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	sister_n	wife_n	16,299	5	9.4514	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A79993	The sect every where spoken against or, the reproached doctrine of Ely. As it was held forth in several sermons in the year, MDCLI. By Christopher Cob, lay-man, minister of an united people in Ely. Collected and analized for a private use, by Hampden Reeve, Master of Arts, one of that Society, and a constant hearer. Now published by the assent of the whole Society (as a short character, at present, of them and their way, till an opportunity of a farther and fuller discovery) for satisfaction in general.	Cob, Christopher.; Reeve, Hampden.	1651 (1651)	Wing C4769; Thomason E1251_1; ESTC R209173	234,596	386

this time were not those eternal thoughts of God and that setled Will concerning you discovered to me But now I come to open What this Will of God is And I told you there were two branches of it 1. That a People were given to Christ by this Will of God All that the Father hath given me saith Christ Now there is a threefold giving of a people to Christ 1. He gives Him a people as his children to be nursed and tendred by him and so He speaks to his Disciples several times calling them children Children have you understood these things c. They were but in the condition and state of children though they were men And here God puts Christ in the place of it Mother and Nurse to bring up those that are thus given Him 1. A Mother receives a seed from her Husband which is to be molded and formed and grow up in the womb till it be a perfect child such a seed is given to Christ to warm and cherish till it grow up to the minde of God and have the true proportions of a child and be like its Father And therefore it is said The Promise is sure to all the seed And again A seed shall serve Him it shall be to the Lord for a generation 2. A Mother nurses up her Children when they are born she feeds and tends and oversees them till they are grown up to live of themselves And thus are a People given to Truth that it may nourish and care for and deal tenderly and lead them on till they grow up to be strong men in the Truth How doth a Mother bear and go through all with her child all its frowardness and crossness she takes it up willingly So this Love of Truth to its children it is not easily provoked it is not soon moved but endures all things and waies and hopes all things It spares from it self to give to its children such a Nurse is Truth so tender and careful I have been as a nurse amongst you saith Paul If you perceive not this dealing of Truth towards you it is all but as a Riddle If you are not seeing how tenderly and patiently you have been dealt with all along from your Cradles nothing hard and unbearable hath ever been put upon you but some issue hath been made for deliverance You have been given into the care and nursery of Truth to look after and provide for you nothing more is put upon you but open thy mouth wide and I will fill it c. There hath been one with you to care for you when you have slept and slighted and not considered the day of your visitation You have little considered what it hath cost to enjoy the brests that you may suck at dayly what a living Ministry you are entrusted with and yet waits upon you It reaches all that come neer it none that have come amongst us have gone hence without the power of this Truth convincing and making them acknowledg that of a truth God is amongst us 2. God gives Christ a people as his Brethren when they are grown up to that state as He calls the Church My Sister my Spouse And in being thus given to Christ He manifests these three Things to the Soul 1. He opens that it is of the same stock and kindred with Himself as it is said At the second time Joseph was made known to his Brethren Now that the Soul of man and the Word of Life should be so nigh related as a Brother and Sister this is wonderful It is too high to be exprest by me in words or for you to conceive of But yet there is a generation a people that shall justifie this wisdom that shall know this portion is befallen them That they are of the same stock with the Lord Jesus the Word of Life That they are born from above I am not of this world and these are not of this world saith Christ They are of one World and one Kingdom and one Country Therefore he says My sheep hear my voyce and the voyce of a stranger they will not hear they know not the voyce of strangers They are not of that Country nor language and so can understand no other language but the Word of Life This is opened to the Soul when it is thus given over to Christ as a Sister one of the same stock born from the same Love as it is in Jeremy I have loved thee of old with an everlasting love c. 2. Christ opens to the Soul when it is thus given to him the Priviledges it is to have with Him That it is born to the same inheritance and portion that He himself hath and without this what is all preaching to you if this portion be not made known as belonging to you And none can read this seven-sealed Book but the Word of Life unless