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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
friend_n	abraham_n	call_v	lord_n	787	5	3.9743	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A42622	The genuine epistles of the apostolical fathers, S. Barnabas, S. Ignatius, S. Clement, S. Polycarp, the Shepherd of Hermas, and the matyrdoms of St. Ignatius and St. Polycarp, written by those who were present at their sufferings : being, together with the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament, a compleat collection of the most primitive antiquity for about CL years after Christ / translated and publish'd, with a large preliminary discourse relating to the several treaties here put together by W. Wake ...; Apostolic Fathers (Early Christian Collection) English.	Wake, William, 1657-1737.	1693 (1693)	Wing G523A; ESTC R10042	282,773	752

these Holy Apostles we may add a very great number of others who having through Envy undergone in like manner many Pains and Torments have left a Glorious Example to us For this not only Men but even Women have been Persecuted And having suffer'd very grievous and cruel Punishments have finish'd the Course of their Faith with Firmness and though weak in Body yet received a Glorious Reward This has alienated the Minds even of Women from their Husbands and changed what was once said by our Father Adam This is now Bone of my Bone and Flesh of my Flesh. In a word Envy and Strife have overturn'd whole Cities and rooted out Great Nations from off the Earth VII THESE Things Beloved we write unto you not only for your Instruction but also for our own Remembrance For we are all in the same Field and the same Combat is prepared for us all Wherefore let Us lay aside all Vain and Empty Cares and let us come up to the Glorious and Venerable Rule of our Holy Calling Let us consider what is Good and Acceptable and Well-pleasing in the Sight of Him that made Us. Let us look stedfastly to the Bloud of Christ and see how Precious his Bloud is in the sight of God Which being shed for our Salvation has obtain'd the Grace of Repentance for all the World Let us search into the Ages that have gone before us and let us learn that our Lord has in every one of them still given place for Repentance to all such as would turn to him Noah preach'd Repentance and as many as hearkened to him were Saved Jonah denounced Destruction against the Ninivites Howbeit they repenting of their Sins appeased God by their Prayers and were saved tho' they were Strangers to the Covenant of God VIII HENCE we find how All the Ministers of the Grace of God have spoken by the Holy Spirit of Repentance And even the Lord of All has himself declared with an Oath concerning it As I live saith the LORD I desire not the death of a Sinner but that He should repent Adding this farther Assurance Turn from your Iniquity O House of Israel Say unto the Children of my People Tho' your sins should reach from Earth to Heaven and tho' they should be redder than Scarlet and blacker than Sackcloth Yet if ye shall turn to me with all your Heart and shall call me Father I will hearken to you as to a Holy People And in another place He saith on this wise Wash ye make you clean put away the Evil of your doings from before mine Eyes Cease to do Evil Learn to do well Seek Judgment relieve the Oppressed judge the Fatherless plead for the Widow Come now and let us reason together saith the LORD Tho' your sins be as Scarlet they shall be as white as Snow tho' they be red as Crimson they shall be as Wooll If ye be willing and Obedient ye shall eat the Good of the Land But if ye refuse and rebell ye shall be devoured with the Sword for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it These things has God establish'd by his Almighty Will desiring that all his Beloved should come to Repentance IX WHEREFORE let us obey his Excellent and Glorious Will and imploring his Mercy and Goodness let us fall down upon Our faces before him and Cast our selves upon his Mercy Laying aside all Vanity and Contention and Envy which leads unto Death Let us look up to those who have the most perfectly ministred to his Excellent Glory Let us take Enoch for our Example who being found Righteous in Obedience was translated and his Death was not known Noah being proved to be Faithful did by his Ministry preach Regeneration to the World and the LORD saved by Him all the Living Creatures that went with one Accord together into the Ark. X. SO also Abraham who was called Gods Friend was in like manner found Faithful in as much as he obeyed the Commands of God By Obedience he went out of his own Country and from his own Kindred and from his Fathers House that so forsaking a small Country and a weak Affinity and a little House he might inherit the Promises of God For thus God said unto Him Get Thee out of thy Country and from thy Kindred and from thy Fathers House unto a Land that I will shew thee And I will make thee a Great