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christian_n christian_a church_n jewish_a 1,506 5 9.5679 5 true
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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A43652 A discourse to prove that the strongest temptations are conquerable by Christians, or, A sober defence of nature and grace against the cavils and excuses of loose inconsiderate men in a sermon preach'd before the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of London, and court of aldermen, the 14th of January, 1676/7 / by George Hickes ... Hickes, George, 1642-1715. 1677 (1677) Wing H1846; ESTC R34459 17,275 42

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〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_d proportionable_a to_o the_o nature_n of_o man_n or_o such_o as_o other_o before_o they_o have_v endure_v so_o for_o the_o future_a he_o likewise_o assure_v they_o that_o god_n who_o be_v faithful_a to_o his_o promise_n will_v not_o suffer_v they_o to_o be_v tempt_v above_o their_o strength_n but_o upon_o the_o due_a exercise_n of_o their_o patience_n and_o courage_n in_o resist_v will_v make_v a_o way_n for_o they_o to_o escape_v in_o all_o their_o trial_n and_o give_v they_o sufficient_a supply_n of_o his_o grace_n to_o support_v and_o overcome_v the_o violence_n thereof_o there_o have_v no_o temptation_n take_v you_o say_v he_o but_o such_o as_o be_v moderate_a or_o common_a to_o man_n for_o god_n be_v faithful_a who_o will_v not_o etc._n etc._n this_o be_v the_o true_a and_o obvious_a meaning_n of_o these_o word_n and_o therefore_o by_o good_a analogy_n both_o of_o faith_n and_o reason_n we_o may_v counclude_v that_o god_n who_o be_v acquaint_v with_o the_o infirmity_n of_o our_o nature_n take_v the_o same_o care_n of_o we_o in_o all_o other_o trial_n and_o temptation_n as_o the_o apostle_n here_o assure_v we_o he_o do_v in_o persecution_n which_o be_v in_o this_o and_o many_o other_o place_n of_o the_o gospel_n emphatical_o call_v temptation_n because_o that_o of_o all_o the_o trial_n which_o man_n can_v undergo_v for_o the_o sake_n of_o god_n and_o religion_n those_o terrible_a pain_n and_o suffering_n wherein_o persecution_n consist_v be_v by_o far_o most_o difficult_a to_o be_v withstand_v by_o feeble_a flesh_n and_o blood_n but_o what_o need_n be_v there_o of_o prove_v so_o great_a a_o truth_n by_o consequence_n and_o analogy_n when_o the_o promise_n of_o the_o spirit_n that_o assistant_n form_n of_o christian_n be_v the_o most_o general_a promise_n of_o the_o gospel_n and_o one_o of_o the_o principal_a term_n upon_o which_o we_o be_v encourage_v to_o enter_v into_o covenant_n with_o god_n for_o we_o bound_v ourselves_o by_o our_o sacramental_a 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the_o king_n of_o consternation_n or_o terror_n and_o yet_o as_o terrible_a as_o be_v the_o approach_n of_o this_o king_n of_o terror_n the_o brave_a adventure_n of_o those_o gallant_a heathen_n who_o have_v meet_v he_o with_o all_o his_o train_n of_o terror_n without_o astonishment_n and_o fear_n and_o sacrifice_v their_o life_n for_o their_o country_n and_o friend_n these_o generous_a soul_n i_o say_v who_o can_v scarce_o die_v for_o high_a end_n infallible_o show_v that_o it_o be_v so_o far_o from_o be_v impossible_a that_o it_o be_v neither_o strange_a nor_o difficult_a for_o reason_n without_o grace_n or_o unassi_v humane_a nature_n to_o overcome_v the_o fear_n of_o death_n but_o then_o if_o we_o consult_v the_o record_n of_o the_o church_n we_o shall_v find_v the_o supreme_a motive_n of_o religion_n to_o have_v make_v coward_n and_o common_a people_n valiant_a and_o the_o spirit_n of_o god_n which_o the_o jewish_a writer_n call_v the_o spirit_n of_o may_v so_o to_o have_v 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he_o that_o return_v be_v as_o
much_o to_o be_v condemn_v by_o the_o verdict_n of_o right_a reason_n as_o he_o that_o give_v a_o affront_n and_o therefore_o since_o it_o be_v plain_a by_o these_o example_n that_o bare_a reason_n and_o moral_a gallantry_n of_o spirit_n have_v sometime_o enable_v heathen_n and_o mahumet_n ans_fw-fr to_o resist_v those_o pain_n and_o pleasure_n and_o interest_n which_o as_o all_o man_n grant_v be_v the_o strong_a temptation_n to_o sin_n be_v it_o not_o shameful_a nonsense_n and_o horrid_a impiety_n for_o christian_n who_o god_n without_o a_o just_a provocation_n never_o fail_v to_o support_v and_o assist_v with_o his_o grace_n to_o magnify_v the_o weakness_n of_o humane_a nature_n and_o the_o strength_n of_o these_o and_o the_o like_a temptation_n with_o a_o malicious_a design_n nor_o only_o to_o justify_v themselves_o and_o excuse_v other_o but_o to_o debauch_v mankind_n to_o the_o utmost_a of_o their_o power_n and_o render_v the_o christian_a the_o most_o grievous_a intolerable_a 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authority_n concern_v