Selected quad for the lemma: power_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
power_n	body_n	natural_a	sow_v	2,624	5	11.4108	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A30579	Gospel-conversation: wherein is shewed, I. How the conversation of believers must be above what could be by the light of nature. II. Beyond those that lived under the law. III. And suitable to what truths the Gospel holds forth. By Jeremiah Burroughs, preacher of the Gospel to Stepney and Criplegate, London. Being the third book published by Thomas Goodwyn, William Greenhil, Sydrach Simpson, Philip Nye, William Bridge, John Yates, William Adderly.	Burroughs, Jeremiah, 1599-1646.; Goodwin, Thomas, 1600-1680.	1650 (1650)	Wing B6076A; ESTC R213106	221,498	277

extreams that I have spoken of are waies that are very much unbeseeming the Gospel of Christ for men our of base ends to break unity to rend from the Saints or otherwise because men joyn not with you in every thing you desire therefore presently to put such a brand upon them as to stigmatize them for schismaticks certainly this unchristian like nicknaming the children of God maintains the breach and widens it more and more whereas the Conversation that becomes the Gospel is to study to find out the truth And do I see Learned and Godly men of another judgment Let me pray more unto the Father of lights for the Spirit of revelation It may be I may mistake If I be mistaken Lord discover it let me not go on in the waies of darkness but take away the scales from my understanding that I may see into the deep things of God and his Gospel And therefore others that they differ from should tender these as brethren and look upon them and see are they not consciencious in all their other waies Can I be able to find any fault with them in their lives and Conversations It may be it 's their mistake then let me pray for them and labor to help them and tender them all I can it may be God will reveal his mind to them more fully afterward Now in what we have attained let us walk and if any be otherwise minded God will reveal his mind to them and this carriage should be in Christians one towards another that differ one from another and this is a Conversation becoming the Gospel But when one differs from another for to give reviling speeches and names of disgrace and to cast dirt one upon another this is exceeding unbecoming the Gospel yea if the Heathens were amongst us they would even loath the Gospel of Jesus Christ to see the carriage of Christians that there are at this day amongst us But the Conversation that becomes the Gospel of Christ is that which manifests unity to live in unity one with another for the Gospel preacheth to us the greatest unity of Christians that possibly can be between man and man Again The Gospel holds forth this The glorious happiness of the Saints in Heaven You cannot find much of that in the Law in all the old Testament you find but little of eternal life I cannot discover three texts from Genesis to the end of Malachi that doth cleerly hold forth eternal life it 's true our forefathers no question in the old Testament did know that there was eternal life and some Scriptures there are that do tend that way but I beleeve there 's none of you can give many texts from Genesis to Malachi that do expresly hold forth the Glory of the Saints in Heaven Now the Gospel that holds it forth in 2 Tim. 1. 10. saith the Apostle there speaking of the glory of the Saints and immortality in the 9. ver Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which he hath givin us in Christ Jesus before the world began But is now made manifest by the appearance of our Savior Jesus Christ who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel How comes life and immortality to be brought to light through the Gospel Did not our forefathers know of life and immortality before Yes but very darkly and some of the eminent ones knew but little of that exceeding riches of glory and happiness the Saints shall be crowned with in Heaven life and immortality is brought to light through the Gospel In former times was it known till Christ came in the flesh that the happiness of the Saints should be in the vision of God in standing before the face of God and beholding him in glory in Heaven Did they know the communion that the Saints shall have w th God and with Jesus Christ in his bodily presence in glory Did they understand the fruition of God and Gods being all in all to the Saints as he shal be in the communication of all fulness of good Did they understand the inheritance of the Saints which is in light Did they know that the Saints were not only Heirs but Co-heirs with Jesus Christ These things are known only in the Gospel the glorious reward of the Saints Did they in the time of the Law know that these bodies of ours should be made more glorious than the Sun in the firmament This the Gospel tels us that these lumps of clay which we carry now about with us shall be one day more glorious than the Sun shining in his luster Did they know that our bodies should be made like to the glorious body of Jesus Christ That it is sown in weakness but it is raised in power sown in dishonor but raised in glory sown a natural body but should rise a spiritual body and sown in corruption and should be raised in incorruption Certainly these things were very little known to the forefathers if known at all Now these things were the great Counsels of God that were kept hid from all eternity only the Lord did reserve the discovery thereof to the coming of his Son that was the time for opening of Heaven Heaven was shut and there was little seen of the glory thereof till Christ was incarnate in the flesh the Lord I say reserved the opening of the Gates of Heaven and the shewing of the glory of it to the Saints till the coming of Jesus Christ Christ now tels us of mansions that He is gone before to prepare for us and when our earthly tabernacle is dissolved we have a building not made with hands but eternal in the Heavens Oh now my brethren how ought we to live It 's the argument of the Apostle when he speaks but of the great chang in the Church here speaking of new Heavens and a new Earth it 's meant of the state of the Church that it shall be in even here ●nd saith he What manner of persons ought we to be in all holiness and godly conversation But then when we hear of the highest Heavens Abrahams bosom the Paradise the Saints shall be living with Christ wrapt up to the third Heavens as the Apostle was Oh what manner of persons ought we to be in all godliness and holy Conversation Now if you should ask me what Conversation is becoming the Gospel I would tell you that which we have in the third Chap. of this Epistle For our Conversation is in Heaven Upon what ground is it from whence also we look for the Savior the Lord Jesus Christ who shall chang our vile body that it may be fashioned like to His glorious body We look saith he for the Lord Jesus Christ from Heaven who shall put forth such a power as shall change our vile bodies that they may be fashioned like unto His glorious body therefore our

