Selected quad for the lemma: sense_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sense_n	place_n	scripture_n	word_n	9,705	5	4.5641	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A30203	Sighs from hell, or, The groans of a damned soul discovering from the 16th of Luke the lamentable state of the damned : and may fitly serve as a warning-word to sinners, both old and young, by faith in Jesus Christ, to avoid the same place of torment : with a discovery of the usefulness of the Scriptures as our safe conduct for avoiding the torments of hell / by John Bunyan.	Bunyan, John, 1628-1688.	1666 (1666)	Wing B5593; ESTC R32596	104,938	220

sence though not so naturally gathered from this Scripture 2. That he was laid at his gate full of sores These words hold forth the distempers of believers saying He was full of sores which may signify the many troubles temptations persecutions and afflictions in body and spirit which they meet withal while they are in the world but also the entertainment they find at the hands of those ungodly ones who live upon the earth Whereas it is said He was laid at his gate full of sores Mark He was laid at his gate not in his house that was thought too good for him But he was laid at his gate full of sores From whence observe That the ungodly world do not desire to entertain and receive the poor Saints of God into their houses If they must needs be somewhere near unto them yet they shall not come into their houses shut them out of doors if they will needs be near us let them be at the gate And he was laid at the gate full of sores 2. Observe that the world are not at all touched with the afflictions of Gods children for all they are full of sores a despised afflicted tempted persecuted people the world doth not pitty no but rather labour to aggravate their trouble by shutting them out of doors sink or swim what cares the world they are resolved to disown them they will give them no entertainment if the lying in the streets will do them any good if hard usage will do them any good if to be disowned rejected and shut out of doors by the World will do them any good they shall have enough of that but otherwise no refreshment no comfort from the World And he was laid at his Gate full of sores Verse 21. And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich mans Table the Dogs came also and licked his Sores BY these words our Lord Jesus doth shew us the frame of a Christians heart and also the heart and carriage of worldly men towards the Saints of the Lord The Christians heart is held forth by this that any thing will content him while he is on this side glory And he desired to be fed with the Crumbs the Dogs meat any thing I say a Christian will be content with any thing if he have but to keep Life and Soul together as we use to say He is content he is satisfied he hath learned if he hath learned to be a Christian to be content with any thing as Paul saith I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content He learns in all conditions to study to love God to walk with God to give up himself to God and if the Crumbs that fall from a Rich-man's Table will but satisfie Nature and give him bodily strength that thereby he may be the more able to walk in the way of God he is contented And he desired to be fed with the Crumbs that fell from the rich man's Table But mark he had them not you do not find that he had so much as a Crumb or a Scrap allowed unto him No then the Dogs will be beguil'd that must be preserved for the Dogs From whence observe that the ungodly World do love their Dogs better then the Children of God You will say that 's strange It is so indeed yet it is true as will be clearly manifested as for instance How many pounds do some men spend in a year on their Dogs when in the mean while the poor Saints of God may starve for hunger They will build Houses for their Dogs when the Saints must be glad to wander and lodge in Dens and Caves of the Earth Heb. 11. 38. And if they be in any of their houses for the hire thereof they will warn them out or eject them or pull down the house over their heads rather then not rid themselves of such Tenants Again some men cannot go half a mile from home but they must have Dogs at their heels but they can very willingly go half a score miles without the society of a Christian. Nay if when they are busie with their Dogs they should chance to meet a Christian they would willingly shift him if they could They will go on the other s●●e of the hedge or the way rather than they will have any society with him and if at any time a Child of GOD should come into an house where there are but two or three ungodly Wretches they do commonly wish either themselves or the Saint out of doors and why so Because they cannot down with the society of a Christian Though if there come in at the same time a Dog or a drunken swearing Wretch which is worse than a Dog they will make him welcome he shall sit down with them and partake of their dainties And now tell me you that love your sins and your pleasures had you not rather keep company with a Drunkard a Swearer a Strumpet a Thief nay a Dog than with an honest-hearted Christian If you say No What means your sowr carriage to the People of God Why do you look on them as if you would eat them up Yet at the very same time if you can but meet your Dog or a drunken Companion you can fawn upon them take acquaintance with them to the Tavern or Ale-house with them if it be two or three times in a Week But if the Saints of God meet together pray together and labour to edifie one another you will stay till Dooms-Day before you will look into the house where they are Ah Friends when all comes to all you will be found to love Drunkards Strumpets Dogs any thing nay to serve the Devil rather than to have loving and friendly society with the Saints of God Moreover The Dogs came and licked his Sores Here again you may see not onely the afflicted state of the Saints of God in this World but also that even Dogs themselves according to their kind are more favourable to the Saints than the sinful World though the ungodly will have no mercy on the Saints yet it is ordered so that these Creatures Dogs Lions c. will Though the rich man would not entertain him into his house yet his Dogs will come and do him the best good they can even to lick his running Sores It was thus with Daniel when the World was mad against him and would have him thrown to the Lions to be devoured the Lions shut their mouths at him or rather the Lord did shut them up so that there was not that hurt befel to him as was desired by the Adversaries Dan. 6. And this I am persuaded of that would the Creatures do as some men would have them the Saints of God should not walk so quietly up and down the streets and other places as they do And as I said before so I say again I am persuaded that at the Day of Judgment many mens Conditions and Carriages will be so laid

