Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	acceptable_a	believe_v	zion_n	35	3	9.2694	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A52355	A brief exposition of the First and Second Epistles general of Peter by Alexander Nisbet ...	Nisbet, Alexander, 1623-1669.	1658 (1658)	Wing N1165; ESTC R37734	248,842	354

doing 4. The lively and frequent exercise of Faith draweth vertue from Christ to make the Believer resemble Him in those communicable perfections of His wherewith the Scripture holds Him forth adorned and to be closed with by sinners so that under whatsoever consideration of Christ held forth in Scripture sinners do close with Him they are thereby in some measure changed to some likeness with Him in that consideration if the unclean soul close with Him offered under the consideration of a fountain it becomes in some measure like Him in purity and holinesse if the dead sinner receive Him offered as life he becomes to live like Him if the unstable soul come to Him as the foundation-stone it grows stable as a stone and so of every consideration under which Christ offered in the Word is closed with for He being before proposed under the consideration of a living stone as the object of Faith to be closed with the Apostle here affirms that they who did so close with Him should find that by their so doing they also as lively stones should be built up 5. Those souls who may expect that the Lord will keep communion with them and dwell familiarly in them as in His House must labour to be made spiritual in their minds enlightened and elevated to discern things spiritual which the natural man cannot do 1 Cor. 2.14 15. Pro. 8.12 in their affections humbled in the sense of their unworthiness and sinfulness Isa 57.15 confident of their acceptation with God through Christ Heb. 6.3 chearfull in Him as reconciled to them Psal 22.3 loathing sin and loving holiness 2 Cor. 6.16 c. and all persons that are holy 1 Joh. 4.16 All which the Scriptures cited make clear to be parts of a spiritual frame which is to be studied by all those who may expect the Lord to dwell in them as in His House for Believers in order to their enjoying of fellowship with Christ are here said to be built up a spiritual house 6. The more heartily and frequently sinners flee to and make use of Jesus Christ as the Gospel offers Him the more fit are they to be an habitation for Him to dwell in and the more familiarly will He converse with them and that because the only way to attain to and grow in a spiritual frame which makes sinners a fit habitation for the Lord to dwell in is to be daily flying to and making use of Jesus Christ who gives the Spirit for working of that frame 2 Cor. 3.18 for Believers by coming to Him ver 4. are here said to be built up a spiritual house 7. Near union with Jesus Christ and daily use-making of Him by Faith is the best way to make the Saints one among themselves the division difference of judgment and alienation of affection among them proves one or other or all of them to be at a distance from Him for while the Apostle saith To whom coming c. Ye are built up a spiritual house he doth import That Believers by their closing with and use-making of Jesus Christ are as closely united one of them to another as the stones of a building are 3. Every particular Believer should esteem himself a part of the Church universal which maketh up one house to God 1 Tim. 3.15 and so should seek the good thereof Psal 122.9 and sympathize with the sufferings of the whole or any member thereof 1 Cor. 12.25 26. seing they are built up to wit in the universal Church with the rest of the members thereof a spiritual house 9. Although the most eminent Believers may not take upon them any part of the Ministerial Office without a lawful and orderly calling thereunto Rom. 10.15 Heb. 5 4. yet all Professours of Christianity do in some respects resemble the Priests under the Law in so far as they are separated by the Lord from all the rest of the world and true Believers among them do receive that unction from the Lord to wit His holy Spirit 1 Joh. 2.20 which was signified by that oyl wherewith the Priests were anointed Exod. 28.41 and have their service accepted while others are rejected Prov. 15.8 in which respects they are here called An holy Priesthood 10. Although internal or real holiness be not the necessary qualification which maketh one a member of the visible Church Act. 8.13 Joh. 15.2 Yet is it the duty of all to study that holiness and the mark of all the true and lively members of the Church to be endued therewith therefore they are here called A holy Priesthood 11. The great imployment of Believers in Jesus Christ is to offer sacrifices to God not typical which are now abolished by Christ Heb. 10.1 c. nor expiatory which Christ alone hath once offered never to be repeated Heb. 7.27 but gratulatory in testimony of their thankfulness to Him for that sacrifice of Himself for them such as the sacrifice of themselves for His service Rom. 12.1 their penitent and humble supplications Psal 51.17 and 141.2 their praises Heb. 13.15 and their charity to his Saints Philip. 4.18 These and the like are they to ofter who are a holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices 12. What ever sacrifices of this sort Believers offer up to God they must be spiritual done from a spiritual principle a new nature Ezek. 36.26 27. upon spiritual furniture the strength of Christ Philip. 4.13 and for a spiritual end the glory of Christ 1 Cor. 10.31 In which and the like respects they are here called spiritual sacrifices 13. Such spiritual sacrifices as Believers offer up to God are well-pleasing to Him not for any worth that is in them Isa 64.6 or advantage they can be to Him Psal 16.2 Act. 17.25 But because they are presented to God by Jesus Christ who taketh away the iniquity of their holy things Exod. 28.38 and doth perfume their service with the incense of his merits Rev. 8.3 Therefore are their sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ Vers 6. Wherefore it is contained in the Scripture Behold I lay in Sion a chief corner-stone elect precious and be that believeth on Him shall not he confounded The Apostle doth confirm his former Doctrine concerning the usefulness and excellency of Jesus Christ for the Church and Believers in Him by a testimony of Scripture which though no particular place be here cited is to be found Isa 28.16 And withall he adds two further arguments to move them to that hearty receiving of the Gospel and use-making of Christ offered in it which he hath prest in the former words The one is That we have Jesus Christ who is the Father's choice and highly esteemed by Him with the Father's great good will laid in the Church as the foundation and chief corner-stone thereof for every soul to flee to and rest upon The other is That whosoever betake themselves to Him by Faith shall never need to be ashamed of their so doing Hence Learn 1. The Ministers of Christ

