Selected quad for the lemma: child_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
child_n	abraham_n	faith_n	righteousness_n	3,500	5	8.2980	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A04190	Nazareth and Bethlehem, or, Israels portion in the sonne of Iesse. And, mankinds comfort from the weaker sexe Tvvo sermons preached in St Maryes Church in Oxford. By Thomas Iackson, Bachelour of Divinitie, and fellow of Corpus Christi College in Oxford.	Jackson, Thomas, 1579-1640.	1617 (1617)	STC 14314; ESTC S107487	41,136	80

betroathed vnto an husband yet was he never betroathed vnto any woman that no humane soule of what condition or sexe soever might haue occasion to dispaire of being eternally betroathed to him The end and issue of his admirable chastitie was to institute that supernaturall and sacred Polygamie which was perhaps by peculiar indulgence of divine dispensation legally foreshadowed in the multitude of Davids wiues or in the Polygamie of others from whom he descended Howsoever as the desolate hath more children then she that hath an husband so are the spouses of this chast and holy one more in number then the wiues and concubines of luxurious Salomon Hee is that everlasting bridegroome whose Courts no multiplicitie of consorts can pollute there is no soule so it bring faith for its dowrie but may be assuredly espowsed to him What was spoken of Eue in respect of Adam is true of all be they male or female that are once espowsed to him They are mēbers of his bodie and therefore cannnot bee cut off of his flesh and of his bones and being such there is no danger of any Nullitie they can never be divorced from him there is nothing that can diminish or estrange his loue Barrennesse by one womans child birth is now no more a reproach vnto the rest so they be not barrē in faith the childlesse are more deare to him than was Hannah to her husband Virginitie it selfe is become exceeding fruitfull by the fruit of the Virgins wombe And the Eunuch which in time past might not enter into the Congregation of the Lord hath now gotten a place and name in the house of God better then of sonnes and daughters for there is no name so deare and tender as the name of Spowse none so capable of everlasting habitation with the immortal king 24 But all this being granted that our Redeemer was made man of a woman who was both wife and virgin that hee himselfe made choice of single life these circumstances only minister hope to both sexes or states of life But he that was thus made and thus lived is the vndoubted heire and Lord of all things And what comfort can the destressed captiue the poore servant or bondslaue reape from his incarnation that is by nature the Sonne of God King of this world and Father of the world to come Surely as much as any other if not more so he brooke his estate with patience for it followes He was made vnder the Law c. 25 If such as were vnder the Law were as the Apostle often inculcates in bondage or in the state and condition of pupils or servants then questionlesse the Sonne of God in being made vnder the Law became a servāt for his present estate and condition that hee might make servants free men and sonnes of God And this reason is exprest by the Apostle in my text Besides this vnlesse the sonne of God had profest his obedience and service vnto the Law by being circumcised the eight day Men of Iewish progeny might haue beene tempted to doubt whether God had not set the badge or seale of circumcision vpon their nation as hee did his marke vpon Cain in token they should be vagabonds and fugitiues from his presence Indeed the greatest part of the circumcision proued Cains brethren in the event but that God did not by circumcision marke them to exile and slaughter is sufficiently manifested in that hee caused his only Sonne to be circumcised So then he is circumcised made vnder the law that such as were of the circumcision and vnder the law might haue full assurance he was sent forth to bee their redeemer Yet had he been conceiued in the same province wherein he was borne and circumcised the ten tribes or kingdome of Israel might well haue doubted whether Gods promises had not beene entailed vnto the tribe of Iuda whether their fore-Elders had not releast their interest in them and forespoken all their posterities hopes by that desperate and vnhappie speech which fell from them when they first revolted from Rehoboam What portion haue we in David neither haue wee inheritance in the sonne of Iesse 26 This or the like temptation vpon whatsoever ground conceiued wrought strongly with this people whilst they remained in captivitie and for this reason when God perswades them to returne with Iuda into the land of promise he is inforced to promise them by the Prophet Ieremie that the expected Messias for whose birth Micah had taken vp Bethlehem should be cōceiu'd made of a woman in the land of Israel To this purpose I haue heretofore out of this place expoūded that passage Ier. 31. Turne againe ô virgin of Israël c. For the Lord hath created a new thing not in the earth or wide world at randome but in thy land the female shall enclose the male His