Selected quad for the lemma: power_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
power_n	king_n	people_n	tyrant_n	2,833	5	9.5249	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A94343	A cluster of Canaans grapes. Being severall experimented truths received through private communion with God by his Spirit, grounded on Scripture, and presented to open view for publique edification. / By Col. Robert Tichbourn. Decemb. 25. 1648. Imprimatur Joseph Caryll.	Tichborne, Robert, Sir, d. 1682.	1649 (1649)	Wing T1148; Thomason E543_5; ESTC R203789	224,783	259

that God is light in him is no darkenesse at all If we say that wee have fellowship with him and walke in darkenesse we lye and know not the truth This is the message which the holy Ghost brings that God is infinitely light and purity in himselfe and if any man have union with him he walkes in the light and if he walke in the darke and professe union with God and and Christ hee lyeth and the truth is not in him Now by light and darkenesse often in Scripture-language is meant the olde and the new man the regenerate and the unregenerate man As in that Scripture The night is farre spent the day is at hand walke as children of the day or children of the light Children of the Gospel such as Christ by his Spirit hath taken possession of this Gospel-light the Spirit of God teaching it teacheth to deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world God is this light in himselfe and he makes this light where ever he dwels that soule which truly hath God hath this light and that soule which acts from God acts from this light Now sayes the holy Ghost it is a lye for you to say you live in God and God in you and yet walke carnally as doe others Sayes God in the Psalmes I am not such a one as thy selfe Where there is union betweene God and a soule God is not brought over to the soule but the soule to God If any soul owneth union with me sayes God know that I am light and in me is no darkenesse so as I overcome the darknesse of dark souls which have fellowship with me by my light I finde all soules in darknesse but I keepe no soule in darknesse I finde every sinner in his blood but I purge as well as pardon It is true regeneration is not in every soule alike for measure and degree but God leaves no soule as he finds it his light is alwayes expelling darkenesse the olde man dyeth daily and so is the new man renewed Christ that stronger man so soon as ever he possesseth a soule sets upon that worke of casting out the strong man of sinne and as he told Paul so he tels and makes it good to every Saint my grace shall be sufficient for you sinne shall not reigne in your mortall bodies Christs presence is manifested by his power where he lives sinne must dye so that sinne Sathan and the soule shall know it You shall know saith Christ if you be in me I will make you new creatures It shall be your meate and drinke to doe my will as it was mine to doe my Fathers and my commands shall be sweete to you as the honey and the honey-comb my yoke shall be easie and my burthen light to you 1 John 2.29 If you know that he is righteous you know that every one that doth righteousnesse is borne of him This is the effects of union with God and Christ God in Christ to doe righteousnesse that is to walke in the light as hee is light to walk by his light the light of his Spirit which doth both teach and lead Saints into all the will worke and wayes of God So that this Demonstration doth farther cleare the truth that who ever are in Christ they are new creatures Christ and the new creature are inseparable they alwayes goe together A fourth Demonstration may be this That such as are truly Saints in union with Christ they have all their life from him their buddings forth is from the sap which they receive from the Lord Christ we may receive truth from our Saviour himselfe in John 15.5 I am the vine yee are the branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without mee you can doe nothing Now if this be truth which none but the spirit of untruth can deny then I argue thus from hence That if Saints be in union with Christ as the branches are in the Vine and have all their sap and life from Christ then the life and actions of life in Saints must all beare the image of Christ in nature like begets like that which is begotten is like that which doth beget as we see in the bringing forth of all creatures so is it with the new creature Christ he begets it and the begotten is Christ so that the new creature is Christ in the soule as that Text. Know you not that Christ is in you except you be reprobates And yee are the temple of the holy Ghost And if this be granted we that Christ begets after his owne image then none with colour of reason can deny that who ever is in Christ is a new creature for who ever is in Christ is as the branch in the Vine He is not his own but the rootes his life and his fruit is not his owne but the rootes for if the branch be separate from the root it hath neither life nor fruit well then if in union with Christ we are not our own but Christs and our fruit not our owne but the fruit of Christ then tell mee how can any man be in Christ and not a new creature is Christ a dead Christ in any soule No he is not only a living Christ in every soule u●i●ed to him but he is the life and putteth forth all the effects of life in such soules then if Christ be all that all must be Christ and whoever is in Christ they are new creatures so that Christ and the new creature is unseparable Take this 5th and last Demonstration That where ever Christ is he is chiefe in command Lord Paramount he rules and governs what ever soule he lives in Now the Scepter of Christ is a Scepter of holinesse righteousnesse where Christ is King his love makes lawes and his Spirit gives light and life Christ subjects they are a willing people in the day of his power The powrings forth of his Spirit makes his will their will so that to all his will they are a willing people then surely where the power of Christ over-powers any soule that soule acts by the power of Christ in him and must therefore act according to the will of Christ who gives the power and that will and work is the new creature in such a soul The power of Christ in soules is sutable to his owne walking on earth I come to doe thy will O Father sayes Christ so when he overpowers any soule the effect of his powerfull presence is to frame such a soul in obeysance to the will of God One Text tels us he that is borne of God sinnes not So much of the regenerate part that is in any man so much that man is above the committing of sinne and we find the Apostle Paul distinguishing between a law in his members and a law in his minde and he thankes God through Jesus Christ that with the minde he served

