Selected quad for the lemma: friend_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
friend_n	abraham_n	call_v	faith_n	883	5	5.7042	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A37598	The honey-combe of free justification by Christ alone collected out of the meere authorities of Scripture and common and unanimous consent of the faithfull interpreters and dispensers of Gods mysteries upon the same, especially as they expresse the excellency of free justification / preached and delivered by Iohn Eaton ...	Eaton, John, 1574 or 5-1641.	1642 (1642)	Wing E115	344,226	528

righteousnesses Where mark that he saith not in the singular number In Righteousnesse but in plurall number Righteousnesses which although the plurall number may be acutely taken and understood of the two righteousnesses the one of Justification by which we walk in righteousnesse in the sight of God the other of Sanctification by which we walk in righteousnesse in the sight of men whereof hypocrites there spoken of by the Prophet doe neither yet because the Hebrew phrase useth to expresse the superlative degree in the plurall number the proper meaning of the Prophet is That none may have peace familiarity and friendship with God but hee will be unto them a burning and devouring fier except such as walk before him in a perfect righteousnesse as it were of the highest degree but when none can so come forth then comes Christ and cloathes us with his own perfect and everlasting righteousnesse and so he alone by that righteousnesse only sets us in perfect peace and reconcilement with this most just and righteous God and to dwell with this everlasting burnings and devouring fire in perfect friendship and well-pleased favour This also is expressed by Saint Paul 2 Cor. 5. 19. 21. saying God was in Christ 2 Cor. 5. 19. 21. and reconciled the world to himselfe not only by not imputing their sinnes unto them but also because Hee that knew no sinne was made sinne for us that wee being translated into him might bee made the Righteousnesse of God That is we being by this power of Gods imputation of his Sons righteousnesse unto us made in the sight of God nothing else as it were but a perfect pure and everlasting Righteousnesse of God are thereby set in a perfect favour perfect reconcilement and love and in a full pleasing everlasting peace with God To which purpose Calvin also speaketh pithily after Calv. Insti l. 2. C. 17. 8. 2. this manner saying Because God is the Fountaine of all righteousnesse it must needs bee that man so long as hee is a sinner have God his enimy wherefore the originall or The well-spring of Gods love is righteousnesse well-spring of his love is righteousnesse such as is described by Paul Hee made him which had done no sinne to be sinne for us that wee might be made the Righteousness of God in him For he meaneth saith he that wee have attained free righteousness by the sacrifice of Christ that so we that were by nature the children of wrath and by sinne estranged from God might please him Hereupon it is said Revel 7. 14 15. That unto the faithfull are given Revel 7. 14 15. opened long white Robes that is a perfect righteousness making them perfectly just and righteous in the sight of God by the blood of the Lamb and hereby are they in the presence of the Throne of God that is under his reconciled love and favourable protection and providence and serve him day and night in his Temple that is with continuall zeale in his Church and he that sitteth in the Throne of power and glory will dwell amongst them that is will declare his favourable presence and reconciled providence in his gracious protection and goodnesse amongst them Thus was Abraham by Free Justification and by his strong faith believing it so perfectly reconciled to God that he is often called the friend of God haec sola saith Luther nos Dei amicos constituit this alone makes us the friends of God Thus is Christ saith he Our true King of Peace Christ our true Solomon verus noster Solomon id est pacificus qui pacem nobis cum Deo restituit that is and our true Solomon that is to say Peace-maker which hath restored unto us peace with God and peace with his people Hence also it is that hee that was called Iesus to save us from our sins Why Christ is called Emmanuel is also called Emmanuel God with us non modo quod Deus homo factus sit sed quia nunc à nobis stat qui priùs contra nos erat ob peccata nostra ampliùs irasci non vult that is not only because hee was made man but because now he is for us and on our side who was before against us and will be no more angry with us for our sinnes Hereupon as our perfect Justification consisteth Two comfortable effects flowing from our reconciliation of two parts so doth our perfect reconoiliation flowing from the same consist also of two parts or branches or effects that greatly shew the excellency of the same First by this reconciliation God with an especiall First protection from all evill care watcheth over us to protect and defend and keep away from us all evill and all hurtfull things according to that prayer of Christ saying I pray not that thou Ioh. 17. 15. shouldst take them out of the world but that thou keep them from evill Iohn 17. 15. Secondly procuration of all necessary good things And secondly God with an especiall care watcheth over us to provide unto us all necessary good things and even the very best for us both for our soules bodies goods and name according to the saying of the Apostle The living God is the Saviour that is the upholder and preserver of all men but especially mark the word especially of them that believe 1 Tim. 4. 10. 1 Tim. 4. 10. For first that God by this perfect reconciliation watcheth over us to protect and keep away from us all hurt and evill Is manifest by the Father of the faithfull even Abraham who being justified and thereby perfectly reconciled to God God said unto him Feare not Abram for I am thy Buckler that is to defend thee from all hurt and evill and thine exceeding great reward so that I will blesse them that blesse thee and curse them that curse thee and in thee shall all Families of the earth be thus blessed Gen. 12. 3. which blessed reconciliation Gen. 12. 3. with God to bee likewise brought upon us Gentiles by Free Justification Paul plainly testifieth saying That Christ was made a Curse for us To what end That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Christ Iesus that we might receive the spirituall promise of Iustification and of such perfect reconciliation through faith Gal. 3. 13 14. For saith the Gala. 3. 13 14. Apostle The Scriptures fore-seeing that God would justifie the Gentiles through faith preached the Gospel or joyfull newes unto Abraham saying In thee shall all Nations be blessed So then they that are of faith believing free Justification are blessed with faithfull Abraham Gal. 3. 8 9. What an excellent perfect reconciliation is Gal. 3 8 9. opened this Hence is the whole ninety first Psalm fully performed upon us containing as it were a new Paradise of Gods loving protection and most gracious A Paradise of Gods loving protection keeping of us from all hurt and evill

