Selected quad for the lemma: grace_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
grace_n	faith_n	justify_v	sanctification_n	2,387	5	10.2932	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85667	An exposition continued upon the sixt, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth chapters of the prophet Ezekiel, with useful observations thereupon. Delivered in severall lectures in London, By William Greenhill.	Greenhill, William, 1591-1671.	1649 (1649)	Wing G1854; Thomason E577_1; ESTC R206361	436,404	591

Ordinances are used promiscuously And here by them I conceive is ment the whose Law of God revealed This walking in his statutes is set out in holy writ by such expressions as these Viz. Walking after the Lord. Deut. 13.4 Walking before God 1 Kings 9.4 Walking in the light of the Lord. Isa 2.5 Walking in the truth John Epist 3. Vers 4. Walking in the name of the Lord Micah 4.5 Walking according to rule Gal. 6.16 And Walking with God Gen. 6.9 Keepe mine Ordinances Keeping imports 1. Remembring Luke 2.51 Mary kept all these sayings in her heart 2. Holding fast 2 Tim. 1.14 The good thing committed to thee keep that is hold fast here we must take in both remembering and holding fast but in order to doeing men may know remember and hold fast the mind of God but not doe the same Deut. 5.1 Heare O Israel the statutes and Judgements which I speake in your eares this day and keepe and doe them the Hebrew is keepe to doe them Doe them Doing implies 1. The performing and practice of them Psal 15.5 Facere ●st exacte custodire decenter quicquam operari He that doth these things shall never be moved 2. Fullfilling of things required 1 Kings 5.8 Saith Hiram to Solomon I will doe all thy desire that is fullfill thy desire both may be understood here not simply to doe but to doe exactly Obser 1. The end of Gods giving us temporall and spirituall mercies is that we should be obedient unto him He gathered them out of Babylon planted them in Canaan gives them onenesse of heart newnesse of spirit c. And why that they might walke in his statutes and keepe his Ordinances God hireth us with mercies to doe his will Psal 105.43.44.45 He brought forth his People with joy and his chosen with gladnesse and gave them the Lands of the Heathen and they inheritied the labour of the People that they might observe his statutes and keepe his Law 2 Sam. 12.7.8.9 David was obliged by Gods bountie to obedience why did God so much for his Vineyard Isa 5.2 but that it might bring forth Grapes the end of all mercies and meanes offorded us were to make it fruitfull in obedience All in Gods works in his word are so many inducements to obedience God hath given us the Earth and fullnesse of it and the end is to provoke us thereby to walke in his statutes He hath given us his good word choyce O●dinances Heavenly Councells pretious promises profitable commands holy examples and his end in all these is to quicken us up to obedience It s the end of Election 1 Pet. 1.2 It s the end of Redemption Luke 1.74.75 It s the end of our new Creation Ephes 2.10 Paul beseeches the Romans By the mercies of God to present their Bodies a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God Our mercies should prevaile with us we are Planted in a good Land we have the dewes of Heaven and fatnesse of the Earth God hath done great things amongst us and for us we have had wonderfull Deliverances and shall not we be incouraged thereby to walke in the statutes of our God Deut. 11.7.8 Your eyes have seene all the great Acts of the Lord which he did therefore shall you keepe all the Commandements which I command you this day Let the great things we have seen and heard put us upon obeying the Lord and so obeying him that our obedience may be 1. Generall God requires you should walke in all his wayes Deut. 10.12 2. Heartie yea with the whole heart Deut. 26.16 3. Constant Deut. 4.9 Gal. 6.9 4. Willing chearfull Phil. 2.14 Deut. 28.47 5. With strength and courage Josh 23.6 If we doe not walk in the statutes of the Lord and keepe his commands we know not God 1. John 2.3.4 We doe not love God 1 Joh. 5.3 Nor Christ Joh. 14.15 Our prayers will be unfruitfull and succeslesse 1 John 3.22 2. Note that walking in Gods statutes keeping his Ordinances and doing his will doe evidence the worke of grace in the heart and what the man is God would give them onenesse of heart newnesse and tendernesse of spirit that they might walk keepe doe c. If then they did so