mortification_n self-denial_n and_o perseverance_n and_o all_o the_o brave_a discourse_n the_o latter_a have_v pen_v with_o such_o admirable_a reason_n and_o rhetoric_n concern_v fortitude_n temperance_n and_o patience_n be_v idle_a unprofitable_a harangue_n and_o as_o insignificant_a to_o the_o impotent_a race_n and_o nature_n of_o man_n as_o the_o practical_a rule_n of_o dance_a to_o a_o cripple_n or_o a_o lecture_n in_o geometry_n to_o a_o natural_a fool._n in_o particular_a st._n paul_n who_o magnify_v the_o grace_n of_o god_n so_o much_o in_o his_o epistle_n and_o protest_v he_o take_v pleasure_n in_o bear_v reproach_n persecution_n and_o distress_n for_o christ_n sake_n this_o great_a doctor_n and_o saint_n who_o declare_v upon_o his_o own_o experience_n that_o he_o be_v always_o most_o strong_a when_o he_o be_v most_o weak_a and_o that_o he_o can_v do_v and_o suffer_v all_o thing_n through_o the_o strength_n he_o receive_v from_o christ_n must_v pass_v for_o a_o cheat_n or_o enthusiast_n if_o man_n by_o the_o promise_a support_n and_o assistance_n of_o god_n grace_n be_v not_o able_a to_o resist_v temptation_n unto_o sin_n there_o be_v never_o yet_o in_o the_o church_n of_o god_n a_o more_o apt_a example_n to_o confirm_v this_o doctrine_n i_o now_o maintain_v than_o this_o apostle_n be_v for_o when_o the_o jew_n and_o gnostic_n persecute_v his_o righteous_a soul_n with_o so_o much_o rage_n and_o violence_n as_o to_o make_v he_o call_v they_o the_o messenger_n of_o satan_n and_o compare_v the_o sharpness_n of_o the_o persecution_n which_o they_o raise_v against_o he_o to_o a_o thorn_n in_o the_o flesh_n like_o a_o true_a soldier_n of_o christ_n he_o still_o resist_v and_o hold_v out_o but_o yet_o suspect_v his_o own_o perseverance_n and_o fear_v lest_o his_o faith_n and_o patience_n may_v at_o last_o fail_v he_o pray_v god_n thrice_o to_o remove_v the_o sharp_a trial_n from_o he_o but_o god_n who_o know_v whereof_o he_o be_v make_v better_o than_o he_o himself_o still_o continue_v they_o assure_v the_o suffer_a apostle_n that_o his_o concurrent_a grace_n be_v sufficient_a for_o he_o and_o that_o his_o strength_n be_v make_v perfect_a in_o his_o weakness_n this_o relation_n the_o apostle_n make_v of_o himself_o be_v either_o true_a or_o false_a if_o false_a than_o he_o be_v either_o a_o impostor_n or_o a_o madman_n if_o he_o be_v mad_a as_o the_o festuse_n of_o this_o age_n represent_v he_o to_o be_v how_o come_v he_o to_o speak_v the_o word_n of_o truth_n and_o soberness_n hw_o come_v he_o to_o write_v such_o learned_a and_o profound_a epistle_n and_o make_v such_o admirable_a defence_n for_o himself_o and_o the_o christian_a religion_n before_o so_o many_o procurator_n and_o the_o emperor_n himself_o at_o rome_n how_o come_v he_o to_o be_v so_o very_o wise_a upon_o occasion_n as_o to_o plead_v the_o privilege_n of_o a_o roman_a citizen_n and_o divide_v the_o sadducee_n against_o the_o pharisee_n when_o they_o 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insufficiency_n represent_v himself_o as_o the_o least_o of_o the_o apostle_n and_o free_o confess_v that_o he_o be_v what_o he_o be_v by_o the_o grace_n and_o designation_n of_o god_n and_o for_o gain_n or_o secular_a interest_n he_o can_v not_o act_v for_o in_o this_o life_n he_o be_v of_o all_o man_n most_o miserable_a his_o apostolical_a office_n render_v his_o whole_a life_n but_o a_o continual_a tragedy_n or_o catalogue_n of_o misery_n as_o you_o may_v read_v 2_o cor._n 11._o from_o the_o 23._o to_o the_o end_n of_o the_o chapter_n this_o story_n then_o i_o cite_v out_o of_o his_o write_n must_v be_v infallible_o true_a and_o if_o it_o be_v than_o virtue_n and_o grace_n be_v real_a notion_n and_o by_o consequence_n no_o temptation_n can_v happen_v to_o any_o man_n but_o what_o humane_a nature_n be_v able_a to_o bear_v and_o lest_o you_o shall_v think_v that_o god_n have_v a_o more_o particular_a care_n for_o this_o apostle_n than_o other_o christian_n and_o supply_v he_o with_o more_o particular_a aid_n than_o the_o rest_n of_o the_o church_n you_o may_v find_v he_o exhort_v the_o whole_a church_n of_o ephesus_n to_o be_v strong_a in_o the_o lord_n and_o the_o power_n of_o his_o might_n you_o may_v find_v he_o charge_v timothy_n to_o be_v strong_a in_o the_o grace_n that_o be_v in_o christ_n and_o exhort_v the_o whole_a city_n of_o the_o philippian_n to_o work_v out_o their_o salvation_n with_o care_n and_o solicitude_n because_o god_n by_o his_o prevent_n and_o assist_v grace_n be_v work_v in_o their_o heart_n both_o to_o will_v and_o to_o do._n perseverance_n or_o the_o work_n out_o of_o salvation_n consist_v in_o nothing_o but_o in_o constant_o resist_v temptation_n to_o sin_n and_o there_o can_v be_v no_o sense_n in_o that_o nor_o any_o other_o such_o like_a exhortation_n unless_o god_n as_o the_o psalmist_n speak_v be_v a_o present_a help_n in_o time_n of_o trouble_n and_o his_o