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	way_n	zion_n	61	3	8.8307	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A42363	The Christians great interest: or A short treatise, divided into two parts the first whereof containeth, the tryal of a saving interest in Christ. The second, pointeth forth plainly, the way how to attain it: wherein somewhat is likewise spoken to the manner of express covenanting with God. By W. Guthrie, minister of the gospel in Scotland.	Guthrie, William, 1620-1665.	1681 (1681)	Wing G2273; ESTC R218716	96,110	156

not touch or embrace They may look to one to whome they dare not speak Yet God hath made the promise to faith in that acting as the forecited Scripture doth shew and this he hath done mercifully and wisely for this is the only discernable way of the acting of faith of some persons sometimes such are the actings our outgoings of faith exprest in Scripture by hungring and thirsting after righteousness Mat. 5. 6. and that exprest by w●lling Rev. 22. 17. Again this faith goeth out sometimes in the act of recumbency or leaning on the Lord the soul taking up Christ then as a resting stone and God hath so held him out although he be a stumbling stone to others Rom. 9. 33. This acting of it is hinted in the expressions of trusting and staying on God so often mentioned in Scripture and precious promises are made to this acting of faith Isa 26. 34. God will keep them in prerfect peace whose minds are staid on him because such do trust in him Trust in the Lord for with him is everlasting strength So Psal 125. 1. They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion which abideth for ever I say the Lord hath made promises to this way of Faiths acting as knowing it will go often out after him in this way with many persons and this way of its acting will be most discernable to them It goeth out after God sometimes by an act of waiting when the Soul hath somewhat depending before God and hath not got out his mind satisfyingly about that thing then Faith doth wait and so it hath the Promise Isa 49. 23. Sometimes it acteth in a wilful way upon the Lord when the Soul apprehendeth God thrusting it away and threatning its ruine So Job 13. 15. Though he slay me yet I will trust in him The faith of that poor woman Mat. 15. 22 28. so highly commended by Christ did go out in this way of wilful acting over the difficulties and the Lord speaketh much good of it and to it because some will be put to it to exercise faith that way sometimes and so they have that for their encouragement It were tedious to instance all the several ways of the acting of faith upon and its exercise about and outgoing after Christ I may say according to the various conditions and pressures of the soul of man the Lord hath variously held out himself and his fulness in Christ under divers notions as might most fitly meet the distress or condition of man and accordinly Faith which God hath appointed to traffick and travel between Christ and Man as the instrument of conveyance of his fulness unto man and of maintaining union and communion with him acteth variously and differently upon God in Christ for Faith is the very shaping out of a mans heart according to Gods contrivement of Salvation by Christ Jesus in whom it pleased the Father that fulness should dwell So that let Christ turn what way he will Faith turneth and pointeth that way Now he turneth all ways in which he can be useful to poor man and therefore faith acteth accordingly on him for drawing out of that fulness according to a mans case and condition As for example The soul is naked destitute of a covering to keep it from the storms of Gods wrath Christ is fine raiment Rev. 3. 17 18. Then accordingly Faiths work here is to put on the Lord Jesus Gal. 3. 27. The Soul is hungry and thirsty after somewhat that may everlastingly satisfy Christ Jesus is Milk Wine Water Bread of Life and the true Manna Isa 55. 1 2. Joh. 6. 4 51. He is the feast of Fat things and of Wine refined Isa 25. 6. Then the work and exercise of faith is to go buy eat and drink abundantly Isa 55. 1. Joh. 6. 53. 57. The soul is pursued for guilt more or less and is not Law-biding Christ Jesus is the City of refuge and the High-Priest there during whose life-time that is for ever the poor man who wins this is safe Then the work and exercise of faith is to flee thither for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us Heb. 6. 1. In a word whatsoever way he may benefit poor man so he speaketh of himself and as he holdeth out himself in the Scripture so faith doth point toward him If he be a Bridegroom faith will go out in a marriage relation If he be a Father Faith pleads the man to be a child If he be a shepherd faith pleads the man may be one of his sheep if he be a Lord faith calls him so which none can do but by the Spirit of Jesus If he be dead and risen again for our Justification faith believeth God hath raised him on that account Rom. 10. 9. wheresoever he be there would faith be and whatsoever he is faith would be somewhat proportionally For by faith the heart is shapen out in breadth and length for him yea when the fame and report of him goeth abroad in his truth although faith see not much yet it believeth on his Name upon the very fame he hath sent abroad of himself Joh. 1. 12. But here for avoiding of mistakes consider 1. That although justifying Faith acteth so variously yet every Believer who hath a good title to Christ Jesus hath not all these various actings and exercises of Faith for his condition craveth them not and also the Master is pleased not to lead out the faith of some persons at some times in some of these ways for reasons known to himself even when their necessity to their apprehension calleth for such acting of faith Surely every one dare not say Though he kill me yet will I trust in him Many would not have gon up with that woman I spake of Mat. 15. but would have been discouraged and quit the pursuit It is on this account that Christ doth highly commend the faith of some beyond the faith of others Mat. 8. 10. and 15. 28. Many good people are much disquieted about their faith because it goeth not out in all those ways we find recorded in Scripture But there is hardly and man will be found whose faith hath acted all these ways 2. Many of these actings of faith are much intended and remitted They are sometimes strong and vigorous and discernable and sometimes they fail and misbelief doth prevail so as it were an uncertain thing to judge of a mans estate by these We find the Saints very different from themselves in regard of the actings of faith sometimes as we shewed before 3. Each one of these actings of faith speaketh good to the person in whom it is and hath promises annexed unto it as we have said Yet 4. Although these Actings of faith have promises annexed unto them they are not for that the condition of the New Conenant for then every one behoved to have each one of them which is not true as we have said before A promise is made to him who

