Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	word_n	work_n	world_n	1,254	4	4.3360	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A79461	The watch charged. Or, a warning to God's watch-men. Being a sermon preached at Bridge-water in the county of Somerset on the 29. day of September 1658. which was a day set apart for ordination, and the generall meeting of the associated ministers in that county. / By John Chetwind, Mr. of Arts, preacher of the gospel, and one of the joynt-pastors for the city and parish of Cuthberts in Wells.	Chetwynd, John, 1623-1692.	1659 (1659)	Wing C3798; Thomason E1862_1; ESTC R210179	30,162	96

shall endeavour with what faithfulnesse God shall inable me to discharge their trust and shall only by way of preface earnestly desire you Reverend Fathers and Brethren to expect and receive what shall be spoken not as curious ears do harmonious sounds to please for the present but as patients do the advices and prescriptions of Physicians to follow them for the future as occasion shall be given And though my work be an exhortation yet knowing that it is one of the principall methods of seducers to perswade first and afterwards to instruct which by reason of our corruption is prevalent to pervert and that it is Gods way first to instruct and then perswade the only course like to prevail to durable good perswasions without instructions being but as fire in straw that soon flames and soon is extinguisht but when ushered in by instruction like fire in hard wood though longer kindling yet longer lasting I shall therefore give you first the doctrinall part of this Scripture and then improve it by application In the which we have For the sense no difficulty that might stop us in our passage For the Analysis no intricacy the words on the first view resolving themselves into these two parts 1. The prophets office a watch-man 2. The prophets furniture and fitting to and for that office In which 1. His Commission I have made c. 2. His instructions 1. Hear from my mouth 2. Warn them from me For the various reading of that word which our Translation renders warn I shall refer you unto Dr. Waltons Biblia Polyglotta the result of all which amounts to thus much Son of man I have made thee my officer and Deputy the Churches Watch-man overseer and teacher and therefore hear from me and in my name in my stead and by my authority speak to them warn them of their danger admonish them of their duty declare my mind exhort them to the practise of it and presse them to it with the discovery of my threatning and their danger in the neglect of it Now I shall not consider the words distinctly according unto their fore-mentioned parts each of which would afford many usefull instructions but only in generall in reference to my present work having made choice of this Scripture to bound my meditations and found the following exhortation upon and that in this method by shewing from the Text 1. That ministers are Watchmen 2. What is required in and from such by vertue of that relation Now what a Watch-man is whether ciuill or military there are few ignorant and their office the Prophet shews as in this so in the 33. chapter of this prophesie from the first to the seventh verse In Cities and camps watch men and sentinels were usually placed in some higher and eminent station 2 Sam. 18.24 2 Kin. 9.17 On the roof on the tower that thence they might see whether fire or any enemy were likely to endanger and thereof to give timely notice either by trumpet bell outcry fire or other appointed sign that so the danger might be prevented especially in time of war such were diligently to observe the preparation and approches of the enemy and to give warning thereof that the City or camp might not be unexpectedly endamaged To apply this then to our purpose 2 Tim. 6.12 Cant. 4. the profession of our Christianity is a warfare the Church of God a camp terrible as an army with Banners every Christian a militant soldier fighting the good fight of faith against spirituall enemies Iesus Christ the Captain Generall Heb. 2.10 on whom the care of the wellfare of the whole army resteth who out of his love and care towards it hath and doth appoint his officers his vicegerents sentinells and watch-men under him to look to and take care of his camp 1. Such were 1. The Prophets Isa 52.8 Hab. 2.1 2. The Apostles Acts 20.31 2. Such are ordinary pastours and teachers whom Christ ascending on high hath bequeathed as his great legacy to his Church with whom he promiseth to be to the end of the world And that ordinary pastours are such I shall only point you to that Scripture Heb. 13.17 Obey them that have the rule over you for they watch for your souls as they that must give account that they may doe it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you True it is that Iesus Christ is the Churches chief watch-man he that never slumbreth nor sleepeth Heb. 13.12 1 Pet. 2.25 the great shepherd the chief 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speculator But he being gone into a far countrey having