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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
world_n	believe_v	faith_n	overcome_v	3,934	5	9.3895	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91948	A faithfull friend true to the soul or The soules self-examination, preparing it self for the great triall of life or death eternall in the other world, in 86. quæries. Whereunto is added, the Christian jewell of faith, or the ready way to beleeve and be saved. By Timothy Rogers, minister of the church at Chappell in Essex.	Rogers, Timothy, 1598-1650?.	1653 (1653)	Wing R1854; Wing R1853; Thomason E1390_1; Thomason E1390_2; ESTC R209369	33,600	195

in present Mat. 8.13 Things to come in their due time Matth. 21.22 so the benefits of Christ as deliverance from the raigning power of sinne Rom. 6.14 Sanctification and Grace as well as Salvation dependance on God sufficiencie in him patience contentedness c. which if it obtaine it 's true else false for how shalt thou thinke thy beleeving thy Salvation shall bring thee that when as thy beleeving thy Sanctification doth not bring thee this nay no more the one then the other as the one is false so is the other how shall thy Faith prove true for another world when it proves false in this But if thy beleeving thy Sanctificatiō brings thee this thē as certainly thy beleeving thy Salvation shall obtain that CHAP. 17. The Degrees of saving Beliefe THere is a weake beleeving and a strong Examples many in Scripture of both 1 Iob. 2.13 Children and strong men Weake 1. In regard of knowledge for the Faith that sees but dimly beleeves but weakly in comparison 2. In regard of Application apprehending weakly as a palsie hand that receives a gift but with much shaking There is also weak beleeving 1. In those that were never yet strong as a Child that after becomes a man 2. Sometimes in those that have been strong but now fallen weake as a strong man weakned by some sore sickness so David Psal 27. c. with Bsa 22.14 and so Peter Strong Faith some but in regard of that which is weake for elfe there is some want and weaknesse in the strongest Faith something lacking 1 Thes 3.10 with Chap. 1.7 8. Things common to both these are 1. Sight and Sense of our sins driving us out of our selves 2. High-pricing of Christ and hungring after him even whole Christ 3. Earnest prayer daily 4. Use of good meanes out of good affection thereto 5. Discerning and lamenting some unbeliefe in us with desire of strengthening It is neither weak nor strong nor any true beleeving at all that wants these things The difference between them is weak Faith is 1. More troubled with quaking fears and doubtings 2. Sooner damped and discouraged when it is checked 3. Relyes more on seeing and feeling as it was with * Joh. 20.25 Thomas 4. Hath lesse Experience as it was with Samuel at first 5. Is in more danger of sinning and so of sorrow and is put more to its shifts Strong Beliefe 1. Hath Knowne it selfe in former times very weake and much weaker then now as 1 Cor. 13.11 2. Is fuller of Courage for God as was Nehemiah Chap. 6.11 3. More constant in the holy course as * 2 Sam. 6.22 David being mocked by Michal 4. Hath a more undaunted apprehension of death as Paul Act. 21.13 5. It makes one of strength and abilitie to beget other Christians as a man growne If thy Faith be weake 1. Slight it not for Good-will from God is in it a small gift of a very friend must not be slighted yea a blessing is in it 2. Be thankfull and acknowledge it it 's the way to have more and as small as it is it is more then thou canst be thankfull enough for 3. Rest not in it but get more as one that hath weak diet defence against danger evidence for land resteth not satisfied but labours to be better provided Object Weak Beleeving will save me if it be true Ans True but with more difficultie and discomfort as a crazie or leaking vessell that with much adoe makes shift to get to shore and that is all but what feare and disheartment in the meane time If thy Faith be strong 1. Be not high-minded but more humble for thou art the more indebted to God and the strongest may take a fall and become weak as a Child as a lustie man with a bruise by a Fall may goe halting to his grave 2. Despise not weake Beleevers but beare with them yea beare them in your armes Rom. 15.1 use them tenderly as men do with their weaker lambs bring them home and lap them up and as a strong man doth not scorne a little child or kick it up and downe because its a weak thing but dandles it in his lap CHAP. 18. What we must doe with saving Beliefe when we have it WE must be very carefull to use it well when we have gotten it and that thus 1. Setting great store by it not to blow it away at