speech is ful and yet precise and warie for he was onely inclosed in the land of Israël and brought forth in Iuda 27 But the better right or title these circumstances of Christs conception birth or circumcision convey either to the kingdome of Israël or Iuda severally or iointly to the whole seed of Abraham after the flesh the lesse hope could wee Gentiles haue of any portion in the sonne of Iesse had not the Lord out of his infinite mercy wisdome made the covenant of life and blessing with Abraham before he tooke vpon him the marke of circumcision that is before there was any legall distinction betweene the Iew and Gentile This is a point so admirably prest by the great Apostle of the Gentiles for their comfort that it shall suffice me to quote some few passages of his comments vpon Moses narrations which I can never read without admiration and secret ioy of heart And the Scripture foreseeing that God would iustifie the heathen through faith preached before the Gospell vnto Abraham saying in thee shall all nations bee blessed So then they which be of faith shall bee blessed with faithfull Abraham As hee had said to the like purpose before Abraham beleeued in God and it was counted to him for righteousnesse Knowe yee therefore that they that be of faith the same are the children of Abraham The true issue or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of that great controversie between him his countrymē is whether Circumcision and observance of that Law whereby the Iew was distinguished from the Gentile or BELEEFE in Gods promises cōcerning the seed to come did make men sonnes of Abraham of blessing Our Apostles plea for BELEEFE is vnanswerable because Abraham by beleeuing God receaued the promises in the name and behoofe of the nations before he received the signe of circumcision which may hence be argued to bee no infallible signe of blessing in that it was imparted as well to Ismael Abrahams sonne according to the flesh as vnto Isaac who was the sonne of promise Much lesse could the observance of the law which was not giuen

till foure hundred and thirtie yeares after the former couenant was established make men sonnes of Abraham and of blessing Covenants which receaue their whole strength and vertue from the will or purpose of men being once confirmed no man may disanull or adde ought to them The contractors themselues must change their minds or revoke their mutual coments before any other may correct or change their deeds But Gods promise for mans good can neither change of it selfe nor be changed by any Yet had Abraham not Gods promise only but his solemne oath to assure the inheritance of blessing to him and his seed There is no mention of any release on Abrahams part and it were impietie to thinke that God without some release made by him whilst he liued would bee so iniurious as to retract or alter the covenant after his death Or shall a title immediatly grounded on his solemne oath whose word alone giues strēgth being to al things that are evē power authoritie to lawes themselues need the corroboration of any Law To what end thē was the Law giuen so long after Abrahams death that his posteritie might plead their title by it to the inheritance before promised This is that which our Apostle prosecutes with such deepe but iust indignation throughout this discourse For this was in effect to distrust Gods oath and for their parts vtterly to renounce all interest in the covenant made to Abraham Isaac and Iacob by seeking thus to drawe the free Doner into new legall bonds with Moses Yet if the Law added nothing to their former assurance the question still remaines why it was giuen the Apostle resolues vs It was added because of transgression In which words hee would giue vs to vnderstand that the whole world was quoad rem for its present estate or condition vnder the curse denounced against Adam the best of whose children were heires of blessing only quoad spem the life of our hope or expectation being in the promised seed which was to come into the world In the interim till his comming God gaue his Law to Abrahams seed after the flesh that the threats and curses contained in it might imprint a liuely sense and feeling of that first curse vnder which the whole world stood and that the sense or feeling hereof might bring forth a more eager longing after the second Adam or promised seed who was to propagate the blessing vnto mankind who being manifested in the flesh was to redeem all from that curse which had befallen the whole nature in Adam and being made vnder the Law was to redeeme the seed of Abraham from the particular curses of the Mosaicall or ceremoniall Law This Law then whilst it lasted concurr'd no otherwise to the adoption of sonnes then privation doth to the constitution of naturall bodies It was principium transmutationis non constitutionis to vanish out of the world whiles the world was regenerated The principall point whereat our Apostle aimes in this Epistle is to ascertaine both Iew and Gentile that their deliuerance from the forementioned curses was on their parts to be expected by the same meanes and vpon the same condions that the