Selected quad for the lemma: life_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
life_n	blood_n	flesh_n	meat_n	9,640	5	9.2298	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A45679	The best match, or, The believer's marriage with Christ a sermon on the parable of the marriage of the king's son, Mat. 22. 1, 2, &c. : preached at Potters Pury in Northamptonshire, September the 29th, 1690 / by Michael Harrison ... ; to which is added four hymns ...	Harrison, Michael, Minister at Potters-Pury.	1691 (1691)	Wing H901; ESTC R14002	28,276	66

THE BEST MATCH OR The Believer's Marriage with Christ A SERMON On the Parable of the Marriage of the King's Son Mat. 22.1 2 c. Preached at Potters Pury in Northamptonshire September the 29th 1690. By MICHAEL HARRISON Minister of Casfield in Bucks To which is added four Hymns I. An Hymn of Praises to God for giving Christ II. To Christ for redeeming us III. To God for the Gospel IV. The Believer's Groans for Sion's Deliverance I Joh. 5.12 He that hath the Son hath Life and he that hath not Son of God hath not Life London Printed for Nathanael Ranew at the King's-Arms in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1691. THE PREFACE THIS Heavenly Sermon invites Souls to come to Christ that Spiritual Feast that best of Feasts costly to the Provider free to the Comer Christ was crucified to make a Feast for us but it crucifies him afresh that many who are affectionately invited will not come They will be starv'd before they will come to this Feast They will be damn'd before they will come to Christ Alas that they should perish when Life is so near But they that do come find by blessed Experience that his Flesh is Meat indeed and his Blood Drink indeed There is 1. Calling 2. Coming 3. Vnion 4. Communion Calling is twofold Outward Inward Outward Calling is by the Gospel and Gospel-Ministry Inward Calling is twofold Ineffectual Effectual The inward ineffectual Call leaves the Soul in worse state than it found it The quenching of the Sparks of Heaven is the kindling the Flames of Hell And they fall deepest into Hell that fall backwards into Hell The inward effectual Calling is when a Soul comes to Christ that is believing Joh. 6.35 This Coming or believing determins effectual Calling and begins Vnion This Vnion is the ground of Communion which on the Soul's part is a partaking of all such spiritual good things as are purchased by the Blood of Christ for Believers There is nothing that the corrupt Nature of Man is more averse to than Christ and Faith in Christ There are no Quarrels commenc'd by the World Flesh and Devil against any Grace so much as against justifying Faith nor against any Ordinance so much as that which Faith comes by which is the sound and plain preaching of the Gospel Rom. 10.17 Through Self-Fulness and Spiritual Distempers it comes to pass that there is no Appetite in the Soul after Christ but this Spirital Feast is loathed By others Christ is respected only as a remote cause of Salvation They will not allow Justification by Faith in Christ's Blood without the Deeds of the Law they will not come to Christ unless they can make him a Present As if it were not enough to be Joynt-Heirs with Christ unless they might be Joynt-Purchasers also But the Word saith Come for all things are now ready i. e. in Christ Luk. 14.17 Come without Money and without Price Isa 55.1 Only Come Q. Is not this presuming A. Nothing is more contrary to Presumption that this For 1. It is the greatest piece of Self-denial There is no Humility like Faith 2. It is taking the Lord at his Word Obj. This believing is a slight matter Answ It is a senseless and a vile Objection And to speak as the truth is People do but trifle in Soul-matters till they are effectually humbled and chastised by the Spirit of Bondage It is a great thing for a Man with the Heart to believe unto Righteousness Such a poor Creature is made first to know himself to be a very miserable lost undone helpless sinking perishing Wretch and so to know himself as to abhor himself and so to abhor himself as to deny himself and so to deny himself as to cast himself into the saving Arms of an only Saviour which were stretched upon the Cross and are spread wide open in the Promises of the Gospel to embrace any wretched Sinner as will fall into them This is done by Divine Light and Power The Spirit convinces the Father draws And Oh how the Soul cries pants yearns after Christ O nothing but Christ Nothing but Christ It can never be satisfied till it come into that