this declared what was within Luke 1.6 Zacharie and Elizabeth were both righteous before God walking in all the Commandements and Ordinances of the Lord blamelesse their w●lking witnessed their righteousnesse see 1 John 3.10 2 Chap. 29. Luke 6.44 What ever the fruit is such is the Tree Figgs doe not grow upon thornes nor Grapes upon brambles where you finde Grapes it is a Vine and not onely doth God and Christ know them but Mat. 7.16 you shall know them by their Fruits not by their leaves but their fruits not some few actions but by a dayly observat●●n of them sometimes delay and times alwayes attention is required to discerne them 2 Tim. 3.5 Having a form of godlinesse c. this may be discerned for vers 9. Their folly shall be manifest to all men James 2.18 Works ●re the glasse picture Child of faith Adam begat a Sonne after his Image and faith begets Children after its owne Image Abrahams offering of his Sonne dec●a●ed his faith Heb. 11.17 Works justifie faith and faith justifies the man Some doubt whether works will prove grace whether sanctification will evidence justification But John tells us there is a witnesse of Water as well as of blood and of the spirit 1 Joh. 5.8 if the Law written in Bookes may be knowne and the sense of it evidenced by Commentaries surely the Law written in the heart may be knowne and evidenced by works 3. Grace in the heart will appeare in the life if there be a new spirit a tender heart there will be walking in the Statutes A new spirit cannot be imprisoned within but it will breake out into action when the seed is sowne in good ground it will not lye long under ground but spring forth Marke 4.20 Grace is light and that will manifest it selfe vers 21.22 God hath determined that hidden things shall bee manifested grace cannot alwayes be hid 1 Pet. 2.9 Such vertue will out 1 Thes 1.5.6.7 The Coritnhians were the Epistle of Paul written in his heart read and knowne of all men The Romans faith was spoken of throughout the World Rom. 1.8 That was in all the Churches of the World So their obedience Chap. 16.19 There be diverse things cannot be hidden as the light fire life the wind a spring and of this nature is grace which is all those its light and fire John was a burning and shining light Its life Luke 15.24 It s the wind of the spirit Cant. 4.16 Joh. 3.8 It s a Spring Joh. 7.38 A good Tree cannot bring forth evill fruit and it cannot but bring forth good fruit Acts 4.20 We cannot but speake the things we have heard and seene Paul when converted presently said Lord what wilt thou have me to doe He would not be idle

more then ever we read of formerly It can hardly be shewn in Scripture ●hat ever any met together in private to worship the Lord were surpriz'd molested taken or imprison'd For their publique preaching they were frequently questioned and suffered It s not so evident that they did for their private meetings These they had in Babylon without imputation or molestation and shall not Sion be as indulgent to her children as Babylon was to her enemies If not Babylon wil rise up in judgement against such sons of Sion 4. God honours holy meetings though they be private the hand of the Lord fell there and then upon the Prophet Where two or 3. meet together in a sacred manner God will be in the midst of them Matth. 18.20 He will be President of that meeting and powerfull in it not only shew his presence and power in an ordinary way but many times extraordinarily as at this time John 20.19 When the Disciples were assembled in private Jesus stood in the middest of them and said peace be unto you And so in the 26. v. when they were met in private Christ came amongst them he honoured their meetings in a speciall manner with his presence blessing and miracles The world hath prejudice against such meetings speaks ill and attempts the ruine of them but Christ thinks honourably of them puts honour upon and manifests his acceptance of them Acts 2.1 2 3. When the Apostles were got together in a hou e the cloven tongues of fire sate upon each of them and they were filled with the holy Spirit Acts 10.44 While Peteter was preaching in Cornelius house the holy Ghost fell upon them And you will scarcely find such visible signes of Gods presence in publique as were then in private I speak not this to disparage publique meetings God is in the solemn Assemblies there his glory and power is seene But to take off that Odium is in the hearts of many against all private meetings 5. Those wait