Selected quad for the lemma: virtue_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
virtue_n	knowledge_n	lord_n	temperance_n	1,588	5	11.7145	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77515	Two treatises the one, handling the doctrine of Christ's mediatorship : wherein the great Gospel-mystery of reconciliation betwixt God and man is opened, vindicated, and applyed. The other, of mystical implantation : wherein the Christian's union and communion with, and conformity to Jesus Christ, both in his death and resurrection, is opened, and applyed. / As they were lately delivered to the church of God at Great Yarmouth, by John Brinsley, minister of the Gospel, and preacher to that incorporation.	Brinsley, John, 1600-1665.; Ashe, Simeon, d. 1662.	1652 (1652)	Wing B4737; Thomason E1223_1; ESTC R22919	314,532	569

it Thus grow the members of the naturall body and thus grow the Branches of a tree they grow in height and they grow in thickness See that our growth be such that we grow in every grace Grow in knowledg It is Pauls prayer for his Colossians that being fruitful in every good work they might increase in knowledg Col. 1.10 Grow in grace and in the knowledg of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet 3.18 In knowledg And that not only Speculative which yet is requisite Leaving the principles of the doctrin of Christ let us go on to perfection Heb. 6.1 but experimental That I may know him and the vertue of his resurrection saith the Apostle Phi. 3.10 Grow in faith it is Pauls gratulation on the behalf of his Thessalonians that their faith did grow exceedingly 2 The. 1.9 This is the Apostles desire Lord increase our faith Lu. 17.5 And let it be the desire of every of us to grow in faith In the Assurance of faith We desire saith the Apostle that every one of you do give all diligence to the ful assurance of Hope unto the end Heb. 6.11 In the exercise of faith in learning to live by faith in all conditions The just shal live by faith Heb. 10.38 The life which I now live in the flesh saith Paul I live by the faith of the son of God Gal. 2.20 Grow in Love This is the grace which the Apostle desireth that his Thessalonians might specially grow in 1 Thes 4.10 we beseech you brethren that ye increase more and more viz. in brotherly love Grow in holines Perfecting holines in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 Grow in heavenly mindedness Seek the things which are above Col. 3.1 So grows the plant and so should the christian grow upward heavenward Our conversation is in heaven Phi. 3.20 Grow in contentation I have learned in whatsoever state I am therwith to be content Phi. 4.11 Grow in a close conscionable walking with God We beseech you brethren exhort you by the Lord Jesus that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God so ye would abound more and more Thes 4.1 And so in the rest Adding one Grace to another To faith vertue to vertue knowledg c. 2 Pet. 1.4 And one degree of Grace to another The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith Rom. 1.17 that is from one degree of Faith to another This is the glory of Christianity Growth the glory of Christianity and Honour of Christ Grow continually In this not like Grafts and the honor of Christ As it is the glory of the stock when the grafts grow and thrive in it Even so is it the glory of Christ when those that are in him do thus grow up in him Let it be the desire and indeavour of every of us that we may so do And that continually In this not like unto grafts which shoot forth much in the first two or three first years more then afterwards and when they are come to their height stand at a stay So fareth it too often with christians At their first conversion and calling they grow exceedingly but afterwards stand at a stay if not decline But thus it should not be Christians must have no consistency Though trees and men have their consistency yet so should not christians have They should ever be going on from strength to strength til they come to appear before God in Zion Ps 84.7 Ever growing in grace untill they come to a state of perfection in glory Q. But who is there that thus growes If none be truly ingrafted into Christ but those who thus grow who is there but hath cause to suspect his Condition Doubts about Growth cleared from the Metaphor Ans For answer The Metaphor we have in hand will suggest unto us somwhat which may give quiet to the soule in this case Grafts grow but first it is insensibly A man may see that they have grown but not see them growing And secondly They grow but not in winter And such is the Christians growth 1. Growth may be insensible yet true 1. Sometimes it may be an Insensible and yet a true Growth The Christian may grow though neither others nor himselfe perceive it That he is grown that he may know by comparing himselfe with himselfe his present with his former condition Though his present growth be insensible 2. Christians have their winters wherein it may be they do not grow But 2. Again Christians have their winters Their winter of Affliction their winter of Temptation their winter of spirituall Desertion Now in these winters they may seem in their own apprehension not to grow but rather to decline Nay in truth they may so do I but 1. This is a winter to them 1. This is a winter to them when God maketh them sensible of their estate A sad time wherein the soul goeth heavily not content with their condition but drooping under it Such is the winter to the Graft a nipping time And such are these winters to the Christian 2. They grow downwards 2. Though Christians in these times do not grow upwards yet downwards they may So doth the Graft in the winter it groweth into the Stock into which the sap is gone down And so groweth the Christian in the winter of affliction and spirituall desertion He now groweth downwards Groweth though in no other grace yet in Humility being brought hereby to think more meanly of himself