Selected quad for the lemma: virtue_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
virtue_n	abound_v	godliness_n	temperance_n	1,050	5	11.3029	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17385	A commentary upon the three first chapters of the first Epistle generall of St. Peter VVherin are most judiciously and profitably handled such points of doctrine as naturally flow from the text. Together with a very usefull application thereof: and many good rules for a godly life. By Nicholas Byfield preacher of Gods Word at Isleworth in Middlesex. To which is now newly added an alphabeticall table, not formerly published.	Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622.; Gouge, William, 1578-1653.; Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622. Commentary: or, sermons upon the second chapter of the first epistle of Saint Peter. aut; Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622. Sermons upon the ten first verses of the third chapter of the first Epistle of S. Peter. aut; Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622. Sermons upon the first chapter of the first Epistle generall of Peter. aut	1637 (1637)	STC 4212; ESTC S107139	978,571	754

so Israel was Elect 2. There is an Election to salvation which is the eternall predestination of God appointing certaine men to be vessels of mercy and to enjoy the glory of heaven 3. There is an Election to sanctification which is performed in time by the power of the Gospell separating the fore-ordained from the masse of forlorne men unto holinesse of life This is nothing else but effectuall vocation 4. There is an El●ction to the administration of some office as to the Apostleship Election imports a singling of a man from some thing that is vil● and miserable and so the godly are elect from the masse of condemned men in Adam and from under the power of Sathan and the kingdome of darknesse from the first death from the company of evill men from the tyranny of sinnes of all ●o●●s from 〈◊〉 ●igo● an● 〈◊〉 o●●he law and eternall ●ondemnation These Elect men are not to be knowne by their numbers wit wealth nobility beauty personage nor by their presence paines or priority in Gods vineyard but they are to be knowne both by their birth and by their life By their birth and so they may be knowne for they are borne of God borne by promise borne againe they are then called and converted of God Rom. 8.30 By their life they may be knowne for they depart from iniquity and call upon the name of the Lord. 2 Tim. 2.19 they are fruitfull in well-doing and their fruits remaine Iohn 15.16 they are holy and unreb●keable Ephes. 1.4 they beare the image of the Son of God both in holinesse and sufferings for holinesse Rom. 8.29 They abound in faith vertue godlinesse knowledge temperance patience brotherly love and kindnesse 2 Pet. 1.5.6.10 These Elect men have admirable felicities and priviledges aboue all the men in the world For 1. They have most deare acceptation with God in his beloved Eph. 1.5 they are his delight Psal. 132.13 his chiefe treasure Psal. 135.4 his pe●uliar people Deut. 7.6 26.18 2. They are adopted to bee the children and heires of God in Christ Ephes. 1.4 3. They have the pleasures of Gods house Psal. 65.4 5. 4. In adversity they are sure of countenance Esa. 41.8 9. Protection v. 10. the avenging of their wrongs Esay 41.11 12. Luke 18.8 deliverance and victory Zach. 1.17.20.21 5. The non-suting of all actions and accusations in heaven against them Rom. 8.35 6. They are made the friends of God and from thence have audience in all suites and communication of the secrets of God Iohn 15.15 16. Deut. 4.7.37 7. They are assured of preservation to the end Mat. 24. 8. They shall obtaine glory in Iesus Christ being chosen to salvation ● Thess. 2.13 14 15. Hence we may informe our selves 1. That there is a choice God did not drive in whole Nations Cities Townes c. but a certaine number of them 2. That the doctrine of Election may be taught It is true that it is in some respects strong meate and hath in some things an Abyssus It should also inflame in every one of us both praises and prayers to God that he would above all things remember us with the favour of his people and comfort us with the joy of his chosen and above all care to care to make our calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 What shall it profit a man to be sure of his house money lands c. and not to be sure of the salvation of his soul Know yee not that Christ Iesus is in you except you be reprobates 2 Cor. 13.5 Such as finde by the signes their Election should abound in all possible thankfulnesse to God 2 Thess. 2. 