Nation and I will bless Thee and make thy Name Great and thou shalt be blessed And I will bless them that bless Thee and Curse them that Curse Thee And in Thee shall all Families of the Earth be Blessed And again when he separated Himself from Lot God said unto him Lift up now thine Eyes and look from the place where thou art Northward and Southward and Eastward and Westward For all the Land which Thou seest to thee will I give it and to thy Seed for ever And I will make thy Seed as the dust of the Earth so that if a Man can number the Dust of the Earth then shall thy Seed also be numbred And again He saith And God brought forth Abraham and said unto Him look now towards Heaven and tell the Stars if thou be able to number them So shall thy Seed be And Abraham believed God and it was counted to Him for Righteousness Through Faith and Hospitality he had a Son given him in his Old Age and through Obedience he offer'd him up in Sacrifice to God upon One of the Mountains which God shew'd unto Him XI BY Hospitality and Godliness was Lot saved out of Sodom when all the Country round about was destroy'd by Fire and Brimstone The LORD thereby making it manifest that he will not forsake Those that trust in Him but will bring the Disobedient to Punishment and Correction For his Wife who went out with Him being of a different Mind and not continuing in the same Obedience was for that very reason set forth for an Example being turn'd into a Pillar of Salt unto this day That so all Men may know that those who are double minded and distrustful of the Power of God are prepared for Condemnation and to be a sign to all succeeding Ages XII BY Faith and Hospitality was Rahab the Harlot Saved For when the Spies were sent by Joshua the Son of Nun to search out Jericho and the King of Jericho knew that they were come to spy out his Country He order'd them to be taken that so they might be put to death Rahab therefore being Hospitable received them and hid them under the Stalks of Flax on the Top of her House And when the Messengers that were sent by the King came unto Her and asked Her saying There came

saying He trusted in the LORD that he would deliver Him let him deliver him seeing he delighted in Him Ye see Beloved what the Pattern is that has been given to Us. For if the Lord thus humbled himself what should we do who are come under the Yoak of his Grace XVII LET us be Followers of those who went about in Goat-skins and Sheep-skins preaching the Coming of Christ. Such were Elias and Elisaeus and Ezekiel the Prophets And let us add to these such others as have received the like Testimony Abraham has been greatly witnessed of having been called the Friend of God And yet He stedfastly beholding the Glory of God says with all Humility I am Dust and Ashes Again of Job it is thus written That he was Just and without Blame True One that served God and abstained from all Evil. Yet he despising himself says No man is free from Pollution no not tho' He should live but one day Moses was called Faithful in all Gods House and by his Conduct God determined to deliver the Israelites from their Stripes and Pains And yet even this Man tho' thus Greatly Honoured spake not greatly of Himself but when the Oracle of God was delivered to him out of the Bush he said Who am I that thou dost send me I am of a slender Voice and a slow Tongue And again He saith I am as the smoak of the Pot. XVIII AND what shall we say of David so highly testified of in the Holy Scriptures To whom God said I have found a Man after my own heart David the Son of Jesse with my Holy Oil have I anointed Him But yet he Himself saith unto God Have mercy upon me O God according to thy loving kindness According unto the multitude of thy tender Mercies blot out my Transgressions Wash me throughly from mine Iniquity and cleanse me from my Sin For I acknowledge my Transgressions and my Sin is ever before Me. Against Thee only have I sinned and done this Evil in thy sight that Thou mightest be justified when Thou speakest and be clear when Thou judgest Behold I was shapen in Iniquity and in Sin did my Mother Conceive me Behold Thou desirest Truth in the Inward parts and in the hidden part Thou shalt make me to know Wisdom Purge me with Hysop and I shall be Clean wash me and I shall be whiter than Snow Make me to hear Joy and Gladness that the Bones which Thou hast broken may rejoyce Hide thy face from my sins and blot out All mine Iniquities Create in me a clean Heart O God and renew a right Spirit within Me. Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy Holy Spirit from Me. Restore unto me the Joy of thy Salvation and uphold me with thy free Spirit Then will I teach Transgressors thy ways and Sinners shall be converted unto Thee Deliver me from Blood-guiltiness O God thou God of my Salvation and my Tongue shall sing aloud of thy Righteousness O LORD open thou my Lips and my Mouth shall shew forth thy Praise For thou desirest not Sacrifice else would I give it thou delightest not in Burnt-offerings The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit a broken and a Contrite Heart O God thou wilt not despise XIX THUS has the Humility and Godly Fear of these great and excellent Men recorded in the Scriptures through Obedience made not only Us but also the Generations before us Better even as many as have received his Holy Oracles with Fear and Truth Having therefore so many and such Great and Glorious Examples let us return to that Peace which was the Mark that from the Beginning was set before Us Let us look up to the Father and Creator of the whole World and let us hold fast to his Glorious and Exceeding Gifts and Benefits which are of Peace Let us consider and behold with the Eyes of our Understandings his Long-suffering Will and think how Gentle and Patient he is towards his whole Creation XX. THE Heavens holding fast to his Appointment are subject to Him in Peace Day and Night accomplish the Courses that he has allotted unto them not disturbing one another The Sun and Moon and all the several Companies and Constellations of the Stars run the Courses that he has appointed to them in Concord without departing in the least from them The Fruitful Earth yields its Food plentifully in due Season both to Man and Beast and to all that is upon it according to His Will not disputing nor altering any thing of what was order'd by Him So also the untrodden and unsearchable Floods of the Deep are kept in by his Command And the Conflux of the vast Sea being brought together at the Creation into its several Collections passes not the Bounds that He has set to it but as he then appointed it so it remains For he said Hitherto shalt thou come and thy Flouds shall be broken within Thee The Ocean unpassable to Mankind and the Worlds that are beyond it are govern'd by the same Commands of their great Master Spring and Summer Autumn and Winter give place peaceably to Each other The several Quarters of the Winds fulfil their work in their Seasons without offending one Another The Ever-flowing Fountains made both for Pleasure and Health never fail to reach out their Breasts to support the Life of Men. Even the smallest Creatures live together in Peace and Concord with Each other All these has the Great Creator and Lord of all commanded to observe Peace and Concord being Good to all But especially to Us who flee to his Mercy through our Lord Jesus Christ to whom be Glory and Majesty for Ever and Ever Amen XXI TAKE heed Beloved that his many Blessings be not to us to Condemnation except we shall walk worthy of Him doing with One Consent what is Good and Pleasing in his Sight The Spirit of the LORD is a Candle searching all the inward parts of the Belly Let us therefore consider how near he is to us and how that none of our Thoughts are hid from him nor any of our Conversation which we have with one Another It is therefore Just that we should not forsake our Rank by doing contrary to his Will Let us chuse to offend a few foolish and inconsiderate Men lifted up and Glorying in their own Pride rather than God Let us Reverence our Lord Jesus Christ whose Bloud was Given for us Let us Honour Those who are set over us let us respect the Aged that are amongst us and let us instruct the younger Men in the Discipline and Fear of the LORD Our Wives let us direct in Doing that which is Good Let them shew forth a lovely Habit of Purity in all their Conversation with a sincere Affection of Meekness Let the government of their

Also of the Cleanness of the Body I. AS I was fasting and sitting down in a certain Mountain and giving Thanks unto God for all the things that he had done unto me behold I saw the Shepherd who was wont to converse with me sitting by me and saying unto me What has brought thee hither thus early in the Morning I answer'd Sir To Day I keep a Station He answer'd What is a Station I reply'd It is a Fast. He said What is that Fast I answer'd I fast as I have been wont to do Ye know not said he what it is to fast unto God nor is this a Fast which ye fast profiting nothing with God Sir said I what makes you speak thus He reply'd I speak it because this is not the true Fast which you think that you fast but I will shew you what that is which is a compleat Fast and acceptable unto God Hearken said he The LORD do's not desire such a needless Fast For by Fasting in this manner thou advancest nothing in Righteousness But the true Fast is this Do nothing wickedly in thy Life but serve God with a pure Mind and keep his Commandments and walk according to his Precepts nor suffer any wicked Desire to dwell in thy Mind And trust in the LORD that if thou dost these things and fearest him and abstainest from every evil Work thou shalt live unto God If thou shalt do this thou shalt perfect a great Fast and an acceptable one unto the LORD II. HEARKEN unto the Similitude which I am about to propose unto thee as to this matter A certain Man having a