ought to have the written Word so richly dwelling in them that they may be able to confirm every Truth they deliver from that Word and the Lord's People ought to be so well acquainted with the same that though Ministers do not spend time to cite particularly every Chapter and Verse where every passage they bring forth is to be found they may notwithstanding upon the hearing of it faithfully and for the substance repeated to them acknowledge and receive the same for the Lord's mind for even the Apostle here as frequently elswhere doth confirm his Doctrine by Scripture and yet supponing those to whom he writes well acquainted at least with the letter thereof he doth not condescend upon the particular place judging it sufficient to say Wherefore it is contained in the Scripture Behold I lay c. 2. True Faith can have solid footing no where but upon the written Word of God nor should any of the Lord's People be satisfied with the most pleasant notions about Christ Jesus till they see them grounded upon and drawn from that Word therfore the Apostle having in the former words commended Christ as the object of saving Faith doth here repeat again the same commendation of Him from the Old Testament that so Faith might rest safely upon Him as such a one Wherefore it is contained in the Scripture Behold I lay in Sion a chief corner-stone c. 3. Jesus Christ and He alone is that to the Church and to every soul that flees to Him which the chief corner stone whether the lowest or the highest is to the building He is the stone first laid in regard He was and behoved to be actually exercising His Mediatory Office before any sinner could attain to union or communion with God Col. 1.18 He is the stone laid lower than any of the rest in His humiliation Psal 22.6 He bears the weight of the whole Church and of every believing soul Heb. 1.3 He is more curiously wrought than any of the rest of the stones of the building as the chief corner-stone useth to be and engraven by the art of His Father adorning Him with all perfections suitable for the necessities of poor sinners Zech. 3.9 He is the bond whereby most differing Nations such as Jews and Gentiles are united in one building Eph. 2.16 as the foundation corner-stone knits the two side-walls of the building together He is the perfection of the whole in whom the building and every lively stone thereof is compleat Col. 2.10 as the highest corner-stone and as that also He is the glory and ornament of all the building Isa 22.24 In all which He is resembled by that whereby the Spirit of the Lord here sets Him forth to our capacity The chief corner-stone 4. We have this great blessing Christ for the chief corner-stone of this spiritual building with the Father's great good will who hath laid Him first In His eternal Counsel or Decree as the word used by Isaiah chap. 28.16 and here translated to lay doth signifie Psal 2.2 Secondly In His actual exhibition of Him to the Church as Mediatour first in the promise of Him Gen. 3.5 and next visibly in our flesh for so this word is also used to signifie the publishing or execution of things formerly decreed 2 Chron. 9.23 Prov. 3.19 And thirdly in His exalting of Him when He had perfected the work of Redemption so much of it as concerned Him to do in the state of his humiliation for so this same word used Psal 8.2 is translated Mat. 21.16 to perfect a work In all which respects the Father layes Christ the foundation or chief corner-stone in the Church and calls all to behold what pleasure He hath in so doing Behold I lay in Sion a chief corner-stone 5. The Father's condescendency to give His own blessed Son for the above-mentioned uses to His Church and Believers in Him which this similitude here made use of holds forth is worthy of our most serious consideration and Christ this chief corner-stone is much to be admired as differing from all other corner-stones He being one stone who is both the lowest and highest of the building Philip. 2.6 7. who hath immediate connexion with the least stone or meanest Believer as well as with the greatest or most eminent whether Prophets Apostles or even the virgin Mary Joh. 17.20 21. who communicates an influence of life and growth to every stone laid upon Him Eph. 2.21 and who never suffers any that are built upon Him to fall totally and finally off Him Joh. 10.28 In all which respects we are here called to admire Jesus Christ and to give our most serious attention and consideration to the Father in giving Him by this word which serves both to draw attention and admiration Behold I lay in Sion a chief corner-stone c. 6. Though Christ be God's gift to the whole Church made up of Jews and Gentiles Eph. 2.14 which often hath the name of Sion in Scripture Obad. 17. Yet with a special reference to the Church of the Jews who first had that name He is said to be laid in Sion being first preached publickly and held forth in Promises Sacrifices and Types to them Psal 147.19 20. being come of them according to the flesh Rom. 9.5 and first offered to them after His incarnation Matth. 10.5 6. from whom the news of Him is come to the rest of the world Mica 4.2 and by whom Christ shall yet have a great part of His publick glory in the world Hos 3.5 Rom. 11.12 15. All which should make us pity their present case and pray for their conversion for with a special eye to them is this spoken Behold I lay in Sion a chief corner-stone c. 7. Christ's fitness for this great work of our Redemption evidenced by the Father's choosing of Him for it from among all others as the word elect signifies and by His high esteem of Him as our Mediator should strongly draw the hearts of sinners in to Him and move them to dwell much upon the thoughts of His worth and of the Father's esteem of Him as He is the receiver of all that come to God through Him for the Apostle having commended Christ before from these two Epithits that He is chosen of God and precious as motives to draw sinners in to Him repeateth them here again as delighting to write and think of so sweet a subject as Christ Elect precious 8. That which builds sinners upon Christ this chief corner-stone is that grace of believing which according to the signification of the word in the Hebrew whence the Apostle translateth this Text is the fixedness or stayedness as this same word is translated Exod. 17.12 of the soul in the expectation of salvation through Christ offered in the Gospel and whereby the soul is fed and nourished upon Him as its necessary food which is also in the signification of the word in that Language for the Apostle instead of insisting further upon the