upon God in the wayes of his worship are not loosers by it The Elders came to the Prophet sate there expected something from him and they had more then ordinary They beheld the hand of God upon the Prophet and were made witnesses of that vision hee had and partakers of the same The people that flocked after Christ into the field had the Word beside that the loaves fishes Joh. 6. When the Disciples were met together to worship the Lord the first day of the weeke Christ came to them breath'd upon and gave them the holy Ghost John 20.19.22 Paul seekes God in prayer Acts 9.11 and continued in it behold he prayes he was at it night and day and Ananias was sent to him to help him to his sight and to the holy Ghost so that he might see men and how to save men Old Simeon and old Anna the Prophetesse they came into the Temple to serve the Lord and at that time Christ is brought in whom they see and magnifie God for Luke 2. In Acts 16.13 You read how Paul left the City and went to a river side where women did usually meet to pray thither many were come and to them Paul preaches Lidias heart is opened and Christ let in who was before a stranger unto her and besides this she was baptized and gain'd the company of the choisest Apostles vers 14 15. Cornelius Acts 10. fasts and prayes and he hath an Angel sent to him to assure him that all was accepted in heaven and to help him to the speech of an Apostle whom hearing he received the holy Ghost vers 44. Men lose not but gain greatly by waiting upon God in his Ordinances If they have not what they expect sometimes they have more then they look for at other times Blessed is the man that heareth me saith Christ Prov. 8.34 watching daily at my gates waiting at the posts of my doors They are blessed already and unexpected blessings are waiting for them 6. That former operations and impressions of the Spirit suffice not the holiest of men when new services are to be done Ezekiel was a holy Prophet hee had the hand of God the vertue of the Spirit falling upon him before Chap. 1.3 entering into him Chap. 2.2 strongly upon him Chap 3.14 And yet all this was not sufficient there was new work for him new visions to be seene and given out and the hand of the Lord fell anew upon him New employments must have new influences new tryals must have new strength If we trust to antecedent receipts we shall miscarry Peter fail'd when hee came to encounter with a new tryal he lean'd upon what he had and looked not up for more Paul he stood when buffeted by a messenger of Satan and why being conscious of his own weaknesse and insufficiency of what he had received he sought to God who told him my grace is sufficient for thee not the graces I have given thee but the grace I have to give thee If a messenger of Sathan molest thee be too strong for thee I have a messenger even my Spirit of grace that shall come and comfort thee that is stronger then all and shall uphold thee Paul had experience of this and therefore counsels Timothy 2 Tim. 2.1 To be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus Though he had unfeigned faith knew the Scripture from a child had a gift given him by the laying on of Pauls hands yet hee must not be strong in these but in the grace of Christ see his strength lye there former impressions of Christ Spirit ware out and receiv'd vertue is soone spent Wee must looke for new Influences Impressions and Operations of the hand of Christ else all will be too little Cant. 4.16 Awake O North wind and come thou South blow upon my garden that the spices thereof may flow And Sampson called unto the Lord and said O Lord God remember me I pray thee and strengthen me I pray thee only this once Judges 16.28 VERSE II. Then I beheld and loe a likenesse as the appearance of fire from the appearance of his loines even downward fire and from his loines even upward as the appearance of brightnesse as the colour of Amber OUr Prophet being in an extasie the Lord Jesus Christ appeares unto him as a man and is described First Generally and that is by a likenesse of fire he seem'd to him to be a man of fire or as the appearance of fire 2. More particularly and 1. From his loines downward and the appearance thereof was as fire 2. From his loins upward the appearance whereof was 1. As brightnesse 2. As the colour of Amber Christ being presented here as a man of fire it 's worthy consideration to examine the grounds of it The Jewes had sinned exceedingly provoked God by their Idolatry to great jealousie and being now resolv'd upon their destruction he gives out a fiery vision of Christ unto the Prophet which appearance was sutable to