Hos 6. 7. and made it void for ever Rom. 2. 20. involved himself into all misery thereby Rom. 5. 12. 2. The Lord did most freely from everlasting purpose and intend to save men another way viz. by Christ Jesus and the Covenant of grace in which he intended reconcilement with the Elect through Christ Jesus God and Man born of a woman in due time to make this agreement effectual And this device of satisfying his own justice and saving of the elect by Christ he did at first intimate to our parents in Paradice Gen. 3. 15. where he saith that the seed of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head and the Lord hath in all Generations made this known to his Church 3. The Lord hath in all ages Covenanted to be the reconciled God of all these who by their subjection to his Ordinances did profess their satisfaction with this device and oblige themselves to acquiesce in the same and to seek salvation by Christ Jesus as God doth offer him in the Gospel so all the people of Israel are called the Lords People and are said to avouch him to be their God and he doth avouch them to be his People Exod. 19. 5. 8 Deut. 26. 17 18. yea the Lord doth also engage himself to be the God of the seed and children of these who do so subject to his Ordinances The Covenant is said to be made between God and all the People young and old present and not present that day Deut. 29. 10 11 15. and all are appointed to come under some seal of that Covenant as was en●oyned to Abrabam Gen. 7. 10. not only was it so in ●he Old Testament but it is so in the New Testament also The Lord makes offer of himself to be our God 〈◊〉 Christ Jesus and the people professing their satisfaction in that offer and in Testimony thereof subjecting themselves unto the Ordinances they are reckoned a Covenanted people and are joyned unto his Church in Thousands receiving a seal of the Covenant without a●y further particular previous tryal Acts. 2. 38. 41. 4. Many do deal treacherously with God in this Covenant Psal 78. 36 37. and although they do profes● their estimation of Christ the Saviour and heart-satisfaction with that device of saving sinners by him an● having the Image of God restored by him in them ye● their heart is not right with God and they do conte●● themselves with an empty title of being in a sealed Covenant with God John 8. 39. Abraham is our Father say they For although the Lord obligeth ever● man who professeth his satisfaction with Christ Jesus the devised ransom to be cordial and sincere herein an● only to these who are so doth he make out the Spiritua● Promises of the Covenant they only being priviledge● to be the Sons of God who do really receive Christ John 1. 12. yet the Lord doth permit many to profes● their closing with him in Christ both in the Old and New Testament whilest their heart is not engaged and he doth admit them to be members of his Church granting unto them the use of Ordinances and many other external mercies and Priviledges denyed unto the Heathen who are not in Covenant with him 5. Although the great part of people do foolishly fancy that they have closed with God in Christ Jesus sincerély and heartily or at least they do without any ground or warrant promise a new heart to themselves before they depart this life yet there be but very few who d● really and cordially close with God in Christ Jesus as he is offered in the Gospel and so there be but very fe● saved as is clear Mat. 7. 14. Strait is the gate an● narrow is the way which leadeth unto life and few ther● be who find it Mat. 20. 16. Many are called but fe● are chosen If people would believe this it might he●● to alarm them 6. Although none at all do cordially close with Go● in Christ Jesus and acquiesce in that ransom found 〈◊〉 by God except only such as are elected Rom. 11. 7. and whose hearts the Lord doth soveraignly determine to that blessed choice John 6. 44. yet the Lord hath left it as a duty upon people who hear this Gospel to close with his offer of Salvation through Christ Jesus as if it were in their power to do it And the Lord through these Commands and Exhortations wherein he obligeth men to the thing doth convey life and strength to the elect and doth therein convey the new heart unto them which pointeth kindly toward this new Contrivance of saving sinners and towards Christ in his Covenant relations or it is the Lords mind in these commands and invitations to put people on some duty with which he useth to concur for accomplishing that business between him and them so then it is a coming on our part and yet a drawing on his part John 6. 44. it is a drawing on his part and running on our part Cant. 1. 4. it is an approaching on our part and yet a chusing and causing to approach on his part Psal 65. 4. it is a believing or receiving on our part John 1. 12. and yet it is given us to believe Phil. 1. 29. Having premised these things I say if men miss in themselves the marks of a saving interest in Christ spoken of in the former part of the Treatise then for securing their state they are obliged with all diligence personally and heartily to accept of and close with Gods design or contrivance of saving sinners by Christ Jesus held out in the Gospel In handling of this we shall 1. Shew what it is to accept of and close with that noble invention 2. We shall shew that it is the necessary duty of those who would be in favour with God and secure their Souls 3. What is previously required of those who perform this duty 4. What are the qualifications and properties of this Duty if rightly managed 5. What be the native consequents of it if it be performed aright As for the first What is it to close with Gods device of saving sinners by Christ Jesus held out in the Gospel Here we must remember as we shewed before that a● first God willed man to abide in his favour by holding fast his first integrity in which he was Created but ma● by his transgression lost Gods favour made void tha● Covenant of Works and put himself in an utter incapacity to regain the Lords friendship which he had los● by his sin and to rescue himself from the curse and wrath now due to him for the same or any way to procure his own salvation But the Lord freely hath manifested another way of repairing mans lost estate viz. by sending his Son Christ Jesus in the flesh to satisfie his justice for the sins of the Elect and to restore in them his Image now defaced and to bring them unto glory and he hath made open Proclamation in the Church That whosoever will