blessed Bosom where the weary are at rest This breeds Repentance secures Obedience The Repentance is evangelical that Obedience filial The Terrors of the Law break the Heart into hard pieces the Love of Christ melts it and makes it flow like Water And the Soul that hath learned Christ to be her Righteousness finds him to be her Strength also Isa 45.24 In a word Christ is all He hath done all he hath suffered all and he must have the Glory of every part of our Salvation God will have his Son honoured Sinners Sinners Come to Christ Know that there is no Salvation but by Christ neither is there any Salvation by Christ but in Christ Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting Salvation Isa 45.17 Let nothing come between the Graff and the Stock Touch close upon the Foundation Let the whole weight of your Salvation lie upon that Foundation which God hath laid and not Man You are lost and undone come as such to Christ Come to a Saviour as to a Saviour he will receive you joyfully Will you not come O Come confess your Sins and that you are guilty to Vnexcusableness O Lord I cannot answer for what I have done I cannot bear what I have deserved But I appeal to the Blood of Christ Thy Justice might be glorified in mine eternal Destruction but it could never be satisfied but the Blood of Christ hath both glorified and satisfied thy Justice O let Christ's Blood go for mine Oh sprinkle my Conscience with the Blood of Christ Lie in Dust and Ashes and cry for the Blood of Sprinkling O Lord revive among us the Doctrine of free Grace the work of Conversion the Power of Religion and the Spirit of Brotherly-Kindness and Charity And now may we see the King of Kings and Lord of Lords sitting upon a Throne high and lifted up and his Train filling the Temple Now let him be exalted and extolled and be very high Now let him be great to the Ends of the Earth And blessed be the Lord God the God of Israel who only doth wonderous things And blessed be his glorious Name for ever and let the whole Earth be filled with his Glory Amen and Amen The Author's Advertisment to the Reader THe Reader is desired to take notice that the following Sermon was preached to a Country-Congregation without the least design of ever being made publick But some of the then Hearers being very earnest for a Copy of the Author's Notes with leave to print it the Author who was at first unwilling having no desire to be seen in Print yet at last condescended to give a Copy leaving it to their choice whether to make it publick or no. The Subject is Christ the very Subject of the Gospel If the Lord please to bless it to win over any Souls to

Divine Nature as God Heb. 1.3 Being the brightness of his Father's Glory the express Image of his Person Beautiful as Man Psal 45.2 Thou art fairer than the Children of Men. Beautiful in his Offices of Prophet Priest and King Though a carnal Eye sees nothing yet Faith discovers Wonders in Christ Phil. 3.8 9. the Spouse discribes him Cappapè Cant. 5.10 to 15. Ver. 11. His Head viz. his Spiritual Headship over his Church Col. 1.18 Nothing in Christ but is beautiful his very Locks Eyes Cheeks Lips Hands Legs c. are all beautiful Ver. 11 12 13 14 15. Understand these Epithets Spiritually and Chirst will appear a glorious and excellent Person O Christians labour to see and know Jesus Christ if you did know him better you would desire him more Secondly To provoke you to look out after an Interest in Christ consider what you shall gain by coming to Christ 1. If you will heartily come to and believe in Christ you shall have Redemption and Deliverance from the power and guilt of Sin and the Tyranny of Satan Eph. 1.7 In Christ we have Redemption through his Blood even the forgiveness of Sins he will make you free of the new Jerusalem which is above Rom. 8.1 2. There is therefore now no Condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ hath made them free from the Law of Sin and Death 2. Come to Christ and all your Temporal Maladies shall be sanctified to you and all your Spiritual Maladies shall be cured your Temporal Maladies shall all be sanctified to you such as Sickness Poverty Disgrace Reproaches c. all shall work for your good Rom. 8.28 And your Spiritual Maladies shall be cured such as Infirmities Backsliding Ignorance Hardness of Heart Blindness of Mind c. Hosea 14.4 I will heal their Backslidings and love them freely Ezek. 36.25 26 27. I will pour clean Water upon you and you shall be clean from all your Filthiness and Abomination will I cleanse you a new Heart also will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you I will put my fear into your Hearts and cause you to walk in my Ways 3. Come to Christ and you shall stand related in the nearest dearest and sweetest Relations to God and Christ you shall be his Sons and Daughters 1 John 3.1 Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed on us that we should be called the Sons of God 2 Cor. 6. 