Scriptures to turn to God finding them to restifie of his goodness and mercy there is but little hopes of their Salvation For they will not mark they will not be perswaded though one should rise from the Dead This Truth is confirmed by Jesus Christ himself If you read Joh. 5. where the Lord is speaking of himself that he is the very Christ he brings in four or five Witnesses to back what he said First John Baptist. 2. The Works that his Father gave him to do 3. His Father speaking from Heaven 4. The Testimony of the Scriptures when all this was done seeing yet they would not believe he layes the fault upon one of these two Things 1. Their regarding an esteem among Men. 2. Their not believing of the Prophets Writings even Moses and the rest For had ye believed Moses saith he ye would have believed me For he wrote of me But if ye believe not his Writings how can ye believe my Words Now I say he that shall slight the Scriptures and the Testimony of the Prophets in them concerning Jesus Christ must needs be in great danger of losing his Soul if he abide in this condition because he that slights the Testimony doth also slight the Thing testified of let him say the contrary never so often For as Jesus Christ hath here laid down the Reason of Mens not receiving him so the Apostle in another place lays down the Reason again with an high and mighty aggravation 1 Joh. 5. 10. saying He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself he that believeth not God hath made him a Liar because he believeth not the Record Mark the Record that God gave of his S●n. The Record you will say what is that Why even the Testimony that God gave of him by the Mouth of all the Holy Prophets since the World began Act. 3. 20. That is God sending his Holy Spirit into the hearts of his Servants the Prophets and Apostles He by his Spirit in them did bear Witness or Record to the Truth of Salvation by his Sonne Jesus both before and after his coming And thus is that place also to be understood which saith There are three that bear Record in Earth the Spirit and the Water and the Bloud That is the Spirit in the Apostle● which preached him to the World as is clear if you read seriously 1 Thes. 4. 8. The Apostle speaking of Jesus Christ and obedience to God through him saith thus Now he that despiseth despiseth not us but God But it is you that speak True but it is by and through the Spirit He therefore that despiseth despiseth not Man but God who also hath given us of his Holy Spirit This is therefore a mighty confirmation of this Truth that he that slights the Record or Testimony that God by his Spirit in his Prophets and Apostles hath testified unto us slights the Testimony of the Spirit who moved them to speak these Things and if so then I would fain know how any man can be saved by Jesus Christ that slights the Testimony concerning Christ yea the Testimony of his own Spirit concerning his own Self 'T is true men may pretend to have the Testimony of the Spirit and from that Conceit set a low Esteem on the Holy Scriptures But that Spirit that dwelleth in them and reacheth them so to do it is no better than the Spirit of Satan though it calls it self by the Name of the Spirit of Christ. To the Law therefore and to the Testimony Try them by that If they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no Light in them The Apostle Peter when he speaks of the glorious Voice that he had from the Excellent Majesty saying of Christ This is my beloved Son hear him saith thus to him whom he wrote unto You have also a more sure Word of Prophecie or of the Prophets for so you may read it unto which you do well that you take heed That is Though we tell you that we had his excellent Testimony from his own Mouth evidently yet you have the Prophets We tell you this and you need not doubt of the Truth of it but if you should yet you may not must not ought not to question them Search therefore unto them until the Day dawn and the Day-star arise in your hearts That is until by the same Spirit that gave forth the Scripture you find the Truth confirmed to your Souls which you have recorded in the Scriptures That this Word of Prophecy or of the Prophets is the Scriptures read on For saith he knowing this first that no Prophecy of the Scriptures is of any private interpretation c. 2 Pet. 1. 18 19 20. But you will say What needs all this ado and why is all this time and pains spent in speaking to this that is surely believed already This is a Thing received by all that they believe the Scriptures to be the Word of God that sure Word of Prophecy and therefore you need not spend your time in proving these Things and the Truth of them seeing we grant and confess the Truth of it before you begin to speak your judgment of them Answ. The Truths of God cannot be born witness unto too often you may as well say You need not preach Jesus Christ so much seeing he hath been and is received for the True Messias already 2. Though many may suppose that they do believe the Scriptures yet if they were but well examined you would find them either by word of mouth or else by conversation to deny reject and slight the Holy Scriptures 'T is true there is a notional and historical Assent in the Head I say In the Head of many or most to the Truth contain'd in Scripture But try them I say and you shall find but a little if any of the Faith of the operation of God in the hearts of poor men to believe the Scriptures and Things contained in them Many yea most men believe the Scriptures as they believe a Fable a Story a Tale of which there is no certainty but alas there are but few do in Deed and in Truth believe the Scriptures to be the very Word of God Obj. But you will say This seems strange to me Answ. And it seems as true to me and I doubt not but to make it manifest that there are but few yea very few that do effectually for that I aim at believe the Scriptures and the Truths contained in and spoken of by them But to make this appear and that to purpose if God will I shall lay you down the several Operations that the Scriptures have on them who do effectually believe the Things contained in them 1. He that doth effectually believe the Scriptures hath in the first place been kill'd I say kill'd by the Authority of the Holy Scriptures struck stark dead in a Spiritual sense by the Holy Scripture being set home by that Spirit which