Selected quad for the lemma: enemy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
enemy_n	david_n	deliver_v	saul_n	1,226	5	9.5281	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A78090	The gospels glory, without prejudice to the law, shining forth in the glory of God [brace] the Father, the Sonne, the Holy Ghost, for the salvation of sinners, who through grace do believe according to the draught of the apostle Paul in Rom. 8.ver. 3.4. Held out to publick view. / By the ministerial labours of Richard Byfield, M.A. Pastor in Long-Ditton; and teaching on Thursedayes weekly in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey.	Byfield, Richard, 1598?-1664.	1659 (1659)	Wing B6390; Thomason E1864_1; ESTC R210230	171,900	401

the chief good The chief good is that which when we have we are blessed but not having it we are miserable The chief good is God alone the enjoying and fruition of God is true blessednesse and true comfort This cannot be to a sinner but in Christ who is the propitiation the reconciliation and the atonement Therefore God in Christ is the sinners chief good Christ cannot be received but by his Spirit given thus then to be the Lord Christs in body and soul whether we live or die redeemed by his Precious blood from all our sinnes and from the power of Satan death and the grave and from the wrath to come and through Christ to be the Fathers own po●tion received into his f●vour and grace as his ado●ted child●en in Jesus Christ and to be under his fathe●ly care and providence that without his will not an h●i●e can fall f●om our heads and that all things are made to wo●k together for our good and to have the Holy Ghost given to us to renew us to unite us to Christ to enable us to believe to mo●tifie the flesh to give up our selves to obedience to make us willing and ready to live to him and walk after him and to assure of eternal life this is the onely true and sound consolation both in life and death And this is the estate of those that walk afte● the S●i●it This true blessednesse cannot be in this life in perfection but onely in in●hoation or a begun enjoyment of the same and by faith and hope in a lively expectation of the full and perfect fruition thereof because there is death mortality sinful remai●ders the w●ath to come w●ich must be utte●ly taken away and the soul and body placed in a state of glorious libe●ty befo●e there can be full en●oyment of perfect blisse because also the glory unto which we are called by the Gospel is farre greater than this world is capable of and soul and body in this earthly frame cannot receive it True blessednesse cannot be at all of this world nor of the things thereof could one man be possessed of them all which yet never was nor will be for they are mutable and passing away and if they were abiding yet they are not satisfactory nor can they fill all the capacities of the reasonable creature much lesse can blessednesse be of the things of this life to a sinner for by sin they are become accursed to the sinner and he accursed in their enjoyment They also cannot take away sinne make the sinner holy bring him into favour with God and so bring him to blessedness mistake not then Our comfort is not in this that we have attained and that we are already perfect but that we are in the begun state and that we shall assuredly attain and shall be perfect Our comfort consists not in this that we have no sinne but in forgivenesse at present and in the full blotting out expected when the Lord shall come again in glory Our holinesse or sanctification consists not in this that no sinne is at all in us but in this that our old man is crucified so that we be not servants to any sinne and that we are become servants of righteousness Our holy walking is in finding out our sinnes that they may not finde us out and in eschewing them that we may tread the wayes of God with a larger streighter firmer step and with an evener quicker pace Our progresse in holinesse is by daily mortifying the members on the earth and by bringing forth continually more fruits unto God as those that are alive from the dead Our perseverance is the maintaining of the combate Our present state is that of David under the anointing conflicting with our spiritual enemies that either are like Saul and his confede●ates or like Absolom and his conspirators so that we are singing a Psalme like the third Psalme and it is not that of David upon the Throne singing the eighteenth Psalme whereof the title is A Psalme sung when the Lord had delivered him from the hand of his enemies yet it is the estate wherein we are assured to be singing it with perfect triumph one day Our comfort is begun and held out of godly sorrow we sow in tears and go carrying precious seed with us our comfort is a seed-season and the joy of a harvest-home Our comfort is in Gospel-promises blessings priviledges graces Our comfort is not in freedome from troubles temptations persecutions but in a heavenly Fathers disposing the troubles delivering from the power and poyson of the temptations and of persecutions as they are persecutions putting us into the upper form of his Saints on earth and placing us in highest honour and giving us the matter of greatest joy that can befall us in this valley of tears God hath registred and left upon file for a perpetual Record the way of the Saints comfort on this wise If when we are enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Ro. 5. 