the thiefe on the Crosse converted thinkes upon the kingdome of God I have gone astray like a lost sheepe seeke thy servant 2 Gratum in Ecclesia i militanti acceptable in the Church militant 1 This mends their companies I am a companion of all them c. Away from me ye wicked c. 2 It comforts their griefe it addeth voyces to the convert Sinne is the sorrow of the Church Mine eyes gush c. I saw the transgressors and was grieved 2 In triumphanti in the triumphant 1 Inter Angelos hi nos diligunt amongst the Angels they love us these are ministring spirits our guard 2 Inter sanctos coelestes animas quer an sciant amongst the Saints Qu. Doe the Saints know one another in heaven Romanists say in Deo tanquam in speculo vident omnia in God as in a glasse they see all things For the contents of the beatificall vision I dare not number or esteeme them Saint Augustine They may have intelligence from earth by the soules that goe hence this doe I beleeve and teach 1 That their
joy is not yet full 2 That the knowledge of such conversation here would adde to their joy 3 That God is free to fill up their measure how farre and in what kinde Ignoramus we know not 3 Gratum in instituto acceptable in the thing it selfe No comfort to piety or charity like to communication The liberall man is in his trim quando distribuit when hee gives in such chests reponit thesauros Christ layes up his treasures It is my joy to say my bread my wooll my friends my purse my hand my letter made such a one In charitie aurum m●um in altari Domini my gold upon Gods Altar Of all the friends we have we esteeme them best that have converted us from sinne to righteousnesse by reforming the errors of our judgement or the vices of our conversation He that of a poore man makes me rich he fitteth me for this world He that of a wicked lewd lascivious man makes me godly fitteth me for this life and that which is to come for godlinesse hath the promises of both We hold our calling and meanes by this service we doe it ex officio out of duty We lift up our voyces like trumpets to tell the house of Iacob their sinnes not to shame but ad dignam emendationem to am●nd them No calling requireth more integrity more fidelity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is sufficient none hath a greater reward our reward is with God yea God is our exceeding great reward We have the office and name of Iesus servabis teipsum quite audiunt thou shalt save thy selfe and them that heare thee They that turne many to righteousnesse shall shine like starres he telleth the number of these starres and calleth them all by their names 4 Gratum Deo acceptable to God he is emblemed in the father of the Prodigall Bring my sons from farre and my daughters from the ends of the earth Good Ministers undergoe a great hazard in this service for if any perish in his sinne for want of our warning his bloud is upon us Ob. But doth not David presume to promise this Sol No our labour is not in vaine in the Lord for 1 If some sinners like the high way non recipiunt bonum receive not the good as they that hate to be reformed sinne raigning in them crying Nolumus scientiam viarum tuarum non possunt audiri strepitus in domo We desire not the knowledge of thy wayes they cannot bee heard there is a noyse in the house Christ would gather them noluerunt they would not 2 If some like stony ground receive seed and it wither for want of moysture 3 If some receive it with joy and the cares or pleasures of life choake it 4 Yet there is some good ground which cultured and well ploughed and stirred by the sharpe coulter of the law watered with the teares of their teachers and the dew of heavenly grace will take the seed and bring forth fruit Saint Ambrose to Monica Saint Augustines mother impossibile est ut filius harum lachrymarū pereat it is impossible that the sonne of these teares should perish True it is many conne●s little thanke for labouring their conversion yea the● are angry with us for it Thou thankest him that putteth thy stray beast into the way why art thou offended with him qui teipsum vellet reducere aberrantem which would bring thee thy selfe backe going astray Bonam vis domum uxorem bonam cur non teipsum bonum thou wouldst have a good house a good wife why not thy selfe good Let us cut a passage through all impediments with zeale and faith and love beleeving that this good worke cannot miscarry True it is that good workes exact our uttermost of performance propter se for themselves successus est extra nos the successe is out of our power yet our hope and faith may cheerefully look to the successe Davids faith hath ground 1 From the fitnesse of him to teach 2 From the acceptablenesse of the worke 3 From the dignity of the subject vias tuas thy wayes 4 From the auxiliarie cooperation of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fellow-workers with God From this passage observe God hath sundry wayes to teach 1 By Catechisme so Lois and Eunice did teach Pauls Timothy The Creed oratio dominica lex Lords prayer the Law Three Sermons teaching credenda petenda agenda things to be beleeved to be asked to be done 2 By reading the