Selected quad for the lemma: grace_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
grace_n	covenant_n	law_n	moral_a	3,152	5	10.1038	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A60679	Directions for seeker & expectants, or, A guide for weak Christians in these distracted times wherein the language of Sions-builders is confounded : as it was delivered in a sermon at Wickham-Market ... published at the earnest entreatie of many, for a more publique good / by Zeph. Smith, Minister of Wickham-Market in Suffolke.	Smyth, Zeph. (Zephaniah), fl. 1646-1648.	1646 (1646)	Wing S4362; ESTC R37570	24,293	39

people are taught and drawne of him there is a necessitie of Gods teaching of thee in respect of thy need thou art a nothing-creature an ignorant creature subject to erre and to be misled thou doest stand in need of Gods teaching Secondly Consider God is the best instructor let this move thee to goe to him he is able to resolve thy doubts he can cleare up truths to thee he can propound matter sutable to thy condition and as he is able to teach thee so it is his promise to teach those he enters into Covenant with Jer. 31.34 seek him in the promise Thirdly Let the lessons God teacheth his people move thee to goe to him and beseech him to teach thee they are soule-ravishing lessous being once learned they bring in soule-ravishing comfort unto the soule the matter in them is soule-ravishing matter transcendent matter scholars that affect their studies many times they are taken up with the eloquence of the matter the lessons that God teacheth the soule are such transcendent matter such great mysteries as from eternitie to eternitie is time little enough for men and Angels to admire at for the very Angels admire it and desire to pry into it then let the excellency of the matter move thee to go to God and beseech him to teach thee One motive more Consider if God teach thee and thou learne of him then he will teach thee the way truth and life which is Christ Jesus and then to be sure thou shalt not miscarry Oh Brethren be exhorted to goe to God and beseech him to teach you and as at all times so especially now in these distracted times when there is abundance of counterfeit coine abroad every one will view his money well when he takes it for feare he should be cheated Oh Beloved there is but one way one truth and life and therefore abundance of counterfeit Religion abroad how many plead for a toleration of all Religions that every man might use his conscience how many proclaime open warre against the Scriptures how many vent out blasphemies against the persons in the Trinitie how many cry downe the Morall Law for a rule though it be one part of the Covenant of grace I will write my Lawes in your hearts and cause you to walke in my wayes how many run up and downe the Country seducing and drawing Disciples after them some into one corrupt opinion and some into another and it stands every one that desires to know the truth in hand to looke what coine they take then doe it not I pray seeing Gods Word doth know of but one way truth and life that is safe there is but one true Religion and therefore many are seduced in these times and the devill never had such a string to harp upon as he hath now new light and new truth and comming out of Babylon many thousands will dash their braines out upon this rocke if the Lord be not mercifull unto them and this will terrifie them when death comes and the day of Judgement when many will cry out Oh I did thinke such a one and such an one would not have misled me I tooke them to be holy men such as knew much of God such as were more eminent then others but now I see they are mistaken and I am mistaken I am an undone man and I am an undone woman I have forsaken God and his truth and now God will forsake mee for ever Lay these things to heart Brethren I tell you the Church never had such a triall as now it hath now are the times come that was spoken of in the last dayes shall come perilous times 2 Tim. 3.1 in which men will not indure sound doctrine but are turned from the truth to fables 2 Tim. 4.4 They come in the Name of Christ and deceive many and the Lord onely knows who may be seduced by them the Lord knows but it may be my husband may be seduced may the wife say or the Lord knows but it may be my wife may be seduced may the husband say the Lord knows may parents say but it may be our children may be seduced and drawne from the wayes and truths of Christ into dangerous damnable errors and what shall become of our children then Consider these things and let them move you to goe to God and beseech him to teach you and direct you and you that are husbands carry your wives to God and beseech him to teach them and to keepe them from miscarrying and you that are wives carry your husbands to God and intreat him to teach your husbands and you parents carry your children and servants to God and say Oh Lord we live in sad times miscarrying times little did we thinke ever to have lived in such times Lord keepe us close to thy selfe and establish us in the truth Lord keepe my husband keepe my wife keepe our children and servants and carry your neighbours to God and beseech him to looke upon them and stablish them in the truth And this is a notable means to keep us from miscarrying And lastly when God hath answered your prayers and setled you in the truth thy selfe or thy husband or wife or children or neighbours then give him the praise and glory of it O Lord such a one had like to have miscarried but thou hast setled him in the truth blessed be thy Name for it The Lord make these things profitable and effectuall by the inward operation of his Spirit who is the best teacher of his people FINIS