And he groweth into the Stock groweth more into Christ in whom and with whom Col. 9.3 his life is for the present hid 3. And 3dly though he do not at present actually grow 3. They have a Principle of Germination yet he keepeth a principle of germination in him a disposition and inclination to grow which upon the return of the Spirit putteth forth it self Even as the Graft though in the winter it doth not grow yet it hath a germinating principle in it which upon the return of the Sun and the rising of the sap sheweth forth it selfe So is it with the Christian However upon the withdrawing of the wonted heat and influence of the Spirit of grace from the soul for a time he do not grow but rather decline yet there is a principle of grace in him a seed as Saint John calleth it 1 John 3.9 viz. that grace of the holy Spirit whereby he was regenerated which inclineth him to a spirituall germination and which upon the rising of the Sun of Righteousness upon the soul return of the Spirit will put forth it self as formerly In the mean time there is in the soul an inclination to such a growth and if it be it self a constant desire after it II. And by this Christians are to judg of themselves not by their present proficiency but by the reality and constancy of their affections and indeavours Thus God judgeth of them not

perfected till grace be swallowed up of glory The Christian's rising to newnesse of life is like the Suns rising upon the earth which is by degrees higher and higher till it cometh to the Zenith the mid-heavens The comparison is Solomon's Prov. 4.18 The path of the just is as the shining light which shineth more and more unto the perfect day Such is the path of the righteous in the work of Sanctification herein he maketh a progression going as the Travellers did to Sion from step to step from strength to strength Psal 84.7 This is a work not perfected at once The inward man is renewed day by day 2 Cor. 4.16 So much as I told you the Apostle here in the Text insinuates where speaking of this first Resurrection he speaketh of it not in the present or preterperfect but in the future tense not we are but we shall be planted together in the likenesse of his Resurrection Thus is it with Mortification in the best it is an imperfect work Nondum prorsus mortui sumus peccato saith Beza upon the Text We are not as yet wholly dead unto sin However the relicks and remainders thereof are not imputed to believers yet they are not altogether freed from the power of it And so is it with Vivification this first Resurrection They who have their part in it are not yet wholly risen Here the School distinction takes place Totus homo sed non totum hominis The whole man is risen but not the whole of the man In a regenerate person the whole man is renewed every part spirit soul and body but not wholly stil there are some relicks of the old man some remainders of corruption left in him still he doth haerere in luto his feet do still after a sort stick fast in the mire of corruption alluding whereunto as may be conceived our Saviour tels his Disciples John 13.10 that He who is washen needeth not save only to wash his feet A metaphor or similitude taken from a man washing himselfe in a river whose body is washen and clean onely his feet being in the mire still need washing Or as Grotius apprehends it from a man coming out of a Bath bare-foot his body is clean onely his feet are soiled with dust So is it with believers who are washen in the bloud of Christ they are freed from the guilt of sin and they are freed from the regning power and dominion of sin The whole man the person is washen but not the whole of the man stil there is some soile which cleaveth unto their feet some relicks of sinfull corruption remaining to be washen away They which are risen have yet need to rise more and more And this do you Are you risen yet rise rise daily As Paul saith of his dying 1 Cor. 15.31 He died daily So let it be with your rising from sin to righteousnesse Rise daily And that 1. In respect of the acts of sin 1. In respect of the Acts of sin You daily fall into sin and therefore rise daily from sin The just man falleth seven times a day and riseth up again saith the Wise-man Pro. 24.16 It is true as well of falling into the evill of sin as of misery Thus he falls seven times a day that is often Now daily falling rise again daily by the renewed acts of repentance renewing your sorrow for sin your resolution against it 2. In respect of carnall and sinfull security Secondly In respect of carnall and sinfull security wherewith the most sanctified souls are subject to be surprized and overtaken Even the five wise virgins slept as well as the foolish Mat. 25.5 From this sleep arise daily Awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead saith the Apostle speaking to believers as well as others Eph. 5.14 Though they do not sleep as others 1 Thes 5.6 yet they are subject to sleep as well as others though they do not sleep a dead sleep as Lazarus did of whom our Saviour saith I go to to awake him out of sleep John 11.32 Such is the sleep of unregenerate persons yet they may sleep a deep sleep such as Peter and James and John did in the Mount where their Master was transfigured Luke 9.32 and the rest of the Disciples in the Garden where their Master was apprehended of whom it is said they were heavy asleep Mat. 26.43 Though they do not sleep in a state of sin yet they may for a time sleep in some particular sin So did David who lay divers moneths in those foule sins of his And so did Peter for a while till the crowing of the cock awakened him In this respect then awake and arise daily shaking off this sinfull security stirring up your selves to an holy vigilancy and watchfulnesse over your hearts and lives 3. And thirdly thus arise also in respect of the power of sin 3. In respect of the power of sin Still there are and will be some relicks of habituall corruption left in the soul