Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	heir_n	john_n	marry_v	13,629	5	9.8698	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29686	A cabinet of choice jevvels, or, A box of precious ointment being a plain discovery of, or, what men are worth for eternity, and how 'tis like to go with them in another world ... / by Thomas Brooks ...	Brooks, Thomas, 1608-1680.	1669 (1669)	Wing B4937; ESTC R1926	368,116	442

though he cannot see all those signs in him there is no Saint but may perceive one sign in him when he cannot another Now he that can groundedly be perswaded of any one sign of grace he may safely conclude he hath all the rest though for the present he can neither see them nor feel them in himself But The fifth Maxim or Consideration FIfthly consider That the promises of God are a Christians Magna Charta his chiefest evidences for heaven divine promises are Gods Deed of Gift they are the only assurance which the Saints have to shew for their right and title to Christ to his bloud and to all the happiness and blessedness that comes by him Look Gen. 38 18-27 as Judah by pleading and bringing forth the signet the bracelets and the staff saved her life so we by believing pleading and bringing forth the promises must save our own souls the promises are not only the food of faith but also the very life and soul of faith they are a Mine of rich treasures a garden full of the choicest and sweetest flowers in them are wrapt up all celestial contentments and delights And this is most certain that all a Christians conclusions of interest in any of those choice and precious priviledges which flow from the bloud of Jesus Christ ought to be bottomed grounded and founded upon the rich and free promises of grace and mercy Quest But how may a person come to know whether he has a real and saving interest in the promises or no Now to this great Question I shall give these nine following Answers First A holy relyance a holy resting a holy staying of thy soul upon the promises makes the promises thine own yea it makes all the good and all the sweet and all the happiness and blessedness that is wrapt up in the promises thine even as thy staying relying and resting on Christ makes Christ thine and all that is in him and that comes by him thine so thy staying and resting upon the promises makes them thine Secondly If thy heart ordinarily habitually lyes under the word of command then the word of promise does assuredly belong to thy soul 'T was a good saying of Augustin Da quod jubes juhe quod vis Give what thou commandest and command what thou wilt To such a frame the promises belong Numb 13.28 to the end Psal 119.6 Act. 13.22 Luke 1.5 6. There is no soul under heaven that commonly lyes under the commanding power of the Word but that soul that has an interest in the word of Promise men that have no interest in the word of Promise commonly live in the neglect of the word of command if the word of command commonly carries thy soul then the word of promise without all peradventure belongs to thy soul Many deal with the commands of God as the Heathens dealt with the commands of their gods When their gods called for a man they offered a candle or as Hercules offered up a painted man instead of a living man Such as deal thus with the commands of God they have no interest in the promises of God flesh and bloud looks upon the commands of God as impossible to be obeyed like the unbelieving spies O we cannot conquer the Land but faith and love like Caleb and Joshua conclude the Land may be conquered the commands may be Evangelically obeyed and accordingly they readily ●ndertake it Now to such a frame of heart the promises are entail'd But Thirdly If in the face of all objections The longer said the Emperor's son the Cooks are preparing the meat the better chear I shall have His meaning was that the longer he staid for the Empire the better and greater it would be so the longer the soul waits for a mercy the better and greater it will be when it comes c. discouragements and difficulties thy soul be kept up in a waiting frame for the fulfilling of the promises as Abrahams was Rom. 4. then certainly the promises belong to thee There are some prom●ses that relate to the subduing of sin as that Jer. 33.8 Ezek. 36.25 26 27. Mich. 7.19 Psal 65.3 And there are other precious promises that relate to a growth in grace as that Mal. 4.2 Job 17.9 Psal 92.12 13 14. Prov. 4.18 Hos 14.5 6 7. Now if thy heart be kept up in a waiting frame for the accomplishment of these promises then they do certainly belong to thee the same I may say of all other promises The waiting soul shall be sure to speed Psal 40.1 2 3. Isa 40.29 30 31. Isa 30.18 Heb. 6.12 c. God never did nor never will frustrate the expectations of the patient waiter c. But Fourthly He that hath those divine qualities or supernatural graces in him to which the promises are made as faith