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	james_n	848	5	8.5798	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A47309	The practical believer, or, The articles of the Apostles Creed drawn out to form a true Christian's heart and practice in two parts.	Kettlewell, John, 1653-1695.	1688 (1688)	Wing K380_VARIANT; ESTC R36226	263,804	566

beyond appearances Ans. Yes and the prospect of that animated the Apostles to go on couragiously in converting the World an attempt impossible in all human judgment And all Ancient and Modern Worthies to set on any Publick Reformations in evil times and do the World good against their wills And all honest Men whose cause was good and dear to God to hope he would stand by it and restore it even when they saw it reduced to the last extremities In summ in licentious times it has heretofore and must still strengthen Magistrates in asserting Laws and Justice and Ministers in preaching down prevailing errors and reigning vices and all Publick Spirits in pursuing Pious or Charitable Projects and all Good Men in supporting the oppressed in curbing vice in breaking wicked customs in setting on any great honour of God or good Men in their several stations They must not hastily think they shall not be able to effect what they have cause to hope God will set forward but believe as S. Paul said that they can do all things through Christ strengthening them Phil. 4. 13. But then their hope and confidence must still be fixed in God not in themselves or outward aids and when they go to meet difficulties it must be as David did to meet Goliah only in the Name of the Lord of hosts 1 Sam. 17. 45. Quest. Must this consideration of God's having in him the Power of all his Creatures teach us any thing else Ans. Yes to trust his Providence for the supply of any wants especially where he has given us any Word and Promise Nay then to hold on trusting even in the most destitute cases and against all probabilities For all things even the hardest and most improbable are equally easie unto God so that nothing must seem improbable which he declares he will bring about When Faith and Trust is in Man or any Earthly thing it is ruled by probability But when it is in a Power Almighty it makes no difference of likely or unlikely As Abraham's Faith did not when he believed Gods Promise to send him a son though at that time both Sarah and he were too old in course of Nature to have one and to make that Son a numerous seed which he firmly believed at the same time he was commanded to offer him up and so could have no Son by him unless he were first restored to him from the dead Quest. This indeed shows a high esteem and confidence in God to relie upon his Word when there is not the least sign of its taking effect but things look as if there were no way for it to be effected Ans. Yes so it doth And therefore among all acts of Religion there is none that doth more endear Men to God. This our Father Abraham found it being upon this account that he became so dear to God as to be called the friend of God Jam. 2. 23. and the father of the faithful Rom. 4. 11. 16. and that his bosom should be made the receptacle of the blessed Luke 16. 22. For his Faith saith the Apostle above all his other virtues was imputed to him for righteousness Rom. 4. 3 9. And among all his acts of Faith those God was pleased to impute to him as the most notable which were shown in these two difficult instances He staggered not at the unlikelihood of his having a son but was fully persuaded that what God had promised he was able to perform and therefore saith S. Paul it was imputed unto him for righteousness Rom. 4. 19 20 21 22. And when he offered Isaac his son upon the altar says S. James then the Scripture was fulfilled which saith Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for righteousness and he was called the friend of God Jam. 2. 21 23. Such is the extraordinary value and recompence of trusting God in a seemingly most improbable and desperate case where 't is visibly put to a push of Omnipotence to make good his Promise Quest. I see God can do whatsoever any things in the World can do But can he also hinder any things in the World from doing whatsoever they are naturally bent or wont to do Ans. Yes for as by him they were all made so as the Apostle says in him they still subsist and move and operate and therefore whensoever he pleases to suspend or withdraw their Power they have no longer use of it Thus the fire could not consume nor singe Shadrach Meshach and Abednego nor the hungry Lyons fasten on the Prophet Daniel nor the venemous Beast sting the Holy Apostle nor the destroying Angel touch an Israelite nor the Plague or Pestilence or other contagious Disease infect or seize the Psalmist nor the wicked Jews act their spite on our Saviour Christ nor the Infernal Spirits touch Job or try his Patience whilst God was pleased to withhold them He suspends the Operations of all hurtful Creatures evil Men and wicked Spirits at his Will so that they invade no Person and act at no time but only when and so far as he allows them Quest. And what must this teach us Ans. Not hastily to conclude any case of good Men desperate and incapable of cure or ease For when dangers or disasters from the most hurtful things or Persons threaten most 't is but for God to interpose and either divert or suspend their power and then the most fierce and mischievous things become tame and harmless and the dangers from them little or none at all And thus he is wont to interpose for good Men rescuing them as he did Holy David frequently out of the very jaws of Death and saving them as he did S. Paul after he had the sentence of death in himself 2 Cor. 1. 9. Quest. But what if we are at the last extremities must we hope still when evil is fastning upon us or at the very door Ans. Yes if we have any express promise of deliverance for God as I noted formerly never forgets his Word though sometimes he may delay the performance of it to the last Or if we have an express command for the work wherein the danger meets us as S. Peter had for coming to Christ upon the water For since Christ bid him do the thing he should have hoped to the end that he would stand by him and therefore was rebuked for doubting and staggering in Faith though it were when the wind was boistrous ready to bury him in every Wave and he already began to sink Matth. 14. 29 30 31. Or lastly if we have no other claim for relief but only from God's Providence whose Protection we may generally presume on in his own ways and in pursuit of all good and prudent enterprizes as our Lord intimates when he rebukes the Apostles for want of Faith in fearing Shipwrack though they neither had any particular command to Sail nor express promise of a safe Voyage but were to ground this Faith