He read thy portion to thee thou canst never know it unless He witness to thy Soul as He did to his Disciples The Father Himself loveth you And if he ever open this to you it must be when you are grown up to this stature to be given him as a Sister as Brethren For whilest Children and Babes you have not understanding you are not capable to know it though it be never so often told you O Lord That you were at a strait to have this opened For your lives will ever hang in doubt till this portion shall stablish and settle and put you out of all fears 3. Hence this follows and is opened to the Soul That it is now liable to be marryed to Christ and become his Wife It was a true Type among the people of Israel they were not to marry out of their own stock and kindred All strange wives were forbidden So Christ marries not out of his own line out of his own stock He cannot joyn to the stock of the Devil But such as are his Sister born of one Father sprang from one Love they may become a Wife for Him Those two links are joyned together in the Canticles My Sister my Spouse but if no Sister first it is impossible to be his Spouse I have told you often gold and sand cannot be run together into one lump and it will surely grow up more manifest that all relations what ever will dye and come to nothing where Truth lives in one party if nothing of the same kinde appears to maintain the tye in the other A Husband a Wife a Child all these relations will dye c. if there be not a surer bond to hold fast for ever 3. God gives a people to Christ as a spouse a wife given into his bosom And here two things come in 1. Serviceableness and subjection to the Husband That was the Law given at the Creation Thy Desire shall be subject to thy Husband and He shall rule over thee Christ will now rule and expects to be obeyed He puts the Soul upon service now it must no

more be its own now at its own hand and disposing The Wife must not please her self but her Husband If ever you come to be Christs Wife you must do something for him Do you look always to live as children to be nursed and tendred and fed and never to do some service for the Truth c. And then 2. If you come to be a Wife to Christ it will be expected you should be fruitful to bring forth children to keep the name of Truth alive after you Will you onely leave a stone behinde you like Absalom to keep up your names Shall it be said of you Here a stony heart lies that dyed without any service done for the Truth He hath left no children behind to speak for him Would you be content to dye in this condition and thus dye you must if you never come to be marryed to Christ you can have no true children without a Husband if you be not given by God into his bosom as his Wife And thus I have opened to you one branch of this Will of the Father in giving a people to his Son Christ and that in a threefold relation 1. In the relation of Children 2. In the relation of a Sister 3. In the relation of a Wife Which are but several steps and degrees according as the growing up of the Truth is c. 2. Another branch of this Will of God is That Christ should lose none of those that are thus given Him And this is the happy thing to be given of God to Christ in any relation If but His in the lowest station if but as children or if higher given him as a Sister though not yet a Spouse yet this is the Happiness That this is the Will of the Father that of all that He hath given me saith Christ I should lose nothing If but His in the lowest degree the case is happy And therefore this is the great and weighty matter to be known as the ground of all Would you know what shall become of you would you know whether you shall be lost or not Why are you given to Christ into his charge and care do you know that Are you his children in the lowest degree His Else if you are not children then you can be no heirs you have no right nor portion with Him and if you be children it will appear the Truth will be stirring towards you nursing and serving and ministring to the Soul dealing gently and tenderly as a Nurse or a Mother that you may not be lost c. About this two things were considered 1. What it is to be lost 2. How comes it that All are not lost since all are Prodigals and wander like the lost sheep why not all lost 1. What is it to be lost It hath these several things in it 1. To be lost is not to be of that stock and kindred which the Lord Christ is sent to gather The great and main thing which is the cause of perishing is the being left to a mans self That is enough to undo a man Thy destruction is of thy self O Israel Men are already sure enough in Hell and destruction if there be not a recovery were but the sense of the thing upon them The carnal minde is enmity to God and is not subject neither can be to his Will And now to be but left here not to be sav'd out ans pluck'd out of the fire this is to be lost not to be of that number not to be that lost sheep which Christ seeks up as he says Ye are not of my sheep And when some plead Oh open we have eat and drunk in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets yet