Selected quad for the lemma: world_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
world_n	father_n	holy_a	trinity_n	2,995	5	9.8830	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96684	God a Christian's choice, compleated by particular covenanting with God Together with an appendix, containing propositions, tending to clear up the lawfulness, and expediency of transacting with God in that way. In pursuit of a design proposed by Mr. R.A. in his book entituled, The vindication of Godliness. And by Mr. Tho. Vincent, in his book, called Words whereby we may be saved. To which is added, a brief discovery of the nearness of such a people unto God, on Psal. 148. 14. By Samuel VVinney, sometimes minister of the gospel at Glaston in Somersetshire.	Winney, Samuel.	1675 (1675)	Wing W3034; ESTC R231145	79,544	241

but that person that offers me a kindness upon such terms that he will make me capable of enjoying it I have just cause to think he is in good earnest So it is with God God can and will enable the Soul to reject all else whereby it may be capable of chusing and enjoying him He can give us assist us to do whatsoever is requisite in order to our acceptance of him and further I shall add in the close of this that it is impossible without these or upon any other terms to chuse him or have him to be ours no having and cleaving to the World Flesh and Devil and yet having and chusing God to be ours too You cannot keep the former odious unclean Trinity and chuse and take to you the blessed and glorious Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost No man can have nor serve two Masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other ye cannot serve God and Mammon Mat. 6.24 4. Mot. Shall I say to you that you do not know what you chuse when you do chuse God to be yours I may well say so for you do not know what you do chuse as to the benefit and advantage there is by him You know not your own priviledg thereby every one must say as Christ of Mary Luk. 10.42 Mary hath chosen the better part he that hath chosen the best and chiefest Good hath chosen the best part and therefore I will say again you do not know what you chuse when you chuse God for 1. He that chuseth God to be his chuseth Life God is the living God and God is our Life and the length of our daies Remember as you would chuse life for your Souls chuse God to be your portion there is life and life to be had only in him and will you not be prevailed with for life's sake to chuse him 2. God is light and he that chuseth God chuseth the light and who that is wise would not chuse the light rather than darkness He is as he is call'd the light of Israel Isa 10.17 The Lord is my light and my Salvation Psal 27.1 God is Light and in him is no darkness at all 1. Joh. 1. and God is said to be the Father of Lights James 1.17 Yea God is a Sun in whom is concentered all the light Psal 84.11 who would not chuse to be in the Sun-shine of his Face Eccles 11.7 Truely the light is Sweet and it is a pleasant thing for the eyes to behold the Sun if so pleasant to behold the created Sun as who would not chuse the Sun to shine and to give light who is it that would not behold the light of the uncreated Sun of Righteousness whose light would be more refreshing than ten thousand Suns shining in their strength 3. God is an exceeding great reward Gen. 15.1 what a reward do God's people chuse in chusing him to be theirs God is he that will abundantly recompense thy affection to him and all thine obedience to him all your rejoicing in him and estimation of him Whatsoever of these you have manifested to him God will requite you seven nay an hundred-fold every duty that you have performed God will recompence it all the pleasure you have taken in him and whereinsoever you have denied your selves any thing for him God will make it up many-fold in this life yea here and hereafter too And who would not chuse such a God to be his God who is such a great reward In short what may I say more he that chuseth God chuseth All at once and I think no man will deny this to be the best choice A man that chuseth God is like one that labours to grasp All at one gripe Even as that devout Nobleman of France said in return to his Friend which sent a letter to him in which were inserted these Words Deus meus Omnia My God and my all Monsieure de Renti you invite me thereby to return the same to you and to all Creatures my God and my All my God and my All my God and my All Be it known unto you therefore that he is my God and my All and if you doubt of it I shall speak it an hundred times over I shall add no more for any thing else is superfluous to him that is truely penetrated possessed with and assured of my God and my All c. Oh that thousands more had made and could assure themselves that they had made this choice that they might an hundred times over say with the same confident assurance my God and my All. 5. Mot. Consider how freely God chuseth you and would had ye hearts to chuse and embrace him and will you not answer God in his choice there is no such hard matter to prevail with him for his choice and acceptance of us all the difficulty is on our side Shall