Selected quad for the lemma: enemy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
enemy_n	evil_a	good_a	overcome_v	2,148	5	9.0851	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A97271	A touch-stone to try (by our knowledge, belief, and life) whether we be Christians in name onely, or Christians in deed. Or, The character of a true beleever, that walks in some measure answerable to the gospell, his Christian profession, and the millions of mercies he hath received. / By R.Y. of Roxwell in Essex.	Younge, Richard.	1648 (1648)	Wing Y193B; Thomason E1150_4; ESTC R208624	54,772	52

willingly and premeditately either lye or equivocate much lesse will he allow himselfe in it or seeke to defend it for such as will doe so have not as yet past the second Birth § 49. In bearing witnesse he will speake the whole truth impartially without fearing or favouring either Party that is as well what makes for the Defendant though an enemy as for the Plaintiffe being his friend or Master neither will he conceale a wicked device when by revealing the same it may be prevented § 50 If a Magistrate he will not be partiall in any cause nor will he either for feare or favour doe any thing against the truth or give sentence against his Conscience or use his power in favour of the wicked but be just in shewing mercy severe to the evill cherishing and protecting the good § 51. He is not implacable nor will he revenge himselfe on an enemy though he hath power in his hand to doe it but shut his eares and heart in this and other cases against Satans temptations yea upon the least change he can forgive him as heartily as he defires God should forgive him yea he loves and wishes well and can willingly doe good to them that doe evill to him even desiring his greatest enemies conversion together with his prosperity He rejoyceth not at anothers fall but is grieved both for their sins and miseries nor is he grieved at any ones good especially at his gifts and the graces of Gods Spirit in him § 52. He hath learnt from Gods dealing with him to be mercifull as his heavenly Father is mercifull even to his Beast Nor doe any that resemble God or Christ but Satan and Antichrist as partaking of the Devills nature sport themselves in Beare-baiting Dogge or Cock-fighting hunting of tame Ducks and the like or if so they are not well verst in Christianity as for such as are cruell to their servants I marvaile how they can expect that their master in Heaven should be mercifull to them and certainely should they be deprived from ever having the helpe or benefit of servants as good Queene Elizabeth once served a Butcher and his Wife for their cruelty to a poore Girle they kept they would in a short time learne to be both wiser and better § 53. Whereas many love peace but regard not truth and others are all for truth without caring for peace he together with truth loves and studies and labours to have a lawfull peace with all men and so seekes it that he will suffer rather then doe wrong and to avoyd offence he will be over-ruled in indifferent things As Christ gave him an example when he paid Pole-money § 54. He is not glad of pretences against obeying the Magistrates command but will obey authority as the ordinance of God and be subject more out of conscience then feare as placed by God over him and to all their Lawes if they crosse not Gods Law for otherwise he will lose his liberty part with the right hand of profit and the right eye of pleasure yea lose his life rather then a good conscience and sinne against God for he will not disobey God to obey great ones § 55. He is not the worse or prouder for prosperity or outward blestings but the better and more thankfull for them he is bettered also by affliction and makes a gaine of his losses and being in distresse as he prayes for deliverance so he is accordingly thankfull when delivered yea he will make vowes and so promise amendment that he is as carefull to performe the same when he is delivered which a wicked man never does § 56. He seekes God in all he does and acknowledges him in all he either receives or suffers he observes the severall passages of his Providence ac-acknowledging all things to be ordered thereby and that it extendeth to the least haire on his head hath a comfortable experience of his disposing all to worke for the best unto him admires the same and his goodnesse therein and is accordingly thankfull for it yea he keepes a Record or Register of Gods speciall mercies and deliverances and of his owne often and great provocations and not seldome meditates thereon neither does he murmure when he wants any thing as most of our ignorant poore doe whose whole life language and religion is nought elfe but a continued act of muttering and murmuring perhaps they want many things for their bodies because they slight whatsoever is offered to their soules and because God the Giver is not in all their thoughts except to blaspheame him and to spend his Day in the Devills service for they never minde how God hath appointed it his Market-day for their soules now these brutish Animals are very sensible