every word nor pawne it for every Trifle as it is too usuall a Custome 2. Be very charie of it not to wrong it in any kind as Parents are tender and doile of their only Darling 3. Allow it good keeping as an husband that hath all his meanes by his wife will be carefull of her and keepe her well We must keep it as our life Quest How must Faith be well kept Ans Thus 1. It must be fed with holy meanes Word and Sacraments for as the body if it want food awhile growes weake and faint so surely will Faith if it want its spirituall Feeding yea it must be fed with the Word of God every day specially that provision we made at Gods Market in his publike Ordinance the last time which we must by daily meditation and practise feed on till new Supply come hereby our Soule shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatnesse Psal 63.5 More principally our Faith must be fed with the Promises and that every day for which purpose we must get a good stock and store of Promises both concerning temporall things and this present life as also spirituall and eternall life as the Book of God like a rich Treasure is full of both sorts These I counsell every good Christian to cull out and get by heart as he meets with them to stand him in stead upon every Occasion that he may be able to bring forth a speciall Promise to comfort his heart and cheere his Faith at all times whatsoever Occasion happen Oh that more would be perswaded hereto thus to doe they that have done so have found by Experience how good it is and that a Promise sometimes hath been better to them then all their Friends Make a beginning then get some principall Promises by heart though your stocke be small to begin with yet increase it by gathering and adding still more to it and so make use of any Promise as each Occasion shall require you shall finde it a very great maintainer of Faith and to keepe it in excellent thriving case Trie and you will say so 2. Joyne good works to your Faith they that beleeve in God must be carefull to maintain good works Tit. 3.8 These strengthen Faith as Children begotten and brought up by their parents at length are able to defend and maintaine them and become a stay unto them 3. Experience is a great helpe to Faiths good keeping as Davids Lion and Beare stood his Faith in great stead when he had to doe with Goliah Make use of your former Experience you have

earnestly desires it viz. whole Christ here Faith begins for this in the humbled Soule drawes with it inseparably secondly an act of the Will to wit the accepting of it for whatsoever is desired the will chooseth and accepteth of it accepteth of it in making choice of Christ above all and in Resolution to hold fast to him and never to forgoe him then the work runs back again to the heart to rest and trust on him thence to the understanding to be perswaded of our Soules welfare by him thence to the Conscience when as the partie by a reflected act knowes that he beleeves that is that he is perswaded truly and so is assured of his Salvation c. Object Rom. 10.10 With the heart man beleeveth Ans He saith not onely with the heart but the heart here is put for the whole Soule as it is frequently in * Ezek. 36.26 Psal 108.1 Job 38.36 1 Pet. 3.4 1 Joh. 3.20 Isai 6.10 Scripture elsewhere and that it is so meant here appeares by the contra distinction it beares to the mouth and outward man ver 9. CHAP. 11. The immediate Effects following upon sound Beleeving HEE that hath it wrought in him is presently brought as it were into a new world and like as it was with Peter when he was come to himselfe after his miraculous deliverance out of prison by an Angel loosed from his Chaines and passing through the iron gate the case was much altered and he in an Extasie These Effects or gratious dispositions immediately follow in the true beleever 1. True Love to God which could not be before for the apprehension of his love to us kindles love in us to him as a Sparke or burning Coale lights the Candle or sets the wood on flame Now we love God cordially more then one that should save our life it appeares thus 1. It makes us love him above our selves or any other in that we see he hath done more for us then we could or would doe for our selves or any other could doe for us 2. To study how to gratifie him and to think what shal I render to the Lord Psal 116.12 and willing to be at cost and paines for him and how to please him best 3. To love as he loves and hate as he hates 2. Hatred of sin not as before viz. because our bane only but because it 's cleane contrary to God and his holy and pure Nature for if we love one thing of necessitie we hate the contrarie to it thus loving sweet we hate sowre loving Light we abhorre