not we be as ready to chuse him if he be so free to chuse us he would chuse us if we were not backward and unwilling yea though altogether unwilling how doth he draw the heart and makes us willing in the day of his power which shews his superabundant grace so freely dispensed to us in fixing his choice on us till he hath prepared our hearts not only to a fixed resolution but to an actual choice of him 6. Mot. As an improvement of the former Consider if you chuse God this will evidence to you that God hath chosen you unto himself from all eternity for your choice of God in time is but a fruit of his fore-choice of you therefore I must say as 1. Joh. 4.19 We love him because he first loved us So we chuse him because he first chose us So our Saviour saith very suitable to this purpose Joh. 15.16 Ye have not chosen me that is first but I have chosen you Observe this that that person that God hath chosen from all eternity will and shall in time chuse God to be his God and he that doth in time chuse God to be his God was from all eternity before the Foundation of the World was laid chosen to be one of God's people Oh who would not make sure of this to himself and manifest this before all the World that he hath chosen and that he is chosen of God to be of the number of his peculiar people 7. Mot. Again Consider yet further that whatever there is that may provoke to a choice is most eminently to be found in God If beauty honour greatness riches faithfulness blessedness love importunity may be sufficient motives to prevail with us to chuse God here 's enough of all these and how could I wish for the understanding and tongue and pen of the highest Angel that I may apprehend and express such deep things of God as these be 1. If the person be a beauty that is a Suiter how is he doted

worship him according as we are bound Psal 45.11 Obey no Commands but what are agreeable to his Commands he is our principal and chief Master whose Word we are to conform unto 2. As we are to chuse God to be in all relations to us so we are to chuse him to be instead of all enjoyments to us 1. As our portion so we should chuse him so did the Church Lam. 3.24 The Lord is my portion saith my Soul Then was a fit time to say so and chuse him to be so when she had nothing left in her captive estate So saith David Psal 16.5 The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pars partis sive portio portiones mea junguntur hic duo synonyma auxeseos causa q. d. omnimoda pars mea Word for word the part of my part or portion of my portion to shew that God was his only part or portion There are two words of like import to shew that he chose God to be altogether a portion to him to which purpose we may observe that God that is call'd the God of Israel is call'd the portion of Jacob Jer. 10.16 c. 51.19 * Quia aliis gentibus alios sibi Deos optantibus Deus horum oculos aperuit us se eligerent M. P. syn Crit. ex Riv. Because other nations chusing other gods to themselves the Lord opened their eyes that they should chuse him only in which regard he is call'd the portion and inheritance of Aaron Numb 18.29 who was to have no inheritance amongst the rest of the Israelites in Canaan What a rejoycing should this be to every Christian who hath no portion nor inheritance in the World in the meanest and lowest Condition in the world who yet hath and hath chosen the Lord for his portion Eliphaz tells Job chap. 22.25 the Almighty shall be thy defence Marg. thy Gold For so it may be rendered as by * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel angustiis tuis vel arx roborts tui vel aurum lectissimum I. T. i. e. si desit aurum obtinebis quod pretiosius eo est n. Deum M. P. Syn. some it is He shall be to thee instead of treasures of Gold and Silver if thou shalt want Gold thou shalt have what is far more precious than Gold viz. God himself We are apt to chuse and so to make Gold our God whereas God should be unto us instead of yea above all the Gold in the World which usually men make their chief portion 2. In sum to shut up all we should chuse God to be unto us as our All in All our only Blessedness in this life and that to come It is prophesied of a people and is it not all our duty Isa 65.16 even of the Gentiles That he who blesseth himself shal bless himself in the God of truth viz. in apprehending and appropriating to themselves God as theirs they should look on themselves as the most blessed people as justly they may in all the World There is no condition that a man can account to himself as a Blessed condition but when he hath God to be his God he may sing and rejoice in God as though yea better than though he had all the World he is and he hath all and whosoever hath God to be his hath indeed all and therein is blessed It is a kind of Happiness if our garners be full of all manner of store if sheep bring forth thousands if that our oxen may be strong to labour Happy is the people that is in such a case Psal 144.15 with 13 14. i. e. they may in a kind and in a degree be said to be happy But then the Prophet adds the surmounting Happiness Yea happy is that people and so that person that hath the Lord for their God CHAP. VI. Shewing