Selected quad for the lemma: friend_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
friend_n	adversity_n	bear_v	brother_n	812	5	7.0506	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A26694	Remaines of that excellent minister of Jesus Christ, Mr. Joseph Alleine being a collection of sundry directions, sermons, sacrament-speeches, and letters, not heretofore published ...; Selections. 1674	Alleine, Joseph, 1634-1668.; R. A. (Richard Alleine), 1611-1681.	1674 (1674)	Wing A976; ESTC R22421	168,509	338

beloved as a Cordial at your heart that Christ stands related to you as your Brother Ah what consolation is here for a considering Christian for First This may give you boldness with him and that both in your coming to him and at his coming to you I say in your coming to him It may make you come with boldness to the throne of grace that you have such a friend in court that can have what he will that is indeed all and in all in heaven that you have a kinsman a Brother there a man like unto your selves of the same race and nature and so sensible of humane infirmity Heb. 4. 15 16. Christs humane nature by which he is a Brother to us may make us come boldly and with full assurance Heb. 10. 19 20 22. We might tremble to approach Gods terrible Majesty to come near the consuming fire but that we have a brother like unto us a daies-man a Mediator the man Christ Jesus between God and us Again it may give us boldness at his coming to us Let not the Terror he will com with affright us Christians for he is our brother flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone Had even Dives himself a regard of his Brethren that they might not come into that place of torment and shall we think Christ will send his brethren thither How secure would he be whose life or estate were in controversie if the matter were put into the hand of his own brother Secondly Then you may presume upon your interest in him You may have boldness to speak and confidence to speed You may make use of him on all occasions for your selves and for your friends You cannot stretch your interest He upbraideth not that you make too bold or come too often or ask too much Thirdly Then you may d●…d upon it that he will help in extremity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity Pro. 17. 17. He is not such a brother as Davids were Psa. 69. 8. Or as Jobs were Job 6. 14 15 16 17. He will own and delight in his in their afflictions Canticles 2. 14. 4. you may not question his affection Love is the Natural duty between Brethren 1 Pet. 3. 8. Christ hath not onely the name but the heart of a brother He is not such a brother as Cain that said am I my brothers keeper that hated his brother in his heart Nor as Jacob that took his brother by the heel a supplanter that deceived him of the birth-right But such a brother as Joseph was who was all along his eminent type 1. Josep●… Received great unkindnesses and wretched usage from his Brethren They conspired against his life they sold him and pitied him not when they saw the anguish of his soul. And is not the blood of Christ to be found upon the skirts of his Brethren Touch him and the body will bleed upon you Look upon his mangled body why these are the wounds that he hath received in the house of his friends by the hands of his brethren I mean by their sins Isa. 53. 5. 2dly He shewed melting affections to his brethren after their unkindness to him He weeped aloud over them Gen. 45. 1 2. to wit with tears of love and joy His bowels yearned over his brother and he seeks where to weep Gen. 43. 30. But there are no bowels to Christs No yearnings like to his How unkindly had his brethren dealt with him One sold him another denyed him all forsook him Yet when one would have expected a Message of d●…iance he sends them a message of peace The sweetest tidings that ever were sent John 20. 17. Thirdly Joseph was sent before to provide for his brethren Gen. 45. 5. So is Christ. It is his business in heaven to prepare and provide for his brethren The provision you have for soul and body is from him but all this is but as the corn to keep you alive upon the way What is the store that Joseph hath laid up in Egypt the preparations that Christ hath made in heaven Fourthly Joseph saved the lives of his brethren that sought his Gen. 45. 7. And hath not Christ saved them that had their hands in his death Fifthly Joseph when he frowned with greatest severity had his heart full of yearnings and tenderness to his brethren He spake roughly but could not forbear to turn about and weep Gen. 42. 