Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n
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A90348
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Ho kalos agon tes pisteos. The good fight of faith. Being the substance of a sermon preached to the congregation assembled at the interring of the body of Master William Hill lately one of the magistrates of Guildford in Surrey. / By his sonne in law Francis Peck, Master of Arts, sometimes preacher there, and now minister of God's word in Hertford.
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Peck, Francis, d. 1651.
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1645
(1645)
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Wing P1031; Thomason E286_25; ESTC R200082
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15,503
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23
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〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH BEING The Substance of a Sermon Preached to the Congregation assembled at the interring of the body of Master William Hill lately one of the Magistrates of Guildford in Surrey By his Sonne in law Francis Peck Master of Arts sometimes Preacher there and now Minister of God's Word in Hereford London Printed for Samuel Enderby and are to be sold at his Shop at the Starre in Popes-head Alley 1645. To the vertuous Widow and hopefull Off-spring of that eminent Servant of Jesus Christ Mr. William Hill one of the Magistrates of the ancient Burrough of Guildsord in Surrey Precious and Beloved THere be but two irresistable arguments 〈◊〉 any ingenuous nature to resigne ones selfe to the desire of another viz. That of duty and that of affection both which you know hath strongly engaged me both to preach and print this Sermon upon this sad and sodaine occasion the former task required by the deceased himselfe whose very relation being a Father so full of care and affection to us all heares the nature of an injunction not to be disobeyed the latter importuned by the concurrent request of you all surviving so neerly related that except I could put off duty and humanity at once without all dispute you must be also gratified which undertaken I presume to make mine earnest request to you all in some few particulars which I hope the Lord Jesus will both move and enable you readily to condescend to me in viz. 1. That so precious a patterne and president of vertue and piety be really imitated of you all 2. That you be practicall and turne the words you desired of me into the works which God requireth of you 3. That by the savory Vnction of brotherly concord amongst our selves you will endeavour with me to be so consolatory to our deare surviving Parent that albeit we cannot supply her invaluable losse yet we may argue our gratefull acknowledgment of her right commendable behaviour to and paines with him who is now with the Lord. 4. Lastly that you will excuse me and make mine apology for speaking so little in the prayse of him that deserved so much mine affection and experience indeed instigates but counsell to one so aproximate must be observed viz. Let another praise thee and not thine owne Prov. 27. 2. mouth a stranger and not thine own lips So I commend you to the provident care of him who is faithfull and bath promised so much to the widow and fatherlesse and in him according to my severall relations to each of you rest Yours F. P. THE GOOD FIGHT OF Faith 1 TIM 6. 12. Fight the good Fight of Faith Lay hold on Eternall Life IN these fighting times whereunto by the provident hand and just vengeance of God we are fallen In which sad warres many poore ignorant soules and many prophane atheistical blasphemous idolatrons wretches are ingaged utterly unfit to live and as utterly unprepared to dye when such on both sides hath fought this fight and death seizeth on them they lay hold on eternall death and everlasting torments in the burning lake is the portion of their cup. I would now gladly improve the opportunity on this occasion to immind you of the good fight indeed which if you fight not you live and dye but the miserable bond slaves of sinne and satan and so continue as miserable as the other to all eternity But if the Lord Jesus Christ the captaine of our salvation enable you to fight this fight as this deceased servant of the Lord hath done and if in him you be more then conquerours then when death seizeth upon you you will lay hold on eternall life as your Crowne and as sure as the Lord lives the eternall joyes of heaven will be the portion of your cup. But to omit farther circumlocation take notice that this Text containeth Paul's charge to Timothy