Selected quad for the lemma: virtue_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
virtue_n	blood_n	sacrifice_n	shed_v	848	5	10.4950	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A58958	The Second and last collection of the late London ministers farewel sermons preached by Dr. Seaman, Dr. Bates, Mr. Caryll, [brace] Mr. Brooks, Mr. Venning, and Mr. Mead ; to which is added a farewell sermon preached at Dedham in Essex by Mr. Matthew Newcomen ; as also Mr. Lyes sermon at the conclusion of the last morning-exercise at All-hallows in Lumbard-street, being a summary rehearsal of the whole monthly-lectures.	Seaman, Lazarus, d. 1675.; Bates, William, 1625-1699.; Caryl, Joseph, 1602-1673.; Brooks, Thomas, 1608-1680.; Venning, Ralph, 1621?-1674.; Mead, Matthew, 1630?-1699.; Newcomen, Matthew, 1610?-1669.; Lye, Thomas, 1621-1684.	1663 (1663)	Wing S2257; ESTC R41075	195,536	326

tryumphant manner he did not with so much sorrow and trouble to himself and his Disciples go to as tryumphantly come from the Grave So can God with a word in a moment bring them to life again 2 By what meanes the great Shepherd comes to have this honour confer'd upon him that he should be raised from the dead There was worth enough in his Person but 't is not altogether ascribed to this but through the blood of the everlasting Covenant i. e. by and in the vertue and efficacy of it he had dyed as a Priest and his bloud was a bloud of sacrifice and it was shed for the remission of sins and salvation of Souls because Christ did dye for so noble an end as this and in such a manner as that his death became a Sacrifice and did seal the everlasting Covenant whereof Christ is the Mediator therefore with consideration of this bloud of Christ and of the ends uses and benefits of it hereupon it is Christ is raised from the dead In the 9th of Zach. the Resurrection of Christ was prophesied of but by vertue of his blood shed so that Christ was more fit to be raised who dyed for such noble and honourable ends as the glory of God and salvation of his people in the vertue o● that Covenant God had made and in the vertue of the bloud of Christ shed for the sealing of that Covenant Now what this Covenant is is worthy to be considered because of its Epithets Called here everlasting Covenant There was a Temporal Covenant God made with the people of Israel and that was sealed and confirmed by the bloud of Bullocks c. Christ took not on him this Covenant he did not bind men to stand by those termes contained in that Covenant for indeed Christ came to make it voyd There is an Eternall Covenant and that is nothing else but those terms of grace and favour which are proposed to us in the Doctrine of the Gospel which amounts to this Who ever repents shall be saved He that repents and forsakes his sin shall find mercy and that he will be mercifull to all on these Conditions in all parts of the World for these termes God will not repent of If men repent they shall have the benefit of it and whoever believes shall be saved 'T is called Everlasting because God will abide by it both here and hereafter the states of all shall be determined according to the termes of this Covenant Now Christ shed his bloud to procure those termes contained in that Covenant for the case of poor sinners was so miserable that they could never come to have all their sins pardoned and their Souls certainly saved unless Christ had dyed and shed his bloud and so to satisfie Gods Justice that it might be free for him to be merciful where he would be merciful The Covenant is founded in the bloud of Jesus Christ that bloud being the bloud of the Everlasting Covenant therefore the Apostle so magnifies it of all the great and Gospel-blessings that belong to the New Testament to the Condition of a Child of God there is not any one like unto this The bloud of the everlasting Covenant they that come to this and have the benefit of this they shall be surely justified and eternally saved in the vertue of this Bloud In the business of being saved by Faith it contributes nothing more but as 't is an Instrument to bring us to be made partakers of the benefit of this bloud we are saved not by the vertue of our believing but by the vertue of his bloud so that 't is not so much the act as the object of Faith that saves Christ rose in the vertue of his blond and all our Comforts and Hopes are founded in his bloud The bloud of Christ was of so much value with God as that he will raise him from the dead and t is of so much vertue to us that through it we shall have Justification Sanctification and Salvation God being so good and gracious a God to Jesus Christ and his Church hereupon the Apostle imboldens himsellf to desire this further manifestation of his love that where he hath so bountifully provided for the justification of sinners through the bloud of Christ that he would provide for their sanctification by his Spirit Hence observe 1 God is with some singularity the God of Peace 2 To the end that God might shew himself to be the God of Peace he hath provided an alsufficient Saviour for his people here called the Great Shepherd of the flock and God being of agracious disposition towards them provides to that end Christ shall take the care of them and of all those things that pertaine to their Eternall wellfare 3 It was expedient this Person should dye though the Great Shepherd Nay it was necessary that it might be so much more verified and manifested that he was the Great Shepherd of the sheep that he should lay down his life for the flock 4 It was as necessary that Christ shoud be raised from the Dead as that he should dye Therefore his Continuance was but a Temporary nay a Momentary time to him Now Christ is risen yea all power in Heaven and earth is committed to him and if he was able to doe any thing for his people before much more now 5 The Resurrection of Christ doth arise partly from the Tenor of the Covenant God made with man and partly from the virtue and benefit that was in the bloud of Christ God put himselfe into a Covenant Christ was mediator of it and in vertue of that Covenant sinners must be saved but the Saviour must first save himselfe raise himselfe from the dead and then hath all power committed to his hand c. There are two things I would have you further observe and carry away 1 That Christ is indeed the only great Shepherd of the sheep Whatsoever others there are they make to his own interest whosoever there be that may possibly indite themselves under hi● name and notion yet this is undeniable that Christ is the only Great Shepherd of the sheep therefore in the concernments of the Church there is none Christians should honour as Christ and whose voice they ought to hear before his or by whom they should be Ruled and Governed but by Him If Christ be the Great Shepherd then the Church must hear his voice for my sheep hear my voice c. And if He be the Great Shepherd then the Church must be Ruled by him for the Shepherd must have the ordering of the flock and the flock must be at the disposall of the Shepherd and then Thirdly The flock of Christ must be carefull to please him for fear he set his Dog upon them that we provok him not to exercise his Correcting power He hath his Rod of Discpline as well as his Staffe and Crook which is to be performed by others as seems good to him for he hath many