how we are to chuse God to be ours THe Second thing we are to open is How we are to chuse God to our selves to be ours 1. Chuse him really not feignedly and in outward shew onely there be a great many that lay claim to God and say God is mine yet are they most prosane and abominable they seem to own God with their mouths but deny him in their works and lives as those mentioned Tit. 1.16 In works they deny him being disobedient and to every good work reprobate Even as those whom our saviour taxeth Luk. 6.46 Why call ye me Lord Lord and will not do the things that I say Just so we read of some that call God Father and yet do as evil things as they could Jer. 3.4 5. whom the Lord reproves as he doth to the same purpose the priests Mal. 1.6 If I am a Father where is my honour if I am a Master where is my Fear They seem to take God to be theirs in some of the forementioned relations yet for all that their deeds and speeches are as evil as can be With their lips they shew much love but their hearts are after their Covetousness Ezek. 33. With their lips only it is and no more not with their heart they chuse him with their lips but refuse him and cast his law behind their backs in their lives 2. Chuse him wholly to be yours that is chuse him as he offers himself to us and as he is set forth in all the relations the Scripture makes mention of him to us not only in those Comfortable Relations which-imply our priviledg but those honourable ones also which imply and engage us to our duty not to be a Friend a Father and an Husband only but a Master Lord and King also 3. Chuse him freely to be your God not out of Force Many seem to be willing to chuse God but it is when they must of necessity leave the World when they come to die and they cannot of necessity avoid it they can be without him no longer If they could have the World in health and strength one day longer they would let God alone till such a time as death did indeed come How great many of people never desire to acquaint themselves with God desire him not chuse him not or get any interest in Christ till they come to die then seem to look after and chuse him for theirs They neglect and refuse God in all his offers of grace vouchsafed to them all their lives but when they must part with all the World whether they will or not then at the hour of death will be seemingly forward to chuse him But they that chuse him truely chuse him freely 4. Chuse God chiefly let God be preferr'd before all nothing before him If God be preferr'd as he deserves so it will be He will be set before every thing in heaven or Earth Let God be your chief desire your exceeding Joy as Psal 43.4 word for word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gladness or my Joy Two Synonima's or words of like import as before to signifie the fulness

Gal. 5.17 Flesh lusteth against the Spirit yet being * Eph. 3.16 strengthned with might by thy Spirit in the inner man will † Eph. 6.12 wrestle against Sin Satan and the World yea all manner of wickedness whatsoever * 1 Tim 6.12 fighting the good fight of Faith till I lay hold on the possession of eternal life † 2 Tim● 4.8 having finished my course and obtain'd the Crown of righteousness which thou hast promised Yet sith there is no man * Eccle● 7.20 that liveth and sinneth not I do in thy holy presence protest against any contrived allowed sin whereby I shall † Ps●● 18.21 wickedly depart from my God and that though of force I do and shall in part while I am in this body * Rom. 〈◊〉 25. with my flesh serve the law of sin yet with my mind will I serve the law of God wholly and for ever Now the † Josh 22.22 Lord God of Gods the * Jer. 17.10 searcher of the hearts and tryer of the reins † Psal 139.23 24. search me and try me and if their be any way of wickedness in me lead me in the way everlasting sith thou * Psal 119.4 commandest me to keep thy precepts diligently † Psal 27.8 my heart saith unto thee * Psal 119.5 Oh that my waies were directed to keep thy statutes therefore will I † Deut. 26.16 keep and do them with all mine heart and all my Soul Blessed God I desire to * Phil. 4.4 rejoice in thee and in the † 2 Chron. 15.15 Oath and Covenant made with thee this I do in the truth and uprightness of my heart as I have chosen so I desire to prize thee above all * Ps 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none on Earth that I desire besides thee † Song 6.3 I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine * Psal 16.6 The lines are fallen to me in pleasant places yea I have a goodly heritage † Eph. 1.4 5. