Selected quad for the lemma: father_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
father_n	husband_n	mother_n	sister_n	13,459	5	11.1008	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02260	The happines of enjoying, and making a true and speedie use of Christ Setting forth, first, the fulnesse of Christ. Secondly, the danger of neglecting Christ, and the opportunity of grace. Thirdly, the Lord Jesus the soules last refuge. Whereunto is added, St. Pauls legacie, or farewell to the men of Corinth. By Alexander Grosse B.D. Minister of the Gospel, and pastour of Bridford.	Grosse, Alexander, 1596?-1654.	1640 (1640)	STC 12395; ESTC S103450	151,344	397

The nearer man comes to Christ the more hee enjoyes of Christ the sweeter and stronger is his peace The more man is estranged from Christ the further hee is from true peace 10. A discontented man a man unsatisfied all fulnesse is in Christ the world cannot fill the soule that is not filled with Christ the soule that feeds not on Christ but on the world like Pharaohs d Gen. 41. leane Kine that fed upon the fat eate them all up and yet were still leane and ill-favoured so this after long feeding upon all the fat of the world yet as hungry and greedy as ever the more hee eates the more hee hungers hee is ever discontented nothing long pleaseth him nothing fully answeres him the eye that doth not see Christ is never c Eccl. 1.8 satisfied with seeing the eare that doth not heare Christ is never satisfied with hearing the palate which doth not relish Christ is never satisfied with tasting nothing is sweet and full without Christ as Augustine sometime having read Cicero's workes commended them for their eloquence but passed this sentence upon them Dulces non sunt quia nomen Jesus non est in illis they are not sweet because the name of Jesus is not in them Without Christ the bed is a bed of thornes the bread is full of gravell the cup is full of gall nothing filleth nothing satisfieth but every thing vexeth displeaseth leaveth a sting behind it and the heart like the horse-leeches daughter ever cries f Prov. 30.15 Give give and never can have enough And here is the misery of man without Christ the folly of man that will not come to Christ without whom hee must starve g Luk. 15. as the prodigall without his Fathers house without whom hee must abide robd of all his spirituals and wounded h Luk. 10. and halfe dead in his naturals like him that lay robd and halfe dead between Iericho and Ierusalem before the Samaritan came and cured him without whom he must continue besieged assaulted vexed with temptations feares troubles distractions as Gibeon i Ios 10.6 with the Amoritish Princes before Iosua came and removed them without whom they must needs perish as the old world that came not to the Arke It is mans greatest folly and madnesse to estrange himselfe from Christ Jesus CHAP. VII Shewing how Christ is to bee valued and esteemed above all IS all divine and heavenly fulnesse in Christ then let us value and esteeme Christ above all things are usually valued and prized according to their fulnesse the Sunne for his fulnesse of light is prized above all other lights the Apple-tree for his fulnesse of fruit is esteemed above all the trees of the wood the Pearle for his fulnesse of pretious substance is valued above all other metall The fulnesse of Christ is the most eminent transcendent and superlative fulnesse a fulnesse surpassing the fulnesse of all Men and Angels him therefore wee should prize above all others as the King above the Subjects as the Master above the Servants as the Sunne above the Candles as the Fountaine above the Bottle As the people esteemed David above themselves saying Thou art k 2 Sam. 18.3 worth ten thousand of us so should we esteeme Christ worth all the ten thousands of the earth whether riches honours pleasures or whatsoever else As the women said of Ruth to Naomi l Ruth 4.15 that she loved her was better to her then seven sons so should Christ who loveth us bee better to us then seven sonnes of more esteeme with us then all sonnes and daughters then all fathers and mothers then all wives and husbands then all friends and acquaintance then all the dearest and choycest possessions unlesse wee thus value him wee cannot bee his Disciples we discerne him not aright wee learne him not as the truth is in him m Luke 14.26 If any man come to mee saith Christ and hate not his father and mother and wife and children brethren and sisters yea and his owne life also hee cannot bee my Disciple Hee that doth not esteeme mee above all friends above all possessions above himselfe and his very life hee cannot bee my Disciple he cannot learne my will he can have no communion with mee no interest in mee Gods people have n Mat. 9.9 valued him above their profit above their friends above their ease their credit and their lives Matthew left the receipt of custome Mat. 4.22 Rev. 12.11 Iames Iohn their ship their nets their father followed him and many for his sake loved not their lives unto the death Nothing should be so deare and pretious to us as the Lord Jesus 1. Christ valued above all in our knowledge Him let us value in our knowledge above all Art and Learning As the light of the Sun is sweet unto the eye and the eye esteems it above all other light so let the light of Christ the knowledge of Christ be most pleasant and of choycest esteeme with us him let us o Ephes 4.22 study and learne as the truth by whom we must bee guided as the way in which wee must walk as the life by whom we must live In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisedome Col. 2.3 Among wise men he is the choysest that knows most of Christ Iesus There is no fulnesse no divine excellencie in that mans knowledge that knowes not Christ 2. 