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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
word_n	deliver_v	doctrine_n	tradition_n	2,960	5	9.3152	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02260	The happines of enjoying, and making a true and speedie use of Christ Setting forth, first, the fulnesse of Christ. Secondly, the danger of neglecting Christ, and the opportunity of grace. Thirdly, the Lord Jesus the soules last refuge. Whereunto is added, St. Pauls legacie, or farewell to the men of Corinth. By Alexander Grosse B.D. Minister of the Gospel, and pastour of Bridford.	Grosse, Alexander, 1596?-1654.	1640 (1640)	STC 12395; ESTC S103450	151,344	397

in the flesh assumed personally so that Christ in our flesh is true God and true man and he that hath the Sonne of God hath the Father hee that enjoyes Christ enjoyes God because the Godhead dwels in the humane nature personally and by this we see that Doct. Christ dwelling in our flesh is true God Christ the Sonne of God dwelling in our flesh is truely and essentially God nothing is wanting to Christ that belongs to God that appertaines to the divinity whatsoever the father doth the Sonne doth in our flesh though not by the power of the flesh but by his Godhead dwelling in the flesh the names of nature and of imposition the titles of honour love office and labour which are given unto Christ the attributes of eternity of immutability immortallity omnipresence omnisciency and omnipotency ascribed unto Christ together with the miraculous and mighty workes wrought by Christ doe give an ample cleare and invincible testimony of Christs Godhead Applic. Let us therefore looke upon the Godhead of Christ in our flesh and admire his goodness in comming so neare unto us strive by faith and love to come to him and through him to God Christ reconciling God and man as Jacobs ladder joyned heaven and earth together God dispensing all to men by Christ accepting men through Christ as the Angels descended and ascended by the ladder in Jacobs vision Let us againe contemplate Christ as God dwelling in our flesh and feare him and obey him above all commanders exalt him above all men and Angels love him above all creatures stay upon him in all distresses consecrate our selves to his service celebrate him as the Author and worker of all our welfare and happinesse and quiet and content our selves in and with him as the fountain of all fulnesse VERSE 10. And yee are complete in him which is the head of all principality and power CHAP. XVI Ascribing perfection in Christ to such alone as are truely gracious IN the precedent verse is the fulnesse of Christ opened in this verse is the fulnesse of his members proposed Christ is very free full and gracious in his ministrations to his servants As there is a fulnesse in the Vine so there is a fulness in the Branches as there is a fulnesse in the Sea so there is a fulnesse in the Rivers as there is a fulnesse in Christ so there is a fulnesse in his Members they are complete in him which is the head of all principality and power Scope of the Apostle These words contain a third argument used by the Apostle to dehort and disswade men from having recourse to humane traditions philosophicall doctrines vaine and needlesse ceremonies from seeking perfection or fulnesse in such empty lamps broken cisternes and barren trees considering they have perfection nearer home and in themselves being in Christ members of Christ incorporate into Christ in whom is all fulnesse they need not looke else where for perfection for they are complete in him In the words wee have two things in the generall 1. The Saints perfection 2 Parts 1 Saints perfection 2. Christs exaltation and yee are complete in him 2. Christs exaltation which is the head of all principality and power First of the Saints perfection and ye are complete in him wherein we may take notice 1. Of the subject yee not all but yee Yee who are effectually called from the death of sinne to the life of grace Ioh. 11.44 as Christ called Lazarus from the death of the grave to the life of nature Yee that are savingly enlightned Ioh. 9 as the eies of him that was borne blind were opened Yee that are spiritually purged and cleansed from sin 2 King 5. as Naaman was washed from his Leprosie in Iordan Yee that have put off the old man Eph. 2.4 and put on the new Gen. 41.14 42. 