Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	behold_v	look_v	zion_n	17	3	9.6926	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29709	A word in season to this present generation, or, A sober and serious discourse about the favorable, signal and eminent presence of the Lord with his people in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers : with the resolution of several questions, concerning the divine presence, as also the reasons and improvements of this great and glorious truth ... / by Thomas Brooks ...	Brooks, Thomas, 1608-1680.	1675 (1675)	Wing B4970; ESTC R11759	200,185	248

virtually all evil will be raising doubts and cavils and objections in the soul so that if God does not stand by us now what can we say what can we do how can we bear up how can we stand fast What was Sampson that Judges 16. 19 20. man of strength when his hair was gone but as weak as water and what is the strongest Christian when his God is gone but as weak as weakness it self all our doing strength and all our suffering strength and all our bearing strength and all our witnessing strength lies in the special presence of God with our souls all our comforts and all our supports and all our ease and all our refreshments flow from the presence of God with our souls in our greatest troubles and deepest distresses and therefore if God should leave us in a day of trouble what would become of us and whither should we go and where should we find rest When doth a man need a Brother or Friend but in a day of adversity A Brother Prov. 17. 17. is born for adversity though at other times Brethren may jar and jangle and quarrel yet in a day of adversity in a strait in a stress birth and good blood and good nature will be working Adversity breeds love and unity Ridley and Hooper differed very much about Ceremonies in the day of their liberty but when they were both Prisoners in the Tower th●● they could agree well enough and then they could be mutual comforts one to another and when does a Christian most need the strength of God the consolations of God the supports of God the teachings and quicknings of God and the signal singular presence of God but when they are in the greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers When the People of God are in a low and afflicted condition then the Lord knows that that Isa 33. 9. 10. is the season of seasons for him to grace them with his gracious presence When calamities and dangers break in upon us and when all heads and hands and hearts and counsels are set against us now is the time for God to help us for God to succour us for God to stand by us But. Fifthly the Lord will be signally present with his 5 Reason People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers because he dearly loves them God Deut. 7. 6 7 8. Amat qui● amat Bernard entirely loves his People and therefore he will not leave his People persons whom we entirely love we cannot leave especially when they are in a distressed condition Prov. 17 17. A friend loves at all times saith Solomon and God is such a friend God loves not by fits and star●● as many do but his love is like himself sincere and stedfast because he loves them he won't forsake them when they are in the greatest troubles and most terrible dangers 1 Sam. 12. 22. For the Lord will not forsake his People for his great Namessake because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his People He chose you for his love and he still loveth you for his choice and therefore he won't forsake you Chide you he may but forsake you he won't for it will not stand with the glory of God to leave a People to forsake a People of his love Should I cast you off whom I love the Heathen Nations would say that I was mutable in my purposes or unfaithful in my promises Though David's Parents forsook him yet God did not forsake Psalm 27. 10. him but took him up into his care and keeping It is the deriding question which the enemies of the Saints put Ps●lm 79. 10. to them in the time of their greatest troubles deep distresses and most deadly dangers Vbi Deus Where is now your God But they may safely and groundedly return this answer when they are at lowest Hic Deus Our God is here he is nigh unto us he is round about Isa 52. 12. us and he is in the midst of us Witness that golden promise that is more worth than a world I will never leave thee nor forsake thee God is a God of bowels a Heb. 13. 5 11. Hos 8. 9. Mich. 7. 19. Jer. 31. 18 19 20. God of great pity a God of tender compassion and therefore he will not leave his People in a time of distress Parents bowels do most yearn towards their Children when they are sick and weak and most in danger it goes to the very heart of a man to leave a friend in misery but what are the bowels of men to the bowels of God! or the compassions of men to the compassions of God! There is an Ocean of love in the hearts of Parents 2 Sam. 19. 