Selected quad for the lemma: enemy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
enemy_n	sleep_v	sow_v	tare_n	1,022	5	12.2153	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A54659	Light in darkness, or, A consideration of a comfortable and instructive resignation of the Church of God by an eminent and faithful watchman upon his departure : occasioned by the sad loss of ... Thomas Moor, Junior / by C.D.	Phelpes, Charles.	1669 (1669)	Wing P1980; ESTC R34380	157,055	186

not before God for though he knew nothing by himself yet he was not hereby justified 1 Cor. 4. 4. Luke 17. 10. he onely desired to have the righteousness which is through the faith of Christ to appear before God in even that now manifested by the faith of Christ unto all that have sined in the preparation tender and some influencings forth of it and upon all that believe Phil. 3. 8 9. with Rom. 3. 22 23. Gal. 2. 16. but before them and as to his ministration and so his rejoycing was this the testimony of his conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God he had had his conversation in the world and more abundantly towards the believers 2 Cor 1. 12. so when he was ready to be offered up he saith to Timothy I have fought the good fight c. 2 ●im 47. This was that he had not shunned to declare namely all the counsell of God and so he hath kept back nothing that was profitable ver 20 he had not shunned or drawn back He was not deterred from declaring the Gospell by sufferings and persecutions of which he pertook more abundantly ver 18 19. 22 24. Or because of false brethren or false Apostles least he should displease them in lighter matters he complyed as far as possible for the Gospel sake So be became all things to all men that he might win some but he contended earnestly for the faith and would not give place by subjection no not for an hour that the truth of the Gospel might continue with them Gal. 2. 4 5. 2 Tim. 4. 7. oh that we were followers together with him herein then should we be less contentious about meats and drinks and da●s and places and gestures and circumstances about some lighter matters of Gods law or because of any weariness to the flesh or weakness and passions in brethren which yet was a burthen but declared the testimony in all its branches Hence he admonisheth them ver 28. take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the flock c. namely because he had declared to them all the counsels of God and had given them such a good example they ought therefore to take the more abundant heed lest being thus armed and furnished they turned back as Psal 78 9. like that 2 Tim. 3. 17. 4. 1. And this caution he presseth home by that ver 29. I know that after my departing shall grievons wolves enter in c. Namely either cruel persecutors as Mat. 10. 16. or false Prophets Math. 7. 15. so our Saviour tells his Disciples a little before his departure that soon after false Christs and false Prophets would arise Math. 24 24. Also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things c. ver 3. Namely because of sufferings to be indured and iniquity abounding under forms of godliness whereto they might fit themselves by retaining the things reprove● ●o also our Saviour signifies that as the consequent of these things many would be offended Math. 24. 8. 12. So Peter when departing 2 Pet. 1. 14. 2. 1. So John 1 Joh. 2. 18 19. from hence again he provokes them Therefore watch saith he ver 31. now there was more abundant need to watch when such a faithful watch man was taken away namely to watch daily at his gates for wisdom and to exhort one another yea in the light of the Lord over themselves and one another that they might be nourished up in the words of faith and to watch and pray lest they enter into temptation and fall from their steadfastness or le●t they sleeping the enemy come and sow tares Math. 13. 25. and proposeth his own example to stir them up namely that he ceafed not to warn c. In which he shews unto us that in declaring all the counsell of God he so did it as therein and therewith to warn of the errour of the wicked both in their thoughts and ways and it is good to observe it that we may be preserved both from such a declaring the counsell as therewith to suffer sin upon men and from such a warning men as doing it without the counsell of God as many do He did so preach Christ as in and with it to warn every man and so warn every man as in and with the preaching of Christ his speech was always with grace seasoned with salt or otherwise he could not have been pure from the bloud of all men Col. 1. 28. 4. 6 2 Tim. 4 2. Ezik. 3. 18. And in this account the Apostle gives of his faithfulness we may be occasioned to call to remembrance how much our Brother lately taken from us and with the Lord imitated him herein He was doubtless much like minded with the Apostle and if I should say I know no man more like minded who did naturally care for the prosperity and good of the Churches it would not now harm him nor I hope offend others who indeed knew him How faithful was he in declaring the testimony of Jesus as delivered by the Apostles and for many years warning therewith and notwithstanding the reproaches and sufferings he indured from men and exercises he met with from brethren and the burden of his family and others with him even the weak for his hands ministred to his necessities and theirs as the Apostle saith ver 33 34. and he coveted no mans gold c. Which I will not say the Apostle speaks to shame these but to wa●n them he might as 1 Cor. 4. 12. 14. Nor do I mention this of our Brothers labouring to shame any but if in mentioning it my self or others be reproved and God set it home let us not reject it but take shame to our selves that our care was no more toward him that he might have been at more liberty to have attended the things of Christ and still it was more blameworthy if any raised or received any false reports that they might hereby cloak their covetousness and shut up the bowels of others yet his heart was exercised for the good of all and especially good of believers and so exercised as that his body and members were imployed herein to admiration considering his great weakness and many infirmities he did gladly spend himself and was spent for others good oh that there were no reason to adde the following words in 2 Cor. 12. 15. 1. The Apostles faithful resignation of this part of his charge for upon him came daily the care of all the Churches I commend you to God and the word of his grace 2. A further declaration of the excellency of the person and thing to which he commends them laid down by way of motive and to perswade them to commit themselves to God and apply themselves to the word of his grace Which God and word c. ●is able to build you you up and give you an inheritance c. 1. The Apostles resignation of his