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath chosen me in him before the Foundation of the World * Rev. 5.9 10. Blessing Honour and Glory be given to the Lamb for ever who was slain and hast redeemed me to God by thy blood † Zech. 9.11 the blood of the Covenant Blessed be the eternal Spirit who hast * Gen. 1.2 moved my heart to enter into this solemn relation and obligation unto God † Deut. 7.9 29.9 The Lord my God the faithful God which keepeth Covenant and Mercy to them that Love him and keep his Commandments keep to me the Covenant and the Mercy and Confirm it to the end and strengthen me so with thy Grace that I may keep the words of this Covenant and do them and this Covenant made this day with my God let not any thing Sin Satan World Life nor Death disannul but let it be confirmed to all Eternity Amen Amen FINIS AN APPENDIX Containing PROPOSITIONS Evidencing Not only the warrantableness but expediency of transacting with God in a particular express Covenant-way Written at first for the satisfaction of a private friend now published at the request of some others and for the benefit and advnatage of any that shall peruse them By SAMUEL VVINNEY sometimes Minister of the Gospel at Glaston in Somersetshire London Printed for Thomas Cockeril at the Atlas in Cornhil near the Royal Exchange 1675. To the Reader Courteous Reader THere being lately extant a worthy Treatise of a Reverend Divine called Vindiciae Pietatis written by Mr. R. A. pressing to a strict and precise Conversation and in it giving advice to persons not yet in Covenant to come in and compleat all by Solemn Covenanting with God I most gladly sweetly and delightfully viewed the design and meeting with the doubts of some person a pretious Servant of God and my dear and intimate friend about the warrantableness of that way because I my self was so much affected with the thing did set my self upon his request and letter to me seriously to seek what warrant Gods word afforded to it and at some spare-hours in some few days of vacation from my incumbring and tedious imployment drew up the following Propositions tending to the evidence thereof hoping that either the author of the forenamed treatise or some person else whose Graces Abilities and Leisure are greater than mine may be stirred up more fully to clear it The Lord grant that whosoever may peruse them may have the same comfort and benefit thereby as the Author that composed them and now through the importunity of others made them publick Amen Certain PROPOSITIONS tending to the clearing of a Question and Satisfaction of some doubts about particular express entring into Covenant with God Prop. I. THat God hath of his own good pleasure from all eternity elected so me to everlasting life 1 Pet. 1.2 Elect according to the foreknowledg of God Eph. 1.4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World Prop. II. That God did from all eternity ransact the business of the Salvation of these elected persons between himself and his Son Jesus Christ God gave every one of those whom he would have mercy on to Jesus Christ to the intent that he might deliver them all and every one of them out of the estate of sin and misery which they should implunge themselves into by the fall of Ad●m and the Son he accepts of this work of Salvation and Redemption of them by his own death to be accomplished in the fulness of time and this by Divines is called the Covenant of Redemption Prop. III. That besides the Covenant transacted between the Father and the Son about the Redemption and Salvation of the elect from all eternity God he enters into a Covenant of Grace with the persons themselves that are elected in due time which yet is a consequent of the former For if Christ had never undertaken or accepted of the terms in that Covenant of Redemption before time there had been no Covenant of Grace in time with the Elect themselves Prop. IV. This Covenant between God and his people is mutual and stipulatory that is obligeth God to speak with due reverence of so great a Majesty and also obligeth all and every the persons of his people taken into it wherein as God graciously doth promise to be their God to be good and kind unto them yea to be all to them and do all for them which shall be for present and future temporal spiritual and eternal good so are they answerably bound to become his people for their part and so to live before God as his people in Faith Repentance Holiness and Obedience all their daies So that the preceptive part as well as the promissive part of the Covenant is expresly in Scripture called and entitled by the name of a Covenant because of

nig● unto God also How so Why we were brought nigh unto God by Christ's reconciliation which he made for us to God by his death and sufferings And we shall be wholly and fully brought nigh unto God hereafter when we shall be brought into the Kingdom of God where God Jesus Christ are and we shall be with him for ever Here are we brought nigh in regard of friendship but not in regard of that fulness of fellowship which we shall enjoy in Heaven And therefore are we said to be absent from the Lord 2 Cor. 5.6 while at home in the body But there had been no enjoyment of God here nor of the Kingdom of God hereafter if Christ had not suffered but now ther 's both this is the fourth regard in which we are said to be nigh unto God 5. They are said to be a People Near to God in regard of their liberty of free access unto God they have the priviledg of approaching nigh to the throne of grace and thereby draw nigh to God And this the Apostle lays down by way of Encouragement and Counsel in two places of the Hebrews Heb. 4.16 Let us therefore come boldly to the Throne of Grace that we may obtain Mercy and find Grace to help us in the time of need