of that power beyond and contrary to that end hee received it for Otherwise the impositions upon the people of God in the matters of their God and the persecution of them for not obeying men rather then God would finde no footing in the World If pride in men doe not make them act further then they have received Rule and Commission from God his people would not complaine as they doe at the Throne of Grace for being persecuted because the Rule of God is That every man be fully perswaded in his own bosome for whatsoever is not of faith is sin Rom. 14.5.23 But the proud man puts forth his power beyond the bounds which God hath set him and is so cruell that he cannot heare the cryes of the poore people of God which onely plead for Christian forbearance and doe professe in singlenesse of heart as in the presence of God they are ready to obey their commands to the utmost so farre as God shall fully enlighten and perswade them it is his will so that in what they doe they may not sinne through unbeliefe And sure I am nothing but pride and cruelty can stop an eare to these cryes How ugly now must pride needs look to the eye of a godly soul And how doth such a soule observe the folly and cruelty of pride This should make every soule exceeding earnest at the Throne of Grace that the Lord would by the fire of his own holy Spirit destroy the lust of pride in them It is the throne of the Devill O beseech the Lord to destroy that throne it is the very flames of hell in the soule O begge of the Lord to quench them and wholly to extinguish them by his Spirit Pride in the Soule is the Devils Banner of defiance against God O be earnest with the Lord of Hosts to make himselfe in thee a Conquerour over this lust Where pride reignes God abhorres where that is King Christ is an enemy O therefore implore the power of Heaven to keep this under to destroy it and root it out of all its strong holds in the soule All the Devils in Hell without the soule are more easie enemies then pride within the soule that man is a perfect slave which hath pride for his Master and untill the Sonne and Spirit make a soule free it will never bee free indeed We should be therefore often with God beseeching him that Christ may live in us by his Spirit to make us free from the sinne and slavery of pride That soule which begges of God the death of pride in it selfe hath a promise attending its petition for it is according to the will of God God having declared himselfe an enemy to pride O that all Saints were like God in this open declared enemies to pride in themselves and others improving all their interest at the throne of Grace that God would destroy this peece of Selfe and Satan root and branch out of the Soule that neither Fruit nor Branch may ever grow upon it more Againe From this discovery of a proud man in his principles and practises I have learned thus much That if ever I should be called to put power into the hands of any man or men and to entrust all those liberties which I could commit to trust into such hands I would make this a generall rule of all men to avoid a proud man for I would never trust a foole with power nor a cruel man with my liberties and I am sure a proud man is both these so that surely that person or Nation shal never but be miserable that committeth power and trust into such hands such men as single persons are the burthen of a Land but put power in their hands and they will be so farre as their power will reach the ruine of that Land Though men as Gods instruments give a proud man his power yet he soone forgets that he hath received the power by which he differs and so Tyrant like makes use of his power to plucke downe them that set up him and to sacrifice those rights and liberties which he is intrusted to preserve to his own pride this I am sure he can never be true to me that is faulty to God but a proud man is so because in substance he denyes God to be the originall of his power for did he acknowledge himself to receive that by which he differs he would never be proud of his debt and his duty nor use his power contrary to or beyond the rule of God who gives both rule and power It is the humble heart which only hath a hand fit to put power into and to intrust any thing that is deare and precious withal because there is acknowledgements in receiving that wherein it differs this man is most like to be a faithfull Steward to give an account of his trust for he acknowledgeth himselfe to be a Steward a Trustee or indeed a trusted servant for the good and happinesse of them that have trusted him the weight of his work sanctified by the Spirit of God keeps this man humble It is this humble man which will be a blessing to them that trust him Hee that God makes humble is a sit man to make honourable and by putting trust in such hands will Nations and Kingdoms be made happy And now I must crave leave to be plain and single hearted with men in power only in asking them the Apostles questions Who maketh thee to differ from another and what hast thou that thou hast not received Have you more power then others yet remember you have received that power from God as the fountaine from men as the streames and it is onely in what you have received by which you differ from other men and pray remember this your account will be as great as your power because your power is received Let me begge you to consider what is Gods end and mans end in trusting you and putting power into your hands Gods end is his owne glory that you should lift up his Name in all you doe defend his people with all your power to be a defence to all that is praise-worthy and a terrour only to evil doers to make his will your worke not your owne wills a law his Word and Spirit your rule his single glory your end the people of the Covenant of his free-grace your beloved ones that you should establish righteousnesse justice and judgement in the Land which will be the firme end and lasting pillars of peace this is Gods end in giving you power and according to these ends will God have from you an account of your using that power hee hath committed to you and that you have received from him Mans end in putting power into your hands is their owne good that you should by that power defend them in all just and righteous wayes maintaine to them their proprieties and not to diminish but encrease their just liberties such in which all just men may be