pretend to a great deal of meekness self-denial mortification righteousness in their dealings amongst men holiness and have a shew of wisdom in will-worship and humility and neglecting of the body not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh Col. 2. 18 23. they appear very righteous unto men while yet within they are ravening wolves and full of hypocrisie and iniquity as Mat. 23. 25 28. and have a form of godliness upon them and so are deceitful workers transforming themselves into the Ap●stles of Christ And no marvel for Satan himself is transformed into an Angel of light therefore it is no great thing if his Ministers be transformed as the Ministers of righteousness c. 2 Tim. 3. 5. 2 Cor. 11. 13 15. there is a generation that are pure in their own eyes and say to others stand further off for I am holier than thou though yet they are not washed from their filthiness There is a generation Oh how lofty are their eyes and their eye-lids lifted up Isa 65. 5. Prov. 30. 12 13. they are like unto the Pharisees of old who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others and even accounted themselves more pure than the Lord Jesus condemning him and faulting his Disciples Luk. 18. 9 11. 15. 1 2. Joh. 9. 16. and therefore they are the more dangerous were they such as were walking in the gross lusts of the flesh they would be more readily abstained from but being like graves that appear not yea appearing as the Disciples of Christ in their outward conversation And also boasting of themselves and their own mouths praising themselves as if they were the only Saints and mean time despising and condemning others they are the more powerful to deceive considering that we are naturally prone and apt to s●ffer gladly such fools as exalt themselves and proclaim their own goodness 2 Cor. 11. 19 20. We have therefore great need to watch unto God and the word of his grace 2. The m●ss●ge also which they bring is such as the flesh savours and finds sweetness in it is such as is suitable to our natural spirit lust and desire namely such as leads men to have their rest and rejoycing in something that was not crucified for them as in some work or priviledge of the flesh some manner of observing such or such an Ordinance some tradition of the Elders some light spirit or operation in men some marks frames qualifications changes or alterations in them some sign that is not the sign of the Prophet Jonas In short as is before said the voice of their divers and strange doctrines is stollen waters are sweet and bread of secrecies is pleasant Prov 9. 17. to wit the matter of feeding they direct unto and commend and approve it is somewhat else than the flesh of Christ which was given for the li●e of the wor●d Joh. 6. 51. that which wisdom calls to and commends it is that feast of fat things prepared in Christ for all Nations and those consolations of Christ wherewith the God of all comfort doth comfort the believers in all their tribulations are such as are proper to comfort others that are in any trouble Prov. 9. 1 6. Isa 25. 6. Mat. 23. 4. 2 Cor. 1. 3 5. But now these consolations of God are small with them because there is some secret thing with them Job 15. 11. and they direct men to have the beginning of their confidence and consolation not in Christ as declared in the Testimony but in themselves which is very savoury to the flesh Hence the Apostle when he had been exhorting the believers as the sum and end of all he had been speaking to them to rejoyce in the Lord even in Christ Jesus as preached in the Gospel he adds beware of dogs beware of evil workers Phil. 3. 1 3. As who should say those evil workers will direct you to rejoyce in something besides the Lord and indeed as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtil●y so they come to corrupt from the simplicity that is in Christ 2 Cor. 11. 3. viz. by promising others that in listening to them they shall be as Gods and have a self-sufficiency in themselves and shall have their life in their own hands Oh how pleasing is this to us ever since we drank in the poyson of Satans temptations How doth this fill us with evil thoughts and jealousies of God and of that rest and refreshing he hath prepared for us in Christ and leads us to seek to have our portion in our own hands How doth this lead us to say Our soul loatheth this Manna this light bread and to seek after some other beginning of confidence some other witness and sign of God's love some other matter of feeding than the flesh of Christ or to feed on it after some other manner than as given for the life of the world and to have the ground and bottom matter of our rejoycing and confidence in our selves or in something in which we are preferred before others or d●fferenced from others and to this these ravening wolves lead yea and they pretend a great deal of love and kindness to others and use flattering words promissing them liberty in listening to them and that they shall have their fill of love boasting of their freedom from sin their attainments experiments c. many times while they though privily are the servants of corruption Prov. 7. 13 21. Gal. 4. 17. Col. 2. 4. 2 Pet. 2. 18 19. and therefore we need to beware of them in the light and strength of God's grace 3. They are such also as are very forward impudent and diligent in promoting their evil design they will enter in amongst you saith the Apostle ver 29. they come unto you saith our Saviour Mat. 7. 15. So 2 Joh. 10. their feet abide not in their hou●e but now they are without now in the streets and lye in wait at every corner to call passengers who go right on their wayes Prov. 7. 8 12. 9. 13 16. They sleep not except they have done mischief and their sleep is taken away unless they cause some to fall they compass Sea and La●d to make a proselyte as our Saviour saith of the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 23. 15. they watch for all opportunities that with good words and fair speeches they may deceive the hearts of the simple Rom. 16. 18. who believe every word Prov. 14. 15. and trouble and unsettle believers and if they can but find C●rist's servants asleep the enemy then will have a fit season to sow his tares Mat. 13. 25 this is the day they look for and through their importunity and watchfulness to beguil others they do much mischief Needful● herefore also it is to betake our selves to God and the word of his grace and watch thereto and therein that we may not be turned aside by them 4. Yea they are very reserved and subtil of heart Prov. 7. 10. and use a great