promise of blessing had beene established with Abraham This is the maine cōclusiō Wherefore the Law was our schoolmaster to bring vs vnto Christ that we might be iustified by faith But after that faith is come we are no longer vnder a schoolmaster For yee are all the children of God by faith in Christ Iesus For as many of you as haue beene baptised into Christ haue put on Christ There is neither Iewe nor Greeke there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for yee are all one in Christ Iesus And if yee be Christs then are yee Abrahams seed and heires according to the promise 28 Thus you haue heard rudely and briefly what the Sonne of God for his part hath done that he might be a perfect Redeemer and vnpartiall Mediator betweene God man you know what on our part is required for the accomplishing of our redemption Abrahams faith Now were it as wel knowne what it is truely to beleeue as that true beleefe is on our parts only requisite for attaining the blessing promised to Abraham to his seed most of our ministeriall labours were at an end But my time for provision hath been so short and my opportunities for intentiue meditations in this short time so few that I could not hope either much to amend the characters of larger Comments to this purpose or that these vnrefined should make any better impression whiles I vtter them in your eares then they haue done or may doe whiles you read them in your eies I was the willinger to spend the whole time now allotted in laying these foundations because men vsually expect strength rather then curiositie of workmanship in foundations scarce brought aboue ground Howbeit no man would willingly tharch vpon a strong foundation though rude plaine And a better cover I could not in this exigence provide if I should make vp the structure or application All I haue to say vnto you is by way of request that as often as you shall compare or heare liuely faith compared vnto a tree good works vnto the fruit you would vouchsafe to take this note of remembrance from me Faith is a plant of Paradise which comes not vp by generation but is herein truely like to trees of the first creation that it doth not send forth leaues before blossoms nor blossome before it bring sorth fruit For it hath his fruit created in it If you further demande what be the proper fruits of true beleefe as it is fixt on this peculiar obiect or article of faith The sonne of God Abrahams seed made of a woman Hee himselfe hath resolued you they are Poverty in spirit godly sorrow meeknesse hunger and thirst after righteousnesse mercifulnesse puritie of heart c. For that blessednesse which God did promise without a sequester or mediatour vnto faithful Abraham and in him to all true beleeuers is by this sonne of God sole fountaine of al blessings promised expresly bequeathed with the mouth of man vnto the poore in spirit to mourners to the meeke to the mercifull and pure in heart Albeit the denominations be much different yet these qualifications differ no more from Abrah●●●●aith ●aith then fractions or parcels doe from their proper integr●ms To beleeue in Christ made of a Virgin is to haue him fashion'd in our hearts whose whole life and conversation was a patterne of such practises as he there commends vnto vs in the beginning of the Evangelicall i●bilie Now did wee put Him on as truely in our daily conversation as wee haue done by professiō at our baptisme we might be as well knowne to bee sonnes of adoption by these Christian habits as Academicks or Graduats by our weeds and ornaments But if we should make enquirie after the first

Life take his whole substance from his earthly mother by the sole immediate power of his heavenly father Thus much of the coherence of these words with the former the true meaning of this aenigma and of the Prophets drift and scope in this place which is to assure Ephraim or Israel that he should share with Iudah in the glory of their Messiah as after he did in his conception and education It remaines that wee prosecute the manner how this prophecie was fulfilled in the mystery of our Saviours conception other such accidents as fell out in Israel well deseruing their speedie returne 8 The Iewish Rabbins haue a tradition that God before he made this great world did trie his skill in making many lesser But this I am sure you al detest as a fable in it selfe most impious because it impeacheth Gods omnipotencie most frivolous because preiudiciall to his wisdome which worketh all things for testification of his glory or confirmation of his creatures faith neither of which could haue any place before men Angels were created But it is a point well fitting our meditations at this season to consider how the Lord in sundrie ages since the first promise of mans redemption by the womans seed did giue illustrious documents as of his power so of his purpose to effect this NEW CREATION delighting to raise strength out of weaknesse and by knowne effects of this nature to purchase vnto himselfe that title often inserted amongst his most glorious attributes of making the barren wombe to beare and become a ioyfull mother of children He foresaw as his