Moon or rather a candle for brightnesse so farre doth our glorifying of God directly to his own eyes the first way by joyfull embracing the greatnesse of his benefits passe the glorifying of him by works to the eyes of men the second way Because the first is meerly passive in us suffering God to glorifie himselfe upon us by working his inestimable benefits freely upon us The second is declarative and active in us by which wee declare the free goodnesse of God freely bestowed upon us The first is inward spirituall and divine wholly tending to the prayse of God first creating as it were the glory of God in us For whereas it is the nature of unbeliefe as Brentius well describes to be very curious and inquisitive and at the smallest appearance contrary to the promise doubts of God speaking it one while making question whether the Word be the Word another while making question of the meaning of the Word another while ☞ looking to the fewnesse and simplenesse of them that hold the Word another while looking at the multitude and greatnesse of them that hold otherwise but ever seeking some witty evasion whereby it may seem to do honestly in not believing the Word of God as it plainly speaks And sorobs God of the glory of his truth and of his power and with seeming wit makes him a liar So on the contrary side faith resting upon the naked and plain word spoken because it seemes contrary to reason and outward sense and feeling it flies to the truth and power of the Promiser making him true in his speaking and able to perform it and so gives him the glory of his Living and Being and true working in us whereby as Luther truly speaks faith is as a man would say the Creator of a certaine Divinity not in the substance of God but in us and so by putting us in possession of Gods bounteous divine benefits doth truly make us divine people And for this first kinde of glorifying God is Abraham so often called in the Word the friend of God But the second kind of glorifying God is outward more fleshly and humane not creating and making but shewing after a grosser manner to the eyes of worldly men that we are made divine persons whereof S. Peter speaks saying By the exceeding great and precious promises you are partakers of the Divine nature But how manifested and declared In that saith he yee flie the corruption that is in the world through lust 2 Pet. 1. 4. And this second active kinde of glorifying God because we are Agents in it and doe it by the spirit greatly inclines to the glorifying of man as S. Paul speaking of the sanctified works and holy life of Abraham saith What shall we say then that Abraham our Father hath found concerning the flesh For if Abraham were justified that is made righteous in the sight God by the holy works of his sanctification he had wherein to rejoyce or glory viz. before men but not before God But what saith the Scripture Abraham believed that God himselfe took in hand to make him righteous by clothing him with his Sons righteousnesse whereby he was made spiritually divinely heavenly and perfectly righteous not for mans account which counteth of righteousnesse by halfes but in Gods account whose count is perfect and counts it not righteousnesse except he himselfe alone by himselfe doe make his creature perfectly and gloriously holy and righteous from all spot of sin in his own sight freely This Abraham believed enjoyed the benefit thereof and gave glory to God and therefore was called the friend of God because he glorified him in this principall glory wherein hee will be glorified in the greatnesse of his benefits freely bestowed which especially in his Gospel are correspondent and agreeable to his great and glorious nature and therefore being above humane capacitie and to reason impossible is principally glorified by taking them by faith and this faith seeing and discerning the greatnesse and glory of them makes the true Believer to rejoyce with joy unspeakable and glorious 1 Pet. 1. 8. 1 Pet. 1. 3. But alas here wee may take up Luthers complaint That this knowledge and benefit of Christ to come the Saints of the Old Testament rejoyced more in and so glorified God more for the same than wee now doe when hee is so brightly and comfortably revealed and exhibited unto us Indeed saith hee we do confesse that this knowledge of Christ and of the righteousnesse of faith is an inestimable treasure but wee conceive not thereby such a full joy of spirit as the Prophets and Apostle did But what is the reason hereof Because saith Luther in another place They did not consider so coldly the promises made unto the Fathers as wee doe but did reade them and weigh them with great diligence But they that understand not this benefit of fee Justification whereof the Gospel specially intreateth and so doe prize no other righteousnesse besides the righteousnesse of works works when they heare this righteousnesse of faith pressed and the excellencie thereof advanced they are offended objecting that it is so farre from glorifying God two wayes that it makes men secure and carelesse to all good works But what saith the Doctrine of our Church is the cause hereof Even this as Luther also testifieth Because they understand nothing of Free Iustification or else they understand it carnally for their minds are occupied with other cogitations and fantasticall imaginations of their own works therefore things seeme unto them strange matters and no meanes to glorifie God neither passively by faith nor actively by works but the children of wisdome will imitate the Prophets and Apostles who because they conceived the great glory thereof and felt true joy of spirit for the same therefore saith Luther did they especially Paul so plentifully set forth and so diligently teach the Article of Justification For saith he this is the proper office of an Apostle or as one may say the essence of a Minister of the Gospel to preach among people the unsearchable riches of Christ Ephes 3. 8. especially Ephes 3. 8. the cause and fountaine of all the rest namely Free Justification wherewith as David saith Psal Psal 119. 32. Gal. 5. 1. 119. 32. when our heart is set at liberty Galat. 5. 1. wee will runne the way of Gods Commandements Hence it is that the Prophet Ieremy also set out so magnificently the glory of Free Justification as it should be fully revealed under the time of the Gospel saying I will make them cleane from all their iniquities whereby they have sinned against mee and whereby they have rebelled against mee c. Yea saith he in an other place Ierem. 31. I will make a new covenant with Ierem. 31 33. the house of Israel and this shall be the Covenant That I will so forgive their iniquities that I will remember their sinnes no more And it shall bee to mee a name a