ascended up on high doth alwaies provide for his Churches wellfare and therefore substitutes Eph. 4.8,11,12,13 as his vicegerents ordinary ministers and pastours to be his watch-men for the Churches good unto the worlds end 2. What is required in and from such by vertue of that relation And that which I shall speak to you in opening of this I shall give you in these particulars unto which I conceive all things else may be reduced There are five principall requisites in a civill Magistrate and so much more in a spirituall watch-man viz. 1. Courage an undaunted spirit 2. Understanding a discovering eye 3. Prudence a discreet tongue 4. Faithfulnesse an upright heart 5. Diligence an active vigilancy 1. Courage fortitude an undaunted spirit Thus shall we find God directing and fortifying Ezek. chap. 2.6 chap. 3.9 Ezek. 2.6 And thou son of man be not afraid of them neither be afraid of their words Though briars and thorns be with thee and though thou dost dwell among scorpions be not afraid of their words nor be dismayed at their looks though they be a rebellious house chap. 3.8,9 Behold I have made thy face strong against their faces and thy forehead strong against their foreheads As an adamant harder them flint have I made thy forehead fear them not nor be dismayed at their looks though they be a rebellious house Christ is not willing that any of his souldiers much lesse his officers and watch-men should have their hearts distempered and distracted with fears and terrours hence find we that whether precept or encouragement Fear not so often inculcated It being the first word in the first Annunciation of Christ his 1. Conception Luke 1.30 2. Birth Luke 2.10 3. Resurrection Matth. 28.5 And almost the last word of his last exhortation a little before his death Let not your hearts be troubled and be of good comfort Ioh. 14.1 and 16. chap. 33. It 's requisite then that as civill and military so spirituall watch-men God's ministers should be as well as magistrates men of courage and that on these three respects viz. Because of 1 Danger from the Enemy 2. Difficulty of their work 3. Disregard from their friends 1. Danger from the Enemy We all know that the sentinells those that lye perdue the Scouts and Forlorn-hopes in times of war are most in danger of the

servants owning their injuries and espousing their just quarrels if God be thus for us and with us who can be against us who can prevail against us so as to procure harm to us 3. You have assurance of good successe Ezek. 2.5 whether they will hear or whether they will forbear yet they shall know that there hath been a prophet amongst them Isa 49.5 Though Israel be not gathered yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord and my God shall be my strength 2 Cor. 2.15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish Now shall not this embolden us when probabilities of successe make men venture far We read of Agesilaus that to encourage his souldiers before a battle clapping his hand upon the Altar by a fore-plotted device he brought of victory engraven on his palm which he shewed to his souldiers who were thereby so encouraged that they got an unlookt and an unlikely victory Now to encourage Gods watch-men and souldiers we have an assurance that we shall be Rom. 8.37 Mat. 18.18 more then conquerours the gates of hell shall not prevail Well then Reverend Fathers and Brethren let us consider that where a door is open though there be many adversaries frowning Ahabs persecuting Iezabels scoffing Ishmaels mocking Micals and sometimes angry Asa'es Yet we have Gods warrant his presence his promise and so as Elisha told his fearfull servant 2 King 6.16 there are more on our side then there are against us Let us not then fear man who have a God to warrant us his presence with us and who hath promised a comfortable successe unto us Especially considering that 1. Our fear of man is the next way to lay us open to Gods fury That watch-man that removes from his station for the fear of an enemy doth thereby actually incurre the danger of a capitall sentence from his own Generall 2. Herein if ever that observation is verified Cowards are cruell The Emperour Mauritius enquiring concerning Phocas what he was heard he was a coward then answered he is a murderer It 's most true in this case Ministers cowardise is cruelty he that fears faces hates kills souls 2. Labour for a discerning eye Why ministers should be men of knowledge you have heard I shall only now point to you from the text how they may be such Text. Therefore hear the word at my mouth Gods mouth which spirituall watch-men are now since immediate converse with him is ceased to hear Gods mind from is 1. His works 2. His Scriptures For as Aristotle had two sorts of writings one called exotericall for common auditours another called Acroamaticall for his private Scholars familiar acquaintance so God hath two Books 1. The creatures the shepherds Calendar the plow-mans Alphabet Vniversus mundus nihil aliud est quam Deus explicatus Rom. 1.20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and