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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
state_n	act_n	church_n	communion_n	1,337	5	9.7715	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A78206	The only refuge of a troubled soul in time of trouble & affliction, or, The sweet and soul-ravishing mystery of the apple-tree; explained and laid open, in two discourses fron Cant. 2. 3, for the comfort and encouragement of the true believer, in the midst of the worst and sorest afflictions which can (possibly) befal him in this world, and the awakening the most secure sinner, who is yet a stranger to the said mystery. ; Publish'd at the earnest and importunate request of several godly persons, who heard the same preached By J. Barry, an unworthy Minist. of the Gospel.	Barry, James.	1700 (1700)	Wing B970; ESTC R223490	61,710	175

own Performances Somewhat he must do in order to help and save himself but how or where to begin he finds himself at a loss Hence those Queries what shall we do Acts 2.37 Mark 10.17 Acts 16.30 which plainly shews that all Adams Children when awakened by the Terrors of God's Laws do seek for Life and Salvation in a way of Works this is further confirm'd by Rom. 10.3 For they being ignorant of God's Righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves to the Righteousness of God One while the Sinner resolves with himself he will amend his sinful Course and be for time to come a better Man He will say his Prayers he will confess and break off his sins he will forsake his vain Companions and sinful Pastime and the Church and serving God he resolves he will frequent and constantly attend He will now take on him a strict Profession a Church Communicant he must be to the Sacrament he goes and from that to other Duties such as Fasting and Almsdeeds and keeping up a strict Watch over himself in all his ways He is now not the same Man he was before he can with the Pharisee boast of his negative and positive Righteousness Luke 18.11.12 And now he thinks and hopes the work is done albeit he was never nearer Hell and eternal Ruin than by these acts of Morallity Negative and Possitive he hath brought himself He hath been all this while but scouring and making clean and bright the outside of the Cup and Platter not heeding or regarding the Filth and Nastiness which cleaves to the inside A change of State he is a Stranger to External Reformation he takes to be the Conversion which must fit him for Heaven tho' most certain it is that no Reformation but what flows from an effectual change of State will evidence or prove a Man to be a real Convert Such an External Reformation may qualifie a Man for Church Communion but never for Heaven And it is to be feared that there is but very little even of this visible Reformation in some Churches who seem at least in their own and other Injudicious Peoples Conceits to be far purer and holier than their Neghbour Churches who make not so much a Noise and Blunder as they themselves do There are some Churches so called who for want of Charity monopolize a pure Church State to themselves as if Christ had no true Gospel Church in this day besides themselves whose Preachers and Rulers are of so impetuous a Spirit as drives them to the very Precipice of Anathematizing all but themselves As if the Doctrin of God's Grace and the Form of a true Gospel-Church State were to be found no where but among them these are like violent Storms and Showers which will not hold long and indeed 't is pity they should All I shall further say of such is the Lord rebuke their furious and Bedlam-like Spirit and give them to see and in time to be convinced how far wide they are from what they fancy they have attain'd to viz. a Christ-like Spirit and a true Conformity to the Pattern of God's House a thing so much boasted of and gloried in and that without cause The Word of God assures us up and down that no Works or Duties which sinners are capable of performing can possibly give Ease or Peace to that Conscience which the Law of God set home by the Spirit of Bondage hath wounded Healing and Peace are to be found no where but under the shadow of Christ's Satisfaction there being nothing short of what satisfies Divine Justice for the violation of the Moral Law which can satisfie and quiet the Conscience of a wounded sinner Job 5.18 For he maketh sore and bindeth up he woundeth and his hands make whole Mat. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest A third Storm wherewith the elect meets is the fiery Assaults and Temptations of the Devil They are call'd fiery from their sad and dreadful Effects in the Soul and Conscience of the poor distressed sinner they being to the Soul what Poyson and Fire are to the Body Ephes 6.16 Above all taking the shield of Faith whereby ye shall be able to quench all the fiery Darts of the wicked The Darts here intended are the Assaults and Temptations of the Devil which are injected or cast into the Soul suddenly and invisibly as Darts are cast or shot by an unseen Enemy which when they find Entrance they immediately inflame the Soul as poyson'd Darts or Arrows hardened in Fire Invenom or Poyson the Body These Temptations or satanical Injections are numberless and of various sorts sometimes to Presumption sometimes to Desparation sometimes to Atheism sometimes to Blasphemy against the Majesty of God sometimes to one Wickedness and sometimes to another Satan is a busie Enemy and a Restless Enemy always tempting and that all Men and to all manner of Folly and sin on which very Account he is by the Spirit of God stil'd in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Tempter who is always busie at his Trade piercing to know what is in Men that so he might accordingly suit his Baits to the Disposition and Temper of Adams Children whom he seeks to prey upon Yea so restless and unwearied is he at his Trade of throwing or injecting his fiery Darts into the Soul that he will not loose the time of Men's sleeping Satan in this case is like an Enemy that surprizes in the dead of the Night when Persons are bury'd in Sleep and Security And as in Nature no Alarm is so amazing and frightful as that which is given in the dead of the Night so as Experience teacheth no Temptation makes a sadder Hurricane in the Soul than the night Sallies which he makes on the Soul when the Person is buried in sleep Now in such Storms as these what can poor tempted Souls do were it not for the shadow of Christs Cleansing and Healing Virtue herein the Brazen Serpent in the Wilderness did eminently type out the Lord Jesus Christ his Virtue to heal and cleanse the Sting and Pollution given and occasion'd by the infernal Serpents stinging temptations No way possible for Help or Cure in this Case but flying by Faith and Prayer to the shadow of Christ's healing and cleansing Virtue It is on this very Account that the Grace of Faith is preferr'd above all the other Parts of the Christians spiritual Armor in that it looks and flies to Christ immediately for Help and Cure No sooner hath the Devil cast in his Soul affrightning Dart into the Soul of a True Believer but the Grace of Faith like an expert and experienc'd Soldier who whips up the Granado thrown in by the Enemy and throws it back on the Enemy again repels and throws back the fiery poyson'd Dart injected by Satan A fourth Storm wherewith the Elect soul meets is the Wrath of God seared

because the Lord hath anointed me to Preach glad tidings to the meek c. This was excellently held forth in the Person of Aaron the High Priest under the dark Dispensation of the ceremonial Administration an Eminent and Glorious Type and Shadow of Christ the Elects High Priest Psal 133.2 It is like the Precious Ointment upon the Head that ran down upon the Beard even Aarons Beard that went down to the Skirts of his Garment The material Oyl wherewith Aaron Christs Type was anointed did prefigure and type out the Effusion of the Spirits Gifts and Graces on the Human Nature of Christ to fit and qualifie him for the Work the Father hath sent him about this anointing was poured out on Christ without measure as witnesseth the Scripture Jo. 3 34. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the Words of God for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him This is further backt and confirm'd by Colos 1.19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell And Colos 2.9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily Besides the personal Anointing of Christs Human Nature wherewith the Father anointed him above his fellows Psal 45.7 there was a Soul enriching Stock of Grace put into his Hands as Mediator in time to be communicated to all the Elect who are to be the Members of his Mystical Body Hence it is that Believers are said to receive of Christ's Fulness Jo. 1.16 And of his Fulness have all we received and Grace for Grace Ephes 4.7 But unto every one of us is given Grace according to the measure of the Gift of Christ Christ as God is the Source and Fountain of all the Graces of Believers as God-man he is the Meriter and Purchaser of all Grace for them and Christ as Mediator he hath the dispencing Power committed to him by the Father to communicate to and bestow upon every Member of his Body what measure of Grace he pleaseth Secondly Christ far excels all Adam's Children on the account of the Work to which the Father design'd him in Eternity and whereto he in time call'd him This great Work is to reconcile God and elect Sinners together by the Interposition of his Mediatorial Righteousness to make up that Breach which the Sin and Apostacy of Adam had effected between God and the Elect and to keep and continue them in an everlasting Covenant of Love and Peace so as that there should never be any Possibility of their being at Enmity any more for ever 2 Cor. 5.19 to wit that God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their Trespasses to them By World in this as in other places is intended the elect World for whom Christ was made Sin and a Curse and between whom and God his offended Father he stept in as a Mediator to make Peace by offering up himself in Sacrifice to God's Justice 1 Tim. 2.5 6. for there is one God and one Mediator between God and Men the Man Christ Jesus Who gave himself a Ransom for all to be testified in due time Compare with this Jo. 10.15 and Jo. 17.9 and it will plainly appear that Christ became a Mediator of Redemption and Intercession for God's Elect and none else If what hath been said concerning what Christ is in himself and the great Work to which the Father hath design'd and call'd him be rightly considered it will appear beyond all Contradiction that he infinitely excels and transcends all the Children of Adam None of Adam's Posterity were ever qualified like him neither were any of them ever call'd to so great and glorious a Work as he was this in the general But more particularly to come to the Allegory or Metaphor by which his transcendent Excellency is allegorically set forth there are three things in the Apple-Tree which bespeaks the Lord Jesus a None-such to the Elect. First The Lowness and Comliness of the Apple-Tree above other Trees It grows lower and nearer the Ground than other Trees usually do The matchless Lowliness and Humility of Christ is hereby set forth none could ever compare with him herein Mat. 11.29 Take my Yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly This is anciently Predicted of him as appears Zach. 9.9 Rejoyce greatly O Daughter of Zion shout O Daughter of Jerusalem behold thy King cometh unto thee he is just and having Salvation lowly and riding upon an Ass and upon a Colt the Foal of an Ass Mat. 21.4 5. Six things wherein this will appear First His condescending to become his Father's Inferior first as a Son a Relation which imports Superiority and Inferiority Psal 2.7 I will declare the Decree the Lord hath said unto me Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee c. Jo. 3.16 For God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son c. Jo. 14.28 For my Father is greater than I. Secondly As a Servant to do his Work Psal 89.20 I have found David my Servant with my Holy Oil have I anointed him Esa 42.1 Behold my Servant whom I uphold mine Elect in whom my Soul delighteth * This Inferiority of Christ to God is to be understood in respect of the Office he voluntarily took on him for the Elects sake not in respect of Nature or Essence as appears Zach. 13.7 Awake O Sword against my Shepherd and against the Man that is my Fellow Jo. 10.30 I and my Father are one Heb. 1.3 Who being the Brightness of his Glory and the express Image of his Person c. Secondly His condescending to assume the Humane Nature Heb. 2.14 Forasmuch as the Children did partake of Flesh and Blood he also himself took part of the same Vers 16. For verily he took not upon him the Nature of Angels but he took upon him the Seed of Abraham There are two things which if considered will put a bright Lustre on this Act of Christ's Condescention First The Baseness of the Matter of that Body he assumed viz. A Clod of Earth and that the worst of Earth viz. Red Earth so the word Adam in Hebrew signifies Secondly The abject State and wretched Condition into which it fell by the Apostacy and Rebellion of Adam to which he knew he must become subject Hence it is he is stiled a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with Grief Esa 53.3 4. Rom. 8.3 For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the Flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh c. Thirdly In his being Born of mean Parents Christ as God did single out and choose the Womb in which his Humanity was to be Conceived which was not an Empress a Queen or some Lady of Rich and Noble Extraction according to the Flesh but a mean and despicable Maid of a mean and poor Family so poor that she was not able to compass a Lamb but must be trusting to a pair of Turtle Doves for a Sacrifice