for he that is Lord of Angels is become the Shepheard of the sheep and the humiliation of his Person in this respect is the exaltation of his Office It is looked upon in the World as a mean and low employment to have the care and inspection of a Flock but now herein appears the love of Christ he was pleased to become our Shepheard that so he might secure and bring us to the Fold of Heaven and there make us to feed upon those Pastures and to drink of those Rivers of pleasure which flow from the presence of God 2 In the derivation of his Authority that Authority which is communicated to him whereby he is our Shepheard and that is originally from God himself it is not by any mediate deputation but from God himself He is our Shepheard and hath a Title to his Flock upon a double account 1 They are committed to him as his Charge and custody Joh. 6.37 c. All the Elect of the World were given by God the Father to Christ not by way of Alienation but by way of Opigneration as so many pledges which he was to bring to grace and glory and this Charge he doth most fully execute for there is none missing of those committed to him 2 They are given to him by way of Reward and Recompence for all his Blood and Sufferings Isa 53.10 The Lord Jesus put such a value on souls that he purchased an Interest in them by his own Blood and he thinks himself exceedingly recompenced for all his Pains on the Cross Agonies in the Garden Temptations in the Wilderness c. if Souls will submit to his care And here observe the course of Heaven God would endear Souls to Christ upon all reasons by vertue of his command and that charge he gives to them and by vertue of his own purchase 3 If you consider the extent of his care and affection for all the Saints of the world those who are dispersed in all places in all Ages they are all his Flock and therefore 't is the Royalty of his Administration Joh. 10.16 There shall be one Fold and one Shepheard As Christ is the onely Catholick King so he is the only Universal Bishop for all other Shepheards have but particular portions of his Flock committed to their charge and they should be such portions as they have regard to and are under their inspection And at the last day all his sheep shall congregate together and stand at his right hand All the Saints of God that are now scattered as so many Stars in the Firmament shall be united in one Constellation when they shall appear in glory before him 4 In respect of his endowments and qualifications which fit him for the discharge of his Office And 1 Take notice of his affection and love to us and that is the wonder of Heaven and Earth Christ laid down his life for his sheep Joh. 10 11. This is strange that Christ should be a sheep for the slaughter that he might become our Shepheard that he should be a Sacrifice before he could take this office upon him Other Sheep lay down their lives for the Shephe●rd but Christ laid down his life for the Sheep So great was his love that it brought him from Heaven to seek and find those that were lost he left a Palace to come to a Wilderness a Throne of Heaven to come to a Fold here upon Earth We read of David that he exchanged a Sheep-hook for a Scepter but Christ quite contrary he chang'd a Scepter for the Rod and Staffe of a Shepheard It was said by one There is nothing so conspicuous in Christ as the prodigality of his love to us Oh! do but consider how great love that was that should make him to die for us that he might bring us home to his Fold We were all of us like erring Sheep who had strayed from him and fell to the Lord of the soil as strange Cattel we were gotten into the possession of the god of this World the Lord Christ would buy us off from thence though we forfeited our right in him yet he would not lose his right in us but he laid down his life that he might reduce us to his Fold that of Wolves he might make us Lambs and fit us for the comforts of his presence 2 In respect of his exact dil●gence and inspection over them When but one sheep went astray from his Fold we read he left the ninety and nine and went and sought for that One Luk. 15. where we have that Parable to express the diligence watchfulness of Christ over his sheep There is no person be he never so mean never so obscure though lost in the number and account of the world if he be one of Christs sheep he is always under his inspection and watchfulness We read of the High-Priest that he carried the names of the Tribes upon his Breast-plate the Lord Christ carries the names of all his sheep in his Heart therefore Rev. 13. speaking concerning the Saints all that dwel upon earth whose names are writ in the Book of Life His diligence and care is so exact that he hath all their names writ in his Book He th●t tells the Stars counts their hairs and always exercises the most watchful providence over them for good You know sheep are either lyable to rage or erring and wandring Christ's diligence is such that he protects them from the rage of Satan reduces them from all their wandring and brings them home to himself 3 In making proportionable all their services and sufferings to those degrees of strength which he gives to them Isa 40.11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd he shall gather the lambs with his arms and carry them in his bosom and shall gently lead those that are with young Christ always makes a proportion between the services sufferings and strength he calls them to He it is that with that tenderness speaks to Peter Peter lovest thou me feed my Lambs He hath provided for them the most ample and most satisfying nourishment the Ordinances of the Gospel the Word the Promises which are the Breasts of Consolation these are all provided by him for his People And in this respect he is the great Shepherd for he doth not only allow them means but blesses the means to them he is able to enlighten the dark mind and he can make pliable the stubborn will he can spirituallize drossie affections which all other shepherds in the world are not able to effect 4 He is the great Shepheard if you consider his power to preserve them from danger not only those dangers which respect Satan for that fell under his care before but those diseases to which they are liable which threaten ruine Other Shepheards possibly may cure diseases but not defend them from danger Christ it is tha● gives eternal life to his sheep he begins the life of holiness which though at present is but as