Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	abide_v	people_n	zion_n	188	3	9.0148	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85704	A treatise touching falling from grace. Or Thirteen arguments tending to prove that believers cannot fall from grace, as they were laid down at a conference at Yalding in Kent, examined and answered, with many absurdities of that doctrine shewed. Whereunto is added thirteen reasons to prove that believers may fall totally and finally from grace, and many profitable uses flowing from that doctrine. By John Griffith.	Griffith, John, 1622?-1700.	1653 (1653)	Wing G2006; Thomason E690_17; ESTC R202323	40,736	75

kept by the power of God and least that keeping should be for a little while he tells you it is an inheritance that fadeth not away Rom. 8.30 Ans. The strength of this Argument lyeth in two particulars First Gods unchangeablenesse Secondly in believers being kept by his power First Therefore to the unchangeablenesse of God I grant that he changeth not and yet it doth not follow but justified persons may fall totally and finally For Union and salvation are conditional First their entrance into it is conditional he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved Mark 16.16 being justifyed by faith c. Rom. 5.1 without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 if by faith they are justifyed then not without it he that believeth not is condemned John 3.18 19. But some may say we are justified before in Gods account I answer then we were his people in his account also without or before believing which to say were to contradict the Scripture 1 Pet. 2. which in time past were not a people yet are now the people of God which were not under mercy but now have obtained mercy Rom. 9.25 26. Hosea 2.23 the Apostle Paul saith that Andronicus and Junia were in Christ before him Rom. 16.7 the Apostle John saith if we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darknesse we ly and do not the truth 1 John 1.6 and again He that saith he knoweth him and keepeth not his commandments is a lyar and the truth is not in him ch. 7.4 by all which appears that we are not the justifyed ones neither have we union with Christ without believing and doing his commandements 1 John 1.7 Secondly we are continued in union with Christ on condition of believing and persevering in the doing the will of God and not without this the word of God doth teach us in many places For we are made partakers of Christ mark if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence stedfast to the end Heb. 3.14 Paul saith to the Colossians that Christ hath reconciled them in the body of his flesh through death to present them holy and unblameably and unreprovable in his sight if ye continue in the faith grounded and settled and be not mov'd away from the hope of the Gospel which ye have heard Col. 1.21.22.23 mark they then shall be presented holy unreprovable unblameable upon what terms why if they continue c. and so saith the Spirit unto the Angells of the Church in Smyrna be thou faithfull unto death and I will give the Crown of life Rev. 2.10 and so unto the Church in Thyatira he that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end to him will I give power over the nations verse 25 26.27 he that overcometh the same shall be clothed in white raiment and I will not blot his name out of the book of life but I will confesse his name before my father and before his holy Angels cha. 2 5. our Lord Christ saith in the fifteenth of John the second every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away some branches in Christ may become fruitlesse and so taken away by the Father so the Author to the Heb. saith that which beareth thornes and bryers is rejected and is nigh unto cursing Heb. 6.8 By this which hath been said it appears that we have no union with Christ but by believing and doing the will of God and that union with Christ is continued by persevering in doing the will of God and not otherwise God having promised eternal life upon no other terms Now this considered we may plainly see that although persons which have union with Christ may fall from it by not holding fast unto the end yet God never the more changeable because justification union and salvation are conditionall as hath been shewed God hath bound himself as I may say to give life to overcomming Saints but if any man draw back his soul shall have no pleasure in him Heb. 10.39 he hath promised his blessing unto fruitfull branches in Christ but fruitlesse ones he will take away John 15.2.3 So much to the Argument Now to the Scriptures alleged The first is Isa. 54.17 the supposed strength which is in this text lyeth in these words No weapon formed against them shall prosper Let us examine now who it shall not prosper against why saith the Lord this is the heritage of the Lords servants now the Lords servants are they that still overcome against whom no weapon shall prosper not they that fight for a time and are overcome at last let not him that girdeth on his armor boast himself as he that putteth it off 1 Kin. 20.11 in serving the Lord we have a promise as the Apostle saith who is it that will harm you if you be followers of that which is good 1 Pet. 3.13 so that this doth not prove but that believers may fall and so cease to be what they were and God not engaged in promise unto them for he saith Ezek. 18.24 but when the righteous man turneth away from his righteousnesse and committeth iniquity and doth according to all the abomination that the wicked man doth shall he live all his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned in his trespasse that he hath trespassed and in his sin that he hath sinned in them he shall dy c. Again this is a promise made unto Israel of and concerning their being established in righteousnesse after their scattering and rejection for their not receiving Christ for it relates to Gods performing Covenant with them in which Covenant they shall all be taught of God see verse 13. and all thy children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the peace of thy children but not a promise made to any in the time of their warfare without the condition of standing fast taking heed overcoming and the like for otherwise there be weapons viz the firy darts of Satan and the like may and do prosper against many and we no promise to the contrary which proves that God one day will look upon Israel though now tossed and afflicted and turn ungodlynesse from Jacob in which day or at which time no weapon formed against him shall prosper for the Lord will assuredly establish Israel a people before him therfore this text doth not so much as seem to prove the thing it is brought for The second place alleged is Psal. 125.1 they that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Sion that cannot be moved but abideth for ever c. I grant as before that persons that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion unmovable so long as they continue trusting in him but some that trust in the Lord may let go their confidence as hath been shewed yea some have so done Jer. 2.5 compared with verse 12.13 thus saith the Lord what iniquity have your fathers found in me that they are gone far from me and have walked after vanity and are

