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	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
A56405	A revindication set forth by William Parker, in the behalfe of Dr. Drayton deceased, and himself of the possibility of a total mortification of sin in this life: and, of the saints perfect obedience to the law of God: to be the orthodox Protestant doctrine, and no innovations (as they are falsly charged to be) of Dr. Drayton and W. Parker; in an illogicall vindication, wherein the necessity of sins remaining in the best saints as long as they live, and the impossibility of perfect obedience to the law of God, is ignorantly and perversly avouched to to [sic] be the orthodox Protestant doctrine; by one who subscribeth his name John Tendring. ...	Parker, William, fl. 1651-1658.	1658 (1658)	Wing P486A; ESTC R200724	221,023	288

Law and afterward comforted from heaven with a hope of mercy to salvation witnessed in their consciences by the holy Ghost But the words of the Greek Text are commonly mistranslated Concerning the imperfection of hope he saith little to the purpose but what he saith implieth a contradiction in it selfe and to what he would assert also for he saith that the Apostle compareth hope to an anchor for the soul which is both sure and stedfast as the Apostle doth Heb. 6.19 and yet this saith he doth no ways prove our hope to be perfect for what greater perfection can there be in an anchor then to have it sure and stedfast and to stay and preserve us against all winds and storms of Satan which he confesseth that our hope doth Nor is it the anchor that reels to and fro as he absurdly speaks but that which lyeth at anchor or the Ship it selfe but at the distance and the whole length of a cable whence its mobility by the winds and storms doth arise and not from the anchor it selfe And as for charity he goes about page 32 to prove that it must be imperfect all this life long First because our knowledge here is imperfect and but in part It is saith he a Maxime among Divines tantum scimus quantum diligimus which he or some others for him doth English thus imperfect knowledge cannot produce perfect charity But though the English saying is true yet it is not the sense of the Maxime but rather this that we have so much divine experimental and saving knowledge as there is love found in us that knowledge being always accompanied with a proportionable love 1 Joh. 2.3 Hereby we know that we love God if we keep his commandements and verse 4. he that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandements is a lyar and the truth is not in him True it is also which the Poet speaks quod latet ignotum est ignoti but not ignotae as he hath it nulla cupido things simply unknown cannot be loved yet is not our affection always towards men according to our knowledge or acquaintance with them as he affirms for knowledge and acquaintance may be without love But yet it is true also which he out of Bernard saith we can neither desire what we know not nor enjoy what we love not and that we shall love God with an absolute perfection in heaven because that we shall so know him and that with an experimental knowledge of his goodnesse But this hinders us not from so knowing him here as to love him above all which is the perfection of love here required of us Secondly he saith that perfect charity expelleth fear but there is no Saint here without feare Yet we have often shewed the contrary out of Luk. 1.74 75. and 1 Joh. 4.17 18. Thirdly he saith that perfect charity expels sin which he denys to be exterminable here because Saint James saith in many things we all offend chap. 3.1 2. Which is truly spoken of James of the whole race of our life not of our final and best attainments for in the same verse Saint James describes such a perfect man qualis invenire posset aut debet saying If any man sin not in a word the same is a perfect man and able to bridle the whole body But to fortifie his own cause he goeth about to disable the word of Christ saying Joh. 15.13 Greater love hath no man then this that he lay down his life for his friend which he saith is not yet perfect for men may doe this out of ambition and for vain-glorious ends and therefore saith he our Saviour doth not bring this to prove the perfection of our love but of his own toward us so far as might be understood by outward apprehension But there is a life which if he and others would lay down in love to the Father Son and the Holy Ghost and their friends whom they should perfectly love it would be an undeniable argument of the greatest and most perfect love towards God and that is not to offer our only son with Abraham or our own natural life but the life of sin and and that is the life which he would have us hate and lay down for his sake Matth. 