Selected quad for the lemma: virtue_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
virtue_n	force_n	iron_n	loadstone_n	832	5	13.7270	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A51245	Ho thésauros en ostrakinois skeuesin. A pearl in an oyster-shel: or, pretious treasure put in perishing vessels. The sum or substance of two sermons preached at Withall-Chappel in Worcestershire. Wherein is set forth the mightiness of the Gospel, the meanness of its ministration. Together with a character of Mr. Thomas Hall, his holy life and death. By Richard Moore, a willing, though a most unworthy servant of God in the Gospel of his Son Jesus Christ.	Moore, Richard, 1619-1683.	1675 (1675)	Wing M2583; ESTC R222046	51,229	137

Chrysolite 2. It is a heaped Treasure containing Multum in minimo in parvulo I will not compare it to Homers Iliads in a Nut-shel but prefer it before all other Books Humane or Divine since it Eph. 3.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comprehends totum hominis bonum hominis it contains in it abundance of curious variety of the manifold Wisdom of God as a Ring that hath many Jewels in it and a Treasure that is compacted of many precious Things for commonly a single Commodity doth doth not make a Treasure but Many 3. The Gospel is a hoarded and hidden Treasure for it contains in it those Col 2. 3. Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg which are hidden from the wise and prudent men of the world who have principium laesum a crackt brain that they cannot perceive things spiritual 1 Co. 2.14 Jewels are not used to be put in places where they may be seen of every eye What Job speaks concerning Wisdom is true of the Mysteries of wisdom and knowledg in the Gospel The Depth Job 28. 12 14. saith it is not in me the Sea it is not in me Such who are able to search into the secrets of nature and can fathom the depth of Arts and Sciences yet are many times meer strangers to it they know not how to dig for or to draw out this Treasure 4. The Gospel hath an attractive vertue in it when preached in the power of the Holy Ghost to penetrate the heart and to draw it after Christ As the Loadstone hath a natural force to draw Iron and the Sun to draw up Vapours so the Sun of the Gospel by the agency of the Spirit to attract the Heart As the men of the world who have Treasures hid in the Earth they count them their chief happiness and their hearts are drawn after them so the godly who make the Gospel their Treasure and their hearts are fixed to it they will forsake all to follow it Where your Treasure is there will your hearts be also Veniat Verbum Domini Mat. 6.21 submittemus sexcenta si nobis fuissent Colla said a Dutch Divine Reas 1. Because the Gospel reveals the unsearchable Riches of the Grace of God in Christ in whom are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg whereby the Saints are inabled to lay up 1 Tim. 6. 19. a good Foundation for themselves to lay up their Treasure in Heaven and to Phil. 2.16 lay hold of eternal Life 1 Tim. 3.9 Tit. 1. 9. 2. All things or persons that excel others in their kind and are of greatest rate for their rarity or preciousness these are counted Treasures but such is the Gospel as amongst Fishes The Leviathan and in Birds the Eagle and a mongst Beasts the Lion and Princes and Potentates among Men they are valued of more worth than thousands of an inferiour rank So in Books those which are rare and fetcht from far As 2 Sam. 18. 3. it is said That Plato gave for three choice Books 30000 Florens How much more is the Gospel to be prized since it came from Heaven in whose sacred Leaves the Mysteries of Heaven in Treasures lie Dr. Prideaux The Object and the Subject of each Christian eye Who lives by this by death shall never die 3. All other Creatures how excellent soever consume in time Gold and Silver is subject to the rust and Jam. 5. 3. canker the most princely Ornaments even Crowns beset with Pearls and precious Diamonds perish in time the best Books are worm-eaten But the Word of our God shall stand for ever Isa 40. 8. 4. The Saints have ever esteemed it so for they have been content to part with all for it That 's a mans Treasure which he prefers before all other things and will part with all rather than this As a man will part with all he hath to save his life Job 2. 