Selected quad for the lemma: virtue_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
virtue_n	draw_v	iron_n	loadstone_n	1,525	5	13.0457	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10030	Three sermons vpon the sacrament of the Lords Supper. By the late faithfull and vvorthy minister of Iesus Christ, Iohn Preston, Dr. in Divinity, chaplaine in ordinary to his Majestie, master of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolnes Inne	Preston, John, 1587-1628.	1631 (1631)	STC 20281; ESTC S115171	49,613	90

a double charge one that you omit it not and another that you come not hither unlesse you be in Christ what hast thou to doe that art a profane person thou hast nothing to doe with Christ thou that art yet a stranger to him that thou shouldest thrust in to the Lords table thou ought'st not to doe it if thou dost thou eatest and drinkest thy owne damnation instead of thy salvation The Second Sermon AND so now wee come to the Vse and that is that there is an Act of Christ to make an union betwixt vs that we may be his and he ours there is an act of his that is there is a certaine power or vertue comes from him even as there doth from the Load-stone to the iron that drawes thee to him there goes out a vertue and power from him as to the woman that touched the hemme of his garment that healed her bloody issue such a power goes out from Christ to every man that is in him And as you must examine it by your owne act so in the second place you are to examine it by this consider whether there hath gone out any such power from Christ to take comprehend thee For you must know this that when once we are in Christ then there goes forth an effectuall almighty power from him which doth not make a little light alteration on the superficies of the heart but it alters the very frame of it it turnes the very rudder of the heart so that a mans course is to a quite contrary point of the compasse it is such an alteration as doth breed in vs not some good conception onely of purposes and desires which many have which when they come to the birth there is no strength to bring them forth but he gives to vs a power and strength to performe them That is hee doth not put vpon us a washy colour of profession but hee dyeth us in graine with grace and holinesse And therefore consider whether thou hast found any experience of such a power going out from Christ to thy heart This my beloved differs from common graces from the common forme of godlinesse which is in the world as much as the life differs from the picture or the substance from the shadow as a through performance differs from a proffer or an offer or as that which hath sinewes and vigour differs from that which is weake and powerles Therfore this power of Christ which hee puts forth and diffuseth into the heart of euery man that is in him is called the Kingdome And the Kingdome of Christ is not in word but in power That is when once he rules but as a King hee exerciseth a kingdome there and he saith not onely to us I will haue such a thing done they are not weake and powerlesse commands that he giues to the heart of a man that he dwels in but saith he The Kingdome of God is not in word but in power that is there goes an efficacie with those commands there goes a great strength with them that brings every thought and every rebellious affection into subiection to it and therefore consider I say if thou wouldest have these vertues whether thou be in Christ whether any such power hath gone out from Christ to thy heart But you will say what is this power and vertue and in what manner is it infused into the heart of man for this seemes to be a narration of a thing a farre off My beloved we will explaine it as well as we can to you even as you see an Artificer working with his instrument there goes a certaine vertue out from that art which is in his minde and guides the instrument to make this or that the which without it could not be done when hee makes any artificiall thing as a knife or a sword or when the Potter fashions the port his hand is set on worke and there is a certaine invisible passage a certaine secret influence of the art that goes along with his hand that brings forth such an artificiall thing or even as you see the members move a man moving his arme or his hand or any part of his body there goes a certaine vertue from his will a certaine secret power efficacy and command that stirres them this way or that way the thing we see not yet we see it in effect or as you see it in the creature you see the creatures that God hath made they have all the severall instincts by which they are instigated to doe this or that you see the birds are instigated to make their nests of such a fashion at such a season so every creature according to his severall kinde There goes out from God who is the authour of nature to these workes of nature a certaine vertue that puts them on and instigates them to this or that and as you see an arrow that is shot by the Archer there goes a vertue together with it that directs it just to such a marke so farre and no further So after this manner there comes a power from Christ to his members as soone as a man is in him there comes such a secret divine unexpressable efficacy that workes vpon the heart of him in whom he dwells And therefore the conjunction between him and vs is compared to that which is betweene the soule and the body that acts and stirres vs to and fro according to its will and pleasure such an efficacy shalt thou find if thou belong vnto him and therefore consider if there bee such a thing in thee or no. But you will say to what purpose is this efficacy and what doth it in my heart when it comes there Why I will tell thee what it doth it is expressed in plaine termes 2. Cor. 5. 17. Whosoever is in Christ is made a new creature That is the worke it effects it is such a power and efficacy as makes thee a new creature That is It breakes in peeces the old building it quite takes away the first print As when a man comes to make a new stampe the first must bee removed So that this efficacy that goes out from Christ it hath a double vertue in thy soule to weare out the old stampe to breed a death of the old nature of the old man to ruine and breake downe the old building and to set vp a new one and that the scripture calls a new creature and therefore consider with thy selfe whether thou find such a vertue as hath put thy heart into such a new frame as hath moulded it all together and hath put it into another fashion than it was consider whether all in thee be new You will say this is strange must all be new My beloved you know the words they are cleare old things are passed away all things are becom new In the same place which I quoted before that as the command was in the offering of