2. In our choyce Him let us prize above all in our choyce him let us select and take out unto our selves among all the creatures As a woman among many men selects and singles out one to bee her husband on whom she sets her love to whom shee intends to give herselfe whom shee purposes to make the guide of her youth and the stay of her old age with whom shee intends perpetuall consulship thus must wee in our choyce assume unto our selves Christ as the husband of our soules as the guide of our youth as the staffe of our age as the most sweet and everlasting companion of our soules Pharaoh finding p Gen. 39. that such wisedome and the Spirit of God was not so in any man as in Ioseph chose him out among all the residue and set him over all his land Man discerning that wisedome and the Spirit of God are neither in Man nor Angell as they are in Christ must chuse Christ and set Christ over all as a King to command as a Counsellour to guide as a Friend to comfort as a Pearle to enrich It is mans wisedome to take Christ whatsoever hee lose hee that chuseth Christ shall never have cause to repent his choyce With Mary q Luk. 10.40 then let us chuse Christ as being the best part 3. In our love 3. Him let us prize in our love as the wife prizeth the husband in her love above other persons the rich man his jewell above other substance let us love

Saint Paul to Titus hath appeared teaching men to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously c Acts 26.16 and go●●●● in this present evill world And 〈…〉 Christ to Paul have appeared 〈…〉 ●●is purpose to make thee a Mi●●ster 〈◊〉 witnesse both of these things which thou hast seene and of those things in the which I will appeare unto thee delivering thee from the people and from the Gentiles unto whom now I send thee to open their eyes and to turne them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God In regard of Gods expectation The husband-man after the long manuring of the field lookes for fruit from the field Who is the d Mat. 21. housholder in the parable that planted a vineyard but the Lord What is the vineyard but the Church and what are the vines but the several mēbers of the Church Who are the servants but the Ministers whom God sends to dresse his vineyard what is the fruit which God there expects but knowledge faith repentance the fruit of his Ministers labours in the soules of his servants The shepheard lookes for increase from the flocke which he watcheth feedeth conducteth and defendeth the husband lookes for children from the wife whom he espouseth the fruit of his wedlocke and God the husband and shepheard of our soules lookes for fruit from us over whom by his Ministers hee watcheth whom by their labours he feedeth conducteth and defendeth and espouseth to himselfe The Teacher expecteth learning from his scholer and herein saith Christ is my Father glorified e Joh. 15.8 that ye beare much fruit so shall ye be my Disciples In regard of honouring and glorifying the Word and Ministers thereof The fruitfulnesse of the field is the glory of the seed sowne in it and of the husband-man which sowed it f Psa 128.3 the wife which is as the vine by the sides of the house and the children standing like Olive plants round about the Table are the glory of the house and husband g Psal 127.5 happy is he that hath his quiver full of them sayth the Psalmist he shall not be ashamed The fruitfulnesse of the people when the Congregation is full of spirituall fruit like a vine growing by the house side and the severall members thereof fat and flourishing in grace like Olive plants then the Word is glorified then the Minister is honoured happy is that Messenger of God that hath his quiver the house of his Ministery full of them It is sayd of the Gentiles h Acts 13.48 that they heard and glorified the Word of God and as many as were ordained unto life beleeved They glorified the word of God by acknowledging the truth of it by beleeving the promises of salvation proposed in it by submitting themselves to the power and authoritie of it by walking answerably to it Mans obedience is the glory of Gods ordinance the fruitfulnesse of the hearers is the crowne of Gods Messengers In regard of peace and consolation to their owne soules The good effects of Physicke make the patient joyfull the fructification of the word in the heart of man