He answers I know you not you are none of my sheep the Father gave me no charge over you to seek and gather you and therefore Depart from me This is to be lost 2. To be lost is to have the Gospel hid If our Gospel be hid saith the Apostle it is hid to them that are lost in whom the God of this world hath blinded their eyes c. That is a token of a lost condition when the Soul is blinded that there is neither a knowing of the Mercy nor a knowing of the Judgment I will sing of mercy and of judgment saith David Many they get up Gospel-words and speak of Mercy but they know it not They can live loosely and vainly and carnally and as they lift But the Gospel is for Judgment as well as Mercy That sends a sword The Word of the Lord is quick and lively more piercing then a two-edged sword It cuts and divides and squares and orders And if either of these be hid either the Mercy or the Judgment if this Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost 3. To be lost is to be given up to beleeve a lye to be setled down to deceit that nothing of Truth can seize or enter Charm the Charmer never so wisely yet the Ear is stopt I 'l hold my hold says the heart there is such a secret resolvedness in the Soul when it is given up to beleeve a lye And this is to be lost to be left here to feed on ashes on any thing that is short of a sure condition That which will not endure the fire nor stand in the day of Tryal though it may carry never so fair a shew before man If man may judg by his own wisdom of himself He is the bravest thing in the World so long as he may beleeve his own thoughts and feed on a lye But if Truth comes indeed to search and judg him then he will be found the basest thing in the World the most vile and wretched 4. To be lost is to be given up to an evil Eye to think much at the prospering of the Truth and grudg all that is done to and for it A Judas-like spirit that grudged the ointment should be spent upon Christ and thought it too good This evil Eye to grudg at anothers enjoyment this is a certain canker that will destroy us if we are not delivered It is a dangerous thing to take offence and dispute and reason against the Truth to speak evil of the things we know not And to be left to this evil Eye to grudg and think evil and turn Traytor to Truth is to be lost and undone 5. A fifth thing that makes to a lost condition is to be left out of the care and heart of the people of God to have none to look after the Soul nor minde it as the Curse is in the Psalms against Judas his children Let there be none to take care of his fatherless children let them be vagabonds and beg their bread And if there be not some to stand in the gap for you you are in a miserable case to be left without the prayers of the Lord Jesus in his people for you to be left out of the care and cries of that

in three Relations 1. As His Children and so Christ stands as a Mother 1. A Mother brings forth her Children out of her own Bowels 2. She nurses up her Children to perfection So Christ 2. A People are given to Christ as his Sister and hence three Priviledges spring up to them 1. That they are of the same stock and kindred with Christ 2. They have right to the same portion and priviledges 3. Hence they are liable to be Christs Wife He must not marry out of his own kindred 3. A People are given to Christ as his Wife In which two Things called for 1. Serviceableness the woman is to be subject to her Husband 2. Fruitfulness no children without a Husband and no name to live after us if not children in the Truth to keep it alive 2. Another Branch of the Will of the Father is That none of these that are thus given to Christ should be lost Where two Things considered 1. What it is to be lost Opened in these Particulars 1. To be lost is to be left out of that good-will of God 2. Not to be of that stock which the Lord Christ is sent to gather 3. To have the eyes blinded Our Gospel hid to them that are lost 4. To be given up to believe a Lye to feed on ashes 5. To have in evil eye and grudg all done to Truth as Judas 6. To be left without any to gather up or take the care of the Soul 7. To be left without restraint that wickedness may take its full course and grow to cursing and madness against God 2. Why are not all lost since all wander and turn Prodigals It comes from these Grounds 1. From this Will of God it is his Will to give Christ a People 2. They are nigh related to Christ He cannot see them lost 3. They must not be lost because Christ cannot be perfect without his Members He must have a Body c. The Vses were 1. Throughly to understand on what bottom Salvation stands 2. To enquire Do you know your Lot here Are you given to Christ 3. To comfort all drooping hearts that lie under sense of their misery as if quite lost No Christ is to lose none given to Him JOHN 6.38 39. For I came down from Heaven not to do mine own Will but the Will of Him that sent me c. I Am daily and continually minding you that you might understand the sure principles and ground of Things that you might know the Foundation and Cause whence all springs in those that are saved