Selected quad for the lemma: work_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
work_n	evil_a	good_a	righteous_a	5,888	5	9.2258	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A56126	A tryall of a Christian shewing that it is not the outward name of Christian that differs from a heathen, but the inward life and nature ... / by Alexander Parker.	Parker, Alexander, 1628-1689.; Watkins, Morgan, fl. 1653-1670.	1658 (1658)	Wing P389; ESTC R35393	33,144	44

do appear in the presence of the living God in whose presence you now are and nothing can be hid from the all-seeing eye nor any thing cover you but purity for the wo is to all them that are covered and not with the spirit of the Lord for now all coverings must be ripped open and the Lord the heart-searcher will search all as with candles and an outward shew or covering with the Saints words will not hide nor cover any of you if the pure life of Christ be wanting let none be therefore deceived with a vain hope neither do you set up a false rest short of the true rest for verily I say unto you you had need to be watchful and to walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise men in the Lord for your adversary the devil goes about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour going about by all wayes and means to deceive the hearts of the simple and honest minded ones his work is to oppose the work of Christ and he works in a mistery in the hearts of the children of disobedience working them into his Image and liknesse to do his lusts and the creature is captivated and the members thereof and becomes servant to the Devil who rules as a Prince in the heart and when he cannot keep people in the common filth of the world he will get into a form of godliness and there keep people feeding upon the empty and dry husks drawing near to God with their lips and mouths when he keeps possession in their hearts and draws away their affections after the lusts of the world and glory of it which fades away and comes to an end And when by his wiles he cannot hide himself nor keep people in the empty form then he will transform himself as an Angel of light and whatever the Saints of the most high do speak or practice as they are moved by the power and spirit of the Lord dwelling in them the subtil Serpent will get into the outward form likeness gesture and words or whatsoever is used or practiced outwardly by the Saints and servants of the Lord The devil will lead his servants into the likness and so get the words as many do get the words of truth into their unrighteous minds and so contend for the truth with that mind that is out of the truth and so glory in the words and outward appearance and the boaster gets up to boast in other mens lines and things above their measures being enemies to the Cross of Christ and servants of sin and in the bondage of corruption but into the light and life the devil cannot come nor enter so in the light which is pure all wait for the power and pure life of the Son of God to be manifest in you that so from the light and life fruits abundantly may be brought forth to the glory of God Stand upon your watch and bring your deeds to the light that so they may be proved and tryed whether or no they be wrought in God for he that walks in the light is kept from stumbling But all careless and slothful negligent ones who run head-long rashly without consideration or tryal of their deeds are captivated and ensnared by the temptation of the devil and so the light follows them and is their condemnation and so trouble and misery comes upon the wicked and it is just for he is the fool whose eyes be abroad and whose tongue is at liberty and so the rod is prepared for the back of the sool Therefore weigh your words in the just ballance and be well advised before you act any thing first try the motion before you go on to action for in all words and actions whatsoever any one doth either act or speak there is some thing within that moves before the action bee acted or words be spoken and whether it be good or evil it comes from within out of the heart and as is the heart so will the words and actions be if the heart be evil the words and actions will be evil and if the heart be good and pure the words and actions will be likewise good and pure Now come all to the touch-stone and to the ground of all things that you may know the ground of good things and the ground of evil things for as God is the Author of all good so the Devil is the Author of all evil and as God is a pure Spirit and works in a mistery in the hearts of the children of obedience working them into his Image and likenesse to do his works which are works of righteousnesse so the devil is an unclean and a dark spirit and works in a mistery in the hearts of the children of disobedience working them into his Image and likenesse to do his works which are works of unrighteousnesse And as the Author of good and the Author of evil are contrary one to the other and no fellowship betwixt them so the workers and servants of each of these are contrary one to the other and no agreement amongst them but a strong and an irreconcileable enmity and so a great and strong battel and this battel is begun in this Nation and other parts the great and mighty battel between the Prince of light and the Prince of darkness between the raging Beast and the meek and harmless Lamb. Now there is none can serve those two Masters neither can any be heirs of these two kingdoms but every one becomes his servant to whom he yields himself servant to obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness according as the Scripture declares All who obey the motion of the Lord in light and spirit as he moves in the pure heart become servants to the Lord and so his work is brought forth into the world which are works of righteousness as love gentleness patience long-suffering meekness temperance brotherly-kindness humility soberness godliness doing unto all as they would be done unto and such like fruits of righteousness which are a witnesse against the unrighteousnesse of the world and so are justified by God in spirit and created in Christ Jesus unto good works But all who yeeld to and obey the motion of the Devil in the dark as he moves in the dark heart by the spirit of darkness become servants to the Devil and so his work is brought forth into the world and fills the world with darkness and unrighteousness as pride and vain glory covetousness hatred malice strife and debate drunkenness whoredomes murders theft lying and swearing vain and profain talking tiranny cruelty and oppression persecution and such like ungodly wicked practises as the Land abounds with notwithstanding all their profession of God and Christ and high notions and large and fair pretences yet the fruits of wickedness in a high measure are daily growing and encreasing and all those evils and all other the abominations that are acted and done in the world they all proceed