repentance love fear hope uprightness patience a waiting frame c. He has an undoubted interest in the promises he may lay his hand upon any promise and say this promise is mine and all the blessings the benefits the heavenly treasure that is laid up in it is mine But Fifthly He that lives upon the promises as his daily food he has an unquestionable interest in the promises wicked men may make use of promises as of physick in some cases as when they are under anguish of spirit or gripes of conscience or in fear of hell or else when they are under some outward wants or streights c. but he that lives upon them as his daily food he has a most assured interest in them our outward man lives not upon kickshaws though now and then we may taste of them but we live upon wholsom food so here no man lives upon the blessed promises as his appointed food but he that has a real interest in the promises Look as there is a nourishment proper to every Animal Spiders feed on flies Moles on worms the Horse on g●ass the Lion on flesh c. so there is food nourishment that is proper for mens souls viz. the precious promises and Christs flesh which is meat indeed and his bloud which is drink indeed Iohn 6. and he that daily feeds on this food will be happy for ever But Sixthly If you are united and married to Christ by faith then you have a real a saving interest in the promises Gal. 3.29 Gal. 4.28 Heb. 1.2 Rev. 21.7 And if you be Christs then are you Abrahams seed and heirs according to the promise The promise is the Jointure and there is no way under heaven to enjoy the Jointure but by matching with the person of Christ And faith is the grace of graces by which the soul gives both its assent and consent to take the Lord Jesus Christ as he is tendered and offered in the Gospel and is therefore called sometimes a receiving of Christ Iohn 1.12 The only way to enjoy a Ladies Jointure is to marry her person and so the only way to enjoy the promise of Christ is

possession of glory because God in the Scripture has said it Mat. 5 3-12 Rom. 8.1.13 Act. 10.43 Joh. 3.15 16 36. Chap. 6.37 38 39 40 c. O Sirs no man in his wits dares dispute against the Authority of Scripture or deny it as false and erronious and therefore if the Scripture say a man has grace he ought in conscience to subscribe to it against all objections or temptations to the contrary For ever remember this Till a man comes to be willing to have his spiritual and eternal estate to be determined by Scripture he will never enjoy any setled rest or quiet in his spirit When once the goodness of a mans estate is cleared up to him by the Word he is never to regard what Satan or carnal reason objects against him Satan is a lyar and a deceiver of neer six thousand years standing he is full of envy and full of malice and full of wiles devices and fetches and therefore give no credit to any of his reports against the report of the Word but stand by the testimony of the Word and the witness of your own consciences against all Satans cavils temptations objections and suggestions and then and not till then will you find rest to your souls He that would hold on cheerfully and resolutely in a Christian course and go merrily to his grave and singing to heaven he must maintain the testimony of the Word against all the gainsayings of sense or carnal reason he must hear nothing nor believe nothing against the Word nor against the goodness and happiness of his own estate or condition which has been evidenced to him from the Word Men will not be easily baffled out of their estates If some great man should come and lay claim to your estates you will not presently give them up though your evidences are not at hand or though they are blotted or though perhaps you cannot clearly make out your title yet you will not tamely and quietly give up your estates and yet how ready are many Christians upon every clamour of Satan against their souls and spiritual estates to give up all and to conclude that they are hypocrites and have no true grace and spiritual life in them c. But The eighth Maxim or Consideration EIghthly consider That a godly man may not only come to a sure knowledge of his gracious estate but it is also more easily attainable than many may I not say than most do apprehend or believe for if a gracious man will but argue rationally from Scripture he shall be forced to conclude that he has grace and that he has an interest in Christ and that he shall be saved unless he be resolved before hand boldly to deny Scripture-truths Sirs Rom. 8.15 look in what way the spirit of bondage doth ordinarily work fear terror and horror in the hearts of unconverted persons in the same way the spirit of Adoption doth ordinarily work hope and assurance in the heart of the Saints Now John 16.8 the spirit of bondage commonly awakens secure sinners and fills the hearts and consciences of poor sinners with fear horror and amazement