to fight the good fight of faith and to lay hold on eternall life Object But what 's that to us may some say Timothy was a Minister and the charge is given to him to behave himselfe as a valiant Souldier in his ministeriall calling against all oppositions which he was likely to meet with Answ Sometimes the Apostle speaks to him as a Minister sometimes as a professor and private Christian intimating unto us hereby that this charge belongs both to Ministers and people All Christians both Pasters and people are Souldiers often exposed to great streights and difficulties yet the spirit of God in this chapter directs them to help themselves three wayes by 1 Flight 2 Pursuit 3 Fight First by Flight There are four particulars in the preceding verses which Christians must flye from as from Serpents and devils else they are likely to be overcome 1 Not consenting to wholsome words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according unto godlinesse ver 3. 2 Proud doting about questions and strises of words 3 The evill effects and consequences of these which are five 1 Envy 2 Strife 3 Raylings 4 Evill surmizings 5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds ver 4 5. And a motive hereunto in verse 7 8. 4 Cursed covetousnesse manifested by an inordinate desire to be rich the love of money being the root of all evill which makes men fall into many foolish and hurtfull lusts which pierceth them through with many sorrowes nay which drowne them in destruction and perdition Oh man of God whether Ministers or private Christian help thy selfe secure thy soule by flying from these verse 9 10. and part of the 11. Secondly by Pursuit of six friends exprest in the 11. ver which if we gain not on our side there is little hope for our souls to escape a cruell overthrow and eternall raine therefore O man of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 follow after or eagerly pursue these as hounds do the Hare which are 1 Rightcousnesse 2 Godlinesse 3 Faith 4 Love 5 Patience 6 Meeknesse Thirdly by Fight in the words of the Text in which you have two things 1 An Injunction Timothy must fight the good fight of faith 2 A provocation hereunto Then Timothy may be assured that he shall be crowned with eternall life I shall onely pitch upon the Injunction and bring in the Provocation in the Application In the Injunction you have three things 1 The fight that must be sought viz. The fight of faith 2 The description of this fight It is a good fight 3 The combatants or souldiers that must fight it viz. Ministers and all other christians from whence there arise three points of doctrine to be prosecuted Doctr. 1 That there is a fight in faith 2 This fight is a good fight 3 Timothy and all of his spirit must fight it To begin with the first First there is a fight in faith it is a combating and conflicting grace I doe not say that no other grace is militant but this but what grace soever
made of them altogether the poynt is this viz. That it 's the duty of all Pastors and people to fight the good Doctr. 2 and 3 united fight of faith For the explication and confirmation hereof consider Qu. 1. That this fight of faith is two-sold 1 Internall 2 Externall 1 Internall when a beleever fights against his lusts and corruptions and satans wiles as appeares by these Scriptures 2 Cor. 10. 3. Eph. 6. 11. 1 Pet. 2. 11. 2 Externall when a man couragiously stands up in the Cause of Christ and suffers afflictions and persecutions for Christ and is not overcome by them as these Scriptures demonstrate 2 Cor. 15. 31 32. 2 Cor. 11. 23 c. 1 Tim. 1. 18. 19. 20. 2 Tim. 2. 3 4. Qu. 2. Why this fight is it called a good fight Answ 1 Because a good God is the Author of it we need not feare it 's a good fight when God appoints the field 2 In regard of the Generall or Leader of this Army which is Christ He never sinned yet in some respect it may be said that he fought the good fight of faith therefore it must needs be good Revel 17. 14. 3 The good Spirit of God is the guide and conductor in this combat therefore it must needs be good 4 The weapons with which we must fight are appointed and prepared by God Eph. 6. Therefore a good fight 5 Because it is for a good Cause and it appeares to be a good Cause 1 Because it is to preserve God's glory against all oppesers of it and such persons and things as would eclipse and darken it 2 Beause it is for truth and righteousnesse sake Jud. 3. As one said it must needs be a good Religion that such a wretch as Nero persecuted so that must needs be a good fight that opposeth and weakneth the power of such enemies as Devil World and Flesh 3 Because it is to preserve a precious soule better worth then the whole world Mat. 16. 