here would be a mighty change thou wert a beast before but here is the soul of grace there 's a new birth when the Gospel comes to prevail and to enter in upon an heart and it 's call'd a new resurrection if there should be a voice come from Heaven that should open all the graves that you have here in the yard and all the dead bodies should stand up and live what a mighty change would there be Such a change doth the Gospel make when it conquers a people indeed the Gospel may be preached and little change may be wrought because the power of the Gospel prevails not with their hearts but when it doth prevail in their hearts there is such a strange change Oh then What Conversation become this it must be a Conversation that doth hold forth to the world that there is such a mighty change wrought in you Now I appeal to you you that make profession of the Gospel you know what you have been heretofore worldly and base and carnal and sensual and froward and peevish and prophane men altogether unsavory before the Gospel came to you now you profess that God hath begun to work upon you by the Gospel What change hath it wrought in you Can those that live with you see your Conversations so changed as to make them stand and admire at the work of the Gospel upon your hearts the husband to stand and admire at the work of God upon the heart of the wife as if she were another woman and so the wife to admire at the grace of God upon the heart of the husband as if he were another man and so your children and servants not the same that heretofore they were Oh what honour would this be to the Gospel that in places where it comes to be preached in power there might appear a change that becomes the Gospel of Christ Certainly if your Conversations be not such as holds forth a mighty change that God hath wrought in you then it is not such as becomes the Gospel of Christ It may be you are somewhat better than heretofore you have been as not to be a common drunkard you see that 's despised by men Who regards drunken fools mad-men very beasts Therfore you come to be of more understanding that you will not be so prophane and lascivious as you were wont to be but live somewhat better Oh but this change is not that change which holds forth the work of the Gospel for when the Gospel prevails it makes the gre●test change that ever was made in the world we may boldly ascert this that since the Creation of God in the first six daies there was never such a change made in the world as the Gospel makes and therefore a Conversation becoming the Gospel must be a Conversation that must be a changed Conversation must be mightily different from what they were before sometimes we see it so through the mercy of God that when men and women come to hear the Word in the cleerness and power of it to be revealed they have such changes that al their friends stand wondring at them What shall we have of you now Oh such have cause to answer and say Blessed be God it is so it is the Gospel that hath made such a change in me I this becomes the Gospel when it shall appear that your Conversation is so changed so holy and godly and gracious now over it was before But you whose lives are not better than they were before before you made some profession only your profession now is greater than it was before but your lives no better know this is a Conversation that doth no way become the Gospel of Christ the Gospel of Christ hath no honor by this Conversation of yours And then The great difference that the Gospel makes between one man and another As now those that the Gospel doth not prevail upon the Scripture tels us they are the children of wrath they are dead in trespasses and sins they are under the curse of the Law they are even enemies to God this is the condition of al men before this Scepter of Christ conquers their hearts children of wrath enemies to God dead in sins under the curse But now when the Gospel comes to prevail over mens hearts then they come to be the Children of the living God Heirs of Christ Co-heirs with Him they come to be partakers of the life of God they encrease with the encrease of God and their lives are hid with Christ in God and they come to be reconciled to God to be friends with God to be at peace with God and to inherit blessings Oh the change that the Lord puts upon the heart and state of the Saints when the Gospel prevails How high are they raised above other men Therefore you must not make other men to be your example in your way you must not think to live as the world lives and to say I do as other men do the Gospel makes a mighty difference between your estate and the state of other men therefore never look to what other men do but consider as God hath made a vast difference between you and other men so let there be a great difference between your Conversation and the Conversation of other men Now this meditation should have a mighty deal of power to prevail upon the heart I beleeve that I have such and such priviledges beyond other men and I look for such and such mercies above others now what things I look for beyond others I must labor to be as much beyond them in holiness of Conversation as God hath made me beyond them in spiritual priviledges and spiritual mercies I think sometimes I would not be in the condition of such men as are in their natural estate for a world nay I would not be one our in their estates if I might have ten thousand worlds for fear I should die that hour and then I should be lost for ever Well hath God made such a difference then let not my life be like theirs for one hour nay for one moment Oh this meditation through Gods blessing would mightily help us in our Conversation Our Conversation should be such as becomes the Ordinances of the Gospel The Word and Sacraments they have a great deal more in them than the Ordinances of the Law but because I spake of the Gospels being higher than the Law heretofore and these things may fall something neer yet had I time I would speak a little concerning these and shew how we are to hold forth a Conversation sutable to them Our Conversations should be sutable to the power of the Gospel there is a great deal of power in the Gospel it 's call'd the power of God unto salvation in the 1. of the Rom. 16. The very light of the Gospel it is a transforming light it hath a mighty power in it the Gospel it 's called the Wisdom of God and the Power of

