Selected quad for the lemma: friend_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
friend_n	appear_v	great_a	see_v	817	5	2.9242	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34984	An alarum sounded in the borders of spiritual Egypt vvhich shall be heard in Babylon, and astonish the inhabitants of the defiled and polluted habitations of the earth. And the power of the Prince of Darkness called into question; and he himself examin'd by the truth, how he came to raign over mankind; and how long his time shall be, till he comes to be cast out of his dominion, and the creature be deliver'd from under his tyranny; to serve God in spirit and in truth, as Christ, the prince of peace, has order'd them. Also the number of him whom the world hath wonder'd after, found out; and demonstrated to be near at an end: and withal, that it is no wayes unlawful, nor in vain, both to hope, and to expect the utter desolation, and destruction of sin in this life, and the setting up of perfect righteousness in the souls of men, where sin has too long raign'd. Written in a testimony to the truth, and against the false position of the devil, and his servants; by a servant of God, Steven Crisp.	Crisp, Stephen, 1628-1692.	1671 (1671)	Wing C6922; ESTC R215182	35,940	50

Record of Zachariah and Elizabeth his Wife Luke 1.2 that they were both Righteous before God not by an Imagined Righteousness but in regard to their Couversation walking in all the Commands and Statutes of the Lord unblamable but if they had been under the Power of Sin and not freed from it they had been neither unblamable nor Righteous but must at least have Transgressed some of the commands of the Lord or else they could not be Sinners Also Nathaniel in whom there was no Guile which could not have been John 1.48 if he had been under the Power of Sin And much more might I write upon this Subject to shew how that many by this one Faith in all Ages have been delivered from Sin and become the Children and Servants of God and therefore those that are Partakers of this Faith in this Age may hope and expect that the same Work may be wrought in them and this is no presumption And if these Sin-pleaders should say that there is none Partaker of this Faith now at this day and therefore cannot be made free from Sin they will exclude themselves which they will hardly do because they would fain have a Name of being Believers though they deny the Work of the True Faith in themselves Further let us consider what these strong Pleaders for Sin have to fortifie themselves withall They say they have the Scripture to plead withall for Sin which certainly was never the intention of the holly Spirit by which it was given forth But say They It is written in 1 Kings 8.46 For here is no Man that sinneth not Answ This is very true neither do I plead that any man is free from Sin all the dayes of his life except Christ but have confessed they are all Sinners by nature untill they be changed and besides there it is but spoken of a People that were under the Law of which the Apostle sayes that it made nothing perfect but said he the bringing in of a better Hope did but the Law did not purifie the Comers thereunto according to the Conscience but when the Offerers had offered there remained an Evidence of Sin in the Conscience but what is that to the Christians who are come to know a better Hope and the Blood that purifieth the Conscience for that same Apostle that said the Law made no man perfect under which Law Solomon was as also that People concerning whom it was said there is none that lives and sinneth not notwithstanding the same Apostle said that it was the bringing in of a better Hope that did it And what are these Fighters for Sin and Sin-pleaders become so Zealous that they will rather deny the better Hope then to cease from Sin if not then there is a possibillity to be made perfect by the Blood of Christ which the Blood of Bulls and Goats could not do An other Objection is brought forth that is That the Apostle Paul said that Sin lived in him and that the good that He would do He did not and the evil that He would not do that He did Answ That Paul knew the passing through such a State is without question and is not denied but this does not prove at all that he never knew no better State or that he never came to perfection for in that place he makes mention of three States First How it was with him when he lived without the Law of God in his liberty to fight against the Truth and he thought he might do many things against the Name of Jesus Secondly He declares of his Convincement and how it was with him then when he knew he should not do no more against the Truth and yet not being wholly changed he did things which he knew he ought not by reason of Sin living and dwelling in him and that State he did not call Happy or Blessed as these blind Professors do at this day that takes up a Rest in this State and say they can never be Redeemed out of it for he speaking of such a Condition cryes out for Deliverance calling it a miserable Condition which plainly sheweth that his eye was upon a further and better State unto which he also beareth Witness saying he was made free by the Law of the Spirit of Life both of the Law of Sin and of Death in which time he was yet in the Body Now what ●eason have these Pleaders for Sin to believe that Paul was in all these three States at once and if not Why not in the last being the other two are but fore-going States leading to the third especially considering the many other Testimonies which he gives of his being perfect and of those that by his Ministry were brought to perfection saying concerning himself Timothy and Silvanus We can do nothing against the Truth and in an other place he testifies That he has fought a good Fight kept the Faith and finished his Course Now if it was finished then there was no more to run and if the Fight was Fought then the Enemies were no more alive as they were when Sin lived and dwelled in him Again he sayes in an other place We preach Wisdom among them that are Perfect That is after the explication and Sence of these Sin-pleaders We preach Wisdom among none except among those that are already departed out of this World and gone to Heaven And again As many of you as are Perfect be so minded That is to say after their explication let none be thus minded before they be dead Again at last Dear Brethren be perfect And of one mind c. But this they say cannot be in this Life And again he sayes to the Hebrews You are come to the spirits of just Men made perfect and to God the Righteous Judge of all c. But where were these Hebrews were they yet alive or were they dead if dead How came his Epistle to meet them But a wilfull Blindness is come over many of these Servants and Ministers of Darkness and they have rebellious Hearts against the Light that discovers their Sin and would lead them out of it But because they have more love to Sin then to the Light therefore they seek to cover themselves so much But the Day is come that has discovered them and their deceitfull Coverings will not longer cover them An other pleading is of that which is spoken by the Apostle John 1 Joh. 1.8 If we say we have no Sin we deceive our selves and the Truth is not in us Out of which words every miserable and pitifull Souldier of this great Prince of Darkness thinks he may Arm himself sufficiently to fight against that which would deliver them and make them free But if this Scripture were seen and read with that Spirit by which and in which it was written then it would appear that this John was not such a great Friend to Sin and the Devil who is a Father of Lyes as they would have him to be