Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n
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A28247
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A treatise concerning election & reprobation and the things appertaining thereunto ... / written in the fear and at the movings of the Lord, by his servant Geo. Bishop.
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Bishop, George, d. 1668.
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1663
(1663)
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Wing B3011A; ESTC R31592
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99,746
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201
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manifest to Christ the light and all must believe in him who is the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World and abide in him who is light or they shall never see life they can never be delivered and this is truth Now this is the state in the which man is in the fall in the transgression he sees not God nor hath seen him nor can see him in that state nor know him The state is without a proof a witnesse a feeling of God and being without a proof a witnesse a feeling of God in him How can he come to him whom he neither sees nor feels nor knows nor of him hath a proof or witness For Ignoti nulla Cupido as the Axiome is A man hath no desire to that which he knows not And a man knows not that which he doth not feel and a man feels not that which he doth not witness and a man cannot witness that which he hath not and a man hath not that which he doth not witness that is to say in his sence in his understanding though it may be in him And the reason is this because he being in a state which is void of that which gives the feeling the sence the witnesse the proof of God in him He in that state can have no proof of God nor witness nor sence nor feeling more then of wrath and eternal condemnation none of life nor of Salvation or that leads to it for Wrath and Eternal condemnation is the portion of that state and of all that are in it whilst they are in it And though the light be in man that which reproves that which makes manifest and God hath plac't it there a measure of himself in every man to bring him back again to God which calls on him to turn unto the Lord from whom he is gone that it may be well with him and man knows it and it often appears and shews and makes manifest and reproves and judges which is the love of God and his kindness unto man who seeks to gather him and therefore hath he placed this of himself in him to bring him to God yet the Spirit of Reprobation the Spirit which is without the living sence and feeling of God or proof or witness of him or the state of Reprobation or the Reprobated state or condition being that which hath man and holds him being that in which man is it keeps him from believing in that which reproves which makes manifest which shews which judges which witnesses to God and answers to him and so as this hath power over him he obeys it not Now being made perfect he became the Authour of Eternal Salvation to as many as obey him Heb. 5. 9. And man obeying it not he doth not receive it he doth not retain it Iniquity comes which he obeys and blots it out and so it is to him as if he had it not it is made of none effect to him he becomes not the Athoâ—r of Eternal Salvation to such Iniquity races it out as it were comes over it covers it and so man feels not the Power and Vertue of that which calls upon him so as to deliver him because he receives it not he doth not obey it and therefore it is that he is not delivered that to him he becomes not the Authour of Eternal Salvation who is it though it is Vertue and Power above the strength of darkness that shews it else it should never shew darkness and make manifest what darkness is Nor hath that man any other advantage by it then to know his Condemnation which is the state of the Devil the state of Reprobation the state of the Reprobates the Reprobated state who though they know God yea and though they also believe and tremble yet it is in a sence of Wrath and Judgement For he is over them and they know him to be Lord over all Principalities and Powers who is Head of the body the Church yet they obey him not nor receive him nor can they the state they are in and he is contradistinct and so their knowledge to him is but to Judgement What have I to do with thee Jesus and yet the Pharises would not confeâ—s him so to be thou Son of the most high God I adjure thee by God that thou torment me not cried the unclean spirit whose name was Legion when Jesus said unto him come out of the man thou unclean spirit Mark 5 8. And thou believest there is one God thou doest well the Devils also believe and tremble said James to the vain man concerning the Faith which was without works which he said was dead which obeyed not which received not his Vertue therefore it wrought not For as many as received him to them gave he power to be called the Sons of God even to them which believe in his Name which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Who was in the World and the World was made by him and the World knew him not who came unto his own but his own received him not Was not Abraham our Father said James justified by works when he had offered Isaac his Son upon the Altar Seest thou how Faith wrought with his works and by works was Faith made perfect And the Scripture was fulfiled which saith Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for Righteousness and he was called the Friend of God You see then saith he how that by works a man is justified and not by Faith only Likewise also was not Rahab the Harlot justified by works when she had received the Messengers and had sent them out another way For as the body without the spirit is dead so Faith without works is dead also This testified James and John also Jam. 2. 19. to the end John 1. 10 11 12 13. And the reason is this because as hath been hinted that spirit having man and possessing him man comes to be as that spirit is and that spirit being so man comes to be like it and man being like it or coming to be formed into the image of the Devil who was made after the Image of God he comes to be concluded with him and this is the state of the fall the state of Reprobation the state of him who is reprobated from God of the Reprobates they are such as are in him in the Devil he is their Root their Ground their Source and their Spring who is reprobated from God who feels him not who is without any thing of him in him that is the principle of him who doth not know him and therefore it is that they are called Reprobates And here I must end as to this Particular having spoken that which I have received of the Lord to communicate that all may see and understand this great mistery viz. how the Lord made not man to destroy him and that he hath concluded no man