And all this is still upon the account of Jesus Christ because we have such a great high-Priest that is passed into the Heavens Hence it is that we may come boldly to the Throne of Grace Compare with ver 14. so Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience This is the great priviledg of Christians that they are made Kings and Priests unto God and his Father Now you know the Priests under the law it was their place and office to draw nigh unto God as doth appear by these two places of Scripture Lev. 10.3 where when fire from Heaven had devoured Nadab and Abihu the two Sons of Aaron for offering strange fire Moses uttered these words This is that the Lord spake I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me It was their Office to draw nigh to God and for them to draw nigh to God with strange fire contrary to the very Command of God! therefore fire from Heaven came down upon them See likewise Numb 16.40 There upon the occasion of the destruction of Korab Dathan and Abiram for oftering Incense unto the Lord which thing belonged only unto the Priest the Censers were laid aside to be a memorial to the Children of Israel That no stranger that is not of the Seed of Aaron come near to offer Incense before the Lord Now Jesus Christ having made us Kings and Priests to God this is the great Priviledg that we have by him that we may draw nigh unto God Heb. 7.19 and offer up our Prayers as Incense to God together with all other our holy Duties as so many Spirltual Sacrifiees acceptable to God by Jesus Christ 1 Pet 2.5 Being built upon him a Spiritual House and Holy Priesthood to that very end Jesus Christ is the person that doth approach nigh to God in our behalf Jer. 30.21 I will cause him to draw near and he shall approach to me for who is he that engageth his heart to approach unto me saith the Lord. Who is he that God will chuse to draw near unto him Literally and primarily it may be understood of the civil Governour but ultimately and consummately of Jesus Christ who undertook not his Office without Gods call who in the behalf of believers hath engaged his heart to approach nigh unto God and we by him do draw nigh to God Heb. 10.19 Boldness we have to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus with Eph. 2.18 For through him we both have an access by one Spirit unto the Father so Eph. 3.12 In whom we have boldness and access with Confidence by the faith of him And what a Priviledg is this that every one of Gods Saints and People may have the liberty as often as they will to approach nigh to God to make their requests in every thing by Prayer and Supplication 6. They are said to be near unto God in regard of the Lord's choice and separation of them from and and above all the People of the World unto himself they are so both from all eternity and also in time and this is spoken of particular persons and a whose People jointly Observe both Elect according to the foreknowledg of God the Father 1 Pet. 1.2 they are his chosen people Eph. 1.4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World thus for persons If you will observe it also for a nation or a people Psal 135.4 For the Lord hath chosen Jacob for himself and Israel for his peculiar treasure To which join that place Isa 41.89 But thou Israel art my Servant Jacob whom I have chosen the Seed of Abraham my friend thou whom I have taken from the ends of the Earth and sard unto thee thou art my Servant I have chosen thee and not cast thee away Hence are they said to be a separated People so shall we be separated I and my People from all the people that are upon the face of the Earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Same word as separated Exod. Exod. 33.16 so David Psal 4.3 The Lord hath set apart him that is godly unto himself therefore said to be a people of his inheritance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 same as Saints in Text Deut 4.20 and the lot of his inheritance Deut. 32.9 and his peculiar treasure Exod. 19.5 peculiar people 1 Pet. 2.9 and Christ tells the Disciples That he had chosen them out of the World and therefore the World hated them Joh. 15.19 so that not only from eternity but in time not only persons but nations God hath chosen to be his own people above all the World besides And how great is the Priviledg to be God's chosen and peculiar People and so made Near unto him mind this I beseech you What a matter of special observance should this be to us that God doth take here and there one or two or three above others specially when God Casts away all the Wicked of the Earth like dross as Psal 119.119 as a man throws dirt out of doors then to be chosen out of them that are cast away what a special favour is this not to be cast out as dross but made up as Jewels and preserved in Jesus Christ what grace is this 7. And Lastly in regard of their daily chose walking with God are they near to him A Christians Conversation is said to be a walking with God so said of Enoch Gen. 22.24 twice together it was his whole course throughout all his life till God took him Yea more fully a walking together and they that walk together are Near each to other though sin makes a