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conscience_n faith_n heart_n sprinkle_v 2,758 5 11.3113 5 true
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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A78144 A Christian standing & moving upon the true foundation. Or, A word in season. Perswading to sticke close to God, act eminently for God. In his present design a- against [sic] all discouragements, oppositions, temptations. Expressed in a sermon preached before the Honourable House of Commons upon the day of their monthly fast, Octob. 25, 1648. By Matthew Barker, M.A. late preacher of the Gospel at James Garlick-hith, London, and now at Morclacke in Surrey. Barker, Matthew, 1619-1698. 1648 (1648) Wing B772; Thomason E468_40; ESTC R10148 45,680 72

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within from without or round about them and our Apostle might the better presse this upon others as having in so great measure attained it in his owne person as we read in Rom. 8. latter end Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation distresse nakednesse famine c. nay in all these things we are more than conquerers and then adds I am perswaded that neither life nor death principallities nor powers things present nor things to come shall ever be able to seperate us from the love of God c. He like a wise Commander espies out the utmost strength of his enemies and surveying them in their number in their nature in their severall kinds and he is not one whit moved or shaken but standing firm upon his foundation concludes against them all that they shall never be able to separate him from the love of God which is in Jesus Christ So in 1 Cor. 16. 3. Watch y●● stand fast in the Faith quit you like men He speakes in military language for Christianity is a fight lest your enemies surprize you watch if they approach to an encounter stand ●ast retreat not at all if it comes to an engagement quit your selves like men So in Ephes 6. 13. Therefore put on the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whole Armour of Go● that yee may bee able to stand in the evill day and having done all to stand or having abolished 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the strength of all enemies to stand First as good Souldiers they are to put on their armour next stoutly to make resistance and not to cease the fight till they had quite scattered their enemies and like conquerours keeping the field having done all to stand So often doth our Saviour encourage his Disciples to stand fast Matth. 24. 6. When you heare of warres and rumours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of warres see that you be not troubled Some Criticks observe that the word implies such a trouble as when Souldiers receive some sudden alarm what strange disquietments distraction confusion may then be seene but saith Christ be not you thus troubled let not these things amaze you or draw you off from the foundation of your repose and rest One place more I shall adde John 16. last These things I have spoken to you that in me you might have peace In the world ye shall have tribulation but be of good cheere I have overcome the world It is true you are to encounter with the troubles of the world but the world and every thing in the world that fights against your life and peace is overcome in me therefore be not you moved be of good courage notwithstanding all 1. For the clearing of the point we shal first shew you wherein a Christian is to shew forth his stedfastnesse of spirit 2. Secondly the way whereby God brings up the soule to it Then we shall acquaint you with the grounds and lastly apply all to our selves For the First a Christian is to shew forth this stedfastnesse in oppsition to those severall things which are apt to shake him 1. The First is the guilt of sin this hath brought many a precious soule under sad disquietments conflicts and agonies Job felt them and expresseth them Job 6. 4. For the arrowes of the Almighty are within me the poyson whereof drinketh up my spirit the terrours of God set themselves in array against me David felt them and elegantly describes them by that dismall appearance of things upon Mount Sinai at the delivery of the Law God came downe upon it in his Majesty and glory and then the Earth shooke the foundation of the hills moved there was seen also fire smoake and burning coales darknesse darke waters thunder lightning and thick cloudes of the skie All this the Prophet did finde spiritually in his own soul so dreadful and disquieting is the presence of God to the guilty conscience But now a Christian is to stand stedfast here to live above the feares of hell and wrath and amidst all that unworthinesse weaknesse sinfulnesse he beholds in himself yet to esteem himselfe in Christ perfectly righteous in the sight of God and so to be at peace The Apostle exhorts to this Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw nigh with full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience c. Nothing more unfits the soule to draw nigh to God than an evil conscience a conscience under the workings of guilt and feare of wrath not that we exclude mourning for sin such mourning as flowes from faith and calls not the soule off from the true foundation 2. The Second thing which is apt to disquiet the soule is the temptations of Satan he is an unquiet turbulent spirit and is still seeking to draw the soule off from the Centre of her rest and peace and though he cannot rob her of her inheritance in God yet he makes her to posesse it with as much trouble as he can Disorder and ataxy are the very basis of his Kingdom when every thing is brought backe to its proper place then doth his Kingdome fall Christ told his Disciples that Satan desired to winnow them as wheat Luke 22. 31. wheat is not winnowed without much moving and shaking Now a Christian is to stand fast against Satan to resist him stedfast in the faith to 1 Pet. 5. 9. 1 John 5. 18. keep himself that the wicked one may not touch him And thus he doth when he stands upon his foundation when he lives above with God and in God he hath Satan under his feet though he cast his fiery darts at him yet they are all quenched and hurt him not But when hee comes from his foundation and parlies with him and consents to his suggestions then is he wounded by him The Devill could not touch Christ because hee abode stedfast in the Godhead and the will of the Father hee set the Lord alwayes before him and kept Satan behind him Psal 16. 8. Mat. 16. 23 and so conquered Had our first parents done thus they had not fallen but they turning their eyes from God and his will and fixing it upon the temptation were bewitched and fell 3. The third thing that is apt to disquiet the soul is the Law When it was delivered the Earth shook the people trembled and Moses himselfe said I exceedingly feare and quake This is the naturall effect of the Law to cause earthquakes and shakings in the Soule When a poore Christian lookes upon the purity and strictnesse of the Law pointed with wrath curse against the least transgression as also the holinesse justice and majesty of the law-giver and his own vilenesse and filthinesse he is then ready to quake and tremble and say with those men of Bethshemesh Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God 1 Sam. 6. 20. But yet looking up to that free estate to which he is advanced in Christ having the Law with all its