Selected quad for the lemma: honour_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A54659
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Light in darkness, or, A consideration of a comfortable and instructive resignation of the Church of God by an eminent and faithful watchman upon his departure : occasioned by the sad loss of ... Thomas Moor, Junior / by C.D.
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Phelpes, Charles.
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1669
(1669)
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Wing P1980; ESTC R34380
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157,055
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186
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who in all ages have disallowed the living stone who is the foundation and corner-stone lest your bands be made strong but incline your ear and come unto him who is the rock and whose work is perfect Isa 28. 12 16 22. Psal 118. 22. Mat. 21. 42. Act. 4. 11 12. 1 Pet. 2. 4. 7. Yea and he is the foundation as distinguished from the purposes and decrees of God and so from any purpose of his which he hath purposed in himself concerning his loving some with peculiar manner of love Indeed he was purposed from the beginning to be the foundation and this was his decree the sum of his decrees concerning sinful mankind and out of the bowels of which all his decrees issue concerning them that he would raise Christ in due time from the dead Psal 2. 7. and hath fulfilled the promise and purpose but not his purpose and decree simply but Jesus Christ is the foundation the one and only foundation For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ And this appears evidently from that place some men alledge to prove some purpose of God to be the foundation viz. 2 Tim. 2. 19. Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure c. Which saying is not only opposed unto the effect of the evil doctrines of the false teachers namely they overthrow the faith of some nevertheless notwithstanding they have corrupted some and removed them from Christ the foundation yet the foundation of God stands steddy but also it is opposed to the doctrine it self of those vain bablers they said the resurrection is past already meaning as appears by resurrection some metaphorical or allegorical resurrection they said not there was no resurrection but they said there was no resurrection of the dead like those 1 Cor. 15. 12. and so consequently that Christ was not raised in that body in which he bare our sins on the Tree and so indeavoured to raze the foundation for if Christ be not raised ye are yet in your sins saith the Apostle preaching faith and hope is in vain But notwithstanding what they say Christ is risen from the dead and is become the first fruiâ—s of them that sleep and so the foundation of God stands sure notwithstanding their babblings and batteries made against him Compare 2 Tim. 2. 18 19. with ver 7. 8. 1 Cor. 15. 12 20. Yea it further appears in that pâ—ace that Christ is the foundation and not some purpose in God concerning some peculiar manner of love to and owning of some persons for his knowing owning and loving with peculiar manner of love is not the foundation but the seal of the foundation the foundation hath this seal for the evidence and confirmaâ—ion of its steddyness and goodness the Lord knoweth owneth approveth them that are his or iâ—s that are built and abide upon the foundation and so no purpose simply but Câ—rist as declared in the tâ—stimony is the foundation And much less is that the foundation of God which men call a purpose or decree of his that is not so viz. such a purpose as in which he hath absolutely purposed in himself and decreed a certain number of persons to salvation before they were born for this is no purpose of his but a device of men who are ignorant of the truth as it is in Jesus See what my Brother and helper in the Lord Mr. Tho. Moor hath spoken more largely to this in his explicite declaration of the Testimony Page 389 410. And so in coming unto and being built upon this foundation they became living stones and were made a spiritual house and habitation of God through the Spirit 1 Pet. â— 4 5. their sins were forgiven them for Christ's name sake on which they believed which is even the sum of all blessedness Rom. 4. 5 7. and that where-through he gives all knowledge and injoyment of further salvation Luk. 1. 77. and therefore it seems the receiving the forgiveness of sins answers unto and is put for the being built up Compare this Act. 20. 32. with Chap. 26. 18. or he quickned them together with Christ and made them lively stones and a spiritual house having forgiven them all trespasses Col. 2. 13. with 1 Pet. 2. 5. And so in being bottomed on Christ as preached in the word of his grace and united to him who is originally and compleatly the temple of God in whom dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily in whom God dwells and will dwell for ever they also became the temple of God in whom he dwells and walks in and through whom he manifests himself and so they were made of the houshold of God 1 Cor. 3. 16. 6. 19. 2 Cor. 6. 16. Eph. 2. 19 22. And as this instruction is for admonition to them that are built on this foundation of God and made of this temple of the living God that they should be clean and not defile the habitation of God which is holy devoted and dedicated for peculiar use and service to him with any filthiness of flesh or spirit lest they provoke God to destroy them and suffer the Boar out of the wood and the wild beast of the field to devour them even those grievous wolves before spoken of for he cannot indure that his habitation should be polluted but holiness becomes his house for ever 1 Cor. 3. 17 18. 2 Cor. 6. 16 17. 7. 1. Psal 93. 5. So the consideration hereof that in coming to Christ and being built on him they were made a spiritual house is of great usefulness to them to incourage them in well-doing to commit themselves to God and the word of his grace for his receiving them and being a father to them when he deprives of faithful instruments for he hath a favour for such they are his building his family the sanctuaâ—y and true tabernacle which the Lord hath pitched and not man no servant hath such right in them or love to or care for them as he This man is counted worthy of more honour than Moses though Moses was faithful in all hâ—s house inasmuch as hâ— who hath builded the house haâ—h more honour than the house Moses was of the house and faithful as a servant in the house bâ—t he that built all things is God the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ And Moses verily was faithful in all his house as a servant c. but Christ as a Son over his own house they are his own house pitched by him his own family the children God hath given to him members of his body of his flesh and of his bones even begotten by the resurrection of Christ from the dead and holding â—ast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firm to the end he doth and will nourish and cherish them when in the wilderness and guide them therein like a flock Heb. 3. 1 6. Eph. 5. 29 30. with Luk. 24. 39 Rev. 12. 14. Psal 78. 52 53. he is