Prophet Isaias complaines with what difficultie the world would beleeue his Prophets reports of their Messias growing vp as a branch out of a drie ground and for this purpose he sought by famous experiments of their conceptions that were most liuely types of Him to traine vp his peoples hearts to firme beleefe of his future strange miraculous conception 9 I will come vnto thee saith the Angell of the Lord to Abraham according to the time of life and loe Sarah thy wife shall haue a sonne This message seem'd so strange to Sarah who overheard it that shee shewes by her laughing how glad shee could be if it might bee so rather then apprehend any probabilitie that so it should bee Hence the Angell reproues her slownesse to beleeue Shall any thing be hard to the Lord And as if it had beene a matter of greater difficulty to rowse her dul faith then to quicken her dead wombe he reiterates his message againe At the time appointed I will returne vnto thee euen according to the time of life Sarah shall haue a sonne This strange worke of the Lord once accomplished was to bee as a perpetuall signe for confirmation of his peoples faith in the expectation of a farre stranger in due time to bee effected For this vse Isaiah made of it Heare me yee that follow after righteousnesse and yee that seeke the Lord looke vnto the rocke whence yee were hewen ad cisternam perforatam vnde excisi estis alluding vnto the dead wombe of Sarah as hee expounds himselfe in the next words Consider Abraham your father and Sarah that bare you for I called him alone and encreased him The end which the Prophet aimes at throughout that Chapter is to rectifie and establish their conceipt of Gods power who was able even of stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham intimating withal that Christs Church though farre surpassing the amplitude of Abrahams present seed was to bee raised from materials more weake and slender in the sight of man 10 Againe Manoahs wife had as little hopes to conceaue a sonne as Sarah had much lesse to conceaue such a child or Geber as should beginne that which the Geber here mentioned in my text was to finish that is to redeeme Israel from the oppression of their enemies And the Angell of the Lord desirous to avert such a mistrustfull reply as Sarah had given prevents it by insinuating his knowledge of what she could pretend for so he begins his message Behold now thou art barren and bearest not but thou shalt conceaue beare a son the child shall be a Nazarite to God from his birth and he shall begin to saue Israel out of the hand of the Philistines As little hope was there of Hannahs barren wombe vntill out of the fulnesse of sorrowe for her forlorne estate she conceaues faith that God was able as in her song shee expresseth to make the barren beare seauen children Perhaps she meant Benshebang septenarium filium one that should bee of better steed to Israël then any other seaven a governour of Gods people a liuely type of her long expected redeemer 11 But least these examples of Isaacs Sampsons and Samuels birth all sonnes of barrennesse might in the fulnesse of time haue lesse force vpon mens hearts by reason of their distance the Lord will haue Christs forerunner Iohn Baptist to be conceaued of a woman more vnlikely to beare in their sight that measure all things by humane probabilitie or experiments of present times So strange these newes did seeme to Zacharie his Father that when the Angell told him his prayers were heard and his wife Elizabeth should conceaue and beare a sonne one that should bee filled with the holy Ghost from his mothers wombe he is not yet satisfied but demands Whereby shall I knowe this for I am an old man and my wife is of a great age This distrustful demand was at this time wherein God had determined to exact of all his people great and small outward confession of inward beleefe vnto a farre more strange and miraculous conception so vnseasonable and preposterous that in signe of his power to take away the barrennesse of Elizabeths wombe hee seales vp the priests lips disenabling him to bring forth one word vntill his wife according to the word of the Lord had brought forth her promised sonn Now the famousnesse of this event throughout Iurie should haue serued for a signe to confirme mens faith of Christs conception 12 If one of Ierusalems devoutests Priests come so farre short of Abrahams readinesse to beleeue Gods promises no marvel if the best of women bewray some spice of her mother Sarahs mistrust But it is farre from my disposition at any time or my purpose at this to vrge farther to aggravate the infirmitie of a vessell so sanctified elect and pretious And I am perswaded the Euangelist did not so much intend to disparage hers as to confirme our beleefe by relating her doubtfull question and the Angels reply the one being but Sarahs mistrust refined with maidenly modestie the other Sarahs check mitigated and qualified by the Angell After I am waxed old and my Lord also shall I haue lust saith Sarah as you heard before thus checked by the Angell Wherefore did Sarah laugh shall any thing be hard to the Lord The blessed Virgin vpon