people giving all dilligence to add to their faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godlinesse and to godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and to brotherly kindnesse charity thus doing ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ but he that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see a far off and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins But let the servants of the Lord do so and they shall never fall viz. give diligence to make their calling and election sure by giving dilligence to add these to their faith c. It teacheth them to esteem highly of the ministry Vse 5 of Christ and so consequently of his ministers who are set over them as their feeders knowing that without they are fed they may pine and and so die this is a duty that the Lord doth enjoin his people to do and we beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and esteem them very highly in love for their works sake c. this it teaches Saints to do and joyfully to receive from them that food that is appointed for their spiritual nourishment and growth and not to slight their profitable admonitions which tend to the taking away any infection that may arise in them which if not prevented in time may grow to a consumption and so instead of thriving under the ministry they pine and wast and so at last die not for want of food but because of an infection that may hinder the concoction and so the food become unprofitable unto them which may be occasioned by their slighting them that are over them in the Lord viz. by slighting their labour and admonitions and therefore the Hebrew Saints were put upon this duty remember them which have the rule over you who have spoke unto you the word of God whose faith follow considering the end of their conversation and again obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give an account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you c. Vse 6 It teacheth the servants of the Lord to set a high estimation on the word of God they knowing that to be sincere milk by which they must be fed and grow the good servant of the Lord the Prophet David did highly esteem of the word of the Lord saith he princes have persecuted me without cause but my heart standeth in awe of thy word I rejoice at thy word as one that findeth great spoil again mine eyes prevent the night watches that I might meditate in thy word so likewise the Prophet Jeremiah thy words were found and I did eat them and thy words were unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart c. to this duty the Apostle of our Lord doth presse believers wherefore laie apart all filthinesse and superfluity of naughtinesse and receive with meeknesse the ingraffed word which is able to save your souls how sweet are thy words unto my tast saith David thus to do doth this truth teach us because whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed but he that feareth the commandements shall be rawarded and again wherefore thus saith the holy one of Israel because ye have dispised this word and trust in oppression and perversenesse and stay thereon therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall swelling out in a high wall whose breaking commeth suddenly at an instant for all those things hath mine hand made and all those things have been saith the Lord but to this man will I look even to him that is pure and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word the Lord is pleased to make gracious promises to such as highly esteem of his word but if we despise it we shall be destroyed oh how precious is the word of the Lord how should it then be disgested and received into our very hearts as our food our councel our light our lanthorn lest it be despised so we pine starve dy and be destroyed It teacheth the servants of Christ to esteem Vse 7 highly of Gospel ordinances of the precious institutions of their precious lord because they know that they are the conveyances in which God is pleased to convey himself unto them and because without their obedience unto and faithfull walking in them they are in unspeakable danger of falling to destruction therefore saith the Apostle John whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ hath both the father and the son again Christ saith if ye keep my commandements ye shall abide in my love c. he that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me he that keepeth my sayings c. the servants of Christ then must highly esteem of Christs sayings doctrines commandements c. for so did they of old the proud have forged a ly against me but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart their heart is as fat as grease but I delight in thy law the law of thy mouth is better to me then thousonds of gold and silver and again O how thy commandements have made me wiser then al my teachers for thy testimonies are my meditations I understand more then the antients because I keep thy precepts here may we see how this servant of the lord did esteem of the precepts of the lord and likewise what profit he received by his so doing what a sad estate and condition are they in that set light by ordinances that cast them behind them and break the commandements of the Lord and teach men so to do the lord Christ will make as little account of them one day for he saith why call you me lord lord and do not the things that I say as if Christ should say you call me lord but why do you so how am I your lord and you keep not my sayings If I were your lord you would keep my words my commandements you would set an high esteem of my ordinances and the like how many is there at this day that call Christ lord and yet have no love to his testimonies how many that have owned Christ in his institutions and yet have transgressed and abide not in his doctrine but slight his ordinances saying they are low things as if they were too high to submit to them or having submitted to them were grown too high to continue in them and yet they call him Lord the Apostle Paul prais'd the Corinthians for keeping the ordinances as he had delivered them unto them let this use be made therefore of this truth seeing if we transgresse and abide not