4. He counts Life his chief Treasure Alphonsus King of Arragon professed he would lose his Jewels rather than his Books So a Child of God will part with all rather than the Gospel as that Dutch Divine said as before 5. That is a mans Treasure which he counts he cannot live without Some count Riches their Treasure for if they are robbed of them their life is unravelled their heart and their hopes break at once they die in the nest as did Nabal Some count Pleasures their Treasure for if they be deprived once of them they cry out with Adrian They shall never be merry more Some count Children their Treasure and therefore cry out with Rachel Give me Children or else I die But a Child Gen. 30.1 of God makes the Gospel his Treasure for he thinks he cannot live comfortably without it It was a remarkable Passage of Luther who said He could not live without the Word in Paradise but with it he could even in Hell it self Object But if the Word be so choice a Treasure What may be the Reason why the World doth not so esteem it Answ The Causes of this I conceive may be either in respect of the Organ or of the Object 1. In respect of the Organ The Prince of the World hath cast a mist before the eyes of these men that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God shineth not in their 2 Cor. 4. 4. hearts As for Example The Sun is a glorious Body full of light and lustre yet blind eyes perceive it not So the Gospel is a Light shining in darkness but the blind and bruitish world discern it not but prefer with the Cock in the Fable a Corn of Barley before it As one that looked intently on a curious Picture was asked the cause why he did so answered If thou hadst my Nicostrates eye thou wouldst no less admire it than I do So had the world but an illuminated eye they would judg of the Word as the Saints do 2. In respect of the Object They make not the Word of GOD but the World the matter of their choice Their Treasures are in their Fields and in their Flocks and Herds And thus they heap up Treasures for the Jam. 5.3 last day He that holds the World his Portion will prefer it before any other A godly Man esteems the Word of God as his Heritage for ever and Psal 119. 11. therefore takes it for a greater Treasure than Chains of Pearl and Mines of Gold Vse 1. Serves to refute the folly of a generation of Men who are wiser for Luk. 16.8 the World than for Heaven and hoard up Treasures for themselves here in the place of their pilgrimage and are not rich towards God Is the Word such a Luk. 12.21 Treasure Why do you prefer the dirt and dung of this World The Pleasures of Sin and the Profits that result from your Purchases and Possessions before this Pearl of Price Could I but acquaint

and confirmation in his Faith probably by Fire falling Judg. 6. 21. upon the Sacrifice but he had not so to Cains which was all the ground 1 King 18. 3. of the grudge he had against him This Faith of Abels is further illustrated 1. By the Evidence of it he obtained witness that he was righteous 2. By the recompence of it he was rewarded and regarded of God by his Faith the Lord took care of him avenged Calvin upon the Text. his Death reputed him among his Saints whose death is precious in his sight His Blood cried to God and Psal 72. 14 Gen. 4. 10. the ground that received it uttered a Voice and was clamorous against the Murderer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by it he being dead yet speaketh or rather as the Learned Criticks translate it is yet spoken of Nempe in Scriptura saith Beza Where-ever Abels Faith is spoken of whether in the Scripture or preached of and published to the world though since he were dead yet still there shall be a memorial of him as if he were yet alive as was said of that Woman in the Gospel by our Lord and Saviour Where-ever this Gospel shall be preached in the whole world Mat. 26.13 there shall also this that this woman hath done be told for a memorial of her Doct. That the renowned fame of the Saints who lived by and died in the Faith shall be recorded as well as recompenced and rewarded after their death The righteous shall be had in everlasting Psal 112.6 remembrance their good name and renown shall not only be lasting when they shall be laid asleep in the dust but it shall be for an everlasting remembrance Wise Solomon makes out the proof of this by Contraries Contraria juxta se posita magis elucescunt The memory of the just is blessed and the Name of the wicked shall not Prov. 10.7 Abels Sacrifice shall have a savour of acceptance Maries Ointment shall smell sweet in the Nostrils of God and good Men and Demetrius shall have a John 3. good report of all and even of the Truth it self When Cains Murder Judas his monstrous Treason and Absoloms Rebellion shall be an everlasting abomination See for the further opening of the Point 1. What it is to live by the Faith of Jesus Christ 2. Who they are that do so 3. How a Believer is said to speak not only living but dead 4. Why a Saint is said so to do 1. The just man is said to live by his Faith Hab. 2. 