be saved it is the Word of the Lord. Now in the Son there is Life He hath life in himself and he quickeneth whom he will For as the Father raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them even so the Son quickeneth whom he will The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgement to the Son that all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father that hath sent him Verily verily I say unto you he that heareth my Word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to Life Verily verily I say unto you The hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live for as the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself and hath given him authority to execute Judgement also because he is the Son of man John 5. 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28. And he is the wel-spring of Life Vnderstanding is a wel-spring of Life to him that hath it but the instruction of fools is folly saith the wise man Prov. 26. 22. And whence then cometh wisdom and where is the place of understanding seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living and kept from the fouls of the Air Behold the fear of the Lord that is wisdom and to depart from evil that is understanding Job 28. 20 21. And I wisdom dwell with prudence and find out knowledge of witty Inventions The fear of the Lord is to hate Evil Pride and Arrogancy and the evil way and the froward mouth do I hate Counsel is mine and sound wisdom I am understanding I have strength By me Kings reign and Princes decree justice Be me Princes Rule and Nobles even all the Judges of the earth I love them that love me and those that seek me early shall find me Riches and Honour are with me yea dureable Riches and Righteousness My fruit is better then gold yea then fine gold and my revenue then choice silver I lead in the way of Righteousness in the midst of the Paths of Judgement that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance and I will fill their Treasures The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his works of old I was set up from everlasting from the beginning ere ever the earth was when there was no depths I was brought forth when there was no fountain abounding with water before the Mountains were stetled before the Hills was I brought forth whils't as yet he had not made the Earth nor the Fields nor the highest part of the dust of the World when he prepared the Heavens I was there when he set a compass on the face of the depth when he established the Clouds above when he strengthened the Fountains of the deep when he gave to the Sea his degree that the Waters should not pass his commdements When he appointed the foundation of the earth then I was by him as one brought up with him and I was daily his delight rejoycing allwayes before him Rejoycing in the habitable part of his Earth and my delights were with the Sons of Men. Now therefore hearken unto me O ye Children for blessed are they that keep my wayes Hear inâ—truction and be wise and refuse it not Blessed is the man that heareth me watching daily at my Gates waiting at the posts of my door For who so findeth me findeth life and shall obtain favour of the Lord but he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul all they that hate me love death Prov. 8. 13. to the end And the fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom a good understanding have all they that do his Commandements his praise endureth for ever Psal 111. 10. And the fear of the Lord is Wisdom and the Knowledge of the Holy is understanding Proverbs 9. 10. And this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Laws in their mind and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a People and they shall not teach every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying know the Lord for all shall know me from the least unto the greatest for I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their Iniquities will I remember no more Heb. 8 10 11 12. And this shall be the Covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Law in their Inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my People and they shall teach no more every one his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgive their Iniquities and I will remember their sins no more Jer. 31. 33 34. And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them and I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts and they shall not depart from me yea I will rejoyce over them to do them good and I will plant them in this Land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul Jer. 32. 40 41. And I saw another Angel flie in the midst of Heaven having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the Earth and to every Nation and Kindred and Tongue and People crying with a loud voice Fear God and give glory to him for the hour of his judgements is come and worship him that made Heaven and Earth and the Sea and the Fountains of Waters Rev. 14. 6 7. And except the God of my Fathers the God of Abraham and the fear of Isaack had been with me thou hadst sent me away now empty God hath seen my affliction and the labour of my hand and rebuked thee yester-night Gen. 31. 42. And Laban said to Jacob behold this heap and behold this Pillar which I cast up between me and the this Heap and this Pillar be witnesse that I not pass over this Heap to thee and thou shalt not pass over this Heap and this Pillar unto me for harm the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor and their Father Judge between us and Jacob sware by the fear of his Father Isaack v. 51 52 53. Thus saith the Scripture and the Scripture cannot be broken John 10. 35. And in him was life and the life was the light of men that was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World John 1. 3. 9. And this is the condemnation that light is come into the World and men loved darkness rather then light