Word these are sure oracles able to make thee wise to salvation Moses of old time hath in every Citie them that preach him seeing he is read in the Synagogue every Sabbath day 3 By Sermons giving the sense of the word dividing and applying it aright Where able men are wanting the Church provideth Homilies profitable In Conc. Vasensi Anno 444. Si presbyter infirmitate prohibente non potuerit pr●dicare Sanctorum patrum Homiliae à Diaconis recitentur If the Priest by reason of infirmity cannot Preach let the Homilies of the holy Fathers be repeated by the Deacons Some hold good preferments in the Church that are very sicke of an impotency to that service these have this helpe Preaching learnedly and conscionably by laboured Sermons hath ever had great honour and hath great efficacie but Cavete quomodo audiatis take heed how ye heare There may be danger in the failing of the Preacher in judgement or discretion For some vent their fancies for truth their owne selfe flatteries for the spirit of consolation their owne furies for zeale their owne spleene for reprehension and turne the bread of life to gravell Try the spirits si ex Deo if they be of God as they of Berea Scrutamini Scripturas search the Scriptures 4 Here is another kinde of teaching when converted sinners turne teachers This is the rich mans suit si unus ● mortuis if one from the dead Benhadads servants shewed comfort to their drooping Master saying We have heard that the Kings of Israell are mercifull men If one of them could have said it by any experience or a King in his case had found it so how had he comforted him David could say Dicam quid fecit animae meae I will tell you what he hath done for my soule I was in misery and he helped me I sinned foully provokingly scandalously I continued in sinne impenitently At last I was chidden I was sorry I was ashamed I cryed God mercy he heard me forgave me and received me to favour They that speake from hearing reading or contemplation speake not so to the heart as they that have had experience Give me a grieved man comforted let him tell his owne tale There is no oratorie no varnish or guilded speech wrought and laboured by the sweate of art that may compare with his plaine tale He hath cor in lingu● his heart in his tongue no musicke like his voluntarie David will loose no time Then will I teach then when I heare of
with great anguish and remorse that our soules grone under the heavy burthen of them These would not be foulded up in a generall confession but offered in particular and single presentation to the throne of mercy For the better satisfaction of the divine Majestie who is pleased with a broken and contrite heart as it after followeth for the better quieting of the conscience at home within us which hath no other way to exonerate itselfe but by a penitentiall and remorsefull selfe accusation and this I before taught from Davids former confession I have done this evill in thy sight as before in his confession he did particularly acknowledge this ●inne so here in his supplication for pardon he mentioneth it by name and cryes God mercy for it Some sinnes doe but hang on and these are easily shaken off but some cleave so close and sticke so fast that they aske more care and labour and paine to remove them And generally the sinnes that most please flesh and bloud doe most offend God It seemeth that David fell into the recovering of it And for some sinnes he desired onely that they might be blotted out which alludeth to the dash of a penne and soone d●ne But some fouled him so that they needed washing throughly Some must be washed with bysope a lather of bloud to fetch out the steines which they left in the conscience sinnes of a deepe scarlet tincture of a crimson dye There is a great difference to be put betweene our common infirmities of nature from our ordinarie temptations and some speciall sinne into which we fall by a sudden surprize of Sathan The Apostle seemeth to referre to some such sinne saying Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be prevented before he could advise wisely with the word or the spirit of God And many of us are so caught ere we were aware in sinnes which our christian and religious hearts doe abhorre Thus many that abhorre drunkennesse are sometimes in over-merry company overtaken to their great after-griefe Observe it the first example in all the Booke of God of drunkennesse was Noah whom God onely found righteous in the old world It was the first sinne that we doe reade of after the floud the world hath beene sicke of it ever since The first sinne that Lot fell into after his deliverie from Sodome in both sharpely punished for Vinegar is the daughter of Wine the end of it is sharpe In such a case when a profest sober man is so overtaken with wine when an opportunity hath corrupted any mans conscience and defiled his soule for gaine or pleasure or revenge to commit evill Let him in his suit for his pardon crave a speciall quictus est against that sinne Let him not esteeme it the lesse because he never but once committed it rather let him take dimension of the magnitude of it and the danger attending