somewhat of the old Adam remaining to be put off That ye put off the old man saith the Apostle speaking to his believing Ephesians Ephes 4.22 In this the Believer's Resurrection is like unto Lazarus his who coming out of the grave brought his grave-clothes with him John 11.44 Thus is it in this first Resurrection though the person be brought out of the grave of sin yet he hath the grave-clothes still hanging about him some remainders of corruption which are yet to be put off Paul writing to his Colossians Col. 3. though for the main he looked upon them as such as had put off the old man as he saith ver 9. yet he presseth upon them a further degree of mortification But now put you off all these things anger wrath malice c. ver 8. Lo here what are the rags of the old man even all sinfull lusts inordinate affections And these are Christians to be daily putting off more and more This do you who are risen with Christ every day labour to get more and more strength against your corruptions a more full conquest over them that you may find your souls daily advancing to a further distance from the state of sin rising more and more out of this grave 4. In respect of newnesse of life 4. And thus arising from sin rise daily to newnesse of life indeavouring a further renovation of the new man That it may be renewed more and more as in knowledge Ye have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge saith the Apostle Col. 3.10 so in holinesse and righteousnesse which are the other parts of this new man as the Apostle tels us Ephes 4.24 Have you begun to put on this new man put it on daily more and more by indeavouring to grow in grace and in the knowledge of your Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ as Saint Peter exhorts in the close of his second Epistle Adding one grace to another to faith vertue to

vertue knowledge to knowledge temperance to temperance patience to patience godlinesse c as the same Apostle directs 2 Pet. 1.5 6. That so you may come behind in no grace no gift as Paul saith of his Corinthians 1 Cor. 1.7 Then adding one degree of grace to another faith to faith The righteousnesse of God saith the Apostle is revealed from faith to faith Rom. 1.17 that is from one degree and measure of faith to another According as faith is revealed more and more so is the Righteousnesse of Justification more assured unto the soul Labour to get your faith which is the radicall grace the very heart of this new-man confirmed and strengthened daily not neglecting such means as God hath appointed for that end amongst which the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper whereof some of you have this day been made partakers is a chief and principall one Then seek after the like growth and increase in love in humility in patience so in all other graces These are the members of this new man let it be your care that as it is in true Augmentatation which is secundùm omnes partes a proportionable growth in every part every of these may grow and increase with the increase of God Thus do you perfect holinesse in the feare of God as the Apostle exhorts 2 Cor 7.1 Being thus changed into the Image of Christ from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord as you have it v. last of the 3d. chap. of that Epistle 5. In respect of heavenli-mindedness 5. And lastly Rise more and more in respect of Heavenlimindednesse Your hearts are like ponderous bodies still tending downwards towards the Earth And therefore let it bee your daily worke to raise and scrue them upwards by frequent Meditation and Contemplation of Heaven and Heavenly things and in particular of that heavenly Glory to which Christ is raised Beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord saith the Apostle in the place last named 2 Corin. 3. last which Grotius expounds of the Glory of Christ in his Kingdome of Glory This Behold as in a glasse that is saith hee seriously and attentively cosider and contemplate it With all labouring to raise your Affections thither If yee bee risen with Christ c. Set your Affections on things which are above and not on things on the earth Col. 3.1 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Minde things above and let them have your Hearts your Affections As for the things of this world labour daily to sit more loose to them that so you may bee willing to part with them when ever God shall be pleased to call you hence Thus being Risen yet rise daily more and more Which that you may do still seeke after a further and more intimate Vnion and Communion with the Lord Jesus Christ Still seeking after a more intimate union and full communion with Jesus Christ by whose spirit it is that you are and must be raised That you may more and more participate of that vertue which is in him Paul had no small share in this vertue yet hee desireth that he might still have further experience of it That I may know him and the vertue of his Resurrection Philip. 3.10 Let the same be your desire and indeavour that you may daily feele this divine vertue put forth in you more and more raising you up more and more from the death of sin to the Life of grace here Then rest assured the same vertue shall at the last day raise you up from the death of nature to the Life of Glory Being here made conformable unto Christ in your first Resurrection you shall be also in the second which shall be to you a Resurrection of life And thus I have at the length through the good hand of God leading and conducting me passed thorough this excellent portion of Scripture wherein you have held forth unto you that great Gospel Mystery of the Christians Vnion and Communion with and conformity to Jesus Christ both in his death and Resurrection The sweetnesse of the subject hath drawn forth my meditations beyond the staple which I first intended them May but my labours herein prove acceptable and profitable unto you I have what I aimed at Which that they may be let us Pray FINIS