Selected quad for the lemma: sense_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sense_n	meaning_n	true_a	word_n	6,122	5	4.4275	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A67550	The pious mans practice in Parliament time. Or A seasonable and necessary tractate concerning the presages, and causes of a common-wealths ruine, and the wayes, and meanes to preserve a church, and state, in prosperity, plenty, purity, and peace. By R. Ward, utriusque regni in Artibus Magister; and preacher of Gods holy word at Stansteed Mount-Fitchet in Essex.	Ward, Richard, 1601 or 2-1684.	1641 (1641)	Wing W804; ESTC R218413	102,562	298

text that the truths deducible from thence would be many and the time taken up in the explicating and unfolding of those truthes would be long And therefore I will neither trace the Logicall steps nor tread the Theologicall path but with what brevity and succinctnesse I can possibly I will first breake the bones of my Text and secondly labour so to pick out the marrow thereof that both you and my selfe may bee comforted and corroborated thereby For the orderly dissecting or breaking up of the Text wee must observe as at first we observed that in the words two things offer themselves to our view to wit 1. The Prophets petition A third Analysis of the text 2. The repetition thereof 1. In his petition are two things cleerely expressed to wit First Materia the substance or matter thereof and that is salvation Save Secondly Modus the manner how he desires to be saved and that is by the Lords right hand 2. We have the Repetition of his request in these words and heare me From the whole words wee have three particulars diligently to observe or three words to explicate and expound if we desire to attaine to a true sight of the sense and meaning of the text The sense and meaing of the Text. namely What is meant by saving by Gods right hand and by hearing and we must note that each of these hath a double acception and signification in Scripture First Salvation twofold there is a twofold salvation mentioned in the word viz. 1. Spirituall or eternall of the soule as Iames 1.21 and in diverse places He is able to save your soules And 2. Corporall or temporall of the bodie as Ioshua 10.6 and in many more texts Save thou us oh Lord and helpe us and of this salvation the text speakes Save i. e. Preserve succour relieve and helpe us with thy right hand Secondly Gods right hand taken two wayes the right hand of the Lord hath a double acception also For 1. Sometime it signifies his authoritie and power as Psalme 110.1 1. King 2.29 The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou on my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy foots-stoole And thus Salomon set his Mother on his right hand that being the chiesest place next unto himselfe And 2. Sometimes it signifies the might strength force and fortitude of the Lord as Exodus 15.6 Thy right hand oh Lord is glorious in power thy right hand oh Lord hath bruised the enemie i. e. As men bruise and break a thing with the strength of their hands even so doth God his enemies by his power And in this sense is right hand taken in this place Save with thy right hand i. e. Preserve and deliver us by thy strengh might and mightie power Thirdly Hearing taken two wayes hearing likewise hath a double sound and significations in sacred Scripture For 1. Sometimes it is taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly and literally and so it signifies to take up or perceive something with the sense of hearing and thus sounds noyses and words are heard And 2. Sometimes it is taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after an humane manner for our better understanding and thus it signifies to attend marke or listen When wee declare any thing to negligent and heedlesse cares we usually say you heare not what I say i. e. you doe not attend unto or marke the things declared So the Prophet here desires that the Lord would not lend a negligent eare unto his prayers or sleight his requests but that hee would bee pleased mercifully to heare and graciously to grant his suite and supplication Heare me i. e. that is attend oh Lord and listen unto me and to my prayers Thus in your hearing The Propositions arising from the text and to your understanding with a three-fold hammer I have sufficiently broken and bruised the bones of the text set us now sucke the marrow which lyes before us and seriously ponder these points which are obvious and conspicuous unto us from the words thus expounded explicated and unfolded viz. Proposition 1. First although the godly have promises from God of protection yet they must not idely expect it but wrastle and tugge with God by prayer for it Proposition 2. Secondly God sometimes brings his best and chosen people into great distresses and dangers exercising them with great calamities and miseries Proposition 3. Thirdly all changes chances mutations and maladies which fall upon any Church or State Kingdome or Common-wealth comes from God Proposition 4. Fourthly it is the Lord and hee alone who protects Princes and people Countries and Common-wealths