24. So it is with Christ. He seems to repulse the woman of Canaan and to put her off but you know what was all the while in his heart When he speaks hard sayings and writes bitter things and uses us roughly his thoughts are thoughts of peace and not of evil peace is in his heart He doth it but for your trial When he seems to have forsaken you he is but a withdrawing behind the curtain He seems to have exposed you to perish as Moses among the flags but you see not how he stands like Moses his Sister behind the bush wistly looking what was done with her brother the chil●… Sixthly God so over ruled the wickedness of Joseph his brethren that it tends greatly to their good and his preferment So that God made that horrid sin in slaying Christ to be for our salvation his exaltation Phil. 2. 〈◊〉 9 10. And the Lord hath preferred him as Pharaoh did Joseph Gen. 41. 41 42 43 44. Seventhly Joseph provided for his brethren the fat and the best of all the land Gen. 47. 11. He bid ●…y and make ready when his brethren were to be with him Gen. 43. 16. And doth not Christ mingle hiswine and kill his Oxen and his 〈◊〉 and think nothing is to good Prov. 9. Math. 22. He cals for the best robe and fatted calf Luke 15. He prepares for you a Goshen the good land the inheritance of the Saints in light Luke 22. 28 29 30. Eighthly Joseph was never satisfied though he had all the glory of Egypt till he had his brethren down to him As Haman in another case boasted of the glory of his riches and all the things wherein the King had promoted him above the Princes and servants of the King and ●…t sayes he all this avails me nothing c. so all the glory to which Christ is exalted far above all principalities and powers wi●…l not content him till he hath his brethren with him in no worse a place and no worse a case then himself John 17. 24. Ninethly Joseph presents his brethren unto Ph●…oh and leads them into his presence Gen. 47. 2. so doth Christ for believers He leads them to the father John 14. 6. Josephs brethren who would otherwise have been an abomination being herdsmen yet were treated kindly for Josephs sake Gen. 47. And so doth God to us for our brothers sake To conclude what affliction is there wherein Christs relation to you will not yield abundant consolation But I have exceeded pardon me it is for two weeks having been

in a hollow Channel This is attainable and many of the Christians have attained to it And if it be attainable 〈◊〉 we should never be quiet till we have attained it Why Christian take this Rule force thy heart a while to it keep thy heart for a while in this Tract set it some holy Subject some good Task and make it to ply its work and when thou hast got to this then by degrees it will be sweet to thee It is not enough to say what hurt is there in such vain thoughts It is enough that there is no good in them that there is no profit in them yea there is a great deal of hurt in letting thy thoughts to run abroad My Brethren you do I believe every one of you that are Christians indeed complain of the burthen of your vain thoughts I believe that this is the greatest trouble of many Christians here for the vanity of their thoughts in holy duties And what is the reason of this Because they do let out their hearts at other times this is the reason that we have no more command of our hearts in holy duties because we do not keep them in at other times God complains of Jerusalem Jer. 4. 14. and may he not complain so of us O Jerusalem how long shall vain thoughts lodge within thee Have not we many of us been complaining these seven or twice seven years of vain thoughts and yet they are lodging in us And if you take this course with your hearts you will find more benefit in it than ever you did in any thing that you have tryed hitherto But I know what the flesh will say here what to be always taken up with holy things this will be an intollerable burthen O but do not hearken to the evil report that the flesh will bring upon the wayes of God Indeed I confess it will bring some dissiculty yet I trust you will be willing to be at some pain for so great a good as this is but after a little while you will find it easie There is nothing that is easie to a Learner but if it be a Trade or such a Tongue 〈◊〉 a little while that he is used to it it is his d●…light And so will this be the sweetest thing in the world to thee if thou dost but keep thy heart to it a while And therefore never leave watching and praying till thou hast got thy heart into this frame Fourthly Have not I given way to the working of pride or passion to day My Brethren the Spirit of God is a holy Dove that will not rest in an unquiet and froward heart It was a passage os a very Holy man Whatsoever you do take 〈◊〉 of passion 2 King 3. 