10. If God be for us who can be against us he that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with ●●m also fre●ly give us all Rom. 8. 31 32. Ps 56. 13. things Thou ●●st del●vered my soul from death wilt not thou d●l●ver my feet from fall●ng that I m●y walk before ●od in the light of the living God hath shewed us the way wherein he Gods way of giving grace and comfort is the sight of his grace in Christ and not the eying of our duty or deservings 2 Cor. 3. 18. 5. 19. Ro. 1. 179 giveth both at the first convers●on and ever after all grace and comfort It is this he sets before sinners brought to see themselves their s●nnes and curse●n●sse thereby in the glasse of his holy Law the glasse and mirrour of his Gospel where in the beholding of the glory of God as he is in Christ reconciling the world to himself both Jewes and Gentiles concluded all under sinne not imputing trespasses and sending them to the Word and Ministry of reconciliation this sight of glorious grace changeth and transformeth them And as th●s righteousnesse of God provided to cloath a sinner withall is through the Gospel-glasse revealed more and more from faith to faith from one measure of faith to another greater and growing measure of faith so will the change and transformation be from glory to glory from one degree of glorious grace and comfort to another greater and growing degree of glorious grace and comfort and the work is no lesse nor lower than the work of the Spirit of the Lord the Lord the 2 Cor. 3. 17 18. Holy Ghost setting the sinner in blessed gracious and glorious liberty We work then at the wrong end when we toyle with our own hearts pore upon our sins think we will believe walk obey and the like and so

and about the great work of Reformation this hath 9. In extraordinary duties four ways been no unusual thing for the flesh to admit of these and sometimes on occasion to be forward in them and yet clearly to be discerned to sit on the throne As for extraordinary duties First All of them called for and delighted Isa 58. 1 2 3. in so that we may hold our special sinnes of violence oppression uncleanenesse filthy lucre or the like Secondly All these continued but Zach. 7. 5 6 7. Refo●mation according to the Word neglected Thirdly God sought with droves and heards for sacrifice with outward performances Hos 5. 6. Mic. 6. 6 7. Hos 14. 2 3. and flashes of Devotion sparing therein neither for paines and cost and price but not looking to the Sacrifice of righteousnesse the sacrifice of a contrite and broken heart nor with renouncing of carnal and forbidden confidences Fourthly When all our humiliations are Ahabs humiliations such outward penitentials proceeding even from the belief of an Elijah's threatning that they draw the eye of God and man and receive some answers from God in temporal mercies and yet Ahab is Ahab still 1 King 21. 27 29. when that fit is over and some breathing time given Again in the work of Reformation The unregenerate may cry call Assemblies About Reformation five ways Hos 7. 14 17. promise reformation and return too though not up to the most High but be as a deceitful bow that is bent hath the arrow upon the string and puts off with a levelling at the white but flies quite aside mounts in the ayre or falls short or ●ver many a score and then the Lord hearing and giving deliverance they keep still their old wont Reforming no further than will stand with their worldly interests and driving on their interest to the endammaging of Christs interest More particularly in Reformation the fleshes Regency is discovered First in a partial Reformation This sinne hath been too too palpable with us since our first just with-drawing from the bed of that Romish Jezebel and casting off the yoke of Romish Antichristian tyranny In the dayes of Henry the eight the Popes supremacy was cast off but other parts of Popery retained Witnesse the six Articles for refusal of which Articles many faithful Christians burnt at the stake In King Edward the sixth's reign a gracious young Prince when the worship of God was so far restored as to be Celebrated in the Mother tongue and grosse superstitions abandoned the six Articles taken away truth of doctrine held forth neverthelesse in some the flesh so cunningly wrought that Leiturgy and Prelacy were retained and by a Law many holy dayes as men call them ranged in the same rank with the Lords day In Queen Elizabeths dayes of blessed Memory the mind of the flesh was so potent in many that there was kept up a reading Ministery Non-residency and Pluralities Ceremonies with subscription leiturgy with an encrease of length Prelacy the Royal Chappels and Cathedrals with chantings Altars Copes