Proposition 5. Fifthly and lastly when any calamitie or miserie is either seared or felt either inflicted upon the backes or hanging over the heads of any Common-wealth Church State or Nation or when any speciall blessings are desired in the behalfe thereof that it is then the dutie of all the pious and zealous members of that Church and State both to desire and endeavour both to labor and pray for the obtaining of the blessings desired How naturally all these points arise from this present portion of holy writ wee shall see God willing when we come to the particular handling of them I will beginne first with the first which is this That although all the faithfull flock Doctrine 1. Psal 91.10.11.12 125.1.2 121.1.2.3 c. and peculiar people of God have many great and gracious promises made them in his word by himselfe of protection and preservation from and in evils yet they must not idely expect the performance of those promises but earnestly pray that they may bee made good unto them How naturally this note ariseth from the text will easily appeare How the point is deduced from the Text. if we doe but observe that the Lord had made speciall and particular promises unto this his beloved Prophet which were not hid from him but made knowne unto him and understood by him and yet notwithstanding hee wrastles and warres with God for the blessings promised doubling and redoubling as it were his blowes upon him in the text Save Lord with by right hand and heare me Yea it is further worth observing to this purpose that our Princely Prophet maketh mention of Gods promises made unto him in the 4. and 6. verses and makes his prayer unto God in the 5. folding up as it were the petition which he puts up unto God in the midst of the promises made by God unto him The Lord makes promises of mercie unto David and David prayes the Lord according to his promises to be mercifull unto his servant The Lord promiseth to protect and preserve his annointed and his servant beseecheth him to performe his promises made unto him God is faithfull in his promises and David doubts it not God remembers what he hath promised and to whom and David questions it not yea although hee confidently beleeve that the

all ungodly lusts and affection of sinne and then our prayer shall be pleasing unto God and profitable unto us For August Oratio si pura sit coelos penetrans v●…a non redibit If prayer bee pure then it will pierce the heavens and not returne invaine And Fourthly 4. In faith we must pray in faith as is cleare from these places Iude 20. Matth. 21.22 and 9. 28. Iohn 14.13 and 16.24 Iames 1.6 and 1 Iohn 5.14 The doubt here to bee resolved is What it is to pray in faith Whereunto I answer 1. To pray in faith is to apprehend and remember the promises of God contained in the word those promises being the foundation of our faith And 2. To pray in faith is to adhibite and give faith to the promises apprehended and understood beleeving that they shall be fulfilled in us And 3. To pray in faith is to pray in this confidence and assurance that according to the promises our prayers shall bee heard and our requests granted Or to pray for those things which by a certaine faith wee hope for Exod. 17.1 Kin. 18. Exod. 9.25 And thus Moses prayed in faith for victory against Amalech and Elias for raine Moses against thunder in these words I will spread mine hands unto the Lords and the thunder shall cease Where wee see that hee prayeth with confidence and is assured that God will heare his prayer And thus ought wee to aske in faith and pray with assurance that God will heare us Here observe that there is a double kind of assurance to wit 1. Extraordinary which proceedeth of some speciall revelation as here Moses building upon Gods particular promises made unto him was assured that his prayer should take effect Now besides this there is 2. Ordinary assurance which is twofold to wit 1. When we pray for spirituall things which concerne life eternall and here the faithfull have an absolute assurance to be heard And 2. When wee pray for temporall things where our assurance is but conditionall viz. that God will grant us such things so farre forth as they are expedient and profitable for us And therefore let us pray in faith when wee pray that is 1. Let us learne the promises of the word and know what promises are made unto us in the word that our prayers may be built upon those promises for otherwise they are without a foundation like the Citie built upon the sand 2. Let us confidently beleeve that all the promises of the word are true Mat. 7.20 and that if we be the children of God they shall bee made good unto us in the Lords appointed time and in his owne sense and meaning For this is true faith according to the Father in these words Bern. Crede quod remittuntur peccata sed adde-quod remittuntur tua non est presumptio sed fides Wee must not onely beleeve that the promises are true but also apply them unto us beleeving that they shall be accomplished in and unto us for this is not presumption but faith Then 3. In this confidence and assurance let us pray for those things which are necessary either