26. 6 In regard it hath a good issue and event viz. eternall life though a beleever meet with many a knock and much hardship and difficulties i' th' combate yet he shall certainly be crowned with victory In all these respects it 's said to be a good fight Qu. 3 But why must all of Timothie's spirit fight this fight of faith which so cleerly appeares to be a good fight Answ 1. Because God will have all the seed of the woman tried all such must look to have their heel bruised by the old Gen. 3d 1â— Serpent therefore all must warre 2 Because Satan beares a like hatred against all he seeks whom he may devour 1 Pet. 5. 8. as the Wolfe will spare none in the flock neither Ram nor Sheep nor Lamb that he can come by so Satan-world and flesh will neither spare Minister nor Magistrate nor common sort of people therefore all beleevers of what rank and quality soever must in opposition to this common foe fight the good fight of faith Qu. 4. Why doth the Lord suffer this spirituall warfare whereby the soules of beleevers are so annoyed with such enemies could not the Lord have brought beleevers soules to eternall life without this Answ Though God at the first work of faith in the soule could have utterly abolished all such spirituall adversaries yet he lets them remaine even after effectuall calling while we are here militant in this world for these respects 1 To shew his power that he can keep beleevers notwithstanding the continuall danger they are in God can carry one of his souldiers quite through all the quarters and armies of the black Prince of darknesse without any hurt he can make his Sheep feed fat in the midst of Wolves and his Lillies grow and flourish in the midst of Thornes and beleevers upright in the middest of strong enemies till they become triumphant in glory 2 Hereby the graces of God's Spirit are raised and exercised to the glory of God who wrought them which if they met with no opposition would not so gloriously appeare as in the time of peace many choyce spirits lye undiscovered c. 3 It is equall we should warre before we triumph that we fight this good fight on earth before we reigne in heavenly glory 4 It makes grace here and glory hereafter more sweet and precious hence the Lord often brings a soule to Heaven by the gates of hell and to a triumphant condition in glory by a militant condition on earth which is sweetned by this meanes for how pleasant is peace after warre you may imagine The first Use of what truths have been explicated and confirmed Use 1. unto you is of tryall whether you be Souldiers of Christ in a militant way against Christ's and your soule 's spirituall enemies or whether yet you be vassals of the devill Here are no newters He that is not with me is against me saith Christ Matth. 12. 30. you are certainly every one of you militant either under Christ's or Satan's banner Now the same question in the ministry of the Word is propounded by Christ which was once by Jehu Who is on my side who 2 King 9. 32. If you be on Christ's side then are you beleevers in a militant way Qu. How shall we know whether we be so or not Answ 1. If you be gathered and brought on by the sound of the Trumpet viz. the powerfull preaching of the Word the ordinary way which the Lord takes to prepare a people for this spirituall battell by enlightning their eyes to see their danger to see their enemies of whom they are in danger the multitude Isa 27. 13. 1 Cor. 14. 8. Heb. 10. 32. subtilty and strength of these adversaries and the soules weaknesse in it selfe to vanquish them but with all its strength by faith in her Captaine the Lord Jesus when once savingly wrought on Then here are according to the paralell before five sorts to be set by who may have the name and profession of a Souldier for the credit on 't or for some base sinister respect or other yet utter strangers to this spirituall warfare As many amongst us have the name of a souldier and martiall men flanting it in their Buffe and great Scarfes but yet others and their owne consciences know they are no Souldiers and have neither will nor skill to fight but basely thrust themselves into that noble and honourable profession of a souldier for some sordid and sinister respect Qu. But who are these 1 All such as hate the sound of the Drum and Trumpet have no disposition of a souldier so all these haters of the Lords Trumpet the shrill cleare and sharp preaching of the Gospell by such and such Ministers who dare not let it give an uncertaine sound are yet none of these that are fighting the good fight of faith 2 Such as are not sensible of any enemies to their soules spirituall good here and eternall good hereafter 3 Such