by setting home upon their souls such practical syllogisms as these Every lyar shall have his portion in the lake Rev. 21.8 that burneth with fire and brimstone But I am a lyar Therefore I shall have my portion in that lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Or thus He that believeth not is condemned already John 3.18 I believe not Therefore I am condemned already Or thus He that hateth his brother is a murderer 1 John 3.15 and hath not eternal life abiding in him I hate my brother Therefore I am a murderer and have not eternal life abiding in me Or thus Christ shall be revealed from heaven in flaming fire 2 Thes 1.7 8 to take vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gosspel of his Son I know not God I obey not the Gospel of his Son Therefore Christ shall be revealed from heaven in flaming fire to take vengeance on me Or thus Psal 9 15. The wicked shall be turned into hell I am wicked Therefore I shall be turned into hell Now in like manner the spirit of adoption brings the heirs of the promise to the assurance of hope Heb. 6.17 by setting home such practical syllogisms as these First Whosoever truly and heartily receives the Lord Jesus Christ are truly and justly reputed to be the sons of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies authority Such as receive the Lord Jesus have authority to be called the sons of God Others may call God father and themselves sons but they have not that right and authority to do it as believers have Mark 16.16 Joh. 3.16 18 36 Mat. 3.2 8. Luke 24 47. Act. 5.31 Chap. 3.19 Luke 13.3 Joh. 1.12 But I have received Christ all the wayes that the Word there can import I am heartily willing to receive the Lord Jesus Christ in all his offices viz. as a King to rule me a Prophet to teach and instruct me and a Priest to offer and intercede for me I am willing to receive him as a Sanctifier as well as a Saviour and to receive him as my Lord as well as to receive him as my Redeemer and to receive him upon his own terms viz. of taking up his Cross denying my self and following of him therefore I may safely boldly plainly and warrantably conclude that I am a son of God and that I have an interest in God according to the Scripture last cited which Scripture cannot be broken nor cannot fail nor cannot be unbound or loosed as the Greek word in that John 10.35 imports c. Secondly A gracious soul may argue thus All the great and precious promises concerning everlasting happiness and blessedness are made over to faith and repentance as the Scriptures do abundantly evidence Now he that really finds faith and repentance wrought in his soul so that he is able to say I am a repenting and a believing sinner he may truly and safely conclude that he shall be saved for all the promises of eternal happiness and blessedness do run out with a full stream to faith and repentance I readily grant that a strong hope results from the clear evidence it hath of both these We read in Scripture of a threefold assurance As first an assurance of understanding Col. 2.2 Secondly an assurance of faith Heb. 10.22 Thirdly an assurance of hope Heb. 6.11 And 't is a very choice note that acute D. A. hath upon it viz. That these three make up one practical Syllogism wherein knowledge forms the proportion faith makes the assumption and hope draws the conclusion I do saith the Christian assuredly know from the Word that can't deceive me That the believing and repenting sinner shall be saved my conscience also tells me that I do unfeignedly believe and repent therefore I do firmly hope that I shall how ever

is the great Charter the Magna Charta of all your spiritual priviledges and immunities Now in this great Charter the Lord declares That sincerity shall go for perfection Luke 1.5 6. Acts 13.22 2 Chron 3● ●8 19 20. In this great Charter the Lord hath declared That he judges his people by the standing bent and frame of their hearts and not by what they are under some pangs of passion or in an hour of temptation In this great Charter the Lord declares That his eye is more upon his peoples inward disposition than 't is upon their outward actions and that his eye is more upon their will 2 Cor. 8.12 Phil. 2.13 than 't is upon their work In this great Charter the Covenant of grace the Lord hath declared That he will not forsake his people nor cast off his people Ponder much upon Jer. 31.31 to 38. because of those failings and weaknesses that may and do attend them 1 Sam. 12.22 For the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name sake because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people He chose you for his love and he still loveth you for his choice God will rather pity his people under their weakness than he will reject them for their weakness The Covenant of grace that God hath made with his people is as the Covenant that a man makes with his Wife I will betroth thee unto me for