darknesse loving pleasure we cannot abide paine 3. Godly or Evangelicall Sorrow which is sorrow for our sinnes out of love to God and because they are offence and wrong to him who is so infinitely good to us It differs farre from worldly sorrow which was in Nabal Ahab c. for that worketh death 2 Cor. 7.10 but this life and it differs from Legall sorrow for sin which was in Iudas for 1. That breakes the heart but this melts it as if the Icicles have the Sun shine on them they must needs melt and if Christ the Sun of Righteousnesse be rightly applyed to the Soule this melting Effect will undoubtedly follow in the heart making it plyable to receive any gracious Impression 2. That is chiefly in time of Humiliation for as Godly sorrow comes on so the other weares out 3. That arises out of horrour of Conscience but this out of love of God and his goodnesse 4. That is only for the punishment but this for the sinne 4. Sound and sweet peace inwardly which though it 's not perfect yet Consciences trouble is finely allayed and it is better satisfied and findes more ease then before as after the plucking out of a sting or thorne is more ease yet not perfect riddance of all paine Being justified by Faith we have peace with God Rom. 5.1 the sting of sinne is the damning power of it which upon our beleeving is plucked out and taken away Rom. 8.1 hereupon followes ease in Conscience Q. How may one know whether it bee sound peace Ans If it follow a sound cure of the wound first made and felt in Conscience for else it 's but a still and secure Conscience and like one that hath a thorne in his flesh and he asleep though he feele it not the raging of it is as much and the danger greater for so long he useth no means against it 5. Spirituall Joy The God of hope fill you with all Ioy and Peace in beleeving saith PAUL Rom. 15.13 and my heart trusted in him therefore my heart greatly rejoyceth saith DAVID Psal 28.7 This is not naturall Joy rejoycing in thigns pleasing to nature nor worldly Joy in the things of this world much lesse wicked Joy in doing evill but spirituall Joying in the Spirituall benefits and priviledges of Grace called Joy of the Holy Ghost very like that new Song which no man could learne but they which were redeemed from the earth Rev. 14.3 6. An holy Consecration or Resigning up our selves wholly to Christ Rom. 12.1 For if we beleeve truly that Christ gave himselfe to death for us it will make us according to reason give our selves wholly to him againe as in Marriage very Reason requires a mutuall giving of themselves each to other Q. How Ans By making a Covenant in good earnest with Christ to be all for him and not to be any more for the world or for dearest Friends or our owne selves any further then will agree with our being for him 7. Love to the Godly which before we could worst abide as Paul newly converted cleaves heartily to those whom before he persecuted Act. 9.19 26. and as new kindred that come by Marriage are much made on being before but as strangers and of ordinarie account Faith in Christ and love to all the Saints go together Eph. 1.15 Such now are called to us Ps 66.16 Come all ye that feare God others are shaken off and sent packing Psal 119.115 Depart from me ye evill doers though before our greatest Companions 8. Unfained Wishing and endeavouring of others beleeving Act. 26.29 Rom. 10.1 because now and not till now we have true love in us to God and others for true Charitie is a proper fruit of true Faith only making us aime at the greatest good of others that is of their Soule These are some immediate Effects or holy stirrings following instantly upon our quickning by Faith in Christ in every one more or lesse though not in all alike wherewithall note that Faith quickens as soone as it is conceived as in CHAP. 5. CHAP. 12. The Excellencie of saving Beliefe WHo is able to sound forth all its praise whose Price is above the Pearles yet to give a taste It is more worth then the whole world or any precious thing therein yea then Gold 1 Pet. 1.7 we may say Glorious things are spoken of thee thou Grace of God and as the queen of