of another nature Prov. 12 18. The tongue of the wise is health others tongues are like the peircings of a Sword they wound but the spirituall wise they heale wounds make up breaches they pacifie wrath even the wrath of great ones Prov. 16.14 Men thinke themselves wise in these dayes but what is the wisedome of most is it not such James speaks of Earthly sensuall devilish because it s joyned with Bitternesse envying strife see James 3.14.15 And then he tells you the nature of spirituall Wisedome vers 17. That is from abov● first pure then peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated full of mercie and good fruits without partiality and hypocricy There is nothing in it but what tends to onenesse of heart its Pure there is no mixture of fleshly wisedome in it its Peaceable ave●se from contention studious of peace Gentle and easie to be intreated not harsh and selfe willed but pl●able to that is good Full of mercie and good fruits It s ready to helpe and doe for others in their necessities Without partiallity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without wrangling judgeing Without hypocrisie its reall in what it doth 5. Humilitie where that is it drawes the heart of God to it Isa 57.15 God dwells with the humble spirit and surely it will gaine the hearts of men to it Prov. 29.23 A mans pride will bring him low Mat. 18.4 The humblest man is the greatest in the Kingdome of Heaven it will make God and man against him But honour shall uphold the humble in spirit both God and man will support speake well of do good to and close with him its pride onely cheifly that makes contentions Prov. 13 10. Mens lusts lift them up divide themselves and cause divisions among'st others therefore James 4.1 From whence come Warrs and fightings amongst you Come they not hence even of your lusts that war in your members Proud men have many lusts and much war and when they agree not with themselves how can they agree with others we should therefore purifie our hearts from such lusts Vers 8.10 and humble our selves in the sight of the Lord and then our hearts would close better It s mens proud lusts that dissolve union that make Warre and breed confusion blind mens eyes and ingage them in errours but the humble man that hath had his heart broken and hath let them out he is readyest to unite with others he stands not upon his will his credit he hath low thoughts of himselfe and high of others Hence Paul bids the Collossians put on bamblenesse of minde Chap. 3.12 1 Pet. 5.5 Peter bids them Be cloathed with humility that is the most becoming garment and least offensive of any The man walks with that garment on will not wrong any man in thought word or deed he judges not others but himselfe he beares the burden and infirmities of men and so gaines upon and gets interest in the hearts of others 6. Consider we are brethren cald and pres'd unto peace and mu●uall agreement in the Gospell Moses thought the name brethren sufficient to reconcile the t●o strugling Hebrews Acts 7.26 Sirs ye are Brethren what your harts heads and hands divided thinke how neare you are and how dear you should be one to another The word brethren should draw our hearts together and make us desirous of peace 1 Tim 6.1.2 Servants must not despise their Masters but count them worthy of all Honour because they are brethren And we should not desp●se and contend one with another because we are brethren indued with divine nature and brethren of Christ Heb. 2.12 The Prince of peace Isa 9.6 Partakers of the Gospell of peace Ephes 6.15 And are cal'd of God to peace 1 Cor. 7.15 Col. 3 1● And its peace that we are prest unto Rom. 14.19 Let us follow after the things that make for peace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 2 2● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 12.