called the faithfull and true witnesse Rev. 1.5 God is faithfull who hath called us unto the fellowship of his Sonne Jesus Christ Two wayes Ministers may deale unfaithfully with their people first when they daube them with untempered morter crying peace peace when they should cry bloud and warre and condemnation as Jer. 8.11 They have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people with sweet words crying peace peace when there is no peace when Ministers sad the hearts of the righteous and strengthen the hands of the wicked this is unfaithfull dealing with people but secondly Ministers may deale unfaithfully with people by teaching corrupt doctrine when they are erroneous when they teach lyes for truth and diabolicall doctrine for the doctrine of Jesus Christ when they turne people from the truth to errours and lyes and heresies strong delusions as wofull experience shews in these dayes it is the practice of many to seeke to turne people from the truth to fables but God is a faithfull teacher of his people he doth not flatter any but tell them right downe as it is with them if he be not reconciled unto a soule in Jesus Christ he speaks no peace to that soule the poore soule may reade the Bible through but cannot finde God speake one word of peace God is faithfull in his teaching the soule amongst all the faithfullest Ministers in the world there is at some time or other more or lesse a conniving at something either because they are great men and they depend upon them or intimate acquaintance or neere friends or fellow-brethren or some other respect and if any man should plead he is cleare in this particular I cannot beleeve him for it is naturall to all but God doth not neither more nor lesse at any time deale unfaithfully with the soule and therefore he is the faithfullest teacher Reas 4 Because God is the pitifullest teacher and instructor of his people for though he denounce woes and judgements against the wicked yet he is very tender and pitifull unto poore humble soules that are dejected and cast downe under the burden of sinne he pities the soule that he finds in its bloud he is full of pitie and compassion as the Psalmist saith and as he is the pitifullest so he is the comfortablest teacher to the soule the matter he teaches is full of consolation Is a poore soule broken-hearted see how comfortably he speaks to such a soule as if he should say Tell that broken-hearted sinner I am neere to him I will dwell with him Isai 66.2 Isai 57.15 I have sent Jesus Christ to bind it up Isai 61.1 Tell the poore soule that is in depths of desertion and walkes in darknesse and sees no light that he should trust in the Name of the Lord and stay himselfe upon his God tell the poore soule that pores upon its unworthinesse and worthlesnesse and want of grace that there is an infinite worth in Jesus Christ an infinite worthinesse in Jesus Christ a fulnesse of grace in Christ and therefore bid them be comforted the Lord bids his Messengers speak comfortably to his people Comfort ye my people comfort ye will your God say speake comfortably to Jerusalem tell her that her iniquities are pardoned Isai 40.1 The Lord gives his Ministers a charge to comfort his people tell them from mee I would have them comforted tell them my thoughts are thoughts of peace and not of warre towards them tell them it is the will of God that his people should have strong consolation Heb. 6.17 tell them they shall not need to call my love into question for I have loved them with an everlasting love and with loving kindnesse drawne them With a multitude of such like expressions in Scripture and the Lord doth not onely propound this comfort to the soule but causeth the soule to apply it and this no other Minister can doe therefore God is the pitifullest and the comfortablest teacher of his people Reas 5 God is the best instructor of his people because he is the powerfullest teacher of his people he shews a divine authoritie in those truths which he teacheth the soule Job 36.22 God exalteth by his power for who teacheth like him We say of such and such a Minister he is a powerfull preacher but yet the most powerfull preacher in the world cannot speake so to a dead soule as to make it live but God teacheth with such a power that if he say to a dead soule live it shall live if he say to a hard heart be soft it shall melt and the proud spirit shall be humble and the most stubborne rebellious sinner shall stoope which no other teacher can doe therefore God is the soules best teacher he is the most powerfull teacher Reas 6 God is the best teacher and instructor of his people because he is the profitablest teacher he teacheth the soule nothing but that which is profitable Ministers may teach much matter that is unprofitable though they be conscientious but all that God teacheth is profitable and as all the matter is profitable so he causeth all he teacheth to profit by it the Minister may teach a people a long time and yet not make them profit by his Ministry but God doth so teach the soule as it shall profit by that which he teacheth as Isai 48.17 God teacheth his people to profit and there is no lesson God teacheth a soule but it shall profit by it I have done with the Reasons wee come in the next place to the Uses Use 1 To informe us what a happy condition the Church of God is in they are taught of God and he is the best instructor of his people it is one part of the Covenant of grace to teach his Church and therefore the Church is in a happy condition First because it is a great honour and dignity to be taught of God schollers think it an honour to be preferred to the highest schoole in the world and to sit on the highest forme the schoole of Jesus Christ exceeds all the schools in the world and the matter that is taught in this schoole is such transcendent matter as from eternity to eternity is time little enough to admire nothing in this schoole but may cause admiration the tutor God the matter the wisdome in God himselfe and the manner of teaching of it by his Spirit Secondly the Church being taught of God they shall be sure to be taught the right way he shall instruct and teach thee in the way thou shalt goe Psal 32.8 He teacheth and instructeth his people in the right way Thy eares shall heare a voyce behind thee saying This is the way Isai 30.21 and therefore the condition of the Church must needs be happy they shall be taught the right way Object If God be the best teacher of his people and it be such a dignitie to be taught of God how comes it to passe then that amongst Gods people or at least such as