Sheba of Salomon thou exceedest the fame that we have heard no money or monies-worth can buy it if one have it not and if he have it once nothing can make him part with it 1. It is a defence against all evill as against the Devill it 's a shield wherewith we quench his fiery darts yea a shield of Gods own making Ephes 6.11 and 16. so against the world the victory that overcomes the world Joh. 5.4 against sinne and the flesh They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 against men Heb. 11.33 34. c. It made David not afraid of ten thousands of people Psal 3.6 against the Creatures the very Lions could doe Daniel no manner of hurt because he beleeved in his God Dan. 6.23 Object But sometimes they both hurt and kill the faithfull A. It is no hurt though it seemes so Rom. 8.28 what hurt doth the Chirurgion in lancing the flesh to cure an Imposthume and save the life nay they hurt not the faithfull though they kill them for what hurt is death to a good man so that Faith is a Coat of Male and Armour of proofe against all evill yea spirituall also as death of Soul He that beleeveth in me shall never dye saith Christ Ioh. 11.26 the curse Christ hath redeemed such from the curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 Condemnation there is none to such Rom. 8.1 2. It is as all the five Senses to the Soule It tastes and sees that the Lord is good Psal 34.8 It heares the Lord speake peace Psal 85.8 It smels the savour of Christs good Oyntments Cant. 1.3 It toucheth Christ and feeles his vertue Luke 8.46 47 any one Sense is of much esteeme but all in one is of most excellent worth such a thing is Faith to the Soule and that Soule that wants it may be said to want its Senses 3. As the Soule is to the Body that which keeps it alive so is Faith to the Soule nay more for it keeps it alive for ever that it shall never die more What would men give for such a thing as would keep the body ever alive how much better is this It is as Salt that keeps the Soule from corruption nay which is more it fetcheth it againe when before it was most odiously corrupted 4. It is a deare Friend indeed unto us that will stand us more in stead and doe more for us then all our friends then all the world yea then our own father and mother wife or husband c. It doth us many excellent Offices It 's as the hand to receive Christ Ioh. 1.12 to helpe the hungry soule to food and the thirstie Soule to drink Isai 55.1 to clothe the naked soule with the best Rayment it puts the Lord Jesus on us Rom. 13.14 It puls out sin as a Thorne in the heart Act. 15.9 and applies Christ as a plaister to the wound All these offices it doth as a blessed hand 5. It helps us to every good thing Whatsoever you shall aske in Prayer beleeving ye shall receive Matth. 21.22 so that if we want not faith we cannot want any good thing 6. It is of that excellent vertue that it turnes all our Crosses and Losses into gaine unto us Rom. 8.28 if not one way yet another if not in one yeere yet in another that our losses shall be but as the letting out or losse of superfluous bloud for the gaining of more health and saving of life 7. It prevents time and makes things future to be present as an Optick Glasse that drawes things neere and presents them to the sense that were a great way off before Heb. 11.13 8. It is our Ballast in the dangerous Seas and waves of Temptations that keepes us well setled and from perishing by an unballast lightnesse tottering and reeling every way 1 Cor. 15.58 9. This of all things is that for which God respecteth us our wealth beautie wit learning honour may make us accepted of men but it is our Faith onely that maketh God in love with us 10. It is like the Loadstone for as that pointeth ever at the North and hath power attractive so Faith pointeth ever at Christ for any thing the Soule needs yea drawes him to the Soule 11. It is such an admirable thing as Christ himselfe wonders at it as we see in the Centurion Mat. 8.10 we never finde him wondering at Silver or Gold or costly apparell or goodly sights no not at the Frame of Heaven and earth but at this he doth Oh then how good how great a thing is true Faith how rich a Jewell 12. It is our Credit and good report Heb. 11.2 3 13. it payes all our soules debts that none can claime any thing Rom. 8.33 CHAP. 13. The Necessitie of it SAving Faith is of absolute Necessitie not such a Thing as is convenient and usefull as a good helpe yet so as that a man may make shift without like a Staffe to a Travellor this is not so but as Legs and Eyes to a Travellor without which is no travelling in the way to Heaven possibly 1. Without this we are destitute of all Friends we have never a friend to help us being forsaken of all of God of Christ and the Creatures for they take part with the Creator and are Friends to none but his Friends 2. Without this all * such only materialitèr good works are lost unto us as 1. Hearing Gods Word The Word preached profited not them being not mixed with faith Heb. 4.2 yea though we goe never so farre or heare never so often with great paines and no lesse cost 2. The Use of the Sacraments as the Israelites that did eat the same spirituall meat and dranke the same spirituall drinke sacramentally as we doe yet With many of them God was not well pleased 1 Cor. 10.4 5. for want of Faith 3. Even