if they want never so little and for that they murmure but they injoy millions of mercies which they never cordially give thankes for and I wish they were often put in minde how many thousand Israelites were destroyed in the Wildernesse onely for that grievous sinne of murmuring though their straites and extreamities were farre greater but as good blow in the dust as speake to these and as they have no reason so they will heare none onely such as truly feare God know that he owes them nothing yea what ever they injoy on this side Hell they thinke themselves unworthy of it § 57. He is not rashly censorious but judgeth of things actions and persons not as they are in the worlds repure but as they are in Gods account and as he in his Word allowes or condemnes them he censures none for things indifferent but you must be able to alleadge the violation of some Law much lesse will he mocke or despise a man for his poverty or any naturall defect as for judging anothers thoughts to be evill when he cannot tax his life or making ill constructions of good actions or sleighting and disparaging them or thinking the vorse of a man for having of a tender conscience he utterly abhorres He is not easily suspicions without just cause neither will he willingly wrest mens words or misconster their meanings but take their sayings and doings in the best sence He will not hearken to tale-beaters nor is he apt to beleeve an evill report without good ground neither will he condemne a man without hearing him speake He never determines of any ones finall estate be he never so wicked well knowing that God may change his heart in a moment neither will he conclude one to be a wicked man or an hypocrite for appearances or moates or some suddaine eruptions or common infirmities or for sinnes before conversion or for this or that single act of grosse impiety when the maine tenor and course of his life besides is a continuall current of honesty and goodnesse though he may suspend his good opinion in case of some unexpected misdemeanour or for lesser evills either affected or oftea repeated He is tender hearted and can beare with the infirmities of the weake

to be the worlds friend is to be Gods enemy yea he esteemes it an honour to be evill spoken of by evill men because when a thing is best they will like it least and a grace to be disgraced for Christ who was farre more disgraced for him Besides the single approbation of one wise experimentall Christian is enough with him to countervaile the disdaine and dislike of a whole Parish of sensualists and an ounce of credit with God more worth then a tallent of mens praises And how little is that man hurt whom malice condemnes on earth and God commends in Heaven If he cannot avoyd their malice and evill words he will be sure not to deserve them which is much at one upon the matter for as the best confutation of their slanders is not by our great words but by our good works so his conscience knowing him innocent like a constant friend takes him by the hand and cheeres him against all his miseries However he will not in the least wrong his conscience to avoyd the imputation of singularity The scoffes of Atheists shall not beat him off from his Profession No if he does well hath Gods Word for his warrant and glory for his aime nothing can daunt or discourage him Neither the threatnings of fire nor the faire and large promises of cunning and cruell adversaries neither paine nor losse can make him shrinke from Christ much lesse the censures and scoffes of lewd persons The conscience of good intentions let their successe be what it will is both a sufficient discharge and comfort to his generous minde 3. § Through the studdy of vertue and Christian prudence he makes the servile passions of his minde feare and anger subject to the more noble faculties of his soule reason and understanding As appeares in the provocation of an enemy for let him be injured he will both forbeare and forgive well considering that it is the glory of a man to passe by an offence and that it is greater fortitude to overcome his owne passions then to vanquish a City Wherefore in stead of returning like for like he will pacifie his enemy with milde words and gentle behaviour which may be resembled to Milke that quencheth Wild-fire or Oyle that quenches Lime which by water is kindled and thinkes it enough for one to be angry at a time He is not like our Ruffians and sonnes of Beliall who when they are displeased with others will fly in their Makers face and teare the name of their Saviour in peeces even swearing away their part in that Blood which must save them if ever they be saved Nor like our Gallants whom the Devill hath so blinded and bewitched that they will contend for the way and strive for the wall even to the death and kill one another as though either of their honours were of more worth then both their soules Or admit one get the victory miserable is that victory wherein thou overcomest thine enemy and thy passions yea the Devill in the meane time overcomes thee perhaps thou slayest his body but the Devill slayes thy