Bowings at Altars and at the name of Jesus kept up Crosse in Baptisme urged unto Suspencion and ejection of many choice Ministers Canons Canonical obedience and the abuse of excommunication with the spiritual Courts as they were carnally named In King James's Reign besides all the former continued with many accessions the book of sports was given out In King Charles his Reign many corruptions in Doctrine vented the book of sports urged upon Ministers to publish it the new-Canons with an oath made by the Convocation house Altars and Organes brought into Parish Churches with other of the like leaven So that Reformation was highly needful In the time of the Parliament in 1642. and forwards Reformation was solemnely Covenanted An Assembly for that end called the things of Jesus Christ Covenanted were prepared and pre●ented but how far they took any effect is at present by the godly sober-minded laid to heart and bewailed And now though no Popery Prelacy nor Leiturgy blessed be the holy Name of our God yet there is no confession of faith for unity in Doctrine no Directory for uniformity in worship no Church-Discipline or Government no Catechisme no Communion of Congregations of Churches of Ministers settled Thus in the edificative part we may say where shall our Reformation be found our Covenant Reformation where is it The Lord hath been upon the work of purifying and refining his Church for the space now of above one hundred years even ever since the year 1517. and he will effect it shall he begin and shall he not make an end how is it that we are slack and follow not the Lord more fully and observe not more his goings forth with Hosanna's saying Save now we beseech thee send now prosperity It was the Ex. 10. 24 26. antient voice of the godly in this Land a hoof must not be left behinde let us reassume it let us rest assured that inventions of men must not come in Secondly in abhorring one sinne as to the out-side and setting-up another as when it may be said of us thou that abhorrest Idols dost thou commit sacriledge Ro. 2. 22. thou pullest down all the reliques of Superstition and sufferest not a Crosse in a street nor on a Steeple nor an image painted in a Church-window nor a consecrated Font for Baptisme and thou doest well and wilt thou continue in the sinne of sacriledge shall the maintenance of the Ministery that labours in the Word and Doctrine remain impropriated in that very day when thy Supreme Governour who undertaketh great things righteously for the good of the Church in all the world cuts off all unnecessary expences for his Court needeth great supplies doth yet freely give home the first fruits and renths which none ever before did do to provide that there may be no scandalous livings in the Nation whiles he endeavours the ejection of scandalous Ministers is that no scariledge now adayes which was sacriledge and so preached and proved to be in all parts of the Land by the faithful Ministers in the days of Queen Elizabeth Thirdly in the execution of judgment and in pursuing Reformation to be like Jehu zealous for the Lord of Hosts in fulfilling 2 Kings 10. 28. 29 30 31. the Word of the Lord against the Idolatry of the house of Ahab when he could not live by faith above his carnal reason that the ten Tribes should not return to the house of David in the line of Solomon if they should all come up to Jerusalem yea●ly to worship God according to Gods command and therefore he would keep up Jeroboams Idol-calves and not depart from his sinne oh this reason of state what evil work hath it not produced How hath it turned a man a brave Prince 2 Kings 8. 12 13. into a dog David was a man after Gods own heart who did live by faith in the matter of getting and keeping a Crown and a

Kingdome Fourthly in pretending zeal for Reformation and against Gods dishonour Rev. 19. 18 and when God makes a Feast in the slaughter of his enemies to fall from the work begun and to be like Vultures and Kites and Birds of prey feeding on the flesh of Kings Captains and mighty men and ●ied by the teeth on the Collops Flanks and fat of rich Demeans Lands and Estates whereas when God giveth great reward for service done we should be the more and the more faithful in the work of the Lord. Fifthly in seeking to joyne with the sincere in building the Lords Temple that we may corrupt the structure or hinder the work like the Adversaries of the Jews Ezr. 4. 1 2 3. in the dayes of Ezrah 10. In great undertakings the flesh may rule where the enterprizes atchievements and successes are above her●ical and the right hand of God is lifted up on high as the Medes and Persians are called Gods mighty ones and his sanctified ones Heathens may be Saints Saints of the Isa 13. 3. most high God in this sense so these were Saint-souldiers And Christians may go farther and yet be under the Regency of the flesh First they may enquire of God by his Prophets by the Scriptures in their great expeditions but herein they are like Ahab who said there is one Micaiah but I 1 Kings 22. 