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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
head_n	body_n	member_n	mystical_a	10,421	5	11.0632	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A67047	A word in season. Or Three great duties of Christians in the worst of times viz. abiding in Christ, thirsting after his institutions, and submission to his providences. The first opened, from 1 John 2.28. The second from Psal. 42.1,2. The third from Jer. 14.19. By a servant of Christs in the work of his Gospel. To which is added, by way of appendix, the advice of some ministers to their people for the reviving the power and practice of godliness in their families.	Servant of Christ in the work of his Gospel.	1668 (1668)	Wing W3548A; ESTC R204145	100,163	272

affords several Propositions of Doctrine some more implied others more expressed That Christ will appear 1. Prop. Though at present he be personally absent and disappeareth to his people yet he will come again he will appear That at the day of his appearance 2. Prop. some will have boldness and confidence others will blush and be ashamed That it is the great concernment of Christians to abide in Christ 3. Prop. and that especially in evil times 4. 4. Prop. That a peoples abiding in Christ will adde to a godly Ministers boldness and confidence when Jesus Christ shall appear in Judgment The third being the main Doctrine of the Text is that which I shall only insist upon 1. Prop. It is the great concernment of the children of God the Disciples of Christ especially in evil times to abide in Christ The foundation of this Proposition in the Text is evident But now little children abide in him Now that the times are thus evil by the corruption of men on the one hand by the rage of men on the other hand Jo. 1.2.18 19 26. Now that there are many Antichrists by which we know this is the last time verse 18. Now that many are gone out from us who were not of us Now that there are many that seduce you verse 19 26. Now abide in him But for a fuller discourse upon this subject it will be necessary that I should open to you 1. The meaning of this term Abide in him that you may know the full import of it 2. That I should shew you wherein this appeareth to be the great concernment of Christians 1. In all times 2. More especially in evil times 3. Then I shall bring it home to you in a more close and particular application 1. Quest What is the meaning of this Exhortation Abide in him What is this to abide in Christ 1. Abide is a term of continuance and signifies a continuing or persevering in some place or station in which a person is being here applied to Christ it must signifie a perseverance or continuance in union with Christ or in some station or relation referring to him There are three ways by which a man may be said to have a relation to Christ 1. Sacramentally We are said in Scripture to be baptized into Christ Rom. 6.3 Gal. 3 26. Rom. 6.3 Gal. 3.26 not that the person baptized is forthwith justified or regenerated none can maintain that without asserting an intercession of the state of justification and total and final apostasie but by Baptism we are made members of that mystical body whereof Christ is the head I mean the Church thus in the strictest sense those that are baptized are baptized into Christ mystical Christ as the Head of the Church though not as the Head of the Elect. From this relation to Christ there is no starting but by renouncing or denying our Baptism Besides We are baptized into Christ as the souldier by taking his pay or taking his oath is listed into an Army that is under an engagement to profess Christ and to be his servants 2. Putatively or Visibly It is a figurative but very usual expression in Scripture for men to be said to be what they judge themselves to be or what they outwardly own and profess to be thus the seemingly righteous man is called righteous And in this sense you read of some that deny the Lord that bought them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is and we are bid not with our meat to destroy our Brother for whom Christ dyed Thirdly More spiritually and really by an union of faith Thus that man is in Christ who actually believeth faith is that grace which makes the true and perfect union betwixt Christ and the soul I mean that faith which the Apostle calls the faith of Gods elect the faith that worketh by love purifieth the heart gives the soul victory over the world c. Which faith is not an idle and inactive quality but working and powerful justifying it self 1. By a profession owning of and adhering to the truths of the Gospel 2. By a suitably holy life and conversation With reference to this I take the Exhortation 2. But Secondly This Exhortation doth not suppose that it is possible that the union once thus made betwixt Christ and the soul can be dissolved He that is the Author is also the finisher of our faith The Seed of God saith our Apostle abideth in the believing soul It is a great mistake of some to conclude from such kind of Exhortations as these the possibility of a Christians falling from a state of Grace 3. But Lastly Though a Christian once truly implanted into Christ and by faith engrafted cannot but abide in him being kept by the power of God and upheld by an everlasting arm Yet 1. This union on our part must be preserved by the use of such means as he hath appointed 2. A man may fall away gradually from his profession and may abate of his practice in holiness Now with reference to one or both these is this Exhortation and many others of like nature in Scripture which signifie these two things 1. Live in a diligent use of all those Sacred Institutions and Means which God hath appointed you in order to your preservation in that state of grace into which the Lord hath brought you and will by his power but through faith on your part preserve you to salvation 2. And take heed that you abate not in degrees of faith and love This now is the meaning of this short Exhortation abide in him which we shall the better understand by considering other Scriptures in words or in sense paralell to this It is a phrase we rarely meet with in holy Writings but only in the Gospel and Epistles of this blessed Apostle It was Christs Exhortation John 15.4 Abide in me Joh. 15.4 7 10. expounded ver 7. If any man abide in me and my words abide in him ver 10. 1 Joh. 2.6.24.17.10 1 Joh. 3.6 Abide in my love 1 John 2.24 it is a little altered if you abide in that which you have heard 1 John 2.26 He that saith he abideth in him ought so to walk as he also walked ver 10. it is called an abiding in light 1 John 3.6 Who so abideth in him sinneth not So then when we are exhorted to abide in him we are called upon To take heed of sin to do the will of God to walk in the light of truth and holiness to continue in the owning and profession of the truths of God which we have heard to take care that the words of Christ may abide in us Two things we are called to for two things we are admonished to take heed of 1. We are called to for a stedfast owning of and adhering to such propositions as we before by faith have embraced and been perswaded of from the Evidence of the word of God and admonished to take heed of

