Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	incline_v	keep_v	law_n	16,141	5	7.9682	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A79525	The danger of being almost a Christian. Shewing, [brace] 1. How far men may go without grace. 2. Why some men go so far. 3. Why they go no farther. 4. The dangerous estate of such persons. / By John Chishull, minister of the Gospel.	Chishull, John.	1657 (1657)	Wing C3903; Thomason E1694_1; ESTC R209426	76,944	179

a Christian indeed for I live in the Commission of no known sin nor in the omission of any known duty do I lack any thing yet this is enough for to make thee pass for a true Christian with others but this doth not make thee so before the Lord neither mayest thou conclude thy self such a one from all this thou mayest be almost a Christian all this while for the maine thing may yet be wanting which is grace in the heart thou mayest not neglect duty and yet thou mayest not love thy duty thou mayest not dare to disobey the command and yet thou mayest not delight in the commands of God if thou hast nothing but convictions and awakenings of conscience thou wilt never hunt after thy duty seek abroad for it as Esau hunted for the venison thou perhaps when it is brought home to thee and prest upon thee wilt receive it as Jacob did the Kids flesh upon his Mothers importunity Oh tel me are you not troubled when you meet with a conviction under the Word and you struggle against it and would fain evade it you would not willingly see your sin nor willingly see your duty Nay when you do meet with a conviction of either kind your hearts do rise against it and you say in your selves Oh that this were no sin that I might enjoy it quietly or oh that there were no such command to make this my duty so that though you yeeld to the conviction and walk by it yet you are surprized by it the duty finds out you you do not find out that nor go forth to meet it half way this is a clear sign you are not come fully up to close with Christ there is as great a difference betwixt you and one that is come fully to the termes of Christ as there is betwixt green wood and dry the greenest wood may be made to burn if it be put into the fire much blown upon but the dry wood takes fire presently without the help of the bellows A godly heart is like Tinder the least spark of conviction that falls upon it kindles it he complies as readily with the word of conviction as with the words of comfort nay ordinarily catches hold of the former and improves it more then the latter Balam was so convinc'd of sin that he dares not go beyond the command of God but his behaviour may prove that the discoveries which God made to him did not please him But David dos not onely follow a conviction but loves it and loves the means by which he was convinc'd Psalm 119.10 11. With my whole heart have I sought thee O let me not wander from thy Commandements thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee Psalm 19.11 David counted the word sweet unto him because it gave him warning concerning sin that he might avoid it and because it enlightned his eyes and shewed him his duty that he might practice it v. 8. Surely an hypocrite cannot love the word of God upon this account these are not the breathings of unsound hearts they say nor as he did Psalm 119.5 O that my ways wore directe●l to keep thy statutes They pray not as he did Psalm 119.27.33 34 36. Make me to understand the way of thy precepts Teach me O LORD the way of thy statutes Give me understanding and I shall keep thy law Incline mine heart unto thy testimonies They have not his affections Psalm 119.14 16 20 72. I have rejoyced in the way of thy testimonies as much as in all riches I will delight my self in thy statutes I wil not forget thy word My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgements at all times The law of thy mouth is better unto me then thousands of gold and silver These are the great and infallible charecters of a heart fully complying with God of one that is a Christian and Disciple of Christ indeed the man or woman that does thus is doubtless such a one as David prayed he might be Psalm 119.80 his heart is sound with God but if it be otherwise with you I tel you you are not yet the Disciples of Christ you do not follow him in that great thing in which he is proposed as our example viz. he did not onely do his Fathers wil but he counted it meat drink to do so 4. He that is a Christian indeed labours to be much more a Christian then yet he is he that is but almost a Christian contents himself with what he is and thinks all is wel and indeed this is a sure discovery of both these They who are altogether Christians I mean in respect of their perswasions and endeavours account themselves but half Christians in respect of practice and attainment But he that is but half a Christian both in practice and in perswasion accounts himself enough in both I have heard this complaint fall from the mouth often of one of the eminentest christians that ever I knew I am but half a christian But I never hear you formalluke-warm professors so judg of themselves These are much in observing the difference betwixt them and others rather then the disproportion that is betwixt them and others and that great example by which they are to walk and that holy Law unto which they are to be conformed whereas a true christian is much in comparing himself with the Law of God humbling himself for falling short of that and not applauding himself for that in which he seems to exceed others now that you may the better judge of your selves by this tryal laid down I shal help you a little by branching this Head into these four particulars for there is none that wil seem guilty of this at first sight but wil say I would be more a christian then I am and I wish I were better and pray God make us all better and yet such persons have a secret opinion of their condition that it is good enough and they strive not to be better you shall know whether you do reckon your selves altogether christians or not by these four things 1. If the performance some duties take thee off from the enquiry after others thus it is wit ha half christian he makes one duty a vail to cover another he makes one duty a blinde to another and because he does some things which others neglect he thinks he does all that is required Thus it was with the Pharisee Luke 18.12 I thank God I am not as other men And thus it was with Paul before conversion Phil. 3.6 Touching the righteousnesse which is in the law blamelesse But a true christian is careful that while he performs some duties he does not neglect others and he carries a jealousie over himself stil that he hath not found out the duties of every condition and of every relation he fears stil that something of his duty is hîd from his eyes 2. A man that thinks himself to