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We sh●uld p●rsue peace with all men but especially with those are our brethren in Christ they make up the body of Christ in which the spirit of Christ lives therefore Ephes 4.3 Paul cou●sells them to K●●pe the unitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace the Spirit hath united men to Christ and its peace is the bond whic● keep●s the Spirit ●mo●g them When the Corinthians brake the bond of pea●e saying I am of Paul c. the Apostle told them they we●e carnall not spirituall Chap. 3.1 There should be no strife among Brethren but this Viz. Who should be most loving and peaceable Preservatives of One heartednesse 1. Looke much at the gifts graces and excellencies be in others not their weaknesses and imperfections let the b●ight side of the cloud be in your eyes not the black side and this will k●epe your hearts united Peter eyed the like pretious faith which was in the Christians with his and other Apostles 2 Pet. 1.1 And John takes speciall notice of the graces were in the Fathers young men little children in the elect Lady and Gaius and that kept his heart united to them when mens persons parts or graces are slighted it breaks the bond of peace divides hearts and spirits The Apostle bids us honour all men 1 Pet. 2.17 Esteeme them if their be any worth in them take notice of it and honour them answerablie if there be great sins and weaknesses in th●m are they greater then thine owne If they be or be not greive for them be not angry with them 2. Lay aside all provoking dividing names tearmes and speeches Those names of Petrians Paulians Johanites in the primitive times did hurt which Epiphanius observing would not give way that there should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any name added to the Christian name Those names of Lutheran Swinglian Calvinist bred divisions among the Protestants and surely discriminating names have made divided hearts among us so reproaching and bitter words have kindled a fire which might be put out if all men had such spirits as Calvin had who profest if Luther should call him Devill yet would he have a reveren'd esteeme of him and acknowledge him a worthy Servant of the Lords If we would have our hearts kept in a firme union we must use soft tongues and gentle words Prov. 15.1.12.25 3. Ever make the best construction of mens words and actions that will preserve peace and onenesse of heart when other interpretations are put upon the words and actions of men then were intended this sowes the seed oft times of bitter contentions and great evills John 2.19.20 with Mat. 26.61 Christ speakes there of the Temple of his Body the Jewes interpret it of the Temple that was 46. Yeares a building and bring it in against Christ as matter worthy of death If we shall force the words or acts of others and fetch senses intentions out of them which the Authors aim●d not at we shall never maintaine peace with any 4.

new nature is universally through a man and where it is it opposes When Lot was in Sodom he was vexed with all the sinfull wayes of the Sodomites and when this new spirit is in a man it s vexed with all the wayes of the flesh 2. This new spirit wars against sin as sin the unsanctified conscience never doth so therefore is carryed against sin upon consideration it s a great sin it brings dammage c. Darius when Daniel was in the Lyons den his conscience troubled him but if the sins be lesser as omission of duties vaine thoughts lusts Dan. 6.48 those motus primo primi they are dispensed with but this new spirit is against every sin be it little or great it knows its a breach of the Law against the holy God defiles cost the blood of Christ 3. By the weapons are used this new spirit where it is useth spirituall arguments against sin as Gods love Gods dishonour Christs death sense of pardon the sealings and comforts of the spirit Communion with God and Christ love of holinesse the nature of grace and scope of the Gospell see Col. 3.4 5. 1 John 3.3 Tit. 2.11 12. 2 Cor. 7.1 But an unregenerate heart a naturall conscience uses arguments fetch'd from the curses of the Law terrours of death feare of Hell and damnation shame of men losse of friends estate the soveraignty of God over them 4. By the continuance of this warre an hypocrite that hath onely a naturall conscience may go on skirmishing against sin a long time but not for ever an illighten'd unsanct●fied conscience will either grow weary or be bribed or extenuate sin or grow hard feared and commit sin without reluctancy but a man possessed with this new spirit will hold out the warre to the end of his life he growes not faint he will not be bribed with ought or all the World flesh and Satan have to make a truce with sin sin is sin to him and shall not be lessened he will fight it out and dye in the fight rather then yeild Rom. 7.24 O wretched man saith Paul who shall deliver me c. 2 Tim. 4.6 7. I am ready to be offered I have fought a good