it and in especiall make his peace with God for that Here I save my selfe a labour which you reflecting your eyes upon your own hearts for disquisition and scrutiny to search if there have beene in any of you any such overtakings of sinne to seeke your peace with God for them in especiall Despise not neglect not this necessary exhortation to make use of it in time to make your peace with God for the more offensive sinnes for if you neglect them and have not the pardon of them under seale you will finde them like some ill dyet to thanke you hereafter and upbraid you Sathan knowes his seasons for it and husbands them to our greatest vexation two seasons specially I When any extraordinary trouble commeth upon us otherwise per adventure undeserved of us for some sinnes escape a present vengeance and are reserved for a future judgement as Joseyhs brethren sold him abused their father with a cunning collusion and their hearts did not once smite them for it that we reade Twenty three yeares after when the famine forced them to seeke bread in Egypt and their brother Ioseph then to them unknowne being the Vic●roy of Egypt received them very hars●ly heare the story And they said one to another we are veril● guilty concerning our brother in that we saw the anguish of his soule when he besought us and we would not heare therefore is this distresse come upon us Observe the brethren of Ioseph now in trouble innocent and cleare from the crime charged upon them of comming as spies yet knowing that God never punisheth but where he findeth sin their consciences accuse them of an old sinne yet owing for to God At one time God touched all their hearts with remorse of that sinne They were all in distresse pares in poena alike in punishment and therefore they remember the transgression wherein they were pares in culpa alike in fault Observe also how they fr●me the enditement against themselves for if all the Prophets whom God did ever send to tell the house of Jacob their sinnes had laid the inditement against them if Sathan the great accuser of the Brethren ●ad put in the information against them none of them all giving their best diligence or the worst of malice could have prest or exprest their fault to a more full accusation than the voyce of their own guilty consciences enforced it against themselves for without extenuation or excuse they plead all guilty with a strong asseveration We are verily guilty not one or more but we all we not as accessaries but all principals all we guiltie The person wronged aggravateth the fault it was not concerning a stranger in bloud or nation whom yet the communion of charity did binde to entreat justly and friendly nor concerning a countryman of ours whom the law of compatriots doth bid us ●ender nor concerning an enemy whom religion commandeth to use favourably and it is the exaltation of charity to requite his evill with goodnesse But concerning a brother one that called every one of them brother the sonne of the same Jacob the father of them all Would not this have served no they declare they aggravate and engrieve the trespasse 1 He was a brother in anguish enemies recover tendernesse and softnesse to enemies in anguish cruelty resumes humanity in distresse 2 Here was anguish of the soule amaritudo animae that is the soule of anguish for Ioseph had many vexations for them that wronged him who unthankefully requited his painefull and loving search for them to see how they did and what they wanted For their unnaturall unkindenesse to himselfe and their loving father who sent him to them for the danger he was in of his life death is fearefull 3 We saw it to heare of anguish any where moves compassion to heare of a brothers anguish akes an heart of flesh but to see it present and in the strength of the fit this were enough to soften an hard heart to thaw a fro●en heart to melt an heart of brasse or iron A
envious persons because they cannot have their will doe not onely sicken and disease all the joyes of life but choake and strangle them with immoderate vexation If hearts so broken were a sacrifice to God Cain and Lamech and Esau and Ishmael and Absolon might plead for their acceptance with God for in Cains countenance in Lamechs words in Ishmaels lookes in Esaeus teares In Absolons flight wee may discerne what hearts they had no question much shaken and broken with severall vexations because they could not have their will 2 Inward compunction St. Bernard putteth us into the way of it 1 Looking up unto God 2 Looking downe upon our selves 1 Vpon God if we looke we shall finde 1 What he hath beene and is 2 What he is and shall be 1 What he hath beene and is to us 1 Factor a maker for thy hands have made me and fashioned me He made us not we our selves we are wonderfully and fearefully made Wonderfully in respect of the priviledges of man above all his other creatures and fearefully in respect of the danger he was in in case of falling 2 Benefactor for notwithstanding our fall to omit all other his favours Misit dedit filium non pepercit he hath sent he hath givē his Son he hath not spared him and by him he offereth life and salvation