13. c. Further hath God cho●en us and shall we not live like Gods Elect It should teach us to endeavour to shew by our workes that we are chosen of God separating our selves from the wicked and holding forth the light of the truth in all unrebukablenesse of holy conversation not being discouraged with ill entertainment in the world Deut. 10.12 to 18. 14.1 26.26 c. Ephes. 1.5 2.10 Iohn 15.18 19 20. c. Finally we should hence learne not to be ashamed of Gods Elect but choose unto us whom God hath chosen to him choose them I say both to honor them and to sort with them and to countenance them and defend them Ministers should acknow●edge there in their teaching and great men in conversing This also may be a doctrine of singular terror to wicked men that will not be gathered and called by the meanes of salvation Esay 66.4 5. If it be such a felicity to be chosen of God what misery is it then to be rejected of God for ever If such a vexation to be disgraced and scorned of great men what is it then to be rejected of the great God and this is the more wofull if the fore-runner of the full declaration of it be upon men I meane a spirit of slumber Rom. 11.7.10 And thus of Election This Election is first amplified by the ground of it which is the fore-knowledge of God According to fore-knowledge Praescience or fore-knowledge in God is considered more largely or more strictly more largely and so it notes the whole act of praeordination so in the 20. verse of this chapter it is rendred ordained more strictly and properly for the knowledge of God praeceding in order the appointment to the end and thus it is taken two wayes For there is a praescience they call in schooles absolute by which God from eternity doth know all things simply and absolutely so the word is used 2 Pet. 3.17 There is also a praescience they call speciall by which God not onely knoweth the Elect as hee knoweth other things but acknowledgeth them for his and loves them above all others and this is called the knowledge of approbation Rom. 8.27 11.2 In the first sense there is difference betweene Fore-knowledge Providence and Predestination Praescience reacheth to all things to bee done either by God or any other and so to sinnes Providence reacheth to all that God would doe Predestination onely to the counsell of God about reasonable creatures Quest. If any aske after what maner God viewes things or lookes upon them or knowes them Answ. I answer that we are not able to expresse the maner of divine knowledge unlesse it bee by way of negation that is by denying to God those wayes of knowledge which are in the creatures and note imperfection For God doth not know things 1. By sense as by hearing seeing tasting c. For these things are in God only by an Anthropopathy or Metaphore 2. By opinion or conjecture For that knowledge is neither certaine nor evident and therefore cannot be in God 3. By faith For God knowes nothing by relation or report of others Besides though faith bee a certaine knowledge yet it is not evident Heb. 11.1 4. By Art For

our selves to Gods disposing we are his treasure it is reason he should doe with his owne what hee will and the rather because hee will never imploy his treasure but for advantage He that blamed the evill servant for not gaining by his talent will certainly himselfe gaine by all the waies he imployes his owne treasure This doctrine should serve also for a double warning to wicked men First to take heed how they wrong Gods people if they touch his Annointed they touch the apple of his eye Hee will be sensible and requite it They are not in a safe condition that wrong the Favourites of Kings their backes are as good as broken and every man is afraid of them and it is no lesse danger to be injurious to that people which is so deare to God And withall this doctrine should teach us and them that if they have any desire to get the King of heavens pardon or to obtaine favour with him if they have any minde to repent they should do well to get some of those Favourites to commend their suit to the King God will not deny them The prayers of the righteous availe much especially if they be earnest with him Hitherto of the enumeration of the particulars of the prerogatives of the godly the end of them follows viz. That they may shew the vertues of Christ that called them Vertues The originall word here translated vertues is but sparingly used in Scripture the Apostle Paul onely useth it once viz. Phil. 4.8 and the Apostle Peter here and twice in the next Epistle neither doe Interpreters agree about the translation of it For many following the Syriach render it praises and not vertues and so the meaning is our priviledges are bestowed upon us to this end that we should shew forth the praises of Christ and that divers waies First by embracing these prerogatives themselves For these do set out much the praises of Christ as his love to man his wisdome and power that could redeeme