and those that are lost For whilest we are judging according to appearance and effects all is uncertain and doubtful till we come to be unmoveably principled into the Foundation of all how that stands For Things are not as man judgeth for it is not what man would if he would be saved and labours and struggles to press in alas that is not the thing It is not in him that wills nor in him that runs And then it is not what man would not if he stands out and opposes and would never come in yet if the word goes forth Go and compel them it must be done It stands upon the Will of God what He will what He hath ordered and appointed all must stoop to that Christ himself submits here I came not to do my own Will but the Will of Him that sent me c. Where consider I. Who this I spoke of is I came not c. This I is the Son of God the Mind of God the Heart and Will of the Father brought forth and this Mind of his He hath pleased to put into earthen vessels into his People in all days This Son of his it was that spake in his Prophets and opened the Counsel and Purposes of God to them that which was hidden and layd up in his own Bosom from the foundations of the world that is now made manifest by the appearance of Jesus Christ by this Bosom and Heart and Mind of his sent forth into his Prophets that opened and doth yet open what was before the world began and what shall be after that comes to an end This opens the deep things of God None knows the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son shall reveal him There can be no coming near to God no knowing no being like him unless this Son this Mind and Heart be sent out and opened and grow up in the Soul Alas the Deity in it self is too large and infinite for man to conceive of If ever you come to have apprehensions of the Godhead it will drink and swallow you up No man can see my face and live saith God to Moses therefore He hides him in the cleft of a Rock till his Glory pass before him Man is not able to come nigh that infinite Majesty and therefore He is pleased to send forth of Himself His own Heart and Mind His Son into his People As He was once sent out in the flesh of Christ our elder Brother so is He now to be sent into his People the same Mind of God to grow up by degrees and degrees as we are able to bear II. What is this Son of God this Mind of His sent out to do what comes it for I came not saith Christ to do my own Will but the Will of Him that sent me It is a strange Mystery if you know not somewhat of it in your selves That this Heart and Mind of God that comes forth from God and is God Himself that yet this Son must not do his own Will but the Will of the Father that the Truth and Christ Himself though his desires be just and good and right yet He must not have them unless his Father please His will must suffer and be cross'd and denyed therefore it is said He learn'd obedience by the things he suffered It is strange how God seems to contradict himself that his own Heart and Mind and Truth must yet be denyed and suffer and submit to do this Will of the Father though it be against it self so great and Lord-like and commanding is this Will of the Lord our God He doth saith David what ever pleaseth him both in Heaven and Earth What ever he will do that comes to pass If he bring some far on in the way to Life that they come even to the door yea into the very room yet if he will then turn them out and enquire Friend how camest thou hither without the wedding garment The man is speechless and must be turned out presently if He will not have mercy c. And on the other hand if a man run never so far from him with Jonah into the bottom of Hell that all seems utterly lost yet if he will recover and bring back from thence if He will have mercy nothing shall hinder so absolute uncontroulable and over-ruling is this Will of the great Lord without giving any account of his matters And hence

cleanse me from my blood guiltiness The Father is sensible how the Soul stands trembling therefore Make haste bring the best robe make haste to cover his nakedness saith the Father because our guilt is upon us How do we pull charging of sin upon our selves when God charges not and hide our sin when God would charge us but the best robe clears all it intimates the Father had others It 's said of Elkanah he gave portions to all his wives but to Hannah he gave a worthy portion because he loved her I have loved thee with an everlasting Love saith God therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee That where sin abounded Grace might superabound for yet in the worst day the Soul is made to say but my wisdom remained with me The Prodigal in the worst day retained his sonship still though when he returns he is made to confess the thing as it is But first he arises and that 's beyond all that howl upon their beds In their sickness-time and straits they will cry out Oh what a wretch am I but their iniquities are still upon their backs they arise not they dare not approach before God But the Prodigal though he comes bowing and blushing yet he comes knowing and hoping and he never