6 8. hate him or they are like Johanan and his company who will needs be satisfied what the Lords minde is and promise obedience and binde it to the utmost but when they understand that it is against their minde they will absolutely refuse and hold their own will and way and Jeremy the Prophet must be charged with speaking falsely in the Name of the Lord. Jer. 42. 1 2 5 6 10. 43. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 Kings 22. 4. Secondly they may use the friendship and seek and hold correspondence with the truly godly but it is like Ahabs compliance with Jehoshaphat upon earthly grounds and for worldly ends Thus have I endeavoured to discover the flesh maintaining her state through spiritual walks the next that follows is to set out the Regency of the Spirit SECT 4. 4. The Reign of the Spirit may be seen in a six-fold discovery of his working for 4. The Regency of the Spirit in six works where he is he works and where he works he works but not as one that doth his work in a corner and his work is with efficacy and power his work is like himself thus then 1. The Spirit carrieth him in whom he is unto the Word and in the Word unto J●sus Christ he carries to the Word Psal 19. 7. 119. 1. 64 which he breathed and in which alone he savingly works he that hath the Spirit saith The Law of the Lord is perfect converting 1 Cor. 1. 23 24. the soul Blessed are the undefiled in the war who walk in the Law of the Lord O teach me thy statutes The Gospel of Christ is to them the power of God and the wisdome of God likewise in the Word the Spirit carries to Jesus Christ Prov. 8. 35 he waiteth there to finde Christ and in him favour with God and life eternal he s●ith O that I might be found in him in the Lord Jesus Christ have I righteousnesse and strength And in the knowledge of Christ revealed in the Word the Spirit carries to faith and love which is in Jesus Christ that is which is set on Christ as the object which is formed by the Gospel Isa 45. 24. of Jesus Christ and which is truly Christian now the heart is for such faith and such love and not content with any kinde of faith in God and Christ or any kinde of love to God The Spirit is the Spirit of faith and the Spirit of love in converting a sinner to Christ the Spirit makes faith and love to abound in the exceedings above the 1 Tim. 1. 14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power of inbred unbelief and hatred beyond the power and malice of men or Divels to destroy and with the living increasing aspirings to perfection from degree to degree 2. It makes very sensible of spiritual wants and evils and fills with desires like hunger and thirst after spiritual good things Where the Spirit of Christ is for where he is there he reigns that man is made sensible of the flesh even of the corruption of his nature I am carnal sold under sinne I was conceived in iniquity Rom. 7. 14 Psal 51. 5. Rom. 7. 18 I know that in me that is in my flesh dwells no good These are the feeling expressions of the godly that man is sensible of his special sinnes I do know mine own iniquity and my sinne is ever Psal 51. 3. before mine eyes that man is very sensible of inward sinnes of the sinnes of his thoughts his heart-impurities the deceitfulnesse and hardnesse the desperate wickednesse of his heart so that it needs a new Creation and the renewing of a right Spirit a new heart and a new Spirit that man is sensible of the evils of his best Isa 64. 6. works all our righteousnesses are as a menstruous cloth that man is sensible of the utter need he hath of Christ for righteousnesse and for strength and of his want of spiritual blessings and saving graces A poor empty vain foolish and lost creature he findes himself without Christ without God and without hope his invincible desires are after reconciliation Cause thy face to shine Lord lift thou up Ps 80. 3 7 19. Psal 4. 6. Hos 14. 2. the light of thy countenance upon us Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously these invincible desires after reconciliation through Jesus Christ to enjoy Gods reconciled face in the Atonement made in the blood of his own Sonne are in that Psal 4. 6. Psal 26. 3. 17. 15. 30. 5. 63. 3. man set to attain it to retain it being had and to recover it if any way lost and to walk in the light of this his countenance as his true blessednesse and chief good that mans desires also are invincibly set after renovation Create in me a clean heart O God Turn us and we shall Ps 19. 15. Ps 51. 10. be turned 3. It filleth full of grace and supplications with mournings bemoanings and self-abhorrings Jer. 31. 16. Zach. 12. 10 11. Ezek. 36. 31. 16. 61 Ro. 6 21. Ezra 9. Jer. 31. 18 19. the confusion and shame for sinne wrought by the Spirit given is voluntary and of choice not without some pleasure taken therein I will declare mine iniquity I will be sorry for my sinn● the confessions of sinnes guilelesse and open-hearted without hiding and cloaking and with holy blushings in Gods presence this is true of him now ashamed 4. The Spirit where he cometh he giveth a new light even the light of life a new savour and rellish to