Selected quad for the lemma: friend_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
friend_n	answer_v	good_a	think_v	778	5	3.6818	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A90348	Ho kalos agon tes pisteos. The good fight of faith. Being the substance of a sermon preached to the congregation assembled at the interring of the body of Master William Hill lately one of the magistrates of Guildford in Surrey. / By his sonne in law Francis Peck, Master of Arts, sometimes preacher there, and now minister of God's word in Hertford.	Peck, Francis, d. 1651.	1645 (1645)	Wing P1031; Thomason E286_25; ESTC R200082	15,503	23

day the better he forbeares to prophane the Lords day that he may sanctifie it aright But it 's contrary with the naturall man in his strife and fighting if he can suppresse sinne he thinks it enough he hath none of these aimes and ends in his fight he never labours for a part in Christ and his grace and growth therein The third difference is in the issue and successe A naturall III. In the successe man fights and strives against corruptions but is usually foyled and overcome the spirituall man gets the victory and if he be foyled at any time he gathers strength hereby and sets upon his spirituall enemies with greater violence and better successe The second Use is of Information Use 2. 1. That it 's not so easie a matter to be a Christian is' t an easie matter to fight couragiously skilfully watchfully constantly with a multitude of strong subtill enemies and vanquish them Is' t an easie matter to chop off the right hand and pull out the right eye No no The Christians that lead such easie and pleasant lives and never find any such combating are but Christians in profession onely though this fight be not managed by any strength of a mans owne but the Lord Jesus himselfe enables the soule by faith to runne and winne yet it is not without difficulty and to fight and be victorious yet with difficulty 2. That it is not safe to conclude of the happy condition of all that dye quietly nor of the bad condition of those that dye in conflict c. 3. Those that enter into the profession of Christianity into this spirituall warfare and never reckon aforehand what it will Luk 14 31. cost them are never likely to hold out but have a brand of folly upon them 4. This also discovers the folly of such as think to get the Crowne without a fight or begin to fight when good souldiers finish it namely in their old age when the time of their departure drawes nigh when Paul finisheth his course many think it 's 2 Tim. 4 6 7 then time enough to begin theirs this is all one as if one should say I will fight under the banner of the utter enemy of my Prince till my old lame decreped age and then I will offer my service to him which saith the Prophet is a cursed and a deceitfull Mal. 3 8. thing this is all one as if one should let his enemy get him downe and weaken him and then think it's time enough to recover as England deales with their corporall so many now adayes deale with their spirituall adversaries Doe they not let their enemies encrease Irish Rebels invade the Land possesse Forts Castles Countries and have the better end of the staffe then think it's time enough to arise as one man and make opposition so foolish are most of us in our spirituall fight we let lust take possession of the heart and fortifie and make it selfe very strong and then we are ready to think it's time enough to set upon this duty of fighting the good fight of faith the serious consideration of this Scripture Rev. 2. 7. may prevent this Revel 2. 7. folly the Spirit of God in this place holds out three things unto us 1 There is no communion with Christ where there is no opposition against corruption 2 Where there is no fighting there is no conquest 3 And where there is no overcomming there is no eating of the Tree of Life that is no salvation The holy Ghost doth not say he that fights a little for credit honour or such sinister respects and then gives over and runnes out of the Field and layes downe his Commission and will fight no more shall eat of the tree of life but he that so fights and overcomes shall eat of the Tree of life that is in the midst of the Garden Oh then be ashamed of such thoughts to attaine Heaven Non est eter●is mollis ad astra via with so much ease the way thither is not in a fether-bed nor strewed with rushes Be ashamed also of such a sordid disposition either to begin in the spirit and then basely apostatizing end in the flesh or to deferre the fight so long till it be time to finish the course Then be ye all in the name of Christ exhorted to goe on in a Use 3. of exhortation military way here that ye may be triumphant hereafter Qu. But how shall we fight against these spirituall enemies especially our sinfull corruptions so as to overcome them Answ Time permits not to instruct and direct fully in this I must therefore send you to that whole armour of God mentioned in Ephes 6. 11. to 13. and doe beseech you to study that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where you are directed what spirituall weapons you must get to fight with as also how wisely and with what spiritual skill these ought to be used in this warfare and for the presert doe but observe these generall directions imitating a good souldier of Jesus Christ make such a one your patterne in these foure 2 Tim. 2. 3. particulars First Begin this spirituall warfare betime and procrastinate not c. Secondly have sincere references as the preservation of souls the ruinating of Christ's and the soule 's enemies and in all the advancement of Christ's glory Thirdly endure hardnesse use moderation you know a little sleep and food serveth a good souldier and he often lodgeth hard and watcheth much c. Imitate him herein and beware either of unlawfull liberties or the inordinate use of lawfull which doe exceedingly hinder us in this warfare nay they doe entangle us hand and foot and so unfit us for the battell but in using hardship as a good souldier let it be with this threefold caution 1 All this must be for righteousnesse sake then ye are blessed Matth 6. 10. 2 In thy place and calling as a good souldier and not as a medler you know if a souldier suffer or be slaint 1 Pet. 4. 15 16 out of his rank and from under his Commander gets no honour 3 All this must be for thy Captaine who will certainly recompence it Satans souldiers suffer much but 2 Tim. 4. 8. what get they from their captaine Fourthly hold on constantly all promises are made to this Rev. 2. 7. 10. Take heed of apostatizing spirits but stand to your colours and follow the Lord Jesus your Captaine as well by the Crosse as the Garden to the Crowne For your better encouragement herein consider three things First Christ himselfe is your Captaine Isa 63. 1. 2 Tim. 2. 3. Secondly Christ your Generall is present and his powerfull presence may encourage you against all feares a generous Mastiffe dog will venture upon a Lyon in the presence of his master and what true hearted souldier will not fight valiantly in the eye and presence of his Generall and shall not a beleever doe as much in the presence of Christ Thirdly The enemy hath received his deaths-wound by our Captaine and now fighteth like a drone without a sting The last Use is a great ground of consolation to all those that Use of consolation are enabled by the Lord Jesus to fight this good fight of faith especially it 's very comfortable on the death-bed When the time of Paul's departure drew neer what comforted him but this 2 Tim. 4. 7. though death be called the King of feares and said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most terrible of al terrible things in the world yet such as have fought this good fight of faith may with much comfort look death in the face 1. Because by Christ the sting of Death is taken away death 1 Cor. 15. 55 56 57. to such is but a stinglesse serpent and a toothlesse dog which may afright but cannot hurt them 2. In regard of other terrours and feares when death approacheth as when such a blessed beleever is ready to say farewell all my temporall good things I shall never rejoyce in you more His conscience sweetly answers No matter I shall have a better Husband and a better Father I shall goe to better friends and comforts and rejoyce in these to all eternity Nay when he hath such a thought on his death bed What will become of my soul for ever Now there are but two for evers either for ever in weale or for ever in woe When a man thinks of that sentence in Mat. 25. 4● he looks wan but the consideration of this text and the Spirit of God witnessing to his spirit that Christ hath enabled him to fulfill this charge he sweetly breaths out his last with these thoughts I have fought the good fight of faith and shall be free from eternall death and lay hold on 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. eternall life FINIS May 14. 1645. Imprimatur JOSEPH CARYL