10.39 Luk. 14.26 Joh. 12.25 Rev. 12.11 nor is there any other life that men can properly call theirs but the life of sin for the natural life and the spiritual life are Gods workmanship and gift but so is not sin And having thus to his power mutilated the words of Christ Joh. 15.13 he goes about likewise to doe Christ the like service where our Saviour saith Ye are my friends if ye doe whatsoever I command you of which this Iohn of Burson as if he affected to be herein an Antichrist saith This is an hypothetical proposition which can never prove his perfection of charity because we can never be able to perform the condition Doth Christ then give us false marks and mock-tokens to try our selves by whether we be his friends or no was not Abraham called the friend of God 2 Chron. 20.7 Isai 41.8 Iam. 2.23 and was it not upon this very score Gen. 26.5 because saith the Lord that Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my commandements statutes and my charge This brought all blessings upon Abraham and his seed after him But he goes on saying For although Bellarmine saith Gods word may be kept that is fulfilled yet he proves it not If he did not he might easily have done it and for to say that Gods commandements are grievous and to say that we can keep them not is not the same saith he yes in the Apostles sense they are Joh. 5.3 4. For this is the love of God that we keep his commandements and his commandements are not grievous and he shews the reason of it in the two next verses to the confounding of both the Vindicators positions for whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world to wit that world of sin opposite to the world of the Father of which sinful world he had spoken 1 John 2.15 16. And this is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith For a thing saith the Vindicator may be very light yet heavier then I can bear Surely he is either a very weak man or this is a strong mistake but how doth he prove it The commandements saith he are just and holy and good Rom. 7.12 and the yoke of obedience is easie and light Matth. 11.30 Both these are true but the former of these doth not speak any thing of the lightnesse or heavinesse of Gods Law nor yet the latter unless it be to those that are weary of the yoke of sin and come to Christ and learn of him the lowlinesse and meeknesse and all other Christian virtues which are contrary to sin and which enable men to obey that Law Now whereas he would prove that these commandements of the moral Law are heavyer then we can bear

Ioh. 3.22 And whatsoever we aske we receive of him because we keep his commandements and do those things that are pleasing in his sight Rev. 12.17 And the Dragon was wroth with the woman and went to make war with the remnant of her seed which keep the commandement of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ chap. 14.12 Here is the patience of the Saints here are they that keep the commandements of God and the faith of Iesus The tenth Topick shall be examples of men who by Gods testimony have fully followed him and obeyed him at length Such an one was Abel Heb. 11.4 By saith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice then Cain by which he obtained witnesse that he was righteous God testifying of his gifts and by it he being dead yet speaketh Enoch Gen. 5.22 And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years Heb. 11.5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death and was not found because God had translated him for before his translation he had this testimony that he pleased God Noah Gen. 6.9 Noah was a perfect and a just man in his generation and Noah walked with God Heb. 11. By faith Noah being warned of God concerning things as yet not seen moved with fear he prepared an ark to the saving of his house whereby he became heir of the righteousnesse of faith And though aftewards he was overcome by wine that was but a single act and surprize he not knowing the strength of that wine till he had tryed it Abraham Heb. 11.8 9. By faith Abraham when he was called out to goe into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance obeyed and he went out not knowing whither he went by faith he sojourned in the Land of Promise as in a strange countrey dwelling in Tabernacles with Isaac and Iacob heirs with him of the same promise for he looked for a City which had foundations whose author and builder is God vers 17 18 19. By faith Abraham when he was tryed offered up his Son Isaac and he that had received the promise offered his onely begotten Son of whom it was said that in Isaac thy seed shall be called accounting that God was able to raise him up from the dead Iames 2.23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which said Abraham believed and it was accounted to him for righteousnesse and he was called the friend of God Isaac Heb. 11 20. Iacob Gen. 25.27 And Iacob was a perfect man dwelling in Tents Lot 2 Pet. 2.7 and delivered just Lot vexed with the filthy conversation of the unrighteous for that which his daughters did unto him was by way of intoxication without his knowledge or will Caleb Numb 14.24 But my servant Caleb because he had another Spirit with him and hath followed me fully him will I bring into the Land whereunto he went Ioshuah Numb 32.11 12. Surely none of the men that came u● out of Egypt from twenty years old and upward shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham unto Isaao and unto Jacob because they have not wholly followed me save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite and Joshuah the son of Nun for they have wholly followed the Lord. Joseph in Egypt a lively type of Christ Phineas Psal 106.30 31. Then stood up Phineas and excuted judgment and the plague was stayed and that was counted to him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore Many if not the whole family of Levi in Moses his dayes Mal. 2.5 6. My covenant was with him of life and peace and I gave them unto him for the fear wherewith he feared me and was afraid before my name the law of truth was in his mouth and iniquity was not found in his lips he walked with me in peace and equity and did turn many away from iniquity See Deut. 33.9 Who said unto his father and his mother I have not seen him neither did he acknowledge his brethren nor know his own children for they have observed thy word and kept thy law Job 1.8 And the Lord said unto Satan hast thou considered my servant Job that there is none like unto him in the earth a perfect and an upright man one that feareth God and escheweth evil p. chap. 2.3 And the Lord said unto Satan hast thou considered my servant Job that there is none like him in the earth a perfect and an upright man one that feareth God and escheweth evil and still he holds fast his integrity although thou movedst me against him to destroy him without a cause and chap. 42.7 8. And it was so that after the Lord had spoken these words unto Job the Lord said unto Eliphaz the Temenite my wrath is kindled against thee and thy two friends therefore take unto you seven bullocks and seven ramms and go ye to my servant Job and offer up for your selves a burnt offering for him will I accept lest I should deal with you after your folly in that ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right as my servant Job hath done And though Job had seen God then face to face vers 5. yet he lived an hundred and forty years afterwards wherein he had time to be further perfected if need did so require Samuel was not onely a just man by the confession of all Israel but declared so by a token which God at his request sent from heaven 1 Sam. 12.17 18. Daniel was also such an one concerning whom Noah and Job the Lord speaketh as of three great favourites of his and men full of righteousness Ezek. 14.14 Though these three men Noah Daniel and Job were in it they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness We say nothing here of Rahab the hostess rather then an harlot who is so highly commended Heb. 11.13 James 2. of Deborah of Naomi of Ruth of Hannah the mother of Samuel of Rebeccah of the Virgin Mary of Elizabeth and Zacharie her husband and of John their son It is said of Stephen that he was full of faith and power Act. 6.8 yea full of the holy Ghost Act. 7.55 and that he saw the heavens opened and of Barnabas Act. 11.24 that he was a good man and full of the holy Ghost and of faith yea the Apostles imply that many such might be found in the Church Act. 6.3 Wherefore brethren look out from among you seven men of honest report full of the holy Ghost and of wisdome c. But as the Apostle concludes his catalogue of Saints and believers in the old Testament saying Heb. 11.31 33. And what shall I more say for the time would fail me for to tell of Gideon and of Barack and of Sampson of Jephtah of David also and of Samuel and of the Prophets who through faith subdued kingdomes the power of sin and Satan wrought righteousness obtained promises Also John doth not onely own such a perfection as we stand for to be attained by

promised to the keepers of the Law then the promise had been vain So it had without grace in Christ Secondly if righteousnesse were by the Law then Christ had dyed in vain because it were superfluous for him to dye for us if we could attain it by the works of the Law and therefore it is apparent that by the works of the Law no flesh living can be justified Thirdly for hypocriticall Gospellers such as seem Saints in ostentation that they may play the divell without suspicion as John Tendring did till he went away who say they have faith but shew forth no works which are not vailed with hypocrisie and which are not done or intended to wrong ends for such saith he let Isaiah tell you how acceptable their works be to God and whether they be like to justifie them Isai 1.16 17. For the Lord complaineth that he is weary of them and that his soul hateth them and bids them bring no more such sacrifices to him But we demand of him whether those men were Gospellers or pretended Professors whether the works which the Lord there forbids were Ceremonial or Morals For he forbids not the works of the Moral Law Fourthly he saith that for true Christians that are born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh but of God if any works could justifie it must needs be their works which are wrought in and through them by the spirit of God and yet we say quoth he that the best works of the best regenerate men cannot