soule Nor like those sooles you see walking in Westminster Hall that like two Cockes of the Game peck out one anothers eyes to make the Lawyers sport No sayes he why should I vexe my selfe because another hath vexed me Or why should I doe my selfe a shrewd turne because another would And admit carnall reason shall alleadge to him that his enemy is unworthy to be forgiven rectified reason will answer but Christ is worthy to be obeyed who hath commanded me to forgive him And well may I beare with him when his Maker beares with me and forgive him when Christ hath forgiven me much more Nor can any repute him a coward for this his humble patience the true coward is your Hot-spur that feares the blasts of mens breath and not the fire of Gods wrath that trembles at the thought of a Prison and yet feares not Hell fire But the Beleever is as bold as a Lion if his cause be good yea to speake rightly there is no such coward none so valliant as the Beleever without Gods warrant he dares doe nothing with it any thing He feares none but the displeasure of the highest and runs away from nothing but sinne Indeed he more feares the least sinne then the greatest torment as may be seene in the Martyrs that noble Army But he is so farre from fearing an impotent enemy that he feares not death it selfe no not the Day of Judgement 1 Joh. 4.17 Luke 21.25 to 29. yea he is so strong withall that he is able to prevaile with God Gen. 32.26.28 Exod. 32.10 And overcome the world the flesh and the Devill 1 John 2.14 and 5.4 Gal. 5.24 and all this by his faith and prayer and not seldome does he overcome his enemy too by well-doing for he lives so well that his back-biting adversaries are either put to silence or constrained to praise God and speake well of him 4. § He is more knowing then the men of the world for as he hath the light of the Spirit and the eye of saith above them so the Word of Christ dwelleth in him plentifully in all wisedome and spirituall understanding and he increaseth daily in the knowledge of God and of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ because God reveales himselfe to him in a great measure as to his friend Besides his knowledge is about the best things and one drop of soule wisedome and saving knowledge guided by the feare of God is more worth then all humane learning And to this knowledge unbeleevers are meere strangers Yea be they never so wise and learned in other things they have onely the theory of this wisedome they can prattle of it by roate but they know not what it is by effect and experience Yea if a man want faith holinesse the love of God and the Spirit of God to be his teacher he shall not be able really and by his owne experience to know the chiefe points of Christian Religion such as are faith repentance regeneration the love of God the presence of the Spirit the remission of sinnes the effusion of grace the possession of heavenly comforts not what the peace of conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost is nor what the communion of Saints meanes when every one of these are easie and familiar to the meanest and simplest Beleever And the reason is the Beleever digests his knowledge into practise and imployes it to the glory of the Giver his neighbours good and the furthering of his owne salvation He is neither ungrounded in the Principles of Religion nor unconcionable in the practice Each Booke or Sermon both increaseth his knowledge and lessens his vices Yea he will pick something out of every thing and gather honey from the selfe same thing that others will poyson Anothers hating the truth shall make him love it the more for he is instructed both by similitude and contrariety Whereas let the

good conscience findeth that even the teares of those that pray are sweeter then the joyes of the Theater But this is not all for according to the tribulations laid upon him and borne by him shall the retribution of glory be proportioned I might goe on and shew how it makes him pittifull and compassionate to others evills hath taught him to bemone all that affliction makes to groane and sundry the like which I may not here stand upon And this is enough to shew that affliction in generall makes much for his advantage now see how he is a great gainer by each particular crosse As 13. § First let him fall into poverty or have his goods and lands confiscate this shall not hurt but doe him good also for he will not by sinne releeve his wants poverty shall not constraine him to steale He will not tell a lye God assisting him though you would give him an house full of gold Whereas let unbeleevers fall into the like condition that they may maintaine themselves they will lye deceive steale prostitute their chastity sell their consciences and what not Nor will he murmure or repine against his Maker but beare it patiently and cheerefully whereas unbeleevers will not onely murmure and grievously complaine but if God doe not answer them in every thing they will take pleasure in nothing yea they will sleight all his blessings because in one thing he crosseth them And as he will not be the worse