in the doctrine of Christ we have not God It teacheth the servants of the Lord to continue Vse 8 instant in prayer praying fervently because otherwise they may enter into temptation and so be in danger of being overcome therefore saith Christ watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation so Christ taught his disciples to pray lead us not into temptation Again take ye heed watch and pray for ye know not when the time is to this duty we are exhorted by the Apostles of Christ to be instant in prayer without ceasing is any afflicted let him pray continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving be ye therefore sober watch unto prayer and he spake a parable unto them to this end that men ought alwais to pray not to faint the good Lord will be sought unto for strength against temptations prayer is one of the weapons which we must overcome temptations withall and overcome Satan yea and prevail with God through bis dear Son for supplies of grace that we may be able to stand against our enemies in the day of tryal and adversity let us therefore learn this good lessen to be instant in prayer for God is a God hearing prayer and will answer while we are yet speaking and what soever we ask in his Sons name he will give it unto us if we abide in him and his word abide in us Vse 9 It teacheth the Servants of the Lord to be constant in hearing and in reading the Scriptures and to meditate in the law of the Lord they knowing that it is a means by which they shal be strengthned fed and refreshed and without which they may grow feeble therefore saith the wisdome of God now therefore hearken to me O ye children for blessed are they that keep my waies hear instruction and be wise and refuse it not blessed is the man that heareth me watching dayly at my gates waiting at the posts of my dores a wise man will hear and increase learning be more ready to hear then to give the sacrifice of fools for they consider not that they do evil hear and your soul shall live again be swift to hear and slow to speak slow to wrath thus doth this truth teach us to hear constantly yea so to hear as to do what the the will of God is for otherwies we deceive our selves it is not the hearer of the law which is justifyed but the doer therefore saith Christ he that heareth these sayings of mine and doth them I will liken him to a wiseman c. but if we refuse to hear God will send a famine not a famine of bread nor of thirst but of hearing the word of the Lord how doth it then behove the servants of Christ to be diligent hearers of the word in these daies of plenty and to walk thankfully towards God in all well pleasing least he should deprive them of so great rich and unspeakable a mercy It obligeth and incourageth the servants of the Vse 10 Lord to suffer persecution constantly for the testimony of Christ they knowing that if they suffer they shall be glorifyed with him but if they deny him he will also deny them this is that which the word of God doth much mind us of viz. that they must suffer persecution fear none of these things which thou shalt suffer behold the devill shall cast some of you into prison that ye may be tryed and ye shall have tribulation ten daies be thou faithfull unto death and I will give thee a Crown of life The Lord here gives a gracious encouragement fear not saith he none of these things which thou shalt suffer as if the Lord should say suffer thou must but be thou faithfull unto death and I will give thee a Crown of life thou shalt be rewarded with a sufficient recompence for our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternall weight of glory what an incouragement is this now not to forsake nor deny Christ seeing there is a Crown an eternal weight of glory too for them that are faithful unto death and do not deny Christ what would not a man suffer for a Crown for glory for a kingdome who would forsake a Crown of glory a Kingdome an incorruptible one also for the suffrings the light momentary affliction that may be suffered here what is it for a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul or what shall a man give in exchange for his Soul therefore he that will save his life shall lose it that is he that to save his life here will deny Christ and not suffer for his sake shall lose his life in that to come therefore nothing will be our gain if we do not hold fast but great will be our loss viz. our souls our lives a Crown a kingdome of glory oh how should the servants of the lord be filling their hearts with the consideration of the excellency and glory of that kingdom that they may hold fast that no man take their Crown knowing that the promise is to him that overcommeth Vse 11 It teacheth them to resist Satan stedfastly they knowing that he goeth about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour and that he is an enemy that must be resisted otherwise he may prevaile against them and overcome them this may teach the servants of the lord to stand upon their guard and to resist every temptation wherewith he doth indeavour to surprize them and narrowly to watch against his suggestions for they are to give no place to the devill but to learn with the Apostle not to be ignorant of his devises that so having on the whole armor of God they may be able to quench his fiery darts by resisting of him with stedfast faith seeing else they may be overcome by him and catched in his snares like the silly bird who is catched in the net of the fowler It teacheth them to mortifie the deeds of the Vse 12 flesh they knowing that that is also an enemy to them to which duty we are exhorted mortifie your members that are upon the earth for if ye live after the flesh ye shall dy but if ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live the servants of Christ must not live after the flesh they wil then come under condemnation vers. 1. therefore the Apostle Paul kept under his body and brought it under subjection and the reason was lest he should be a cast away the flesh and the lusts therof do make war against the soul they must not be suffered to be predominant in the servants of Christ for they are stout warriers and will slay if they be not slayed It teacheth the servants of Christ to follow after Vse 13 peace and holinesse