Selected quad for the lemma: friend_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
friend_n	countenance_n	iron_n	sharpen_v	849	5	14.5973	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A20762	A guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties wherein it consisteth, the helpes inabling & the reasons parswading vnto it ye impediments hindering ye practise of it, and the best meanes to remoue them whereunto are added diuers prayers and a treatise of carnall securitie by Iohn Douname Batcheler in Diuinitie and minister of Gods Word.	Downame, John, d. 1652.; Payne, John, d. 1647?, engraver.	1622 (1622)	STC 7143; ESTC S121690	1,341,545	1,134

sence of our imperfections if wee did not also obserue men subiect to the like infirmities walking before vs in the wayes of godlinesse and inuiting vs to follow them who though they goe not so swiftly as they should yet haue much outstripped vs in the Christian race Furthermore this society and communion with the faithfull is a notable meanes to make vs familiar with God and to inioy the fellowship of his holy Spirit which is the chiefe bond that vniteth vs together in this holy communion For where two or three are gathered together in Matth. 18. 20. Christs name and Gods feare to performe Christian exercises and to further one another in the waies of saluation there he also is in the midst of them taking notice of their actions and making himselfe better knowne vnto them his face and fauour his bounty and goodnesse whereby they are incouraged with more chearefulnesse to doe him seruice §. Sect. 8 That good company preserueth vs from falling into many sins and inciteth vs to many duties Finally it is a notable helpe vnto a godly life because it is a powerfull Magna pars peccatorum tollitur si peccaturis testis assistat Seneca Epist 11. Malum quippe quod nemo videt nemo arguit c. Bernard Epist 115. meanes to restraine and pull vs backe when as we are ready to fall into any sinne In which regard that wise heathen man perswadeth his friend to suppose some graue man to bee present when he was alone because men would not easily offend if there were alwaies some by to bee witnesses of their faults And one of the Ancients vseth it as a reason to disswade from a solitary life because thereby wee become more prone to sinne seeing that euill which none seeth none rebuketh and where there is none to reprehend both the tempter assaulteth more securely and the offence is committed more licentiously If thou doest any good things in good company no man prohibiteth But if thou wilt doe euill thou art not suffered for presently thou art by many obserued reproued and amended whereas contrariwise if they behold any good they all admire it honour and imitate it In which respect also good company doth no more forcibly restraine vs from euill then incite and prouoke vs vnto that which is good For as iron sharpeneth iron so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his Pro. 27. 17. friend that is one friend by the presence of another is whetted on and prouoked to doe such good duties as deserue his approbation In which respect the Apostle exhorteth Christians to obserue one another that they may whet and sharpen each other to loue and good workes For if euen Heb. 10. 24. hypocrites and men of ingenuous natures though they care not for good exercises are ready to ioyne with their friends in them to get their allowance and loue Then how much more will it quicken those that are truely religious vnto euery good worke and Christian dutie which they like and loue when with the approbation of their friends they haue the allowance of God and their owne consciences And if Saul himselfe prophecied by keeping company with the Prophets being as it were rap't and rauished for the time with a diuine furie how 1. Sam. 19. 20 21. much more shall those that are truely religious bee much inflamed with zeale and deuotion in all holy exercises when being in good company they are rap't vp and rauished with the diuine breath of the holy Spirit which bloweth amongst them §. Sect. 9 That by good company wee are fitted to performe Christian duties one towards another Lastly good company is a singular helpe vnto a godly life as it fitteth and enableth vs to vse all Christian duties one towards another whereby we doe mutually further one another in all holy and religious actions tending to edification to the inriching of vs with all sauing graces and the strengthening of vs vnto all good workes The first whereof is mutuall obseruation and watching ouer one another that we may take all occasions of doing good both by restrayning those from sinne that are ready to fall into it and by inciting and prouoking one another vnto all vertuous actions Vnto which the Apostle exhorteth Let vs saith he consider one another to prouoke vnto loue and to good workes For Heb. 10. 24. the Law of charity requiring that wee should loue our neighbours as our selues bindeth vs to seeke their good as well as our owne and to this end to watch ouer them that we may take all good opportunities whereby we may further them in the waies of godlinesse And therefore let vs not thinke that wee haue discharged our duty when as wee haue vsed the meanes of our conuersion and saluation and that we haue nothing to do with other men seeing our Sauior requireth that when we Luke 22. 32. are conuerted we strengthen our brethren And the Apostle giueth vs in charge that we should not onely looke on our owne things but that euery man should also looke on the things of others And not to take care of our brethren Phil. 2. 4. as well as our selues is plainely to discouer that we are of Cains spirit Gen. 4. who refused to be his brothers keeper and no true members of Christs body whose property is not to respect their owne good alone but as it is conioyned with the good of the whole bodie and of all the rest of their fellow members The second Christian dutie is instruction whereby with all readinesse we informe the ignorant in all the waies of godlinesse inlighten them in the knowledge of God and his truth and open their eyes that they may turne from darkenesse to light and from the Acts 2● 18. power of Satan vnto God that they may receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes and inheritance amongst them which are sanctified by faith in Christ. Whereby also wee reclaime the erroneous which wander out of the way of truth which is a speciall dutie required by the Apostle Brethren if any of you Iames 5. 20. doe erre from the truth and one conuert him let him know that he which conuerteth the sinner from the errour of his way shall saue a soule from death and shall hide a multitude of sinnes Which duties if we performe wee shall be richly rewarded in Gods Kingdome where they that turne many to Dan. 12. 3. righteousnesse shall shine in the light of glory like the Starres in the firmament as they shined here in the light of truth The third dutie is admonition whereby wee put our brethren in minde of their dutie when they seeme to forget and neglect it by falling into sinne and lying Rom. 15. 14. 1. Thes 5. 14. in it without repentance or omitting the duties of Gods seruice either those which are generall and belong to all Christians or those which specially belong to them in their seuerall places and callings of which I haue spoken