ever saith the Lord. Hos 2.19 20. Jer. 3.13 Turn O back-s●iding children saith the Lord for I am married unto you Now a man will never reject his Wife he will never cast off his Wife for those common weaknesses and infirmities that daily attends her no more will the Lord cast off his people because of the infirmities that daily hang upon them In this great Charter the Covenant of grace the Lord declares that he will require no more than he gives and that he will give what he requires and that he will accept what he gives and what can a God say more and what can a gracious soul desire more O Sirs when all is cloudy over head and all dark within doors when a Christians graces are not transparent when his evidences for heaven are soiled and blotted and when neither heart nor house are as they should be 't is good then to turn to the Covenant grace and to dwell upon the Covenant of grace Thus David did 2 Sam. 23.5 Although my house be not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my salvation and all my desire although he make it not to grow Let me give a little light into the words Although my house be not so with God Though David in the main had a good heart yet he had but a wicked house Absalom had slain his Brother rebelled against his Father and lay with his Fathers Concubines And Amnon had defloured his Sister c. Now David under a deep sense of all this wickedness and of his own personal unworthiness sadly sighs it out Although my house be not so with God c. though I have not walked so exactly and perfectly as I shold have done though neither I nor my house have walked answerable to those great mercies and singular kindnesses of God that have been extended to us Yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant The word everlasting hath two acceptations it doth denote 1. Sometimes a long duration Vide Isa 55.3 Gen. 17.7 Psal 105.9 10 Isa 61.8 Heb. 13.20 in which respect the old Covenant cl●athed with figures and ceremonies is called everlasting because it was to endure and did endure a long time ● Sometimes it denotes a perpetual duration a duration which shall last for ever In this respect the Covenant of grace is everlasting it shall never cease never be broken nor never be alte●ed Now the Covenant of grace is an everlasting Covenant in a twofold respect First Ex parte soederantis in respect of God who will never break Covenant with his people but is their God and will be their God for ever and ever Psal 48.14 For this God is our God for ever and ever he will be our guide even unto death I and after death too for this is not to be taken exclusive he will never leave his people nor forsake his people Heb. 13.5 6. Secondly Ex parte confoederatorum in respect of the people of God who are brought into Covenant and shall continue in Covenant for ever and ever You have both these expressed in that excellent Scripture Jer. 32.40 I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Seriously dwell upon the place it shews that the Covenant is everlasting on God's part and also on our part On God's part I will never turn away from them to do them good and on our part They shall never depart from me How so I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me even that fear spoken of in ver 39. That they may fear me for ever Ordered in all things O! what head can conceive or what tongue can express that infinite counsel wisdom love care and tenderness that the blessed God has exprest in ordering the Covenant of grace so as it may most and best suit to all the wants and straits and necessities and miseries and desires and longings of poor sinners souls The Covenant of grace is so well ordered by the unsearchable wisdom of God that you may find in it remedies to cure all your diseases and cordials to comfort you against all your faintings Isa 40.28 Psal 147.5 and a spiritual armoury to arm you against all your enemies viz. the world the flesh and the devil Dost thou O distressed sinner want a loving God a compassionate God a reconciled God a sin pardoning God here thou mayest find him in the Covenant of grace Dost thou want a Christ to counsel thee by his wisdom and to cloath thee with his righteousness and to adorn thee with his grace here thou mayest find him in a Covenant of grace Dost thou want the Spirit to enlighten thee to teach thee to convince thee to awaken thee to lead thee to cleanse thee to cheer thee and to seal thee up to the day of redemption Eph. 1.13 here thou mayest find him in a Covenant of grace Dost thou want grace or peace or rest or quiet or content or comfort or satisfaction here thou mayest find it in a Covenant of grace God has laid into the Covenant of grace as into a common store all those things that sinners or Saints can either beg or need Look as that is a well ordered Commonwealth where there are no wholsom Laws wanting to govern a people and where there are no wholsom remedies