how then could we live This wâ—uld make us faint in our sighings But bless the Lord O my soul saith the Prophet Who forgiveth all thine iniquity whose office it is so to do unto all that come unto God by him and to make them partakers of the forgiveness of sins through the word of faith Psal 103. 1 3. Act. 26. 18. 10 43. He is one who is made perfect through sufferings and so he orders nothing but what he himself indured for he was in all points tempted like unto us yet without sin yea he bare our sufferings with the sting in them He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief And how may this strengthen us and make us willing to follow his steps considering he indured so great afflictions for our sins and hath taken the sting out of what remains for us to suffer Hath our Lord so willingly humbled himself for us and for the joy set before him that he might bring us to God indured the Cross despising the shame and shall not we count it an honour and rejoyce that we are counted worthy to suffer shame for him seeing also we have but the shadow of death to pass through Consider him that indured such contradiction of sinners against himself that ye be not weary nor faint in your minds Heb. 12. 1 3. Yea and since he hath suffered being tempted he is able also even fitted and disposed to succour them that are tempted He hath also been compassed with Bulls Lions Wolves c. and knows how to have compassion on us and to sympathize with us to be even afflicted in our afflictions and to pitty us therein as a father pityeth his children Heb. 2. 18. 3. 1. 4. 15. Our High Priest is one on whom rests the spirit of wisdom and understanding who knows all things and knows the hearts and thoughts of men Joh. 21. 17. Act. 1. 24. the darkness and the light are both alike to him Great is our Lord his understanding is infinite Psal 147. 5. And with this infinite wisdom is he filled and furnished for the good of men and especial good of those that believe that he may improve it for their good in so befooling and disappointing their persecuters that their hands may not perform their enterprizes his eyes run to and fro to shew himself strong in the behalf of those whose heart is perfect with him 2 Chron. 16. 9. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do Seeing then we have a great High Priest that is passed into the heavens let us hold fast our profession Heb. 4. 13 14. Had we more to do with him and did we consider that in him we are compleat our souls would dwell at ease and it would preserve us from those fears of amazement and cares wherewith we afflict our selves to know mens intentions and to save our selves Psal 10. 11 14 35 22. Jer. 11. 18 19. And together herewith He our Lord is of great power Psal 147. 5. and hath received this and will manage it for the special good of those that believe The Father hath put all things under his feet and given him to be head over all things unto his Church And the Apostle prayes for the believers that the eyes of their understandings might be inlightned to know this which would delight their souls in the multitude of their thoughts within them Eph. 1. 17 20 22. And this compleats the answer of the good conscience that he is gone up into heaven and is on the right hand of God Angels Authorities and powers being made subject unto him 1 Pet. 3. 21. 22. Heb. 4. 14. 8. 1. 12. 2. All are his servants Satan and all his instruments are ordered by him and when he suffers them to take away from us or afflict us yet it is the Lord that taketh away and orders that affliction to us though he is not the author of the sin yet who is he that saith and it cometh to pass when the Lord commands it not Out of the mouth of the most high proceeds not evil and good Job 1. 21. Lam. 3. 37 38. Consider then when any grievous wolves enter in among us that it is the Lord that dyed for us yea rather that is risen again that hath ordered those cruel ones to us and his will is good perfect and acceptable and therefore let him do what seemeth him good He is such an High Priest who hath confirmed great and precious promises in his blood even for this life also as He will debate in measure both as to the weight and continuance of the affliction The rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous lest the righteous put forth their hands to iniquity Isa 27. 8. Psal 125. 3. There hath no temptation taken you saith the Apostle but that which is common to man or moderate and God is faithful for the time to come who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able but will with the temptation make a way of escape that you may be able to bear 1 Cor. 10. 13 14. To this purpose also speaks Moses Deut. 8. 5. 6. Thou shalt also consider in thine heart that as a man chasteneth his son so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee namely with compassion and much tenderness He is a God of judgment by whom actions and afflictions are weighed The fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument neither is a cart-wheel turned about upon the cummin but the fitches are beaten out with a staff and the cummin with a rod he will not lay upon his people more than they are able or he will inable them to bear but beat them with a rod and a staff and not bring the wheel over them Prov. 20. 26. and his rod and his staff shall comfort them namely his moderate afflictions as Psal 23. 4. bread corn is bruised because he will not ever be threshing it nor bâ—eak it with the wheel of his cart nor bruise it with his horsemen This also cometh from the Lord of hosts which is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working who knows our frame and weakness and is excellent in working for our escape that the Spirit may not fail before him and the Soul which he hath made Isa 57. 16. Abruised reed he will not break Isa 28. 26 29. 42. 1 3. Psal 103. 13 14. Surely saith the Prophet the wrath of man shall praise thee and the remainder thereof which would not tend to his praise in the profit of his people thou wilt restrain Psal 76. 10. He will be with them in all the grievances he is ordering to them according to that Isa 41. 10 14. Fear thou not for I am with thee be not dismaâ—ed for I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I