Godhead 〈…〉 Psal 19.12 The heavens declare the glory of God and the earth shew forth his handy work In which Scripture as one observes the Psalmist shews that the creatures are 1. Diligēt preachers at all times 2. Learned preachers in all tongues 3. Catholick in all countries 2. The Scriptures the most plain evident and clear discovery of his mind Psal 19.7 The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul the testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple c. And those are for his choice and domestick scholars He sheweth his word unto Iacob his statutes and his judgements unto Israel Psal 147.19,20 He hath not dealt so with any nation and as for his judgements they have not known them Now Gods watch-men must hear his mind from both Gods works and word but especially the later In reference to which I shall leave with you these two directions 1. Search the Scriptures Ioh. 5.39 Converse much with those sacred pages thereby 2 Tim. 3.17 the man of God may be perfest throughly furnished unto every good work And therefore the counsell that Paul gives Timothy let me beseech you in the name of Iesus Christ to have regard unto 1 Tim. 4.13,14 Give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine Neglect not the gift that is in thee meditate upon these things give thy self wholly to them that thy profiting may appear to all The Scriptures are the more sure word whereunto we do well that we take heed as unto a light shining in a dark place 2 Pet. 1.19 It 's Gods revealed will alone must be our light It 's not Thus saith Austin c. but Thus saith the Lord must be our warrant As those in the 137 Psalm would not sing the Lords song in a strange land so ministers must not sing strange songs in the Church which is the Lords land Hos 9.3 Embassadours must not go extra mandata besides their instructions neither may preachers bring doctrines which the word warrants not whatever great names they may be ushered in by We are to be Gods mouth and therefore must not speak hominum commenta but divina oracula Aaron was to speak as Moses bad him ministers what Christ commands It is his bread which we must break that which Christ hath blessed or else t will not multiply in our hands And therefore let me beseech you especially those of the younger sort that you would bestow your pains and time in the study of the Scriptures When Isaac Casaubon sent his Notes on Diogenes Laertius being the first fruits of his studies to his Father who was a Reverend minister in France his Father sent him this Answer Leigh Epist Dedic in Notas in N. T. Mi fili laudo tuum studium verum hoc scito rem gratiorem te mihi facturum si velunum dictum sacrae scripturae difficultatibus aliquibus obstructum explicaveris quam si mille profanorum scriptorum loca depravata correxeris 2. Beg of God and labour for an experience of the word in your own hearts It is as one notes the chief mystery in divine Rhetorick to feel what a man speaks and then speak what a man feels The heart understands the language of the heart It 's but a cold breath that comes only from the mouth They can best teach the way to cure others that are sensible of the cure wrought on themselves Psal 51. Then will I teach transgressours thy waies and sinners shall be converted unto thee Luke 22.32 When thou art converted strengthen thy Brethren Psal 66. I will tell you what the Lord hath done for my soul Ministers then ought to be as good Physicians that first experience on themselves or as nurses that feed their hearers with what themselves have eaten Ezek. 3.1 Ezekiel was first to eat the roul and then to

principle of love act in us and powerfully prevail upon us for the doing our duty 1. Love to God and Christ let that constrain us as it did Paul This was Christs argument to perswade Peter to feed his sheep lovest thou me 2. Love to our charge The whole armies welfare depends on the watch-mans care ministers are spirituall fathers and such have or at least should have naturall affections Thus the Apostle Phil. 1.18 God is my record how greatly I long for you all in the bowels of Iesus Christ O how did his affections work within towards his Brethren when he wisht himself accursed for their sakes Let not us be then as that false mother that cared not what became of the living child But put on the bowels of a tender mother that thinks no office too mean no work too hard no pains too much which is for the necessary well-being of her child 3. Love to our selves Let that prevail with us shall we be negligent of our charges we shall indeed endamage them but the greatest harm will be our own they shall die in their sins but their bloud will God require at our hands And shall we be vigilant and industrious to save their souls we shall likewise save our selves as well as those that hear us Well then let love to God love to our charge love to our selves let these prevail with us to be diligent faithfull industrious in the particular places and charges God hath set us in that so we may give up our account with joy at the great day And