justifie them before God And thus we prove it how doth he that First because all the graces that we receive in this life are given to us but in part page 55. sure they are wholly and freely given as we shewed in the proof of the other positions and so they are imperfect grace But see how he contradicts himself and lyes against the Holy Ghost in his next words which are these not that the Spirit of Gods works imperfectly but that he means not to inrich us with any grace here while we are conversant with sinful men in this vale of misery but only so far forth as he seeth it fit to bring us unto the kingdome of perfection where that which is in part shall be done away 1 Cor. 13.10 But what if Paul looked for that here saying when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part or but a piece-work shall be abolished and swallowed up verse 11. yea what if Paul all that time enjoyed that which is so perfect for he saith verse the 11. When I was a child I spake as a child I understood as a child I thought as a child but when I became a man I put away childish things And if so then the Vindicators conclusion will stand against us like the walls of Jericho which fell flat to the ground which follows in these words And therefore our inherent justice being but as our knowledg is imperfect and therefore it is impossible that it should perfectly justifie us before God But we have overthrown that supposition of his before Secondly he saith that though our good works are perfect in respect of the Spirit of God which effecteth them yet they are tainted when they pass through us who are so subject to sin as waters running through a dirty channel and therefore cannot justifie us before God in whose presence every polluted thing stands condemned whence the Prophet saith Is 64.6 All our righteousness is as a menstruous cloth But neither are all Saints subject to sin all their life long nor can that which proceeds from Gods Spirit be tainted by us nor is that the righteousness of Saints but of sinners and unregenerate men which is so menstruous as is said before Howbeit he brings in Gregorie's saying Moral lib. 21. cap. 15. and lib. 3. cap. 7. All mans righteousness should be unrighteousness if God should strictly judge it and then Augustine's saying Wo to the most laudable and best life of men Unto which we first oppose these sayings of the Apostle 1 John 2.29 If ye know that he is righteous ye know that every one that doth righteousness is born of him chap. 3.7 Little children let no man deceive you he that doth righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous chap. 4.17 Herein is our love made perfect that we may have boldness in the day of judgment and then those of the Psalmist Psal 11.2 3 4 5 6. and 119.1 2. and 128.1 2. unto which we could adde many more Howbeit he goeth on in the same lying strain saying if God laying aside his mercy should discusse our lives or righteousness in the strictness of his justice it would be so for God is a God of purer eyes who charged his angels with folly Indeed Eliphaz one of Jobs back-back-friends and of John Tendring's gain-saying spirit saith so but falsly Job 4.17 18. for the Lord never charged any but the fallen Angels with folly so But he tels us further if you will believe him that the best of men when he lives on earth is both a Saint and sinner a Saint by reason of grace wrought in him and a sinner by his own natural corruption which in some measure tainteth every grace of God and therefore the best of these who being compared with their fellows might seem just indeed yet looking to the strictness of Gods justice they disclaimed all their own righteousness What that of grace and regeneration also But who are those Saints St. Eliphaz a lying and contentious zelot with whom God is highly displeased Job 42.7 But he brings in Job himself saying chap. 9.2 3. But how should man be just with God if he will contend with him he cannot answer him to one of a thousand and David Psal 130. and 143. 2. of which we said before that all this is true of man in his corrupt estate and for a time afterwards but not of the Saints best estate and growth upon earth For whereas he saith page 56. that Paul affirmeth 1 Cor. 4.4 that he knew nothing by himself it is true But whereas the Apostle addeth that he was not thereby justified he renders a false reason of that saying of the Apostle and contradicts himself also saying though he served God most faithfully in the inner man yet he saw another law in his members warring against the law of his mind and hence he cried out O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death What did he feel surely a law of sin and felt such a body of death continually and yet knew nothing by himself Good Hyperbolick bring your ends nearer together as the servant said to his lying mother Thirdly saith he that although it were granted that some works of the Saints were perfectly good yet any one sin blotteth out the remembrance of our former righteousness Ezek. 18.24 But that Text speaks of a final Apostasie from righteousness not of one actual