for our selves or others and wee shall undoubtedly either procure what wee pray for or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 something which may stand us in as much steed and be every way as profitable for us And. Fiftly 5. With zeale Wee must pray zealously and fervently if wee desire that our prayers which wee offer up either for our selves or our Commonwealth may be heard and granted For methods sake I will here point at three things and that very briefely viz. 1. That we must or ought to pray fervently and 2. How our zeale and fervour must be regulated in our prayers and 3. That zealous prayers are very prevalent with God Zeale is necessary in prayer 1. If wee desire that our prayers which wee send forth unto God either in the behalfe of our selves or others may bee prevalent with him according to our desires then wee must pray zealously and fervently Zealous prayer must ascend if we desire that grace may descend because God is a Spirit and therefore in spirit and in truth of the inward man must he be served and sought unto Now 2. How zeale must be qualified in prayer It is worth our observation How our zeale in our prayers is to be regulated namely According to the nature of the thing which we pray for Here note That wee either pray for temporall things or spirituall First sometimes wee pray for things which concerne our bodies lives and estates and for these we must pray modestly moderately with a willing submission unto Gods will and not with that ardour of affection that wee desire spirituall things with all And Secondly sometimes wee pray for spirituall things now these either concerne our selves our God or our brethren 1. Sometimes wee pray for spirituall things which concerne our selves as For the remission and pardon of our sinnes and the turning away of the judgements which worthily deserve for our sinnes committed And here wee must pray zealously but in the positive degree of zeale Sometimes wee pray for the quantity measure degree and extent of graces that is that the Lord would be pleased to shed abroad his grace in our soules and to establish our hearts in grace and to augment and encrease his grace in us more and more And here we must pray more zealously but yet onely in the Comparative degree of zeale for as wee must more zealously pray for grace and the increase thereof then for the pardon of sinne and aversion of judgements so there is something else which wee must more zealously desire then grace 2. Sometimes we pray for spirituall things which concerne our God that is when wee pray for his glory and the advancement thereof and the sanctifying of his Name Now here we should pray most zealously of all in the superlative degree of zeale for the glory of God is to be preferred before any thing that concernes us And therefore if wee should see the glory of our God trod in the dust or his Name dishonoured or his truth persecuted wee should then double and redouble our requests unto God with the Prophet Elias when hee had waged God at the stake against Baal the false God Oh Lord heare mee 1 King 18 37. oh Lord heare me Wee should say in such a case as Francis Spira said an Advocate of Cittadell under the jurisdiction of Venice in the borders of italy in a conflict which hee had within himselfe whether he should confesse Christ or not Cast away feare saith he oh my soule put on the shield of faith where is now thy wonted courage and constarcy remember that the glory of thy Christ lyes now at the stake Yea when we pray for those things which concerne Gods glory wee should say as Hannibal said who when Carthage was besieged by Scipio sought for peace who never before

lastly the maine cause of the destruction of a Nation is sinne and spirituall rebellion Now when I consider the nature and number the quantity and quality of our sinnes in this Land I cannot but acknowledge that if the Lord should enter into judgement with us hee might justly bring a totall subversion and desolation upon us for our many great and clamorous sinnes And therefore this branch concerning us so nearly and in so high a nature I will crave leave of my Reader to enlarge my selfe therein a little more than in any of the former And let me intreat every Christian who reads this to observe with mee that when I say Sinne is the cause of the subversion of a State it may either be understood of sinne in generall or of particular sins First 4 Sinne. this may be understood of sin in generall or of a generall sinning and herein wee must note that a generall impiety or an universall iniquity or an epidemicall maturity and ripenesse in sin is the cause signe and sure Fore-runner without true and unfained repentance of a generall and totall destruction Iohn 4.39 And therefore it doth stand us in hand to consider how this belongs and how neare it comes unto us in this Land certainely Rev. 14.16 the Region is white unto harvest and wee have cause to feare that the Lord will command his destroying Angel to thrust in his Sicle and to cut us downe For let us look which way we wil or to whom we will and we shall find sin in full weight and measure First Wee have