makes the soule of man comfortable When the Gospel commeth not in i 1 Thess 1.5 word onely but in power also in power in lightning in power converting and changing the heart of man working and perfecting grace in the inward man then the soule of man is filled with joy in the holy Ghost then the Word is the joy and rejoycing of the heart then the k Isai 5.7.19 fruit of the lippe is peace spirituall inward universall plentifull and perpetuall peace peace with God peace with man peace with the conscience a paradise of heavenly comforts a river of peace which no humane understanding can fathome And therefore it must bee the care of men to see that they grow to much spirituall perfection after the Ministers long and frequent preaching This therefore reproveth such as after the long and frequent preaching of the Gospel continue barren and unfruitfull Use like the grounds about l 2 King 2.19 Iericho which were not made fertile but rather barren by the waters which did flow upon them to whom the waters drawne out of the wells of salvation are as waters powred upon the rocke which bringeth forth no fruit from whom the sounding of the trumpet of the Gospel and the constant cry of Gods watchmen like the m 1 King 18 26. call and cry of Baals worshippers from the morning to the evening upon Baal hath no voyce nor answer of faith in Gods promises of obedience to Gods precepts nor of godly sorrow for mens transgressions ministring matter of complaint to God provoking the site of Gods indignation against their soules I n Isa 64.2 have spred out my hands all the day long saith the Lord unto a rebellious people which walketh in a way that is not good after their owne thoughts a people that provoketh me to anger continually 〈…〉 face ministring cause of great complaint to Gods Messengers causing them to say with the Prophet Esay o Isa 53.1 Who hath beleeved our report and to whom hath the arme of the Lord been revealed to mourne wish with Jeremy O p Jer. 9.1 that my head were waters and mine eyes a fountaine of teares that I might weepe day and night for the slaine of the daughter of my people O that I had in the wildernesse a lodging of way-faring men that I might leave my people and goe from them for they are all adulterers an assembly of treacherous men Great is the griefe arising in the soules of Gods Ministers when men continue barren under their labours And when men thrive not ascend not to perfection in grace by the care industry of Gods watch-men they lose that q Pro. 2.10 knowledge the presence whereof is more pleasant then the sun that r 1 Pet. 1.6 faith the enioyment whereof is more pretious then all gold that peace which is more comfortable and delightfull then any paradise then the garden of Eden it self and that communion with God in cōparison wherof the sweetest communion with men is but an exilement continuing their soules under the dominion of sin which is more loathsome full of torment then any sicknes under that bondage of Satan which is infinitely worse then captivity under any mortall tyrant provoking God at length to leave them and making their last account for all the Sermons which they have heard most dreadfull and most uncomfortable Therefore let it bee our care after the long and frequent preaching of the Gospel after the due and faithfull discharge of the Ministers dutie towards us to discharge our dutie also towards God the Lord hath caused the Starre of his Gospel a long time to shine amongst you and hath made the dew of his doctrine to drop for divers years upon you he hath shewed you his statutes and

give you comfort God will comfort you as a King his subjects dispensing all for your good by his gracious providence as a Father his Children by making all provision for you Christ shall comfort you as a friend by his presence as a Bridegroome by his love The Spirit shall comfort you as a witnesse by his evidence The Word shall comfort you as a Light guiding as a Feast feeding you The Minister shall comfort you as an Interpreter an Angell of God one of a thousand bringing the tidings of peace to you The Creature shall comfort y●● 〈…〉 ●●●vant ministring all his 〈◊〉 to 〈…〉 Servants of God shall comsort y●u as ●●mpanions with you Your Conscience shall comfort you as a blessed Inmate dwelling under the same roofe with you as a chaste and loving wife that lodgeth in your bosome day and night You shall have comfort and be of one minde The third Legacie bequeathed by Saint Paul to the Corinthians a Legacie of consent and unanimitie in matter of doctrine religion study and practice of all godlinesse Teaching ●s that ●●ere must be unanimitie and consent between Gods children Doct. in matter of Doctrine and Religion All that builded Noahs Arke builded by one paterne all Israel travelled to the land of Canaan by the light of one fiery Pillar all the passengers in a ship row by one Compasse all that intend to build themselves a spirituall house to God must build by one Rule of Gods word all that will travell to the Heavenly Canaa● must make one Word of God the lig●●●f them