6. towards their children when they are in distress and this love makes them sit by their children and sit up with their children and not stir from their children Gods love does so link his heart to his People in their deep distresses Psalm 91. 15. that he can't leave them he can't stir from them Isa 43. 4. Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee Well and what then This love so endeares unites God to his People that he can't leave them he can't stir one foot from them V. 2. When thou passest through the Waters I will be with thee and through the Rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee The Lord dearly loves his People and he highly prizes his People and he greatly delights in his People and therefore he will be signally present with his People both in the fire and in the water both in the fire of persecution and i● the waters of affliction God loves the persons of his People and he loves the presence of his People and he loves the graces of his People and he loves the services of his People and he loves the fellowship of his People and therefore he will never leave his People but stand by them and be signally present with them in their greatest troubles deepest distresses Such is Gods singular love to his Covenant-People that he will neither forsake them nor forget them in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers The Jews were low yea very low in Babylon their distresses were great and their dangers many they looked upon themselves as so many dead Ezek. 37. 1. to 15. men Our bones are dry our hope is lost and we are cut off for our parts They looked upon themselves both as forsaken and forgotten by God Behold captive Sion lamentingly saith The Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord Isa 49. 13. to 18. Psalm 84. 7. Isa 1. 27. Heb. 12. 22. hath forgotten me Sion is taken several wayes in Scripture 1. For the place properly so called where they were wont to me●t to worship

that did he know how things stand with me would make my burdens his and my wants his and my sorrows his but he is in a far Countrey he is at the Indies and I may be undone before I can hear from him But it is not thus with you O Christians who have a God so nigh unto you who have the signal presence of God in the midst of you yea who have a God alwayes standing by you The Lord stood by me c. O my Friends how can you want comfort that have the God of all consolation present with you How can you 2 Cor. 1. 3. Isa 9. 6. 1 Pet. 5. 10. Isa 9. 6. want counsel that have the wonderful Counseller so near unto you How can you want grace who have the God of all grace standing by you How can you want Peace who have alwayes the presence of the Prince of Peace with you But. Fourthly Know for your comfort that if God be with you there is nothing there can be nothing but weakness against you Isa 27. 4. Who would set the briars God holdeth the Churches Enemies in chains having his hook in their nose and his bridle in their lips Isa 37. 29. he can easily rule and over-rule his proudest Enemies and thorns against me in battel I would go through them I would burn them together What are briars and thorns to a devouring fire to the consuming flames no more are all the Enemies of the Church to the presence of God with his People God will be a burning and destroying fire to all the Enemies of Zion wicked men are chaff Psalm 1. 1. And what is that to the wind to the whirl wind they are stubble Job 21. 18. They are as driven stubble to his bow Isai 41. 2. They are as stubble fully dry Nahum 1. 10. They are as stubble before the flame Joel 2. 5. They arelike dust 2 Kings 13. 7. Yea like small dust Isa 29. 5. They are like a morning cloud an early dew a little smoak Hosea 13. 3. The morning cloud is soon dispelled the early dew is soon dried up the rowling smoak out of the chimney is presently scattered O the weakness of man O the power of God! No People on Earth have such a power on their sides as the Saints have consult these Scriptures 2 Kings 6. 16. 2 Chron. 32. 6 7. Isai 8. 9 10. Numb 13. 28 30 31 32 33. Cap. 14. 9. No Christian can look upon the strong and mighty Enemies of Zion in a Scripture glass but must behold them as weak and impotent Persons Who could but smile to see weak Children to attempt to Zach. 2. 5. besiege a wall of brass or a wall of fire as great a folly and weakness it is for wicked men to make attempts upon the Saints who have been to this day and will be to the end a trembling and a burdensome stone to all Cap. 12. 