sinned against all the Command●… if wee looke unto the Law of God and compare our selves with his commands we shall returne but a wofull reckoning For 1. If wee looke upon the first Commandement we finde little or no love in us towards God but every one following his owne affections and loving his owne Helena some making their craft their God and some their gold their God and some their pleasure their God and some their belly their God and some their drunkennesse their God And 2. If wee looke upon the second Commandement wee shall see the Papists labouring with tooth and naile to raze it out of the Decalogue and superstition creeping into the bosomes of many Protestants who long with the Israelites after the flesh-pots of Egypt Exod. 16.3 Ier 44.16 Act. 7.39 and desire againe to sacrifice to the Queene of Heaven and to submit their necks once more to the tyranny of Rome And 3. If we looke to the third Commandement Isa 58.13 we shall heare swearing in young and old rich and poore high and low And 4. If we loke to the fourth Commandement wee shall see the Lords day prophaned slighted and despised by many and truely sanctified onely by a few And 5. If wee looke to the fifth Commandement wee shall see the Magistrates despised those who are in dignity and authority blasphemed and every mans will serving for a Law And 6. If we looke to the sixth Commandement wee shall see charity waxen cold yea amongst the most starke dead and instead thereof ariseth injuries revenge and hatred towards equals and hard-heartednesse against the poore And 7. If wee looke to the seventh Commandement wee shall see an Ocean of sinnes viz. in some pride of apparell in some gluttony in many drunkennesse in as many fornication and uncleannesse and wanton and lascivious words and all manner of filthinesse And 8. If wee looke to the eighth Commandement we shall see how it condemnes some of oppression some of covetousnesse some of usury some of injustice some of thefts some of fraud and deceit and some of undermining and over-reaching of others And 9. The ninth precept will convince infinire many of us of lying equivocating and teaching our servants and children to lie And 10. If wee looke unto the last precept of the Law wee shall finde that wee all yea the best of all are most miserably faulty for internall concupiscence is every where and few or none any where are content with their condition but every one thinkes other to bee happier then himselfe Now Secondly All degrees and orders of men have sinned if wee looke unto the orders of men or unto their severall degrees rankes and qualities wee shall finde that sinne hath every where deceived many For 1. If wee looke into the Court we shall see many transported with flattery ambition coverousnesse pride swearing and divers other sinnes 2. If we looke into the Citie wee shall see many mis-led by worldlinesse deceit in weights and measures swearing drunkennesse hypocrisie lying and what not 3. If wee looke into the Countrey we shall see in the most a kinde of Atheisme and contempt of Religion 4. If wee looke upon old men wee shall see them for the most part to bee more intent upon temporall things then spirituall to regard gold more then grace and earth more then heaven and to refuse to bee taught as though they were too old to learne Religion though not to learne new sinnes 5. If we looke upon young men we shall finde the most to bee men in sinne but very babes yea blocks in Religion 6. If we looke upon women the weaker vessels we shall finde many of them to bee strong in brawling scolding cursing adultery drunkennesse and what not except in discretion and religion 7. If wee looke upon little children wee shall finde them to bee froward averse crosse and learning to ly and sweare assoone as they can speake Now Thirdly The degrees of sinne if wee looke upon the degrees of sinne we have good cause to tremble For 1. All sinne and that in many things and many times And 2. To continue in finne is the fault of the world for how few every where are turned from their sinnes by the preaching of the Gospel Esa 5 3.1 3. To bee hardned in sinne is both the staine and bane of the world for wee are now like deafe Adders which will not heare and wee harden our hearts against God having neither any sense of sinne nor of his wrath 4. How many are there amongst us who deride and contemne the reproofes of the word and the Ministers of the word yea the Law of God it selfe while they excuse plead for and stand to maintaine and justifie their sinnes Let us all in this Land confesse our sinnes and give glory to God Let us acknowledge that many sins are committed amongst us and that often and with a high hand and by some of all rankes degrees qualities sexes and ages that wee may the more readily and willingly turne generally unto the Lord lest for our generall and universall sinnes he inflict upon us some generall and universall plagues And thus I have done with the first particular viz. sinne in generall Secondly when I say that sinne is the cause of the subversion of a State it may bee understood of particular sinnes The particular sinnes which hasten