fight 5. By the event the man without this new spirit by all his combating against sin gets it more restrained and so more quiet but not mortified but where this new spirit is there sin is wounded crucified Gal. 5.24 They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof 5. It workes and acts in a new manner Rom. 7.6 Paul speakes of serving them in the newnesse of the spirit not in the oldnesse of the letter when you were under the Law that shewed you your duty provoked corruption gave you no power to subdue the one or doe the other and all the service then was after the old man with much earthlinesse difficulty dullnesse untowardly inconstantly and no better then dead work● but now you are under the Gospell the spirit hath begotten a new life in you beautified you with new qualities and principles layd in new strength therefore now serve the Lord in newnesse of the spirit and that is 1. In a spirituall manner the Apostle speakes of a spirituall understanding Col. 1.9 of a spirituall house an holy Priesthood to offer up spirituall sacrifice 1 Pet. 2.5 They being spiritualiz'd serv'd the Lord in a spirituall manner they had more spirituall conceptions of God and his worship and put out more spirituall acts 2. More readily when this new spirit is in a man he is like a Ship which hath all its Tacklings and sayles up and is ready to sayle immediately such a man is prepared to every good worke 2 Tim. 2.21 Rom. 1.15 Paul was ready to Preach the Gospell and ready to be bound and suffer Acts 21.13 And the Corinthians had a ready mind 2 Cor. 8.19 Where this spirit is there the Wheeles are oyl'd 3. More delightfully Rom. 7.22 I delight in the Law of God after the inward man Christs yoke is easie his commands are not greivous The wayes his wisedome prescribes are wayes of pleasantnesse Prov. 3.17 And Paul counted all the paines he tooke hard things he suffered but a recreation Phil. 3.8 That I may win Christ He had as much pleasure and delight in them as men have in any games 4. More beautifully before they bungled but now they act more comelily they pray and sing with the spirit and with understanding 1 Cor. 14 15. Rom. 12.8 he gives with simplicity rules with diligence shewes mercy with cheerfulnesse and Cant. 7.1 How beautifull are thy feet with those O Princes daughter the wayes of the Church are beautifull actions comely 5. More evenly and constantly 2 Pet. 1.4 this new spirit is called the Divine nature both because it s from God our Father because all the Children have it because it cannot be altered and also because it acts like nature constantly strongly the eye is not weary with seeing nor the eare with hearing 6. It propounds new ends to it selfe Viz. Gods glory before a mans selfe was his centre and end this new spirit came out from God and workes for God and to God now it sees the nature of Divine grace beholds glory in that grace and answers Gods end it doth act to the prayse of the glory of his grace 7. Makes cheerfull and thankfull Col. 3.10 after had spoken of the new man Vers 16. He tells them of singing with grace in their hearts to the Lord 2 Cor. 5.17 When old things are gone and all new c. as in a House when all is renew'd in it beautifully trim'd c. it cheares You have mention of a new song sixe times in the Psalmes 33.3.40.3.96.1.98.1.149.1.144.9 Once in Isa 42.10 Twice in the Rev. 5.9.14.3 Sung with new fervencie as new things use to affect most sung with the motions of the new spirit of grace which mindeth more the new benefits by Christ and the new Covenant then those by Creation The Twentie foure Elders sang this new song Revel 5.9 144000 redeemed from the Earth learned it it was a song of the new mercies given in Redemption Justification Sanctification A new song that is an excellent song with singular cheerfullnesse made upon the giving in of some new mercy Non vulgare sed eximium Bez. New because the singers were new they had a new spirit a spirit of grace and glory in them 2. Matter of it was new Christs incarnation passion doctrine miracles ordinances promises Church Kingdomes but especially the opening the Booke and redemption by his blood Obser 2. This new spirit is the worke of God and not of man the Lord alone is the Author and cause of it mans will contributes nothing to it I will put a new spirit within you You oppose resist but I will overcome all that opposition and resistance and plant new qualities put a new spirit within you I will worke powerfully efficaciously