Selected quad for the lemma: faith_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
faith_n	good_a	grace_n	work_n	26,946	5	6.0728	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86326	The life and death of David. A sermon preached at the funeralls of that worthy member of the Honourable House of Commons, William Strode Esquire, in the Abbey Church in Westminster, Septemb. 22⁰. 1645. / By Gaspar Hickes, a member of the Assembly of Divines.	Hickes, Gaspar, 1605-1677.	1645 (1645)	Wing H1839; Thomason E302_16; ESTC R200280	18,801	32

nature prompts to me a method fit to be followed in handling my text David served and died and needfull it is that I first endeavour to teach and to learn how to live before death come I shall therefore now terminate or stint my speech to the godly mans course David served his own generation by the will of God Wherein I might point out unto you these things considerable 1. The person David 2. His imployment he served 3. The object on which he bestowed his pains his own generation 4. The moving and ordering cause the will of God David a man whom the Lord found out and framed after his own heart such a one as he would have him whom he advanced by speciall grace in a wonderfull way to be the ruler of his people he served not himselfe in an exorbitant arbitrary domineering way of government but others by seeking their good and promoting their well fare in all respects and he served his own generation those to whom he was bound in relation who stood within his compasse and that to the utmost extent of his time and abilities and all this he did by the will of God which I take here to signifie not so much Gods injoyning or prescribing will which is indeed the rule of all our obedience and service as his determining disposing will the word here used is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some will translate Gods counsell by which all our good works and gracious passages are fore-ordained the measure of our time and strength dispensed and bounded The summe of all may be laid together in such a doctrinall observation as this Doct Doct. It is the integrity the honour the happinesse of the godly by the gracious disposing and working of God to be made truly serviceable to them with whom they have converse and communion Or thus A godly man is a serviceable a usefull a profitable man David a potent nad prosperous Monarch that had the necks of his enemies under his feet and the hearts of his people at his beck hath this left uopn record as a most honourable memoriall that he served them whom he ruled By a speciall choice a clear call he was taken from the sheep-folds from following the ewes great with young from the low and laborious imployment of a shepherd to royall dignity his advancement did not exempt him from his pains but only altered the object of them before he fed and watched and attended sheep and now he must do the like for men Psal 78 79. 71 7. and so he did with integrity of heart and skilfullnesse of hands the more sublime and noble the imployment is the greater care and industry dexterity and parts are requisite for the managing of it The most eminent Saints whether in respect of function or graces have the highest and hardest taskes to accomplish Paul more then once pleads the warrant of his call 2 Cor. 15.10 1 11 13. and the uprightnesse of his course to and in his Apostleship from the abundance and successe of his labours And the meanest Christian if sound hath the honour and fitnesse to be in some way and measure profitable to the body It is a duty of generall concernment Gal. 5.13 of indispensable necessity on all of us that partake of the same precious faith and are called to the liberty of Christ to serve one another in love Reas Reas 1. In must needs be so if we consder the relation or necessitude between Saints They are children of the same parentage brethren of the same descent members of the same body fellow-citizens of the same corporation they are animated by the same principles walke by the same rule minde the same end and though they are endowed with divers and different gifts placed in severall rankes 1 Cor. 12.1 5 7 8. yet is it the same spirit the same Lord the same God which worketh all in all and therefore is the manifestation of the Spirit given to every one to profit withall the exhibition of all spirituall sufficiencies is for mutuall helpfullnesse Spirituall relations are more noble and strong then those that are naturall they are more near more ingaging and endearing Lumbard When the Master of the Schoolmen had discoursed largely and acutely of the mutuall love between the Father and Christ he concludes all with a confession Se non possed serte explicare that it passed his skill to enucleate the mystery So do you turn your bowels within you dive to the depth of your affections weigh the measures and feel the tendernesse of your respects to the wife of your bosome the childrin of your loines the friend that is to you as your own soul and if there be no more but nature in them they are but shadows or glaunces in comparison of gracious affections those blessed bonds are pure in their root and fruit vigorous in their activity necessary and indissoluble in their continuance hearty in their whole frame and drift being truly spiritualized there are angelicall wings and wheels added to heighten and accelerate their motions therefore they beget tender care strong endeavours for the good of the them with whom they close 2. The truth will be clear if we notice the qualification or aptitude of Saints for mutuall serviceablenesse All graces are precious and usefull they have their full task in doing good The Apostle magnifies the worke of faith 1 Thes 1 4. the labour of love the patience of hope in the Thessalonians True grace cannot be idle or inactive When the Holy Ghost after the assension of Christ was plentifully poured down on beleevers there was an apparition of cloven tongues as of fire sitting upon each of them Acts 2.3 The tongue is the member of communication fire is apt to dilate and disperse it selfe so farre as it can reach combustibles and the clovennesse of these tongues denotes not only the variety and fullnesse of graces and sufficiencies issuing from our glorified head but their aptnesse also to communicate themselves The godly man is furnished with true and rich abilities and he is expensive of them willing to lay them out for the good of others 3. He is animated hereunto by Gods acceptation Service done to the meanest member of Christ is interpretatively done to Christ himselfe so is he pleased to value it God is not unrighteous to forget your worke and labour of love Mit. 25.45 which ye have shewed to his Name in that ye have ministred to the Saints Heb. 6.10 and do minister Gods justice his faithfullnesse is here ingaged to remember and remunerate all good offices performed in sincerity to his Saints and that because of his own interesses he accounts all expressed and done to his own Name You see the godly have dear and binding respects usefull abilities effectuall incouragements to make them helpefull and serviceable each to other therefore the truth of the doctrine is clear and