4. Thus the holy Apostle Paul dead by the Law revived by the Gospel from the time of his Conversion to the time of his Dissolution whilst he abode in the body of Flesh he lived by the Faith of the Son of God and being dead yet Gal. 2. 2. speaketh in the lively Oracles of the Word of Life In allusion to this speech of the Apostle Behold saith Reverend Dr. Rivet upon his Death bed I am dead I am risen again I live no more in my self but I live in the life of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me 2. To live by Faith is to seed upon a Hab. 3. 17. Promise in the failure of outward provision and to draw out from thence supports and supplies to bear up the spirit Heb. 10. 38. 11. 38. of life in a Believer When there is no visible appearance in the Creature no blossom on the Fig-tree nor fruit in the Vine then Christ must be the Christians life breath and bread he will interest himself in a Promise of the Word as his present portion and provision Heb. 11.39 though he have not yet received the things promised in hand but only hath it in hope And were we to pass sentence who is a rich Man we would not so much look into his Purse to see how much Gold he hath but into his Chest to see what Deeds and Indentures what Bonds and Evidences he hath So if you would see whether you are Rich and Righteous towards God be sure search what Promises you have treasured up in your hearts For as he is a rich Man who is rich in Bonds so the Believer that can plead the Promise in prayer and put these Bonds in sute 3. As the true Believer lives to God so he hath laid up for him a goodly heritage and though for the present he be but as the Heir under age yet he is Psal 16.6 Gal. 4. 1. sealed with the holy Spirit of Promise which is the Earnest of the Inheritance Ephes 1. 14. until the Redemption of the purchased Possession Every Believer is an Heir of God and a joint-heir with Christ and Rom. 8. 17 hath an assurance of the heavenly Inheritance here 1. By Purchase 2. By Promise 3. And in the first-fruits of the Spirit which is a part of the whole as an Earnest is a part of payment for the Purchase 3. A Believer is said to speak not only living but dead 1. By his Blood 2. By his Example 3. By his Precept 1. By his Blood And in this sense the Blood of Christ is said to speak better things than the blood of Abel it Heb. 12. 24 speaks peace pardon remission and reconciliation with God but the Blood Gen. 4. 10. of Abel cries and calleth for punishment revenge and vengeance The glorified Saints cannot be said Rev. 6. 10. Rom. 12. 19. thus to speak properly they seek not revenge but leave it to God whose Prerogative it is it is meant only of the provocation of their suffering 2. Believers may be said to speak by th●ir Example for the worlds imitation and admonition not only living but 1 Cor. 10. 6 11. Jam. 5.10 dead So the Apostle Take my Brethren the Prophets for an ensample in suffering who have spoken to you in the Name of the Lord. The Prophets were now dead yet they had left such renowned Presidents and Examples of Patience behind them that they even speak yet to us by their heroick and impregnable Faith and Fortitude in bearing injuries and forbearing enemies in taking patiently the spoiling of their Goods knowing this that they had in Heaven a more induring substance 3. Believers may be said to speak not only living and dying but even when dead by the lively Precepts they left behind after they went off the stage of this world and were buried with their Fathers thus they are said to speak with us at this very day Faith hath this mighty force and efficacy in it that it works wonders Isa 26. 19. in Heaven and Earth and in the Grave by virtue of it many received Heb. 11. 35. their dead to life again as the Widow of Sarepta the Sbunamite and the Friends of Lazarus Faith hath a force to remove Mountains and true justifying Faith is not beneath Miracles Jesus Christ is the Prince and Principle of Life and his People are