God is no debtor to us that he should have so immense a summe of favours to pay us Adam would have sought out him in the fresh of the morning if it had been so Let us but cast up the accompt of the favours of God to us that is enough to breake the heart for full shame doth not onely put us out of countenance but out of heart also Ad omnia reus es pla●ge per singula thy guilt is universall let thy sorrow be universall There is never a favour by us received from God but it deserveth the thankes and obedience of our whole life Many sinnes are punished onely with shame here the law presumeth that shame will breake the heart and remove the offence Quânam fronte attolle oculos ad vultum patris t●● boni tam malus filius With what f●ce do I so wicked a sonne behold the countenance of so good a Father Shame hath this power of breaking the heart because in all ingenuous natures it is joyned with griefe and grief grindeth the heart to powder For how can wee suffer it to have our faces covered with confusion and not to have our soules rent and torne with sorrow when wee consider how unthankfully wee have requited God with evill for all the favours hee hath done for us When he pleadeth What could I have done more for my Vineyard that I have not done and shall say If this had been too little I would have done more yet hee looked for grapes and lo we have brought him forth wilde grapes Can this do lesse then engrieve our soules and charge them with heavinesse even to the death that for our corn and wine and oile for the bread that strengtheneth our harts for the oile that maketh our countenance cheerfull for the wine that comforteth us for rain and fruitfull seasons for peace and prosperity wee should grieve the heart of God and pain him with our sinnes even to repentance that he hath made us 2 Consider what he is and shall be to us 1 Hee is the Lord Jehovah is his name he protecteth us in our being he giveth us laws to regulate our conversation and he saith to every one of us Hoc fac vives Do this and live But we have set his laws light and have cast his Commandements behind our backs We have hated to be reformed God himself the Father of mercies and God of all consolation cannot find out a way for mercy How shall I be mercifull to thee in this God hath risen early to send his prophets to us and they have stretched out their hands all the day long in season and out of season calling upon us to heare his words for they are sweet The wise consideration and remembrance of this exceeding love and patience of God in forbearing us of his wisdome in guiding us leading us like sheep by the hand of Moses and Aaron compared with our sinfull aberrations and wilfull oppositions to his Law may work upon us these two thoughts which may break our hearts 1 Quid fe●i What have I done It was Jeremies complaint that there was none in the people that so bethought himself and cryed Quid feci What have I done Who audited his life and called himself to account for his sins but every man ran on in his sin as an horse rusheth into the battaile But even-reckonings doe make long friends If we see upon the accompt that wee have not to pay at least with the servant in the Parable let us aske mercy and crave a further day and promise payment that he may forgive us all the debt 2 With the auditours of Peter Viri fratres quid faciemus Men and brethren what shall we do When our hearts fail us and we are at our wits end and all our cunning is gone in this storm Then Samuel the Lords Prophet will say God forbid that I should ●inne against the Lord and cease praying for you but I will teach you the good and the right way Yea God himselfe shall be thy teacher He hath shewed thee ô man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee May not our hearts melt within us considering the time of light in which wee have lived that our wayes should yet be taxed with darknesse That ignorance should now be charged upon us after wisdome hath uttered her voice so long in our streets and high-wayes and on our house-tops Insomuch as God cryeth unto us in complaint and grief Why will you perish ô house of Israel 2 Consider God as hee shall be the judge of all our wayes of all our words of all our thoughts Shall I not avenge me of such a Nation as this We shall all appeare before the judgment seat of God and every man shall give account to God of himselfe What heart thinketh of this day of this appearance of this account of this judgment but it breaketh like a potters vessell it melteth like the fat of Lambs For when God ariseth and awaketh as one out of sleep as Noah awaked and knoweth what his sonnes have done to him Will not he rain snares to take us that wee may not escape his hail stones and coles of fire The God whom we provoke is a jealous and a terrible God it is a fearfull thing to fall into his angry hands when he ariseth to judge the righteous shall hardly be saved As Saint Bernard saith Instaurat adversumme testes Hee appointeth witnesses against me These are of two sorts it is a breaking of our hearts to heare either of them give in evidence 1 His benefits Victum vestitum usum temporis hujus ante