15. Elijah was sain to call for a Minstrel before he could allay his passion I beseech you to watch your hearts when there is a temptation to pride and a provocation to passion before you or else you will grieve the good spirit of God and make him to withdraw himself from you It is a saying of Mr. Baxter when there is a temptation to pride before me I am fain to watch my heart as narrowly as I would do the Thatch of my house when fire is put to it and presently to throw on it the water of ●…testation Resolution and recourse to God And so must you do if ever you mean to attain to a heavenly heart I remember it is written in the Life of a Holy man that he did fear and tremble more when he did hear his commendation than when it never so dreadfully thundered and this frame should be in thee O fear temptations to pride I beseech you tak●… heed of pride that your hearts do not grow haughty If you do not take good heed you are like to fall That Servant is never like to do much for God that is puffed up with pride If thou hast got down thy self and trod upon the neck of pride then thou art become a great Victor indeed This is the reason why God doth not employ us in his service more because he sees that there is such an evil heart in 〈◊〉 that we would make his mercies fuell for our pride and Lust. Let it be your daily practice to get the victory over this enemy the pride of your heart It was a very exemplary pattern that is set before us in that holy man Says he concerning himself Methinks I am broken all in peices before God when I speak to him as when I tread upon an Egg and trample it all to peices It was a passage in one of his Letters writing to comfort another I pray God make use of me a poor Rush to do you some good Let us lay this pattern before us But more especially look to our holy and humble Jesus and you shall find rest to your souls Follow your pride and passion thus with observation and detestation every day and this will weary it out at last Fourthly For your tongues Ask these questions First Have I bridled my tongue and forced it in This is a very necessary question that must be enquired into I tell thee if thou hast no measure to bridle thy tongue thou art no Christian. Jam. 1. 26. On the other side if thou hast once got this skill to govern thy tongue thou art a grown Christian Jam. 3. 2. He that can govern his tongue hath attained to some good growth and good perfection in grace Ah Brethren you had need to set up Davids resolution daily Psal. 39. 1. I said I will take heed to my ways that I offend not with my tongue Psal. 17. 3. I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress And distrusting his own strength you may see how he runs to God for strength Psal. 14. 1. 3. Set a watch O Lord before my mouth keep the door of my lips Secondly Have I spoke evil of no man This is an express charge of the Apostle Tit. 3. 1 2. Put them in mind to speak evil of no man And the Apostle Peter chargeth us that if we will grow in grace to put away the evil of evil speaking This is a great and universal sin among us that we are apt to speak evil of others When we do hear of any thing that is evil in any one how do we speak of it to our friends See that you have good ends a lawful call to tell before you tell of anothers evil Brethren this cannot be sussiciently bewailed that there should be so great an evil among us that we should be so backward to speak of our brothers evil to himself and so prone to publish it to those that we should not Thirdly Hath the law of God been in my mouth as I sate in my house went by the way lying down rising up How great is the charge of God given us And how great is our negligence in this work Deut. 6. 7. Thou 〈◊〉 teach them diligently unto thy Children and

Christ Then here is matter of Reproof to reprove those that profess the name of Christ that lay out their zeal no more this way That lay not out their strength to gain Souls Yea that do not long for nor endeavor after the conversion of Souls Surely this speaks sadly to those that wholy neglect this duty But how exceedingly are many of the people of God themselves to be blamed for their Negligence in this doth not thy heart know that there is a brother of thine doth live in such a sin and yet thou never tel him of it What a great evil is this and unsutable to the pattern of the Lord Jesus Christ How did he go up and down doing good and so taken up with Souls that he could scarce spare time to eat his bread insomuch that his carnal friends began to take hold of him and thought that he had been beside himself O how far art thou from this that thy friends may live in their sins and dye in their sins before thou wilt labor to save their Souls The devil he laboreth to destroy Souls and how few be there that do labor to save Souls He may carry away the poor soul and none labours to take the soul from him We should be watchful and vigilant for souls for our own souls and others souls because this enemy is always taking opportunities to destroy souls Sure it argues that you have very little Lov●… to Jesus Christ that you do no more for souls That you have little zeal for Jesus Christ and that you have little Love for your Brethren that