2 Cor. 5.17 as Ioseph had his prison garments taken off and vestures of fine linnen put upon him and a golden chaine about his necke yee from whom all old things are put away and to whom all things are become new yee are complete in him Note Such alone as are truely holy and gracious are complete and perfect in Christ Iesus Such alone are living branches in this vine a spirituall Bride to this husband endowed with Gods image interested in Gods promise separated from worldly vanities and the power of uncleannesse clothed with Christs righteousnesse and filled with Christs fulnesse Use 1 Prophane and carnall people are farre from all spirituall perfection as the dead are farre from life the blinde farre from eye-sight and bondmen farre from freedome Unregenerate and ungracious persons have no saving knowledge of Christ Jesus no participation of his fulnesse no interest in his benefits no taste of the sweetnesse of his mercies Christ to them is a hidden Manna whom they taste not an eclipsed Sunne whom they see not a sealed Well of whom they drinke not like the Tree of Life to Adam expelled out of the garden of Eden Gen. 3. one to whom they come not of whose fruit they feed not Reigning prophanenesse deprives the soule of all the benefits and comforts of the Lord Jesus Such alone as are truly gracious are Use 2 filled with Christs fulnesse discern Christs excellencies and are refreshed with the sweetnesse of his mercies They alone that live to Christ enjoy Christ and are made perfect by Christ and have the promise of eternall life in and through Christ Dignus planè est morte qui tibi Christe recuset vivere qui tibi non sapit desipit qui curat esse nisi propter te pro nihilo est nihil est propter teipsum Deus fecisti omnia qui esse vult sibi non tibi nihil esse incipit inter omnia O Christ saith Bernard hee is plainly worthy of death who refuseth to live to thee and hee that is not wise for thee is foolish and hee that cares to bee unlesse for thee goes for nothing and is nothing O God saith hee thou hast made all things for thy selfe and hee that will bee for himselfe and not for thee beginnes in the midst of all things to bee nothing Without Christ mans greatest fulnesse is nothing else but emptinesse hee that seeks himselfe and not Christ loseth both himselfe and Christ hee that strives without Christ to be happy involves himselfe in the snare casts himselfe into the gulfe of the greatest misery To live to the Lord Jesus in true holinesse is the onely way to everlasting happinesse Hee that for Christ can make himselfe nothing shall in Christ finde the perfection of all things Labour then to bee of their number who are truly holy and gracious that you may bee complete and perfect in Christ Jesus Secondly here is the benefite complete full entire perfect complete in the imputation of Christs righteousnesse in the inchoation of all saving gifts and graces

into the same or greater evills The sinne of one man would be the sinne of every man did not God restraine him Secondly by way of commemoration I may tell you First how hee professed much sorrow for his sinnes Mans sin doth ever prove mans sorrow it is the shame of man to commit sin it is the honour of man to confesse and forsake his sin though sorrow constrained and carnall be alwaies unacceptable yet true and godly sorrow is ever availeable to salvation He that sowes in tears shall reap in joy Psa 126.5 Secondly he promised reformation greater strictnesse of life if God were pleased to lengthen his dayes though the vowes of m●ns adversitie be often forgotten in the dayes of mans prosperitie yet resolutions truly gracious are with God as the very performance Thirdly he spake of a great change which God of late had wrought in him Hee that is not changed by the gracious hand of God in this life is never received by the merciful hand of God in the next life the procrastin●tion of repentance is ever very perillous yet God is free in the dispensations of his mercies not limited to times and seasons Fourthly the rehearsal of Gods mercies upon condition of true repentance seemed much to affect him As hee is cursed that turnes the grace of God into wantonnesse so hee is blessed who by Gods mercies is lead to true repentance And let all this admonish us to labour for timely and true repentance to vow amendment and performe it to feele our hearts truly changed Gods mercies powerfully drawing our soules to obedience by fervent prayer increasing our communion with God enriching our soules more and more with all heavenly gifts and graces that wee may at last with great comfort and much assurance say Come Lord Jesus FINIS SAINT PAULS LEGACIE 2 COR. 13.11 Finally brethren farewell Be perfect be of good comfort bee of one minde live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you EVery communion amongst men on earth hath his dissolution be it never so entire never so sinne never so delightfull yet at length there comes a separation the sweetest fellowship the societie which is most intimate hath the cords and chains thereof at length dissolved Communion with God is everlasting communion with man is transitory and temporall The Arke was transportative removing from place to place till it came to Solomons Temple such is mans condition subject to continuall change and motion till he comes to heaven where Gods people shall have an endlesse and unchangeable communion The fellowship betweene Abimelech and the men of Shechem was very strong and intimate they were a Iudg. 9.23 bone of bone and flesh of flesh yet at length there came an evill Spirit between them and they were divided Great is the enmitie of Sathan against mens sweet and comfortable communion Abraham and Lot sweetly conversed and dwelt for divers dayes together yet at length they parted b Gen. 13.6 their substance was so great that they could not dwell together Much sweet communion commerce between Gods people is often hindered by the fulnesse of the world Singular was the friendship pleasant was the fellowship between Jonathan and David their love was c 2 Sam. 1.26 wonderfull passing the love of women yet by an arrow in the battell Jonathan fell and their sweet commerce was ended Death dissolveth all humane fellowship Eliah and Elisha enjoyed many dayes most blessed and gracious communion together yet at length it came to passe that as they d 2 King 2.11 went and talked there appeared a Chariot of fire and Horses of fire and parted them both asu●der God doth often remove the dearest friends and comforters of his servants to learne them to depend alone upon Christ Jesus God doth sometimes take away the Guides and Teachers of his people to let them see that the choycest instruments of mans happinesse are not of everlasting continuance Saint Paul had been for divers dayes a preacher to the men of Corinth preaching to them many powerfull and heavenly sermon delivering to them many found and wholsome Doctrine writing also a first and second Epistle yet his ministery was not for perpetuity nor his presence of everlasting continuance a time of separation came and his labours drew to an end and in these words hee takes hi● last leave and farewell of them ●●nally brethren farewell Bee perfect bee of good comfort bee of one minde live i● peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you The Apostle Saint Paul had in this whole Epistle sharply rebuked the Corinthians for opposing his doctrine for slighting and despising his admonition and now that they might not thinke he either spake or wrote out of hatred or distemper of spirit many arguments and evidences of his great and singular love are intermixed chiefly in this his conclusion mitigating all the severitie and bitternesse which hee seemed to use towards them concluding and shutting up all in a holy sweet and gracious exoptation or wish of all perfection consolation peace concord and communion with God unto them Finally brethren farewell Bee perfect c. The Lord who giveth e Ephes 4.10 some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the Ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ The Lord who f Jerem. 3.15 gives his people Pastors according to his owne heart to feed them with knowledge and understanding hath in the course of his gracious providence made me for more than fifteene yeares an under-overseer of your soules wherein as his weake and fraile feeble and unworthy instrument I have been the Lords and your servant endevouring though neither with such diligence and industry as I should nor with that blessed and plentifull successe which I desire and wish to open Gods counsell to propose and set forth Christ before your eyes to make him glorious in your apprehension to humble your soules to convert your hearts to draw you by faith and love to Christ the complete and onely Authour of your everlasting welfare And now as Saint Paul said sometimes to the men of Ephesus g Acts 20.25 Behold I know that yee all among whom I have here stood preaching the kingdome of God shall after this day in all likelihood behold my face in this place no more being now to you as a dying man whose last breath is going forth as a starre setting and rising no more in this horizon as a lampe going out and shining no more in this your house of sacred meeting As a man dying and loth to dye I shall in the ardencie of my love and great anguish of my spirit in the words wish of S. Paul take my last leave and valediction Finally brethren farewell Be perfect be of good comfort be of one minde live i● peace and the God of love and peace be with you In

Clients wait day by day and houre by houre at the gates of Princes and Counsellours to have their suits heard causes favoured petitions granted thus must wee wait daily upon the posts of the Lords house and then we shall be blessed Pro. 8.34 3 Holy fervent and frequent prayer pray for a powerfull and faithfull ministry for a zealous and godly Magistracy in every Corporation and Congregation in the Kingdome for an universall reformation in every particular family Hanna was in bitternesse of spirit prayed 1 Sam. 1.10 and her barren womb was opened and made fruitfull thus fervent prayer is an instrument of great antemnae quò altius malo affiguntur eò velocius navim impellunt and they render the reason quia virtus movens quò est remotior à centro eò velocior validior so in this case the more the mind thoughts and affections of a Christian are raised up the more strong speedy and cheerfull he is in his spirituall motion the more fruitfull in every religious and holy undertaking therefore according to that of the Apostle Col. 3.1 2. If you be risen with Christ seeke those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God set your affections on things above and not on things on the earth Thus of what we are to gather from the first branch of this text our Saviours Commiseration next followeth his Exprobration of them wherein we may behold 1. The reason why our Saviour did upbraid them their ignorance they knew not They had Cognitionem Historicam but not Mysticam