Now when we seeke thus God may answer according to the Idol in the heart and this you may see in Ezek. 14.4 Every man that setteth up his Idols in his heart and comes to a Prophet to inquire of 〈◊〉 I will answer him according to the Idols in his heart When a man setteth up Idols in his heart this corrupt opinion and that corrupt opinion and then come to inquire of God God may out of a just judgement answer them according to the Idols in their hearts And this may be one Reason why though people seeke God and use the meanes yet they may miscarry the fault is in their seeking Secondly It may come to passe amongst such as are godly that they may seeke God and use the meanes and yet miscarry for a time that they might be the better established in the truth when the Lord brings them backe againe Thirdly Some though they seeke God and use the meanes yet they may miscarry because they have not true grace such as may be compared to the Stony ground they want roote and these though they doe seeke God yet they may miscarry for being hypocriticall professors God will not regard their prayer as Job 27.8 9. What hope hath the hypocrite when God takes away his souls Will he heare his cry God will not regard their prayer and secondly being but hypocrites they are not under a promise of perseverance in the truth the godly are under a promise of perseverance in the truth and therefore though they should miscarry for a time yet the Lord will bring them backe againe but another that hath no true grace when he miscarries it may be for any thing we know a finall miscarriage he though he make a glorious profession yet is not under the promise the other is every graft the Father plants into Christ he prunes and dresses and makes fruitfull Joh. 15.2 Yea he sends his Spirit and that leads them into all truth Joh. 14.26 Now this may be another ground why people may seeke God and use the meanes and yet miscarry because the persons that seeke are not truly godly Object But may some say if the cause stand thus how shall I know whether I be taught of God yea or no Answ First If God teach thee then thou art very carefull in the use of the meanes thou art carefull to observe all the direction I have given to attend the outward meanes of grace and thou art much in prayer thou doest acknowledge thine ignorance and so of all the rest Now exanine whether thou be very carefull in the use of these meanes or no if thou be then surely God teacheth thee Secondly If thou be taught of God thou art in Covenant with him it is one part of the Covenant of grace they shall be all taught and drawne of God therefore examine whether thou be in Covenant with God yea or no if thou be not in Covenant with God thou art not under the promise of Gods teaching of thee Thirdly If thou be taught of God then he teacheth thee to know thy selfe aright he shews thee thy selfe in the glasse of his Word and to know him aright and then the more thou knowest the more humble thou art Doest thou lie humbly under gifts and parts and knowledge and say All is free mercy and we have nothing but what we have received from God Thus it is with that soule that God teacheth Job 42.2 When he looked upon God then he abhorred himselfe in dust and ashes and Jer. 32.19 After I was instructed I smote upon my thigh I was ashamed and confounded Thus it is with the soule when God teacheth it the more God teacheth it the more humble it 〈◊〉 art thou puft up with thy knowledge doth it make ●●ee esteeme of thy selfe above others then thou mayest ●●estion if thou hast knowledge whether thou hast any ●●ing else for if thou hadst grace thou wouldest be humble and low in thine owne eyes Fourthly If God teacheth thee then thou doest live a pious godly life for the grace of God which bringeth salvetion teacheth us to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live holily righteously and soberly in this present World Tit. 2.11 12. Those that out of pretence of new light live loosly say the Scriptures are written traditions and they pray not in the family they crave not a blessing upon their meate aske them why so they answer they know their liberty by Christ and they contemne the Ordinances of God censure all that are not of the same opinion to be in Babylon and Idolaters it is evident they are not taught of God for those that God teacheth he teacheth them to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live holily righteously and soberly in this present world Fiftly If God teach thee thou art a growing and a persevering Christian thou doest grow in grace for he causeth his Schollers to profit by his instructions it is not with those that God teacheth as it is with those that get no good by going to Schoole seven yeares but those God teacheth he teacheth to profit Unto you that feare my Name shall the Sun of righteousnesse arise with healing under his wings and they shall goe forth and grow as the calves of the stall Those that God teacheth they are a people growing in grace and knowledge and as they shall grow so they shall persevere Isai 40. vers the last They shall run and not be weary they shall walke and not faint it shall not be said of them They are young Saints and old Devils but they shall bring forth fruit in old age Psal 92.13 And they shall be selfe-denying Christians that is one instruction that Jesus Christ the great Prophet of his Church teacheth his people Mar. 8.34 Now examine thy selfe art thou taught of God then thou art a growing Christian Art thou a growing selfe-denying persevering Christian then it is a signe that God teacheth thee and thou art a persevering Christian Sixtly If God teach thee thou doest seeke him in the use of those meanes which thou hast found him in hast thou found him in the preaching of the Word the day of his power hath come upon thee and hast thou found him in prayer thou wilt seeke him in the use of these meanes still the way is not to separate from the Ordinances thou hast found God in and to neglect holy duties for then thou mayest want of Gods teaching of thee and thou wilt not thrive then in grace but thou must attend those meanes thou hast found God in and not such means as thou knowest not whether thou shalt find God in or no. Use 5 Exhortation Is God the best teacher of his people goe to God and beseech him to teach thee First Consider the necessitie of Gods teaching thee as our Saviour Christ saith to Peter If I wash thee not thou hast no part in me so if God teach thee not thou hast no interest in him for all his