feet and the lanterne of thei● 〈◊〉 to guide ●hem all that will come to the ●●●en of e●●●nall peace must have one testimony of the Lord to direct them Let us walke saith the Apostle by the o Phil. 3.16 same rule let us minde the same thing And againe Bee p Phil. 2.2 yee of one accord and of one minde Wee have one spirituall and heavenly King and must observe one Law we have one God and must worship by one Rule we have one Shepheard and must be commanded by one voyce we have one head and must follow one direction Hee that dissents from true doctrine makes his religion an abomination hee that rends himselfe from the Church of Christ in Christs worship and service here will bee rent from Christ and the Church for ever hereafter As wee therefore are members of one body and Schollers in one Schoole let us learne one lesson follow one guide that wee may know aright beleeve aright walke aright and preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace living both with God and amongst our selves in a sweet and blessed peace The fourth Legacie which S. Paul here bequeatheth a Legacie of mutuall unitie peace and concord betweene themselves thereby teaching us that Doct. There must bee a mutuall sweet an entire peace and affection between Gods people As there was a concord between the stones in Solomons Temple they were so fitted and disposed that there was no noyse heard in the building thereof such a sweet conjunction of affections should there bee betweene the people of God that no noyse no clamour nor cries should bee heard among them Peace is a jewell which wee are charged to seeke q Psa 34.14 Seeke peace and ensue it saith the Psalmist r 1 Thes 5.14 Bee at peace amongst your selves and ſ Heb. 13.1 let brotherly love continue saith the Apostle This is an honour crowne and t Col. 3.12 ornament unto man as the garment to the body as the flower to the garden This is a necessarie u 1 Cor. 16.14 ingredient in all our services a salt seasoning all our actions This sweetens all our possessions and all our afflictions as the w Exod. 15.25 tree sweetned the waters of Marah Without this the fulnesse of the world is uncomfortable with this the greatest affliction is made very tolerable this qualifies and fits us for Communion with God as communion with the children prepares a man for communion with the parent Remember then your God is the God of peace your Jesus the Prince of peace your Gospel the Gospel of peace your calling the calling of peace your way the way of peace And therefore so live in peace that the God of love and peace may bee with you The fifth and last Legacie here bequeathed Sweet and gracious communion with God whom hee stiles The God of Love Peace because hee is the Authour and fountaine of love and peace Hee desires and promiseth their communion with God as a thing wherein consisted their supreme and choycest good For Doct. Sweet and comfortable communion with God is mans choycest good Wherein stands the happinesse of a childe but in communion with his father x 2 Sam. 14.32 Absoloms life was but a burthen when hee might not see his fathers face Wherein stands the comfort of a wife but in communion with her husband And wherein consists the happinesse and comfort of the soule of man but in having fellowship and communion with God his heavenly Father and Husband For this the soules of Gods people have most vehemently longed this they have most highly prized in the fruition of this they have pronounced themselves most blessed and for this have Christs Apostles prayed in the behalfe of others as for that gift and blessing which of all others is most desirable O therefore humble your soules remove your sinnes returne to God speedily fully unchangeably attend his ordinances beleeve his promises walke in the wayes of his commandements grow up in Christ Jesus and you shall have that communion with God which shall encourage you against all feares comfort you in the midst of all sorrowes sustain you in all distresses satisfie you in the absence of all abilities and bee an abundant recompence for all losses and an inchoation of that eternity of communion which you shall have for ever with God in heaven And now Brethren the starre of my Ministery is here set and the candle of my labours is gone out no more to be lighted as I conceive in this place I am now no more no longer a Watchman to admonish you a Guide to conduct you or a Shepheard to feed you the God that sent mee and set mee here amongst you hath now againe called me from you and placed another over you to be I trust an instrument of greater good then I have been unto you Of my selfe Brethren I can say nothing but as sometime Gideon said of himselfe y Iudg. 6.15 My thousand is the meanest in Manasseh and I am the least in my fathers house So may I say My talent is of many the meanest and I am the least the weakest and unworthiest of many thousand Ministers in God my Fathers house I am but a woodden vessell the treasure is the Lords I am but as a worme no man I am nothing it is the Lord hath done all that little good