now dear Brethren shall not these arguments prevail with us shall not love move us fear drive us hope draw us to be men of courage prudent faithfull diligent and industrious to feed the flock of Christ committed to our charge and put under our hands we that perswade others O let us suffer our selves to be perswaded let us humble our selves for former failings and in good earnest set our selves to work in the Lords harvest since the harvest is great and they that labour as they ought are very few let us stir up the gift of God that is in us and given to us O let us not stand all the day idle but first hear from God then warn First fit and fill our selves that we may be instruments to fit and fill others let it never be said truly of any of us that are Christs Embassadours what Cato scoffingly spake of three Roman Embassadours appointed for Bythinia of whom the one had his head full of scars the other did vecordia laborare the third had the gout in his feet of these Cato said Romana legatio neque caput neque cor neque pedes habet It were great pity Gods Embassadours should be such without knowledge without affections without activity who ever heard of blind watch men deaf and dumb Embassadours It 's true indeed there were sons of Eli that were sons of Belial and the wisest of the people Ieroboam's Priests and indeed the basest of men were good enough to make priests of such Gods as were but calves But what hath God or his truth deserved God calls for the first-born and indeed the best we are or have is too bad to serve our God by But since he hath honoured us who are but worms and dust so far as to make us his watch men and Embassadours let us remember our office and be carefull and industrious in the faithfull and conscientious discharge of it Thus far in what hath hitherto been said I have made bold according to the charge committed to me to be Gods remembrancer to my Reverend Brethren in the ministry And the good God perswade us all to act according to these counsels and to steer our courses in our severall places according unto these directions that so peace may be upon us as upon Gods Israel And though I have been somewhat large in my main work yet I may not dismisse the congregation without some particular instructions in reference to their carriage towards their watch-men And in this I must cut short only know that Instructions belong to hearers in a two fold respect 1. In genere essend as they call for practise and so indeed all hitherto spoken hath a peculiar and proper respect unto Gods watch men 2. In genere cognoscendi as they call for knowledge and so what hath been spoken concerns all even the whole congregation And I shall help them to improve it by these three directions Are Gods ministers watch men and ought to be so qualified as you have heard with courage understanding prudence faithfulnesse and diligence then hence learn 1. To esteem them usefull 2. To help them in their work 3. To regard their warnings 1. Esteem them usefull Apprehend and be convinced of the usefulnesse and necessity of the ministeriall employment can an army be and be safe with out watch-men the welfare of the whole camp depends on their care Hence we find that ministers in Scripture are set forth by those things that are most necessary they are called 1. The light of the world O how sad a thing is it to be without the Sun 2. The salt of the earth what can be savoury what can be preserved without corrupting if salt be wanting To be left without Gods word and without Gods watch men is the greatest misery on this side hell The famine of the word is far worse then the famine of bread What readier way to ruine then to be without a watch-man witness Laish whose watchlesse security gave them up as a prey to the roving Danites Rom. 10. How is it possible we should have spirituall life faith repentance c. or salvation without a preacher Mat. 9.31 Mat. 21.43 And therefore the Gospel is called not only Evangelium regni the Gospel of the kingdome but regnum ipsum the kingdome it self So that the Gospel being removed the kingdome of grace and glory are removed too God having so built these three kingdomes of the word Grace Glory as Marcellus did in Rome the temples of virtue and honour that as that of virtue was the threshold to that of honour to note that none can be truly honourable that are not first virtuous so the kingdome of the word is the entrance to the kingdome of grace and the kingdome of grace is the threshold to the kingdome of glory none coming to the last but by the second and none ordinarily to the second but by the first so miserable a thing is it to have the word removed from us in effect to be excluded heaven and happinesse for ever And this Satan knows and therefore endeavours what he can to keep people without preachers and from preaching doing herein as the Philistines did with Israel who would not suffer them to have a Smith amongst them that so being weaponlesse they might the easier be over-mastered by them Beware therefore how ye reject and slight the word of God beware how ye