you take no more care for their souls It may be you are careful for the bodies of those that are under your charge but how little do you for their souls How many live without the worshi of God in their Families Without Catechizing their Children or instructing them And think they have done well if they provide for their bodies Oh but man God will find out thy neglects it was their souls that was thy charge also If you look onely after their bodies this you will do for your swine And will you do no more for your Childrens souls than for your swine many are ready to say as Cain am I my Brothers keeper If this be not the language of thy tongue is not this the language of thy Life What dost thou do for thy brother to save his soul from death Second Use is of exhortation To stir you up to perform this duty to labor to be skilful in this duty to win souls to Christ. Brethren if you would be wise indeed and if you will gain indeed labour to gain souls Oh look upon the woful condition of perishing souls How few of thy friends and acquaintance hast thou good grou●…ds to think they have a share in Jesus Christ What wilt thou have no compassion of thy Brothers soul Thou wouldst have compassion on the body of thy Neighbor If thou sawest the house on fire about them and they asleep wouldest thou not be stirred up and with zeal forget thy self and labor to call upon them and awake them O how many of our carnal friends do remain in a carnal state and we sit stilland let them alone I beseech you stir up your souls to relieve the souls of others This is the best Charity and best pleasing to Christ. It may be many of you have not wherewith to shew your Charity to the bodies of your brethren but this way thou mayst shew it in shewing kindnesse to their souls Exhort them and strengthen them in their duty comfort them support them If thou canst not give them an alms give them an exhortation But you will say what should we do or what means must we make use of to do good to to souls I answer you must do it First By Scripture demonstration When thou goest to deal with souls be sure to make use of Gods weapons Bring the word of God with thee Go forth in the name of God Pour out thy supplication to God to prosper the work And then shew thy brother the Scripture to convince him out of the Scripture as Apollos did Thou canst never throw down the devils strong holds but by the use of Gods own weapons No Cannon but this will batter down the strong holds of sin and Satan Therefore bring the Scripture with thee to him Secondly By earnest supplication This was Pauls course who did so earnestly thirst for the salvation of his brethren He strove mightily with God in prayer for them Rom. 10. 1. My hearts desire and prayer is that Israel may be saved Carry thy friends to God and go to God by prayer and weep over their carnal and unsanctified state Bring thy dead Husband and child c. to God and put up thy Request to God for them as Abraham did Ishmael O That they might live before thee How did the prophet prevail l y his prayers for the restoring the dead child As the prophet did pray in life into the dead child so thou shouldest strive with God in prayer for dead souls If thou didst but wrestle with God for thy dead wife or child or neighbor What dost thou know what God might do for them What knowest thou O man but thou mayest save thy Wife c. Thus we are taught by our Lord in that great petition Thy Kingdom come Thus if thou strive by the word of God and prayer then thou mayest be like to prevail mightily for the good of souls thou dost converse with 3. By kind Obligation This is another way by which thou shouldest labor to gain souls Observe that great rule of the Apostle be pittiful be courteous t is the Rule that he gives Labor by kindness and courtesie to gain upon all thou dost converse with that thou mayst get within him that thou mayst be in a capacity to do good to his soul. Sh●…wing all meekness to all men And when thou art thu●… kind to all men this will be a means to do good to them by what thou dost If they be such as stand in need of thy Charity open thy hand to relieve their necessity and that will be a way to open their hearts to thee to receive in thy counsel Fourthly By faithful reprehensions Lev. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy Neighbor and not suffer sin to rest upon him Observe that 't is quite contrary to Christian Lovo to suffer sin to lye upon him for 't is c●…lled hating of him Oh Brethren shew your Love to the souls that you are among by this by the faithful rebuking of their sins that they fall into Manifest it not as a token of your displeasure but as an ordinance of God Deal with him in all gentleness and meekness Not gentle with their sins you must be plain and saithful with their souls You must shew them the danger of such a way but you must do