A TRYALL OF A CHRISTIAN SHEWING That it is not the outward name of Christian that differs from a heathen but the inward life and nature Also A Testimony of Truth against the deceit and subtilty of the Serpent wherein truth is cleared from many accusations With a loving Invitation to all who are hungring after the living bread and hath not wherewith to satisfie themselves in their own houses but are seeking without and begging from others and are spending their money for that which is not bread inviting them to come into my Fathers house where they shall find full satisfaction With a word of exhortation to all who are called to be saints by way of remembrance to stir up their pure minds By Alexander Parker LONDON Printed for Thomas Simmons at the Bull and Mouth near Aldersgate 1658. TO THE READER Friend IF thou art so far come into the moderation as to try all things and hold fast that which is of God stand single in that which is pure and try not the truth in a ballance of deceit for that which is of God must be tryed by something of himself the light of the body is the eye If thou deny the light with what wilt thou see the natural cannot discern the spiritual neither can the darkness comprehend the light but the light the darkness Now if thou wilt try that which is good let the light of Christ in thy conscience judge for that I own to be a measure of the true light which lighteneth every man that cometh into the world if thou deny this true light thou deniest the life of Christ and art in death and darkness and cannot receive the things of God if thou receive them not here thou mayest see what hinders but otherwise if thou confess that Jesus Christ is come a light into the world a light to lighten the Gentiles and if thou believe that in the first nature thou art a Gentile and cannot witness the new nature wilt thou deny the gift of God which is given thee to open the blind eye to lead thee out of the prison of corruption into the new nature If thou denyest this light thou denyest the way the truth and the life and hast left thy self without all help of recovery so thy damnation is of thy self You will not come unto me that you may have life saith he Now if thou canst believe that in the Son is life turn to him that thou mayest have life and if thou believest the Scripture that the life is the light of men receive it and believe in it that thou mayest be a child of light for this I say and stand a witness for the Lord that if ever thou find him who is the desire of all Nations it must be by a measure of himself made manifest in thee therefore delay not as thou prizest thy pretious soul but seek him while the may be found for in the grave there is no remembrance of him to day hear his voice then harden not thy heart but turn at his reproof that which reproves thee in secret and makes manifest all thy evil deeds that is the light which leads out of sin and evil this is the voice which saith behind thee This is the way walk in it therefore see thou refuse not him that speaketh but turn at his reproof that he may pour out his spirit upon thee contrarywise if thou wilt not stand in his counsel but hate his reproof thou mayest call but he will not answer thou mayest seek early but thou shalt not find thou mayest strive but shalt not be able to enter and being without art among the dogs sorcerers whore-mongers murtherers idolaters and lyars which have their portion in the lake for ever and ever It is the Nations of them which are saved that walk in the light of the Lamb these do his commandements that they may have right to the tree of life these that walk in the light are they that enter through the gate into the City Now if thou sayest in thy self that thou hast witnessed an entrance already how camest thou in art thou one of the saved Nations that walks in the light of the new Jerusalem canst thou truly say that Jesus Christ hath perfectly wrought his work in thee which he came into the world to finish that is to put an end to sin and bring in perfect righteousness If this be wrought in thee thou art righteous as he is righteous for he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one and if thou art one with Christ thou art a new creature created unto good works which is the fruit whereby thou art known from the world for thou art not of the world that witnesseth redemption out of the vain conversation for the worlds fruits whereby they are known is the vain conversation thou that hast an eye to see thou mayest see if these marks of a Chrisiian be found in thee I own thee and am one with thee in the life of Christ but if on the contrary the worlds marks do appear in thee I deny thee and all thy profession and service is an abomination in the sight of the Lord for thou professest what thou art not and so art a hypocrite blaspheming the Name of Christ in saying thou art a Christian being found one of the Synagogue of Satan Therefore friend whoever thou art to whom these papers shall come be not prejudiced against the truth before thou hast heard it first read and then judge try the matter before thou passest sentence be sure it be in the cool of the day for this know and I bear testimony to the truth hereof that herein is the pure way of God declard in which the holy men of God did walk which the Prophets prophesied of and the Apostles walked in which way is Christ the light of life who is come and hath given us an understanding to know him that is true and his way which is pure and his life which is perfect the end of our faith and salvation of our souls and knowing the Lord and his way and his indignation against sin and wickedness cannot but deal plainly with all people judging and condemning onely the deceit and deceivable wayes which leads to destruction if thou say most Sects and Judgements will plead for their own I say we are not our own but anothers who hath bought us with his blood and for him we plead and for his pure life contend held by the mystery of faith in a pure conscience once delivered to the Saints for which we are bold to contend and valiant to go forth to battel by his command under his banner to fight against the Beast and all his Army Gog and Magog which battel shall never end till the Lamb hath got the victory and all his enemies brought under his feet for now is he risen in his Saints and glorified in his servants and admired in them that believe yea I bear testimony