a people out of such misery to happinesse and his singular acceptation with his Father from whom hee obtained such large prerogatives for his servants Secondly by thanksgiving when we praise God for Christ and give praise to Christ for all his goodnesse and love to us Thirdly by commending the riches of the love of Christ to us setting forth his praise from day to day as we have occasion by discourse to others Fourthly by living so as that God in Jesus Christ may bee glorified in the wo●ld especially in the Church Now other writers follow the native signification of the word and translate it vertues but with different interpretation For some by the vertues of Christ understand the benefits exhibited to us by Christ and so wee are enriched with the former priviledges that so wee might make it appeare ●ow much we have gained by Jesus Christ And these benefits of Christ wee shew forth by thansgiving to God daily praising him for them as also by the word of exhortation when we call upon others to seeke after them and lastly by carrying our selves so as may become so great treasure keeping them with all care esteeming them above all gettings and living as contentedly as if God had given us a Kingdome on earth and ordring our conversation so as men might see our care of good workes becomming such high preferment But I rather follow those Interpreters that take the word as it properly signifieth for the gifts of the mind in Christians bestowed upon them by Christ and so it is originally a philosophicall word expressing those endowments of the minde which Philosophers in their Ethickes prescribed and it is the more sparingly used by the Apostle because it is too low a word to expresse the worth of the rich mercies and graces of Christ and the Apostle Paul Phil. 4.8 when he saith If there be any vertue c. meaneth that if there were any vertue in which Philosophers did excell they should strive not to come behinde those naturall men even in those vertues such as were chastity liberality temperance sobriety magnanimity truth justice and such like Now as the Scripture taketh notice of vertue it belongs to the duties of the second table as godlinesse doth to the first and though vertue considered morally hath nothing supernaturall in it yet considered as it is propounded here it is of singular worthinesse to be regarded For though those vertues which were in the Philosophers were but naturall yet there were certaine vertues in Christ belonging to the second Table which as the patterne is given us in him could never bee found in meere naturall men so that the Apostle doth of purpose separate the consideration of vertues and in especiall call upon us to get framed in us those vertues which did most shine in the nature and conversation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now in all the words foure things must bee distinctly handled First that every Christian is bound to imitate the speciall vertues of Jesus Christ. Secondly that it is not enough to have those vertues but they must shew them forth accordingly Thirdly how those vertues thus shewed forth are still called the vertues of Christ. Fourthly the Periphrasis by which Christ is described is to be attended when he saith It is hee that called us For the first of these it is apparent that the Apostle takes all the godly bound to the imitation of the vertues of Christ. Note by the way that it is the vertues of Christ that are to be imitated For every thing in Christ is not to be imitated as First not his infirmities for though they were unblameable and without sinne yet they imported weaknesse and so though they be in us yet wee are not to strive after the attainment of them Secondly not his workes of Divinity as his miracles curing of men with a word walking on the water fasting forty daies and such like Thirdly not his workes of Office such workes as he did in that singular obedience to that singular commandement of his Father in dying to redeeme the Church and so all the workes of his Mediator-ship as he was the Mediator betweene God and man Fourthly not his workes of obedience as the son of Abraham to the Mosaicall Lawes those that were Ceremoniall for Christ must be considered as the sonne of Adam and not as the sonne of Abraham As the sonne of Adam he was bound to the Morall Law whether as it was first written in mens hearts or as after it was taught by tradition and at length by the Writings of Moses Fifthly wee are not bound to follow every action of Christ in indifferent things no not in such as had some circumstantiall relation to religious duties such as were to sit and preach or to preach on mountaines or by high way sides and in a ship or to pray all night or to weare a garment without a seame or to sit at the Paschall Supper and a multitude