17 18. Come out from amongst them and be ye separated saith the Lord and touch no unclean Thing and I will receive you and will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord Almighty You shall be his peculiar Treasure 1 Pet. 2.9 A chosen Generation a royal Priesthood a holy Nation a peculiar People Jesus Christ will be to you a Friend Cant. 5.16 This is my Friend Husband Isa 54.5 A Brother Sister and Mother Mark 3.35 4. Come to and accept of Christ for your Lord and Saviour and you shall be fed with dainty Fare and shall wear glorious Apparel Isa 55.1 2. You shall eat Wine and Milk yea that which is good Jesus Christ himself shall be your Food and his Righteousness shall be your Apparel Ezek. 16 10. I clothed thee also with broidred Work and shod thee with Badgers Skin and I girded thee about with fine Linnen and covered thee with Silk v. 11. I decked thee also with Ornaments and I put Bracelets upon thine Hands and a Chain of Gold about thy Neck see ver 12 13. All signifies the Beauty of a Believer in Christ this glorious Apparel is Christ's Righteousness imputed outwardly and the Heavenly Graces of the Spirit put on inwardly in the great Work of Sanctification In a word Come to Christ and you have all in having Him Christ is Heir of all things he hath all who hath Him who is all Now if either Love or Beauty or any excellency will draw you here 's all in Christ O Sirs come to Christ I beseech you do not refuse such a Saviour Thirdly Yet once more to prevail with you to come to Christ consider what a Hell of Misery you wilfully throw your Souls into by refusing to come to him what became of these in the Parable that set light by the Invitations to come Ver. 5. They made light of it and went away one to his Farm and another to his Merchandize Ver. 7. When the King heard thereof he was wroth and sent forth his Armies and destroyed those Murderers and burnt up their City O it 's a dreadful a fearful Case to refuse Christ offered Heb. 10.28 29. He that despised Moses 's Law died without Mercy under two or three Witnesses Of how much sorer Punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath troden under foot the Son of God c. Refuse Christ and you perish without remedy for ever O think of Hell who among you can dwell in eternal Burnings Refuse Christ and you sink without remedy into the lowest Hell And therefore I beseech you come to Christ what 's the matter you are so dead and cold to this Offer why so backward Christ is willing to receive Isa 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come Fourth Vse shall be of Direction Quest But how may a poor Sinner come to Christ I must now be short 1. If you desire to come to Christ then labour to see your need of Christ your undone State and Condition without Christ I 've told you 't is mere necessity that drives Persons to Christ Luke 5.31 32. You must be sick of Sin like those Acts 2.37 2. If you desire to come to Christ then you must beg and desire to be drawn to him Cant. 1.4 Draw me we will run after thee Joh. 6.44 No Man can come to me except the Father which sent me draw him Sin has so infeebled our Natures that we have no Strength nor Ability to any good Rom. 5.6 When we were without Strength Christ died for the ungodly If you would come to Christ see your own weakness see your need of the Drawings of the Spirit and beg for it 3. If you desire to come to Christ then sit under a rousing drawing Ministry Rom. 10.17 Faith comes by hearing Mark by what means so many thousands have been brought to Christ and it has been by the preaching of the Gospel as abundantly appears in these Scriptures Acts 2.37 38. Acts 16.14 Eph. 1.13 1 Thes 1.6 This is that very Ordinance that God has appointed to gather in the Elect to himself 1 Cor. 1.21 When the World by Wisdom knew not God it pleased God by the foolishness of Preaching to save them that believe And indeed this is the reason why the Devil and his Instruments do so much oppose the preaching of the Gospel O prize this Ordinance and wait daily at Wisdoms Gates Observe where the Gospel is purely preached Shun such Preachers as