Prayer is but prating and lying without this Psal 78.34 36. and for all other works either of pietie towards God or Charitie toward men they are all but meerly lost unto us if we have not saving Beliefe within us as it was with them that took pains in helping to build Noahs Arke but perished themselves at last in the floud or as they which take paines in digging setting planting seere boughes of Trees doe but loose their labour and shew their follie 3. Nay one cannot possibly doe a * viz. Formalitèr good worke without this for without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 It being a Christians chiefest instrument as the work-man can doe no worke if he want his principall Toole as Axe or Hammer c. or if he doe any thing it will be but a Botch that will give no good liking therefore this we must have and that of Necessitie whatsoever shift we make for it whatsoever it cost to get or else it had been better for us if we had never been born Which seeing it is

had of Gods dealing with you Psal 77.5 6. 4. Examples of others that have beleeved and how well they have sped must be much thought on Our fathers trusted in thee saith David and thou deliveredst them Psal 22.4 5. Yea the weak Beleeving of some and how they have overcome it may hearten us much this way One saith THOMAS his doubting hath done me more good then MARIES ready beleeving Plus mihi prosuit dubitatio Thomae quàm credulitas Mariae Gre. Mag. 5. Keepe a good Conscience which is a great nourisher of Faith and Nurse unto it 1 Tim. 1.19 CHAP. 19. What we must doe when it is wanting and more of it desired with Exhortation to all 1. LET every one for himselfe apply himselfe unto the meanes and manner of working thereof shewed in the beginning of this Treatise with a yeeldable heart especially attend upon Gods Ordinance the Ministery of the Word 1. Acknowledge Gods * 1 Cor. 3.4 Ministers his Instruments for it yea being well perswaded they are the parties God hath appointed especially your owne faithfull Pastour purposely to work Faith or more of it in you 2. Acquaint them how it is with you for beleeving as Act. 8.37 3. ● Cor. 16.16 Put your selfe into their hands to be ordered by them having more skill then your selfe concerning your Beleeving and how to doe therein as a sick patient puts himselfe into his Physicians hands for his body And thus lye waiting at the poole of Bethesda for the stirring of the water by divine power 2. Let every one endevour the bringing of others also to beleeve Ioh. 4.29 and Joy therein Act. 15.3 We account it a good and blessed worke to helpe one into this though a miserable sinfull world and therefore every one thinkes himselfe beholding to the Midwife how much better work is it to help one into that other most happie and blessed world by beleeving To conclude let my Counsell be acceptable to three sorts of people 1. To those that were never humbled Consider if your breath were but gone you were in Hell Be content therefore to suffer the paine of a broken heart and to be cut to the heart as Act. 2.37 now rather then torment in hell for ever as we see some are perswaded to be cut for the Stone or searched of a wound which else will cost them their life and will not you be perswaded to endure this for your Soule 2. To those that are or have been rightly humbled I say to beleeve is to betake our selves to a safe place as the usuall * Chasab Hebrew word signifies and as David did Psal 57.1 Therefore fly with all speed to Christ as the Citie of Refuge to get into him For if death the Avenger of bloud overtake you first you are undone for ever And know that when the distressed Soule seeing its selfe pursued with sinne and spirituall dangers feares and flies out of its selfe to Christ desiring to be sheltered under him it is sure and safe Object But will not he refuse it Ans No. Ioh. 6.37 Psal 9.9 10. figured by the Citie of Refuge to which the man-slayer flying for safetie could not be kept out 2 Object May not an Hypocrite do so much Ans No he onely dreames of comming to Christ but doth not so indeed or else makes some flourish of comming but comes not home to Christ 3. To those that beleeve in truth I say Cast not away your confidence which hath great recompence of reward Heb. 10.35 Holy Confidence is like a Garment which the Soule wraps it selfe in the flesh and world goe about subtilly to steale it from us but the devill with his terrible blasts of Temptation to make us let goe or loosen our hold at least but God bids us hold fast for else the poore Soule will be naked and destitute Hold fast therefore what you have Rev. 3.11 Goe on in this your Strength you Saints of God and the Lord be with you and send you good speed to Heaven FINIS