God 1 Cor. 1. 24. it brings a great deal of power with it to help men against strong corruptions to overcome violent temptations to carry them through in any difficulties Powerful corruptions powerful temptations powerful difficulties are overcome by the power of the Gospel and therefore it is said by faith that is by faith in the Gospel we overcome the world the Gospel certainly doth not only stir in some men and women some wishings and wouldings and faint desires but it brings a power to transforme their hearts to make a metamorphosis there when there comes the light of the Gospel there comes the light of life together with it as that Scripture in Heb. 10. 32. After ye were illuminated that is by the Gospel then he speaks of their great sufferings they were willing to endure any thing for Christ therefore a Conversation that becomes the Gospel is such an one as exemplarily demonstrates the very power of godliness that men and women should not be alwaies learning and never come to the knowledg of the truth not alwaies wishing and desiring and never come to any powerful resolutions and determinations for certainly where the Gospel hath the upper hand in a soul it doth bring power but I do not say it brings power so as to overcome all our lusts so as there should be no sin remaining for so long as we live we must be hungering after a further degree of righteousness and sanctification but certainly when the Gospel prevails there comes a great strength there 's the strength of Christ put forth the Spirit of power as the Apostle saith We have not received the spirit of fear but the Spirit of power of love and of a sound mind be not therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord. As if Paul had said to Timothy it 's true you meet with many difficulties but hath not the Gospel given you a Spirit of power There 's spirit of power and resolution when the Gospel comes in Timothy was a poor weakly sickly man in his body and Paul himself had no bodily presence with him a poor contemptible man in regard of his bodily presence but he had a Spirit of power given him by the Gospel so we should manifest a Spirit of power that is as becomes the Gospel of Christ Lastly The Gospel of Christ is a glorious Gospel 1 Tim. 1. 11. it is call'd there by the title of a glorious Gospel According to the glorious Gospel of the blessed God Mark what a title is here the Gospel is the glorious Gospel of the blessed God that is the glory of all the Attributes of God doth appear in the Gospel more brightly than they do appear in all the works that God hath made There doth appear indeed a great deal of the glory of God in the Heavens Earth and Seas and you have seen much of the glory of God there but I appeal to you in this Have you seen more of the glory of God in the Gospel than ever you did in all the works that God hath made that were a good argument that you have had a true understanding of the Gospel and that the Spirit of God hath shined into your hearts if you can say Lord I have seen much of thy glory in thy Works when I have been abroad in the mighty waters where Gods paths and foot-steps are Oh the Seas they are thy glorious creatures but thy Gospel that 's glorious beyond all there do I see thine infinite wisdom and infinite power and infinite justice and infinite mercy and infinite faithfulness and the Lord knows that all the glory of the creatures hath been darkned in my eyes since the Lord hath shewed me the glory of His Gospel Can you say so This is a good evidence that the Gospel is a saving Gospel to your souls if you stand and admire at the glory of God in the Gospel Certainly there 's none though never so weak in parts yet if so be that God hath revealed Himself in the Gospel to them they see that which makes them stand and admire at God and darkens all the world in their eyes have you seen the Gospel thus then it is to you the glorious Gospel of the blessed God and in the 2 Cor. 4. 4. In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which beleeve not lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine into them Oh reade over this Scripture again and again The God of this world hath blinded their minds Mark compare this Scriptrue with that I said before of Christ that His Kingdom is not of this world but the Devil is called the God of this world note this he hath blinded the minds of them which beleeve not if any which live under the Gospel beleeve not it is because the Devil as he prevails in the world and by worldly things by the pomp and vanity of the world he hoodwinks the eyes of those which beleeve not lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the express Image of God should shine into them Oh the Devil is loth that the gloriou Gospel should shine into the hearts of men he is content that they should come and hear the Gospel but he labors to keep off the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ that it shine not into them for he know when once it hath shined into mens hearts then all the glory of the world will be darkned in their eyes and they will admire then at nothing but Christ Oh none but Christ none but Christ Whom have I in Heaven but Christ and there is none upon earth that I desire in comparison of my dearest Saviour who is the fairest of ten thousand I never knew God before I saw him in the face of Jesus Christ and now I see God in the face of His Son I see him in another way than ever I did O the Gospel is a glorious Gospel there is more of the glory of God in one sentence of the Gospel than in all the Heavens and Earth beside this we may boldly aver Now our Conversations must be as becomes the Gospel then there must be a glory in our Conversations we must hold forth the Gospel in our Conversations therefor Professors of the Gospel they should shine as lights in the world I beseech you mark this one Note I remember in the close of all the last day I shewed you that the Saints and godly people are call'd the glory of Jesus Christ Himself surely you that are Professors of the Gospel should live so as to be the glory of the glorious Gospel and what manner of persons ought we to be then it's not enough that our Conversations be not defiled with the most filthy and abominable pollutions of the world but our Conversations should be such as should be a glory to the glorious Gospel Look in the Gospel there shine the Attributes of God in glory so in our