a lust that burnes up others to maintain it self and builds upon those ashes it must either have the knee or the life of all that stand before it he that will not bow must breake when a proud man is supream in power For this is the improvement of his power to keep others under that he may keep himselfe up the proud man is so malicious that hee would have none happy but himselfe and threfore makes the proprieties of other men a sacrifice to this his lust and so pleaseth himselfe for a few moments like those that have the crackling of thornes under a pot for their joy but the Apostles question Who maketh thee to differ and what hast thou that thou didst not receive will bee as hard to the proud man in this practice as in the former for he that onely differs by what he receives wil but ill justifie his trampling upon another that hath not received so much as himself When God that gives the talents makes enquiry after the improvement of them and findes it to be onely so he wil not give the testimony nor the trust of Well done good and faithfull servant to such a soule God makes it his glory to lift up his people to make them heirs of himselfe joynt heires with Christ in glory Therefore the proud man that keeps others under that hee may keep up himselfe hath not his precept principle practice nor example from God and therefore hath no reason to expect that in his way of pride God should either own him or prosper him but that God in lifting up of his own glory should trample the proud man under his feet as he doth others for the keeping up of himself Thirdly a Proud man he scornes and slights such as are below him because he is above them he scorns slights them in their counsels in their kindnesses and in their requests A proud man scorns that hee which hath lesse power and greatnesse then himselfe should advise him and from hence slights the counsell and if the poore man serve the proud man with kindnesse he takes it as duty so slights the love and scornes the man and his service And if he make request to him nay though it be for justice if he doe not admire him he must keep off and know his distance and he shall be heard at leasure hee is not of magnitude enough for his consideration hee is above low persons and things in his thoughts he cannot look upon any thing below him with any other eye then an eye of scorn as the proud Pharisee upon the poore Publican This practice in proud men women doth better discover it selfe then any pen can doe it but to such I shall also give the Apostles two questions Who maketh thee to differ and what hast thou that thou didst not receive And when they shall be answered I beleeve both the principle and this practice of pride will be rooted out of the heart when the soule is made to confesse that God makes it to differ and it hath received all its excellencies from God it will then scorne none below it selfe but by such an object consider from what God hath raised it and admire that power and goodnesse which hath bestowed excellencies upon it pitying not scorning any below it selfe Fourthly A proud man when he hath any power will soon be imposing beyond the just limits of his power A proud manis in nothing more discovered then by his impositions it is the pride of his heart puts his power upon imposing else sayes that heart my power will not be known Now when pride sets power on work it carries it quickly beyond its bounds pride is a swelling lust very hard to be bound but where it is chiefe in the heart and gives rule to the power which it in the hand that hand and heart soon forgets it bounds We have an example of this in the decree of Darius the King Daniel 6. his pride though his power had nobounds because he was King therefore he makes a decree according to the advice of his wicked Councell which was sutable to his own proud heart That whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or Man for thirty dayes save of himselfe should be cast into the Lyons Den. The ground of this decree was to make a snare for Daniel whom they confesse in the fourth verse to bee faithfull to the Kingdome and that they had no hopes though they sought to destroy him but they knew he was as faithfull to his God as to the Kingdome so that if a decree were made against his worshiping of God that would reach him I shall forbeare to open this Scripture in this place because it is not so proper to the thing in hand though I beleeve the doing of it would open the hearts and practices of many men in our dayes but onely make use of it thus farre to prove that pride in men of power makes them to impose beyond their power to set themselves above God and make decrees against God in stead of defending the praise-worthy to make lawes against that which is praise-worthy because God hath set or suffered them to be in the throne amongst men they put forth their power into the throne of God namely the conscience of his people that power which pride sets to work stickes at no decrees if men that would lay snares for the people of God to destoy them come and desire this power to make lawes and decrees how Gods people shall worship him or that they shall not worship him at all these decrees shall soon have their hand and seale The Devill doth make power by pride fit and ready to oppose any thing of God and to impose any thing upon the people of God it is the property of pride to seeke the ruine of such at beare the image of the humble God Now if nothing can bee laid to their charge of unfaithfulnesse to the place or people where they live then a decree concerning the worshipping of their God must be made to reach them though such as make it goe beyond their power that shall not be stuck at where pride guides the hand pride seekes power to make that its servant that which pride wils the power it hath shal work power in the hand serves pride in the heart and therefore keeps not within its bounds because it is the servant of pride But to this also the Apostles questions are very proper Who makes thee to differ And what hast thou that thou hast not received Is thy power thy own or must thou account for it When the Lord calls his servants to give an account of their Talents dost thou differ in this that thou hast more power then others tell me Who made thee to differ Is thy power originally in thy selfe or didst thou receive it from God Thou wilt not say thou art thy own originall because thy perishing condition will disprove thee well then God