prosperity freedom of trade have we seen ought of it or ought answering our expectations What shall we say to these things How hath God disappointed us in all our expectations Nay rather what shall we do in this day of perplexity Let us first Examine whether we be under such circumstances as we can regularly and warrantably expect that God should smile upon us and fulfil those promises for temporary good things which he hath made in his Word to his people And 2. accordingly as we find our state let us be perswaded to apply our selves to our duty Under these two heads I shall bring whatsoever I shall speak by way of application of this Doctrine First Vse 1 Let us examine whether our circumstances be such as we can warrantably expect any good any peace any healing And here we must distinguish betwixt 1. the generality of the Nation and 2. Gods peculiar people in the Nation As to the former I must confess my heart is sad he that looks upon all orders of persons in the Nation will find them wallowing in such guilt as I fear it will be hard to produce an instance of any Nation under heaven that ever was under the rod and let go no better reformed What prodigious unheard of wickednesses have been and are committed every day what murders what prodigious lusts what horrible swearing and cursing what Sabbath-breaking what injustice oppression do we hear of and see every day Never was the holy Name of God so prodigiously blasphemed never such oaths such curses as we hear in our streets never did those that desire to walk godlily meet with more scoffs derisions hard speeches and harder actions never Religion made so much the scoff and jear of those that understand it not We may if we will under these circumstances look for peace but if any good come we may look for healing but if we see not trouble yea and one trouble like one wave upon another we are certainly mistaken in calling the Scriptures the word of God Jer. 7.9 Will you steal murther commit adultery and swear falsly c. and come and stand before me c. Do men think all the day long to make the streets ring with the cries of oathes curses blasphemies noises of drunkards groans of widows and fatherless and then make amends for all with an Anthem and Lesson on the Organs and hearing or reading prayers at Mattens and Evensong Oh horrible vanity O prodigious ignorance of the nature and mind of God! Will their egg-shells wipe your filthy mouthes clean enough think ye No no. Sirs be not deceived God is not mocked God may bring us good and peace sometimes poenalis nutritur impunitas in further vengeance he doth not punish the Israelitish daughters when they commit whoredom nor their wives when they commit adultery But it were strange for him having his rod taken out to lay it up again while we are no better Sure I am under these circumstances what ever a gracious God may do we can expect no good What shall I say for the seven thousand in England who have not bowed their knee to Baal nor kissed him with their lips those whom God hath kept from the pollutions of these evil times and the general debaucheries of their neighbours May they look for any good may they expect any healing and not suspect any disappointment Truly as to them I know not well what to say God hath kept them from being involved in the generality of the National guilt and hath kept up their hearts for him and his Ordinances in a time of great defection and back-sliding This speaketh well But yet 1. I cannot tell how far God may have been provoked with the former sins of Professors 2. Though they must be in a great measure acquitted from the idolatry and superstition swearing cursing blaspheming Gods holy Name impudent Sabbath-breaking mocking and jeering at Religion murders thefts unlawful lusts oppressions injustice perjuries of the Nation yet with them even with them sins may be found against the Lord their God which how long they may keep their wounds from healing I cannot tell Let me propound a few questions to you that fear God and would look for peace and healing 1. Have you peace one with another and are the breaches amongst your selves healed How should we expect the world should be at peace with us who cannot be at peace with our selves What can we look for less than that the great Shepheard of the sheep should make use of dogs to worry us and drive us together while we can bite and devour one another Are the world and you think you nearer a kin than you are to your brethren Can you expect God should make his enemies to be at peace with you when you cannot be at peace each with other If the Lambs cannot lie down together how can you expect the Lions should lie down with the Lambs You know next to Christs precept Have salt in your selves was that Have peace one with another Certainly that distance in affection and communion which true Christians kept at one from another was not the least of the provocations which hath made God angry with them all I instance not differences in opinion there must be such there will be such till we all see in a clearer light than this world affords but I say distances in affection first I thank God I have learned that difference in judgment in things not necessary to be believed in order to salvation is no more justifiable cause to me for distance of affection from my brother than the difference of his countenance from mine is I say further distance in communion That the members of the same body and under the same head should refuse communion with other is certainly a strange disorder Do Gods Ordinances belong to Christians with reference to their several forms I wonder or as they are all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ Certainly faith in Christ evidenced by an holy life intitleth any Christian to communion with those who profess the same faith and live the same life Christians is this wound healed I bless God I think it is in a great measure but Oh that it did not bleed at all 2. Have you sufficiently mourned and been humbled for former wantonness under Ordinances We have had times of great liberty for preaching and enjoyment of Gods Ordinances have you not forgotten how you plaid with your wholesome food in those days how hardly it went down if you fancied the least errour in the Cookery if the sauce was not more pleasing to you than your meat One Minister was thought by some too Legal another it may be judged by another partly too Evangelical Are not you glad of the gifts and parts of those godly Ministers which heretofore were despicable in your eyes Have you mourned for this wantonness 3. Since the hand of God hath been against you have you not been more ready to quarrel with God