says that word Father I have sinned but the Father saith presently Bring the best robe But 2. I told you this was considerable the Father saith And put a Ring on his hand Do you consider what Rings are used for They are not put on to strengthen the hands but to adorn them But what is the hand for It 's for work O prosper thou the work of our hands saith David Now what must the hand the work be adorned with There are these three ornaments for it 1. The Prodigal must be adorned with Skill as it 's said of David concerning Israel He fed them in the integrity of his heart and guided them with the skilfulness of his hand Psal 78.72 It has taught the Prodigal skill indeed he can say now as David Come ●y Brethren and I can tell you what God has done for my Soul how he delivered me and instructed me now I am made able to divide the word aright There 's great need of skill to know when to speak how to speak to what to speak for what purpose to speak either for edification or destruction All the while before he had no heart to pity strangers till he was fallen amongst thieves c. and now after his coming home he is able to instruct and teach others If there be a messenger one of a thousand to shew unto man his righteousness c. Now he has learnt expereince by his wandering But all the while we were in the house we were Novices we had learn'd no skill how to instruct others for we had learn'd none our selves But now the burnt child dreads the fire when we have run our rounds tryed what is in madness and folly it brings forth skill And who are fit to bring up a people in the wisdom and fear of the Lord but such as have gone down to the deeps as Joseph did First he had been proved and tryed himself he was separated from his brethren as Christ said of Peter Satan hath desired to sift thee and he shall c. but when thou art converted then strengthen thy brethren But 2. The second thing the hand is to be adorned with is Diligence being now once brought from his prodigality he will redeem the time and be more watchful and diligent then ever Be you vigilant for your Enemy the Devil goes about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour It 's an ornament to the work when it goes on with diligence not sleepingly we say of such a man sure the work is never like to come to perfection The Lord expects a diligent hand in all your services and that beautifies the work but to beautifie a slothful hand is like to the putting a Ring in a swines snout He will not reward the slothful hand but the diligent he rewardeth The Soul that is diligent night and day how to further the work of the Lord therefore Be you always abounding in the work of the Lord saith Paul knowing that your labor is not in vain c. But alass while we are in the Land of Harlots we are ashamed of our work A man that has no meat to eat nor clothes to put on nor a friend to go to to impart his grief what a miserable case is he in such a Land are you in where there 's no growing of any thing that good is nothing but leanness and ill-favoredness because you have outed your selves of all friends But when you shall be brought home then will you say Well I will be diligent Then will you set an high price upon the Truth and say as David O what shall I render to the Lord c. I know how many precious days and seasons you have troden under foot but the time will come that you will be glad to glean them up again and say I will be more diligent to hear and lay up every word and Look The least smile of Truth will be layd up every Mercy will you be made to prize There will be no more a claiming as the Prodigal Give me my portion and saying to me You are bound to preach and look after me and give me this and th' other No there will be a diligent hand prizing and improving to the utmost the least mercy But 3. A third Ring that adorns his hand is the weightiness of employment when the hand shall be employed in things of great concernment When we pass and see a man at work in carving some curious piece and not busied upon baubles and trifles like children that make dirt-pyes we stand and prize the work This will adorn the hand when it shall be employed about things that profit to be about a work which shall abide for ever Let all your words be full of grace seasoned with salt To be employed about such a work which neither fire nor water can hurt this adorns the hand indeed But alass what a little of our work will endure the fire but we shall know the difference I shrink to think what I shall say But must you all go a prodigalling Will you all see your hearts by desperate venturings Indeed Travellers learn experience but they pay dear for it None will know how to distinguish between works and works but they that have traded through them When I was a child saith Paul I did as a child and spoke as a child but when I became a man I put away childish things The Prodigal did foolishly in forsaking his Fathers house and going to Harlots c. but God shall say to him at his return Be not grieved that you sold me c. He has lost nothing by it he is made now to love him the more When God shall say 'T was