so he will be much the better for it for as he growes poore in temporalls he will grow rich in spiritualls his wants kill his wantonnesse his poverty checks his pride c. It shall stir him up to prayer weane him from the love of the world approve his sincerity increase his faith spirituall wisedome patience and the like so that let his enemies take all so long as they cannot take Christ and Gods fatherly providence from him he is well enough But that 's not all for whatsoever he parts withall be it House or Land or any thing else 't is but as seed cast into the ground for he shall receive for it an hundreth fold more even in this world and in the world to come life everlasting Marke 10.29.30 But 14. § Secondly let him be cast into Prison and Bonds God will doe him good by this also even the Prison shall prove a meanes of his spirituall inlargement and he shall more freely injoy the presence of his God It shall make him with Paul and Sylas sing Psalmes for joy at midnight yea he shall with that Seottish King in Mortimers hole learne more of Christ in a short time then abroad he could in many yeares And lastly it shall teach him for ever after to remember them that are in Bonds as if he were bound with them and them which suffer adversity as if he suffered the same things with them 15. § Thirdly let his enemies slander him God will cleare his innocency let them curse him the Lord will doe him good even for their cursing let them despise and disparage him the Lord will so much the more honour him before the people yea the same men that formerly slighted and rejected him shall be forced to seeke and sue unto him Let an enemy scoffe at him for a fault he will be the better for it to his dying day His very scoffes bring him both to the knowledge and likewise to the amendment of his faults His being slighted shall quell his ambition and vaine glory and likewise exercise and improve his other graces In fine his enemies by their evill tongues shall beget in him a good and holy life 16. § Fourthly let there be never so many plots laid to destroy him he is in perpetuall safety for the Lord not onely gives his Angells a charge over him to keepe him in all his waies but himselfe is ever at hand to deliver him and keepe him as the apple of his eye so that all his enemies are not able to doe him hurt for God is his helpe and strength and deliverer yea God by his providence disposeth of things so that what in appearance and what they contrived to be the meanes of his hurt turnes to his great good and what they intended for his destruction becomes the only meanes of his preservation Againe the Lord is more specially present with him when he is in the greatest danger that he may fight for him against his enemies and give him victory over them that he may sustaine him when he faints and crowne him when he overcomes that he may be exact in taking notice of his sufferings count his wanderings put his teares into his bottle and enter all into his Register Nor is the Beleever more patient to put up wrongs then God is ready to revenge them and right him and the reason is Christ takes what is done to him or any one of his members as done to himself And indeed he that despiseth traduceth or any way wrongs him for his goodnesse his envie strikes at the Image of God in him by whose Spirit he both speakes and acts And to murmure against any of Gods Messengers as thou art apt enough to doe is to murmure against God himselfe that sent them take notice of this you that carry an aking tooth against every godly man you know Neither shall Sorcery or Witchcraft have the least power to doe him hurt In a word there cannot so much as an haire fall from his head without the speciall appointment of his heavenly Father who will suffer nothing to befall him but what shall make for his servants benefit and his owne glory for admit God gives his enemy leave and power to kill him he shall not hurt but pleasure him as I shall shew when I come unto it 17. § Fifthly neither sicknesse nor old age can hurt him his fingers paine makes him not forget the health of his whole body one dayes or weeks sicknes makes him not forget many yeares health He is not so sensible of a present distresse nor so ingratefull for favours past as not to remember many yeares injoyments more then one weekes misery Yea he considers that it is in great love that God thus visits him that he dealeth mercifully with him least he should fall from him and dispaire that he beateth him least he should grow proud and forget him and so perish Besides he findes by experience that as every other affliction rubs off some rust melts off some drosse straines out some corruption c. so also that sicknesse cuts the very throat of all his vices be it pride lust covetousnesse or the like for the very worst Feavour can come does not more burne up his blood then his lust and together with sweating out the surfits of Nature at the poares of the body he weepes out the sinfull corruption of his nature at the poares of his conscience And indeed God scourgeth his flesh to this end only that his spirit may be saved