Selected quad for the lemma: virtue_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
virtue_n	brotherly_a	faith_n	godliness_n	2,884	5	9.6294	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10929	The true conuert. Or An exposition vpon the vvhole parable of the prodigall. Luke. 15. 11.12. &c. Wherein is manifestly shewed; 1. Mans miserable estate by forsaking of God. 2. Mans happie estate by returning to God. Deliuered in sundry sermons, by Nehemiah Rogers, preacher of Gods Word, at St Margarets Fish-street. And now by him published, intending the farther benefit of so many as then heard it; and the profit of so many as shall please to read it.	Rogers, Nehemiah, 1593-1660.	1620 (1620)	STC 21201; ESTC S116104	291,820	402

Gods gracious gifts Be frequent in spirituall exercises as in hearing reading meditation Christian conference prayer and the like let no meanes be neglected that God hath ordeined for the working of establishment And as thou layest on fuell so see thou giuest this holy fire vent exercise and employ and put these holy motions into practise Much wood piled on a coale if vent be wanting doth soone smother it and put it forth See then thou exercise the graces God hath giuen to thee But how may I know and be able to distinguish betweene the motions of Gods spirit Quest How the motions of Gods spirit may be knowne from Sathans suggestions and the suggestions of the Diuell Surely thus if the motions that are put into thy heart speake not contrary to Gods word if the word and they speake one and the same then are they of God not from Sathan Answer 1 Secondly if they lead thee not beyond thy calling Esay 8.20 The second marke or the measure of gifts that God hath giuen thee There are many that are very much excited to reforme some abuse that belongs vnto the Magistrate or it may be are desirous to enter into the Ministrie when they are not gifted these motions certainly are not of God they are but Diabolicall delusion And lastly The third marke thou maist shrewdly suspect them if they be too violent and neither interrupted troubled nor mingled with other euill motions such a motion as is so violently and not controuled with thy own corrupti●● thou hast cause to feare and maist well suspect Take these rules for triall vntill thou hast learned better A second doctrine that may be hence gathered is this Doctr. 2. Grace growes by degrees Where spirituall life and new birth is once begun there will be a growth and an increase in grace There will be no standing at a stay but a proceeding by degrees after a rising there will be a going Christ confirmes this by a Parable of seed growing secretly So is the kingdome of God Mark 4.26.27 as if a man should cast seed into the ground and should sleepe and rise night and day and the seed should spring and grow vp he knoweth not how Thus true grace will haue it proceedings from one degree vnto another And as it is in the naturall conception after the first quickning the Infant stirres and growes more strong euery day then other so is it in the spirituall He compareth grace also in the heart to a graine of musterd-seed which is small to see to at the beginning yea lesse then all the seedes that bee in the earth Verse 30.31.32 But when it is sowen it groweth vp and becommeth greater then all hearbes and shooteth out great branches so that the fowles of the ayre may lodge vnder the shadow of it Thus when grace is once planted in the fruitfull ground of a regenerated mans heart it springeth vp incontinently encreaseth speedily spreadeth mightily and prospereth exceedingly The Prophet Dauid also prooueth this in the 92. Psalme where speaking of the regenerate sayth thus The righteous shall flourish like a Palme tree Psal 92.12.13.14 and shall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon such as be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God they shall still bring forth fruit in their age they shall be fat and flourishing Thus we haue seene the point prooued Now in a word heare it thus applyed Vse 1 First let it serue for examination Try thy selfe hereby see what growth of grace is in thee what encrease of faith loue zeale patience what strengthning of the inward man doth grace get more strength euery day then other doth it growe to some bignesse doth it shoot vp in tallnes and stature Surely then it is out of question that grace is true grace and thou art made partaker of the new birth but doth it remaine still Infant-like and feeble without any stirring or shewing of it selfe Then hast thou cause to feare it is but the counterfeit and not true grace indeede Vse 2 Secondly this may serue to reproue such as stand at a stay and goe not forward but are like the George on Horsebacke euer riding but neuer goe a step further where you leaue them this yeare there you may finde them the next This is a feareful signe and most vncomfortable the childe that is euer sucking and yet thriues not we will soone iudge to be in some consumption So may we iudge of these who are euer learning 2. Tim. 3.7 yet neuer come to the knowledge of the truth but are as leane lanke and euill fauoured after many a yeares meanes Gen. 41.3 as Pharoahs seauen leane kine were after they had deuoured vp the seauen fa● In the third place let this admonish euery one to grow Vse 3 in grace let vs forget that which is behinde Phil. 3.13 and endeuour to that which is before let vs presse hard towards the marke for the price of the high calling of God Let vs not be euermore as smoaking flax or bruised reeds or as new set plants but let vs abound more and more 1. Thes 4.1 Non progredi est regredi At a stay we cannot stand iudge what we will not to goe forward is to goe backward not to encrease is to decrease like as the Sun we are euermore in motion and as the Sea ebbing or flowing And as the Angell on Iacobs ladder ascending or descending See then that you proceed in sanctification and goe from strength to strength Psal 84. And to this end vse the meanes God hath ordeined be constant in religious exercises heare the word receiue the sacraments 1. Pet. 2.2 read pray meditate and be not wanting in these which are as requisite for the soules encrease in grace as meate and drink and the like necessarie● for the bodies growth and strengthening If you be in Christ neuer rest vntill you become strong men in Christ Nay if you bee in Christ you will not rest til you come to some perfection in him Ioyne therefore vnto your vertue faith 2. Pet. 1.5 and with faith knowledge and with knowledge temperance and with temperance patience and with patience godlinesse and with godlines brotherly kindnesse for if these be in you and abound in you they will make you neither vnfruitfull nor vnprofitable The last vse may bee for comfort to such as are partakers Vse 4 of this new birth God that hath begunne this new worke of grace will finish it So saith the Apostle Phil. 1.6 Hee that hath begunne a good worke in you will performe it vntill the day of Iesus Christ Many of Gods children are much discouraged and why the reason is there faith is weake their hope is feeble there loue is cold and there is so much corruption they feare there estates not good But that grace thou hast is it true grace if it be then feare not it will