Selected quad for the lemma: faith_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
faith_n	love_n	work_n	work_v	17,615	5	7.6349	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A25217	A sermon preach'd to the Societies for Reformation of Manners in the cities of London and Westminster at Salters-Hall, Aug 15, 1698 preached and published at the desire of the said Societies / by Vincent Alsop.	Alsop, Vincent, 1629 or 30-1703.	1698 (1698)	Wing A2920; ESTC R27105	22,053	66

these accounts 1. God is angry with his Servants when they refuse to go when he calls and sends them and yet sometimes he seems angry too though they do go at his call and sending If at least we may judge him angry by Interpretation and Construction when he succeds them not in the thing he sends them about Exod. 4. God calls and sends Moses to bring Israel out of Aegypt Moses whether from a sense of his own unmeetness for the Work or apprehension of the Danger of the Service makes many excuses one while he pleads his own Insufficiency another time that there was some other Person better qualified for the Work And though God refutes all his Objections yet still he is loath to engage till v. 14. the anger of the Lord was kindled against him Well! At last he Addresses himself couragiously to the Service and yet v. 24. It came to pass by the way in the Inn the Lord met him and sought to kill him Mysterious Providence The Lord is angry when his Servant would not go and God is more angry when he goes But let us know that God will have his own work done in his own way Moses is sent upon an Errand of Reforming others but Moses must first Reform his own Family Could he be a meet Person to bring Israel into Covenant when his own Children were out of Covenant Let it give a serious Caution to all of us The Lord will be sanctified in all that draw nigh unto him Levit. 10.3 And if he be not sanctified in our hearts he will be glorified upon the Heads 2. It 's a mysterious Providence that God should reward his Servants for their work when he denys them success in it Isa. 49.4 Then I said I have laboured in vain and spent my strength for nought and in vain yet surely my judgment is with the Lord and my Work with my God Here are two things that may bear up the Spirtis of God's Servants in undertaking and prosecuting his Work whatever the success be 1. Their Iudgment is with the Lord. Man shall not be their Judge and their God will judge them not by the success of their Labours but the integrity of their hearts in undertaking and prosecuting it 2. Their Work is with their God That Labour of Love That Work of Faith wherein they have laid out themselves is with God it lies before him is laid up with him it shall not be lost it s gone before them to the Throne it shall follow after them to Judgment it shall meet them in the day of recompence And this is their great encouragement to be stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the Work of the Lord knowing that their labour shall not be in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15.58 III. I am now come to the Third and and Last Inquiry What may be further done if any thing may yet be done when inveterate Corruptions universal Degeneracy seems to have made the Evils incurable And this has brought me to The APPLICATION Brethren I address my self to you whom our gracious God in Mercy to a Sinful Nation has raised up and distinguisht by a Spirit of Holy Zeal to appear against and give some check to the daring Spirit of Profaneness which has over-spread the Land Iniquity is come in like a flood and God has lifted up a Standard against it Isa. 59.19 We see you labouring against great oppositions and under great discouragements from those Oppositions and you may justly complain with the Prophet Ier. 6.28 29. They are grievous Revolters walking with Slaunders they are Brass and Iron they are all corrupters the Bellows are burnt the Lead is consumed of the Fire the Founder melteth in vain for the Wicked are not plucked a way Now as I pray that God would strengthen your hearts so I will endeavour to strengthen your hands and for this great end do exhort you 1. To look inwards to your own Hearts 2. To look up towards your Faithful God 3. To look outwards to your Discouragements 4. To look upwards again to the Divine Encouragements I. Let me intreat you to look into your own hearts and when you have narrowly made a Scrutiny there and found all right within or set that right which was wrong you may more comfortably look upwards to your God and more couragiously outwards upon all the Oppositions and Discouragements you shall meet with in your Blessed Work from this wretched World §. 1 Look inwards narrowly search your Hearts severely whether they be right with God and for God that is whether the Honour of God be the great commanding end which governs you in this great Undertaking VVhether this be the main Spring the first wheel that gives motion to all your Actions Tho' a good end will not justify an evil Actions yet an evil End will pollute and spoil a good one The best Heart like the best VVatch has need to be often set right and besure you set 'em both right by the Sun and not by the example of other Mens Dials And tho' I hope you did once set them true when you entered upon this good Work yet examine them whether they have not gone wrong in the prosecution of it The heart of Man is an intricate Labyrinth and without the Clew of Divine Directions we may easily lose ourselves lose our way lose our God and the works that we have wrought in the many windings and turnings the secret recesses that are in it When therefore you have searched your selves while you are searching and before you search lift up David's Prayer Ps. 139.23 24. Search me O God and know my heart try me know my thoughts and see if there be any evil way in me and lead me in the Way that is everlasting § 2. Look again inwards and examine your selves strictly whether in subordination to the glory of God you desire design and pursue in this good Work the Prosperity and flourishing Estate of your Native Country It was the glory of Nehemiah though it was to the Regret of his malignant Enemies That there was a man come a man to seek the Welfare of the Children of Israel Nehem. 2.10 Do you proceed upon this generous Principle Knowing that Righteoosness exalteth a Nation but Sin is a shame to any People Prov. 14.34 Righteousness infuses Courage and Gallantry into a People but Debauchery makes 'em Cowards Effeminates Enervales Dispirits them A good Conscience is the best shield for a great Confidence Prov. 24.1 The Wicked flee when none pursueth but the Righteous are bold as a lion And though the Spirit of Wine may inspire some Men with a huffing hectoring a blaspheming Valour yet these Debauchers that dare God to his face will turn their backs upon an armed Man Holiness renders a People truly Honourable but Profaneness stains and tarnishes all their Glory renders them despicable in the eyes of judicious Persons Deut. 4.7 What People is there so great who hath God so nigh