Selected quad for the lemma: ground_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	believe_v	faith_n	truth_n	3,438	5	6.0713	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A36020	A sermon at the funeral of the Lady Elizabeth Alston, wife of Sir Thomas Alston, Knight and Baronet preached in the parish-church of Woodhill in Bedford-shire, Septemb. 10, 1677 / by William Dillingham ...	Dillingham, William, 1617?-1689.	1678 (1678)	Wing D1487; ESTC R10439	20,890	43

Without us we shall meet with many Rubs laid in our way many Snares many Scandals many Stumbling-blocks laid by Satan to intrap us and make us fall The World 's golden Ball of Pleasure and Profit is cast before us to entice us out of the way Satan's wild-fire of Persecution is flash'd in our Faces to affright us from our Christian Course our way is hedged up with thorns or else carnal Relations and worldly Interest hang about our Necks to pull us back So that there needs much strength of Grace much Courage and Resolution much Earnestness and Contention much Labour and pressing forward that so we may lay hold on the Prize Eternal Life the Crown of Glory which is held forth to us for a Prize and shall be given unto us by the Judg the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Rewarder if we strive lawfully and run well So run therefore that ye may obtain 1 Cor. 9.24 3. The Christian Life is here set forth unto us under the Metaphorof keeping a Trust I have kept the Faith Where by Faith some understand Faithfulness or Fidelity that Engagement which is usually given by Souldiers to their General by an Oath which is called Sacramentum militare And so to keep the Faith is to keep the Oath by fighting faithfully and not falsly betraying the Cause of Christ neither by a treacherous running over to the Enemy as a Transfuga partium nor yet by a cowardly running away and drawing back from their Colours deserting the Cause of Christ and the Gospel which they had sworn to defend as all of us have in our Baptismal Vow But by Faith in this place I think is rather to be understood Fides quae creditur the Truth and Faith of Christ in the Gospel in which sense the Saints are described Rev. 14.12 to be such as keep the Commandments and the Faith of Jesus The Metaphor of keeping this Faith seems to have been borrowed either from 1. The keeping of a Fort or strong Castle The Faith and Truth of Christ is a strong Hold which is committed to the keeping and defending of every Christian Soul and while we keep this Fortress that will keep us safe safe from the power of the Enemy and we shall be kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 Where the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies properly kept as a Garisson is kept Or 2. The keeping of a precious Jewel or Treasure committed to our charge and custody The Faith and Truth of Christ is a Depositum committed to us and intrusted with us To this St. Jude seems to allude Jude 3. when he exhorts all to contend earnestly for the Faith which was once delivered unto the Saints The like Allusion hath St. Paul when he exhorts Timothy 1 Tim. 6. ver 20 21. O Timothy keep that which is committed to thy trust and what that was may appear by the Opposition there subjoyn'd Avoiding profane and vain Bablings and oppositions of Science falsly so called which some professing have erred concerning the Faith The Faith was the Depositum and the god thing committed to Timothy as Paul phrases it and exhorts him again to keep 2 Tim. 1.14 the same which in verse 13. he had expressed in other word viz. Hold fast the Form of sound Words which thou hast heard of me in Faith and Love which is in Christ Jesus If we keep this Faith and Truth that will keep our Souls for by keeping his Faith we trust in him and commit our Souls to his keeping who is the faithful and watchful Lord-Keeper of his Israel And therefore St. Peter exhorts Commit the keeping of your Souls to him in well-doing as unto a faithful Creatour 1 Pet. 4.19 And this did encourage St. Paul to say 2 Tim. 1.12 I know whom I have trusted and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that Day And as our Saviour Christ did pray to his Father John 17.11 that he would keep all his Elect Holy Father keep through thine own Name those whom thou hast given me So he promises Rev. 3.10 to the Church in Philadelphia Because thou hast kept the Word of my Patience I also will keep thee from the hour of Temptation 3. Or else this keeping of the Faith may allude unto a Souldier's keeping of his Station or a Wrestler keeping of his Ground But the former are as I conceive more proper to the place and therefore I shall pursue this no further but come to consider what the thing is which is here meant by keeping the Faith Now to keep the Faith is 1. Truly and firmly to believe the Truth of Christ to assent unfeignedly to it to receive it not into the Ear only but into the Heart also and there to keep it and cleave unto it 2. To keep the Truth and Faith of Christ is to obey it as to keep God's Commandments is to obey and do them The Truth and Faith of Christ are kept in an holy Life 3. To keep the Truth and Faith of Christ is to hold it fast by Profession Thus Christ commends the Church of Pergamus Rev. 2.13 Thou holdest fast my Name and hast not denied my Faith and likewise the Church in Philadelphia Rev. 3.8 Thou hast kept my Word hast not denied my Name 4. Lastly The Faith is kept by holding out and constant Continuance and Perseverance in all these believing practising and professing it This is that which receives the promised Reward Mat. 24.13 He that shall endure unto the end the same shall be saved Rev. 2.10 Be thou faithful unto Death and I will give thee a Crown of Life Paul must finish his Course before he shall receive a Crown Without this we shall come short of the Prize Thus we have briefly surveyed the Character of a Christian Life which was the first thing observed in St. Paul's first Meditation II. The second thing propounded to be consider'd is the comfortable Testimonial which Paul's Conscience gave him concerning his past Life and Conversation he was able to say in the sincerity of his Heart I have fought a good Fight c. St. Paul had long since made it his Exercise his constant Care and Indeavour to have always a Conscience void of offence towards God and towards Men Acts 24.16 And now you see here he reaps the fruit of it Accordingly as we use our Consciences so will they deal by us if we wound them they will wound us If we keep not Peace in our Consciences how can they speak Peace to us But if we keep them tender and pure they will be able to comfort us in our greatest Streights and Difficulties St. Paul reflecting upon his Life past his Conscience told him what he here professes of himself First That he had fought a good Fight in a good Cause and that he had fought it well observing therein the Commands of his General That he had been