Selected quad for the lemma: virtue_n
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A03342
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CVIII lectures vpon the fourth of Iohn Preached at Ashby-Delazouch in Leicester-shire. By that late faithfull and worthy minister of Iesus Christ. Arthur Hildersam.; Lectures upon the fourth of John
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Hildersam, Arthur, 1563-1632.; Cotton, John, 1584-1652.
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1632
(1632)
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STC 13462; ESTC S119430
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700,546
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622
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giue a sweet rellish to all Gods blessings Ioh. 29. 3. 7. Iob speaking of the comfort he tooke in all Gods blessings in the time of his prosperity in the recreations and delights of his youth in his house in his children in his riches in the honour that God gaue him he alledgeth this for the reason of it Verse 3. His light shined vpon my head Yea euen in affliction it would make vs comfortable Rom. 5. 3. Neither doe we so onely but we reioyce in tribulations and without this we can haue no true ioy but eyther 2. Cor. 5. 12. reioyce in the face not in the heart or for a very short moment our ioy will be as Eccles. 7. 8. like the noise of thornes vnder the pot so is the laughter of fooles Thirdly it would make vs able to go to God in prayer at all times with boldnesse and delight Iob 23. 26. Thou shalt then delight in the Almighty and lift vp thy face vnto God But on the contrary he that wants this assurance can take no comfort or delight in prayer will he delight himselfe in the Almighty will he alwaies call vpon God Iob 27. 10. Fourthly to conclude we haue no true Faith vnlesse we striue for this assurance and what haue we to yeeld vs comfort in life or death if we be without Faith Without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. Now though a man may haue a true Faith and yet so weake that he may want this assurance for a time or haue it in great weakenesse yet without a mourning for and striuing against our doubtings without a seeking for this certainety there can be no true Faith in vs the poore man whose childe was possessed had much vnbeliefe and doubting in him but he wept for it and cryed to Christ for help against it Mar. 9. 24. For Gods Spirit wheresoeuer it is lusteth against the flesh Gal. 5. 17. That makes the Apostle say Heb. 3. 6. His house we are if we hold fast our confidence and the reioycing of our hope vnto the end Now if we desire to attaine to this certaine assurance of Gods fauour and of our saluation to keepe it when we haue it to recouer it when we haue lost it I will shew you some of the principall meanes whereby this may be obtained The first is to esteeme highly of it and account it our chiefe treasure and happinesse for then our heart will be euer vpon it then we will looke to it and be affraid to lose it where your treasure is there will your heart be also Matth. 6. 21. the wise Merchant when he had found the treasure and resolued to purchase it by parting with all that he had did hide it so that he might not lose it Matth. 13. 44. The chiefe cause why many haue so little assurance of their saluation is for that they make no reckoning of it there be a thousand things they regard more than it Dauid made another manner of reckoning of it Psal. 4. 6. Many say who will shew vs any good but Lord lift vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs. As if he should say Let me see it and be assured of it that will suffice me And 63. 3. Thy louing kindnesse is better than life And 80. 7. Cause thy face to shine and wee shall be saued The second meanes is to vse diligently and conscionably the exercises of Religion and parts of Gods worship for they are all ordained of God to worke this assurance in our hearts First the reading of the Word 1. Iohn 1. 4. These things write we vnto you that your ioy may be fuâ—…l Secondly the hearing of the Word Luke 1. 77. The ministry of the Word is ordained of God to giue knowledge of saluation to his people for the remission of their sinnes Thirdly the receiuing of the Sacrament for euery Sacrament is ordained to bee a seale of the righteousnesse of Faith Rom. 4. 11. Fourthly Prayer Iohn 16. 24. Aske and yee shall receiue that your ioy may bee full And this may be said generally of all the exercises of Religion Therefore Dauid giues this for one reason why he did so desire to dwell in Gods house that he might behold the beauty of the Lord Psal. 27. 4. A chiefe cause why many want this assurance is for that they vse not these parts of Gods worship constantly and conscionably The third meanes is to keepe a good conscience carefully Pro. 15. 15. A good conscience is a continuall feast Peace and confidence is oft ascribed to the practice of piety Matth. 7. 24. Hee that heareth of me these words and doth the same is like to him that builds on a rocke Experience and practice of godlinesse are chiefe meanes to worke this full assurance 1. Tim. 6. 18 19. Charge them that are rich that they doe good laying vp in store for themselues a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternall life 2. Pet. 1. 5. Ioyne vertue with faith and with vertue knowledge temperance patience godlinesse brotherly kindnesse loue Then followeth verse 10. Giue diligence to make your calling and election sure for if you doe these things ye shall neuer fall And verse 11. For by this meanes an entrance shall bee ministred to you aboundantly into the euerlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. On the other side the chiefe cause why many can neuer grow to any assurance and many hauing had it haue lost it is the neglect of a good conscience their falling into sinnes against their conscience Me thinkes this should haue great force to restraine men from sin see what adoe Gods deare seruants haue had to recouer their certainty and comfort when they haue falne into foule sinnes Psal. 51. 8. Make me to heare ioy and gladnesse Verse 11. Cast me not away from thy presence Verse 12. Restore me to the ioy of thy saluation The fourth meanes is to obserue our owne waies diligently and when we haue slipped into any sinne to humble our selues speedily before God in the sense and acknowledgement of it and to seeke peace with him This is a sure way to preserue our assurance Iob 13. 15. Though hee slay me I will put my trust in him and I will reproue my waies in his sight Psal. 32. 5. Then I acknowledged my sinnes vnto thee neither did I hide mine iniquity for I thought I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne And this all Gods children haue oft found by experience that they neuer had a more sweet sense and assurance of Gods loue than when they most deepely humbled themselues before him in the free acknowledging and bewailing of their sinnes When they haue sowed most teares this way they haue reaped most ioy Psal. 126. 5. When they haue beene most ready to accuse themselues the Lord hath beene most ready to iustifie them as we see