Farm and many Servants planted a Vineyard in a certain part of his Estate for his Posterity And taking a Journey into a far Country chose one of his Servants which he thought the most faithful and approved and deliver'd the Vineyard into his care commanding him that he should stake up his Vines Which if he did and fulfilled his Command he promised to give him his Liberty Nor did he command him to do any thing more and so went into a far Country After then that that Servant had taken that Charge upon him he did whatsoever his LORD commanded him And when he had staked the Vineyard and found it to be full of Weeds he began to think with himself saying I have done what my Lord commanded me I will now dig this Vineyard and when it is digg'd it will be more beautiful and the Weeds being pull'd up it will bring forth more Fruit and not be choak'd by the Weeds So setting about his Work he digg'd it and pluck'd up all the Weeds that were in it And by that means the Vineyard became very beautiful and prosperous and not over-run and choak'd with Weeds After some time the LORD of the Vineyard comes and goes into the Vineyard and when he saw that it was handsomely stak'd and digg'd and the Weeds pluck'd up that were in it and the Vines flourishing he rejoyced greatly at the Care of his Servant And calling his Son whom he loved and who was to be his Heir and his Friends with whom he was wont to consult he tells them what he had commanded his Servant to do and what his Servant had done more And they immediately congratulated that Servant that he had received so full a Testimony from his Lord. Then he said unto them I indeed promised this Servant his Liberty if he observed the Command which I gave him and he observed it and besides has done a good Work to my Vineyard which has exceedingly pleased me Wherefore for this Work which he hath done I will make him my Heir together with my Son because that when he saw what was good he dissembled it not but did it This Design of the LORD both his Son and his Friends approved namely that this Servant should be Heir together with his Son Not long after this the Master of the Family calling together his Friends sent from his Supper several kinds of Food to that Servant Which when he had received he took so much of them as was sufficient for himself and divided the rest among his Fellow Servants Which when they had received they rejoyced and wish'd that he might find yet greater favour with his Lord for what he had done to them When his Lord heard all these things he was again fill'd with great Joy and calling again his Friends and his Son together he related to them what his Servant had done with the Meats which he had sent unto him They therefore so much the more assented to the Master of the Houshold that he ought to make that Servant his Heir together with his Son III. I SAID unto him Sir I know not these Similitudes neither can I understand them unless you expound them unto me I will says he expound all things unto thee whatsoever I have talk'd with thee or shewn unto thee Keep the Commandments of the LORD and thou shalt be approved and shalt be written in the Number of those that keep his Commandments But if besides those things which the LORD hath commanded thou shalt add some good thing thou shalt purchase to thy self a greater Dignity and be in more favour with the LORD than thou shouldst otherwise have been If therefore thou shalt keep the Commandments of the LORD and shalt add to them these Stations thou shalt rejoyce but especially if thou shalt keep them according to my Commands I said unto him Sir Whatsoever thou shalt command me I will observe for I know that thou wilt be with me I will said he be with thee who hast taken up such a Resolution and I will be with all those who purpose in like manner This Fast saith he whilst thou dost also observe the Commandments of the LORD is exceeding good Thus therefore shalt thou keep it First of all take heed to thy self and keep thy self from every wicked Act and from every filthy Word and from every hurtful Desire and purifie thy Sense from all the Vanity of this present World If thou shalt observe these things this Fast shall be such as it ought to be Thus therefore do Having perform'd what is before written that day on which thou fastest thou shalt taste nothing at all but Bread and Water and computing the Quantity of Food which thou art wont to eat upon other Days thou shalt lay aside the Expence which thou shouldst have made that Day and give it unto the Widow the Fatherless and the Poor And thus thou shalt perfect the Humility of thy Soul that he who receives of it may satisfie his Soul and his Prayer come up to the LORD God for thee If therefore thou shalt thus accomplish thy Fast as I command thee thy Sacrifice shall be acceptable uto the LORD and thy Fast shall be written in his Book This Station thus perform'd is good and pleasing and acceptable unto the LORD These things if thou shalt observe with