2 3. that gather together against them Sense looks upon the Powers of the world as strong mighty and invincible but Faith looks upon them as poor weak contemptible gasping dying Men. Thus heroical Luther look'd upon them Contemptus est a me Romanus favor furor I care neither for Romes favour nor fury I am neither fond of the one nor afraid of the other It is dangerous to look upon the Powers of the world in the Devils multiplying glass it is best and safest to look upon them in a Scripture glass and then we shall never fear them nor sinfully shift them But Fifthly If God be signally present with his People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers then know for your comfort that none can be against you but they must be against God himself for God is with you in all your troubles as a Acts 9. 4 5 6. Father is with his Child a Husband with his Wife a General with his Army and as a Confederate with his Allies who is with them offensively and defensively hence they are said to rage against God Isa 37. 28 29. And to blaspheme God 2 Kings 19. 3 6. And to fight See Acts 23. 9. Prov. 21. 30. against God Acts 5 38 39. To fight against God is labour in vain who ever sought against God and prospered Some think that this Phrase of fighting against God is drawn from the Fable of the Gyants which were said to make war with the Gods The Church of Christ alwayes flourisheth most and increaseth most when the Exod. 1. 12 1. Tyrants of the Earth oppose it most and persecute it most Diocletian laid down the Empire in great discontent because he could not by any persecution suppress the true Christian Religion the more violent he was against the People of God the more they increased and multiplied and the more they were emboldned and encouraged and therefore in a rage he throws up all But Sixthly If the signal presence of God be with his People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers then know for your comfort that there is no presence like this presence no presence to the presence of God let me evidence this by an induction of six particulars bri●fly thus For First It is the presence of an Almighty God Genes 17. 1. I am the Almighty Genes 49. 25. Numb 24. 4. God walk before me and be thou perfect Some derive the word Shaddai here used from dai that signifieth sufficiency God is an all sufficient good and a self-sufficient good he is an Independent good an absolute good an original good an universal good some derive the word Shaddai from Shad that signifieth a breast a dug because God feedeth his Children with sufficiency of all good things as the loving Mother doth the Child with the milk of her breasts God is the only satisfactory good and proportionable good and sutable good to our souls as the breast the dug is the most sutable good to the Childs stomach And others derive the word Shaddai from Shaddad which signifieth to spoil conquer or overcome and so they say that God did here invert or overcome the order of nature in causing the barren to bear But most Authors do translate it Omnipotent God then is called Shaddai that is omnipotent and all-sufficient for his omnipotency includeth also all-sufficiency Secondly you have the presence of a loving God with you Isa 43. 4. Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee But that this may the better stick and work you must remember First that God loves you with a first See De●t 7. 7 8. love 1 John 4. 19. We love him because he first loved us Our love is but a reflex of his God first cast an eye of love upon us before we cast an eye of love on him and therefore God is no way indebted to us for our love Mary answers not Rabboni till Christ first said unto her John 20. 16.

the Lord but this place was long ago destroyed 2. For the blessed Angels Ye are come to mount Sion to the heavenly Jerusalem to an innumerable company of Angels 3. For the congregation Psalm 87. 2. of Saints of Believers of which it is said The Lord loves the Gates of Sion more than all the habitations of Jacob. The believing Jews being sorely oppressed afflicted by a long captivity and by many great and matchless miseries that did befal them in their captive state they Dan. 9. 22. Lam. 4. 6. look upon God as one that had quite forsaken them and forgotten them but they were under a very high mistake and very erronious in their complaint as appears by Gods answer to Sion Verse 15. Can a Woman forget her sucking Child that she should not have compassion on the Son of her womb yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee Verse 16. Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands thy walls are continually before me In these words as in a christal glass you may see how pathetically how sweetly how graciously how readily how resolutely God ●oth engage himself that he will neither forsake Sion nor yet forget Sion in her captive state Now let us a little observe how this singular promise is amplified and that 1. By an emphatical illustration Gods compassionate remembring of Sion far transcends the most compassionate remembrance of the tendrest Mother to her dear sucking Babe Now this is laid down First interrogatively Can a Woman the most affectionate sex forget her sucking Child from having compassion on the Son of her womb Can a Woman can a Mother so forget as not to compassionate a Child which she naturally inclines to pity A sucking Child that hangeth on her breast such as Mothers are wont to be most chary of and to be most tenderly affected towards her sucking Child which together with the milk from the breast draws love from her heart her sucking Child of her own womb which her bowels do more yearn over than they do over any sucking Nurs-child in the world and this the Son of her womb which the Mother usually embraceth with more warm affections than the Daughter of her womb Can a Woman yea can a Mother forget to exercise love pity and compassion to such a poor Babe surely very rarely 2. Affirmatively Yea they may forget It s possible that a Woman may be so unwomanly and that a Mother may be so unmotherly in some cases and in some extremities as to forget her sucking Child yea as to eat the fruit of 2 Kings 6. 24. to 30. Lan. 4. 10. her womb as the pitiful Women did boil and eat their own children in the siege of Samaria and Jerusalem Extremity of hunger overmastred natural affections and made the pitiful Mothers require of their children those lives which not long before they had given them laying their children not in her bosoms but in their bowels Thirdly negatively Yet will I not forget thee God will be more constantly unmovably and unchangeably mindful of Sion and tender of Sion and compassionate of Sion and watchful over Sion than any Mother could be over her youngling yea he would be more motherly to his poor captives in Babylon than any Mother could be to her sucking Babe 2. This precious promise is amplified by a convincing argumentation and that par●ly from his engraving of them upon the palms of his hands This is an allusion say some to those that carry about with them engraven on some tablet or on the stone of some ring which they wear on their finger the mark name or picture of some person they entirely affect their portraiture their memorial was like a signet graven upon his hand God will assoon blot out of mind and forget his own hands as his Sion and partly from his placing their walls still in his fight the ruined demolished walls of Jerusalem were still before him as to their commiseration and to their reparation God being fully resolved in the fittest season to raise and reedifie them Look as the workman hath his model or pattern constantly either before his eye or in his thoughts or in his brain that he is for to work by So saith God Sion is continually in my eye Sion is still in my thoughts I shall never forsake her I shall never forget her But Sixthly the Lord will be signally present with his 6 Reason People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers because of his propriety and interest in them and his near and dear relation to them Isa 43. 1. But now thus saith the Lord that created thee O Jacob and he that formed thee O Israel fear not for I have redeemed thee I have called thee by thy name thou art mine Thou art mine for I have made thee thou art mine for I Esa 15. 16. 1 Cor. 6. 20. 1 Pet. 1. 18. have chosen thee thou art mine for I have bought thee I have purchased thee thou art mine for I have called thee thou art mine for I have redeemed thee thou art mine for I have stampt mine image upon thee thou art Ph. 4. 23 24. 36. 26 27. mi●● for I have put my Spirit into thee Now mark what follows Verse 2. When th●● passest through the Waters I will be with thee and through the Rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee God will certainly keep his own People his own Children company both in the fire and in the water that is in those various tryals and troubles that they are incident Isa 54 5. P. ● 103. 13 14. Exod. 15. 3. Mal 4. 2. Mat. 9. 12. Psalm 23. 1. t● in this World When should a Husband be with his wife but when she is in greatest troubles and a Father with his child but when he is in deep distresses and a General with his Army but when they are in greatest dangers When should the Physician be most with his Patient but when he is most desperately sick and when should the Shepherd be nearest his sheep but when they are diseased and the wolf is at hand Now God you know stands in all these relations to his People and therefore he will not fail to be near them when troubles distresses and dangers are growing upon them But Seventhly the Lord will be signally present with his 7 Reason People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers because such times are commonly times of great and sore temptations when ●ods hand is heaviest then Satan will be busiest the Devil is never Job 2. 7 8. Mat. 9 4. Heb 2 18. more violent in his temptations than when the Saints are under afflictions Jam. 1. 2. My Brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations that is afflictions Verse 12. Blessed is the man that endureth