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	time_n	915	5	3.1574	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A54006	Arrowes against Babylon, or, Certaine quæries serving to a cleere discovery of the mystery of iniquity whereunto are added endeavours for reformation in saints apparrell : with some quæries for the people called Quakers / by John Pendarves.	Pendarves, John, 1622-1656.	1656 (1656)	Wing P1136; ESTC R27463	44,087	53

do do it with thy might for there is no work nor device nor wisdome nor knowledge in the grave whither thou goest If therefore you have light leading you to bear your testimony in word and practice against such superfluities Walk in the light whilst you have the light Joh. 12.36 Fourthly Although the putting off such things seems to present no present outward advantage to any man yet inasmuch as it puts a man into the better capacity to help forward a generall Reformation among Gods people and seeing the great good which may bee expected to come thereby will to the great satisfaction of publick-spirited Christians soon countervail the parting with those things which are no gain but rather losse to them that wear them therefore let them bee parted with and no longer retained by Saints The Conclusion That it is expedient there should bee some Reformation among Saints in their Apparel in respect of some extravagancies and vain superfluities most or all good men acknowledge As for the way that is presented to the Saints in this Discourse I deny not but it may bee liable to exceptions in some cases and so are many or most generall Rules in the Scriptures of (z) That great Command and for doing no manner of work on the Sabbath did admit of exceptions in some cases as appears Matth. 12. the beginning of the chapter 2 Pet 2.12 Truth If they who are friends to this work dislike this essay or rough draught let them bring forth their polished Endeavours on this Subject In the mean time this I say to all that fear the Lord who upon the reading hereof shall remain dis-satisfyed in this matter Take heed that yee speak not evill of the things yee know not or have not considered but seriously weigh as in the sight of God and in his holy fear the things laid down in this Discourse not forgetting or neglecting to seek the Lord herein remembring the words of wisdom Prov. 28.5 They that seek the Lord understand all things I shall shut up all with the words of Gamaliel to the Jews If this counsell or work bee of men Acts 5. it will come to nought but if it bee of God yee cannot overthrow it lest happily yee bee found to fight against God QVERIES for the People called QVAKERS FIRST WHether are you willing that the depth of your perswasion or opinion touching Jesus Christ his being now contained in the Heavens the raising of our dead bodys after natural death the Tryal of Spirits and Doctrins according to the Scriptures should be clearly and openly known and published Secondly Whether do you not by many of your sayings which admit of a double construction craftily hide your perswasion in many things from the sight of some honest people who take you to hold the same truth with beleevers in general concerning Christ the Scriptures and the resurrection of the dead Do you not endeavour to make them beleeve you hold otherwise in some things than you do And is not this dissimulation at the bests or lying after the manner of Annanias and Saphira Act. 5.8 Thirdly Whether your selves even all of you bee not men and women of sinfull failings and imperfections as act those Godly people you cry down Doth not the light within shew you this If not 1 Joh. 1.8 tell us who are the persons among you without their failings or imperfections And how came they so to bee Fourthly Do you in 〈…〉 of the Congregations of Beleevers as well look after those things which are Commendable as those things which are Condemnable in their practices Do you not overlook the example of Christ in this who in his message to the Church of Ephesus writes in praise of the good things in them Rev. 2.2 and particularly that they hated the Doctrin of the * Are not some Churches now to be commended for hating evill doctrins 〈◊〉 Though withall hee reproves them for leaving their first love and Sard●s Church being reproved some few names are excepted Do not you on the contrary cry them down in general without any mercy Fifthly Whether your declaring against instrumental teaching yet going about divers of you informing and instructing your selves and others who are free to hear you doth not discover a grosse contradiction between your profest principles and practice and plainly shew that you would have them hear none but you and whether this be right to set them against instrumental teaching to bring them to hear your declaring as some of you call your speaking altering only the name Sixthly Whether instrumental teaching bee unsuitable to the new Covenant If so Why did Christ being ascended appoint Pastors and Teachers in the Church to continue untill wee all come into the Unity of the Faith c. thus ordaining Ministers for the work while work remains for the ministery Did Christ burden his Saints with needlesse appointments Seventhly Whether the Scriptures you bring to oppose Gospell Ordinances do not serve only to make void Circumcision with other Ordinances of Moses Law and to witnesse against walking after the tradition of men with the carnall formall practice or idolizing of true Gospell Ordinances All you say making not at all against a spiritual practice of Church-Ordinances as breaking bread and exhorting one another c. wherein the Saints have the footsteps of the flock in the primitive times going before them and the appointment of Christ for the continuance of these till his coming which must bee understood of his personal coming the second time he being come in the Spirit with great glory when hee gave those Commands 1 Cor. 11.25 26. Revel 2.25 Heb. 10.25 Eightly Whether it is not better to wait on God in his good old ways recorded in his word expecting his work to be gradually carried on as the growth of a building or of a plant or child so running with patience the spiritual race set before us or as the manner of some is to forsake the principles of faith whereof the Saints have had so great experience in hope to start up suddenly from a low stature into perfection by imbracing a new doctrine Ninthly Whether Jesus Christ hath not prayed for those who beleeve through the word of the Apostles according to John 17.20 And if so Whether they are not in a good and safe way who beleeve accordingly And whether it be not better to credit their testimony so fully confirmed by the Lord and acknowledged by the Saints for many generations than to forgoe that to imbrace Heb. 2.3 and follow the sayings of some of your company Tenthly What is that faith which the Spirit speaks expresly Some shall depart from in the latter dayes giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils 1 Tim. 4.1 Eleventhly Whether that doctrine which in sum is no more but LOOK TO THE LIGHT WITHIN with a curse upon disobedience and a blessing upon obedience thereunto be that glorious Gospel preached by Christ and