they had Cognitionem speculativam but not affectivam they had Cognitionem apprehensionis but not Approbationis they had Cognitionem discursivam but not Experimentalem Thus they knew not Christ in regard of affection he was as a stranger whom they loved not in regard of affiance as a withered reed on whom they leaned not in regard of feare as a Carpenters sonne a poore man whom they reverenced not in regard of joy and estimation hee was to their eye as a face in which is no beauty nor comelinesse Thus were they ignorant 2. Here is the matter whereof they were ignorant the things belonging to their peace happinesse and everlasting welfare Peace cometh of a word signifying perfection it compriseth in a large sense the whole welfare of soule and body Peace in regard of the Subject where it resideth 1 Thess 5.3 Rom. 14.17 Judg. 4.17 is either carnall or spirituall in regard of the Object or parties with whom wee embrace it it is either civill between man and man Gal. 5.22 or Christian between Gods children Ephes 2.14 or divine and heavenly between God and the soule of man in regard of the Adjunct Psa 121.6 2 King 20 19. Rom. 12.18 Phil. 4.7 it is either publicke of the Church or Common-wealth or private between our selves and our neighbours or secret between each particular person and his owne conscience The peace here spoken of is a spirituall and heavenly peace between God and their soules a peace in regard of the fountaine flowing originally from God the Father Phil. 4.7 Isa 53.5 the cause meriting Christs sufferings the instrument revealing and working it Eph. 6.15 the Gospel the medium by and through which it is revealed Col. 1.20 the Sonne of God the Mediator the cause efficient Rom. 14.17 Isa 54.13 Isa 57.20 the holy Spirit the subject receiving it the heart sanctified They knew that true peace consisted in having perfect communion with God but that the preaching of the Gospel was the instrument and Christ the procuring cause of it they knew not and for this they were upbraided Here is the amplification of their ignorance Mat. 3.1 taken from the season In this thy day Day generally signifieth time specially a naturall or artificiall day Ios 11.9 but usually in Scripture day is three wayes taken First Psa 90.9 there is dies vitae as the day is short full of changes and attended with the night so is the life of man of small continuance subject to many changes ever waited on by death Secondly there is dies doctrinae 1 Cor. 3.13 the day is lightsome discovereth things hidden such is the nature and such is the effect of the word of God Rom. 13.12 Thirdly there is dies gratiae this is the day here mentioned a time wherein God offered mercie to them fitly resembled to the day in regard of Revelation without the Gospel it is all night all darkness In regard of Adornation the Gospel the meanes of grace is the crowne honour beauty of a place or people as the day is the glory of the world In regard of Consolation the day is pleasant Eccles 11.7 It is a pleasant thing to the eye to behold the light so are the meanes and times of grace pleasant comfortable to the souls of the people In regard of Distinction the day distinguisheth one thing from another so under the meanes of grace Jer. 15.19 the pretious are separated from the vile the chosen from the reprobate In regard of speedie preterition a day is soone gone so is the meanes of grace soone removed a night of uncomfortable darknesse brought upon us if wee make not vse of the meanes when we have it which is the 4th and last thing here observable their deprivation of the meanes of grace the things belonging to their peace were hidden from their eyes the punishment of their former ignorance contempt rebellion barrennesse ingratitude they were left in their blindnesse From the exclamation and amplification our Saviour upbraiding them for their ignorance depriving them of the meanes of life for their barrennesse blindnesse disobedience under it we may learne that Doct. It is very dangerous and fearfull for any people or person to neglect the meanes and times of grace which God doth offer them There was a Law in the dayes of Moses that when they came to fight against a Citie Deut. 20.10 11 12 13. peace must bee proclaimed if they would not accept the peace proffered and become tributaries then they should besiege it and when the Lord had delivered it into their hands they should smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword In like sort the Lord by the ministery of the word laieth siege to our soules proffereth conditions of peace but if wee refuse peace when hee offers it and will not bee reconciled and will not become tributaries to him but deny to him the tribute of love above all creatures the tribute of obedience before all persons the tribute of dependance in all estates and conditions the tribute of contrition confession for all offences the tribute of humiliation at the apprehension of our present vilenesse the tribute of thankfulnesse for all received mercies if wee refuse this the Lord will besiege us with an Armie of fearfull plagues and punishments and at length miserably destroy us hee