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	love_v	lust_n	7,244	5	9.2024	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A48758	Pneumat-apologia. Or, An apology for the power & liberty of the Spirit as at first to give a being to, so still to give a blessing by his ordinances. In three sermons preacht at Great Budworth, to some persons of honour, and several of the clergy then present to communicate in reference to the late act. By James Livesey, A.M. & vicar of Budworth.	Livesey, James, 1625-1682.	1674 (1674)	Wing L2595; ESTC R213711	65,921	192

willing is the Almighty the Soul be out of doubt of its Sanctification here and Salvation hereafter To which God of his infinite mercy for the merits of his Son by the conduct of his holy Spirit at last bring us Amen The End of the First Sermon The Second SERMON On Micah 2.7 Is the Spirit of the Lord straitned July the 20th 1673 Do not my words do good to him that walketh upright or uprightly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Word spoken upon his Wheels is like Apples of Gold in pictures of Silver I may say of this 'T is verbum super rotas a word in season then will the Sermon be most profitable when the subject is most seasonable The Text is like a well-drawn picture it hath an eye on every man as you will see anon I shall draw aside the curtain that so you may view it and it may view you I will waste no time in the beginning that I may want no time in the end I am shewing when this Ordinance of the Supper doth work for the Saints benefit and advantage I have hinted seven and shall now proceed methodically unto the eighth in order of which succinctly For enough is better than all 8 Then doth this Ordinance work for your good when your Souls are more corroborated and strengthned and your power is more encreased Observe it pray The Ministry of the Word begets spiritual life The Sacrament preserves and increaseth spiritual life The Word lays the Basis or Foundation of Grace the Sacrament carries on the Building The Word is instituted to implant Grace to work the truth of Grace where it is not The Sacrament is to promote the growth of it where it is The Ministry of the Word is a converting Ordinance the Sacrament is a confirming Ordinance That 's the breeding and this the feeding Ordinance If now you come to the Lords Table very weak your Graces very feeble your Faith and Love and other Graces very little If it may be said of you as it was of the Church of Philadelphia Rev. 3.8 Thou hast but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little strength and then you go away stronger your Faith more encreased your hope more quickened your obediential and penitential resolutions more strengthned your corruptions more easily subdued temptations more easily repulsed your assections more raised and enlarged your hearts more established duties more spiritually performed the world more easily conquered and vanquished If now you find your selves more able to do to suffer for God or from God if now you are more fitted for active and passive obedience if you can go thorow all Christian duties with more alacrity and cheerfulness if you can apply the promises and live by Faith upon the Fatherly providence and faithful promises of God When thus you find it then hath this Ordinance been doing you good 9 When at and by the Sacrament your love to Jesus Christ is more enflamed when this little drop swells into an Ocean and this spark becomes a flame when it may be said of your love to God to Christ to his way day people Ordinances as is said of the Waters of the Sanctuary Ezek. 47.3 4 5. that 't is still higher and higher from the ankles to the knees thence to the loins and then unpassable so in the present case Is it possible we should be such constant Guests at the Lords-Table and daily see before our eyes a crucified Christ and yet go thence with so little love to him and longings after him Can we fee so much love in his heart to us and shall we be contented with so little love in our hearts to him Per vulnera videmus viscera 'T is an heart of Adamant that will neither impendere nor rependere which will neither begin in love nor love him then who has thus begun Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed on us in bestowing his Son upon us We call not upon people to behold things common and ordinary Paul calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great love Eph. 2.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a love passing knowledg Heart-warming words indeed See Ephes 3.19 He laid down his precious life and dearest blood for us he died Nostro loco in our place and stead Nostro commodo for our benefit and good for our sin as the meritorious cause and for our good as the final cause Dan. 9.26 1 Pet. 3.18 Greater love than this can no man shew Did ever Mother love her own Child so as to wash it in her own blood thus lov'd he us Rev. 1.5 God so loved the world so How 's that so wonderfully so infinitely so but I cannot tell you how and therefore must leave it so admiring and not once attempting to express it but the Son of God can Even as the Father loved me so have I loved you Joh. 15.9 Here was the highest purest freest sweetest and choicest love that ever was in the world We conclude they love us who will speak kindly and courteously to us or a word in season for us much more if they will hazzard their lives and fortunes by espousing our cause and quarrel did not our dear Redeemer all this and more Lord now says the poor Christian thou hast laid down thy life and thereby hast manifested thy love to me Now will I part with my dearest lusts I will be their death and so shew my love to thee shall a damning lust live and a saving Christ die Shall the man die that kills my Son or Father and shall my Sin live which slays my Saviour Well if I can do no more I will do no less than love thee my dearest Lord with all my heart and might and strength The more vile thou wast made for me the dearer to my dying day shalt thou be unto me When thus it works then it does you good indeed 10 When your hearts which were before at a distance from him are by it drawn nearer to him and your desires are more drawn out after him There is a twofold distance between God and Man The one is natural as he is the Creator Man a creature He infinite Man finite this is an infinite distance The other is Moral as he is Holy and Man impure this is a greater distance than the former if we may suppose an infinito infinitius By nature we are all afar off from God n = * Non intervallo locorum sed pravitate morum by Grace through Christ we are made nigh Ephes 2.13 yet nigher we may be by much than yet we are and 't is our great business in every Ordinance to get nearer to him if you scan that famous place Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true heart If now we find our confidence drawn more out after him and that we can rest more upon him and trust more in him if for what our Souls want we can with an humble boldness go to him and say Lord Here is

really so It was a cutting question which St. Austin put to one Quid tibi prodest vocari quod non es What will it advantage one to have a name to live if he be dead See H●insius in Joh. 1.47 To pass for a Saint here and to be found amongst Sinners hereafter to be reputed an Israelite indeed and to be a Gibeonite to be named of the House of Jacob i.e. of the Church of God and to be of the House of Sodom How shall Men and Angels stand amazed at the great day when the secrets of all Hearts shall be disclosed to see some taken up to Heaven who were named the vilest of sinners and others turned into Hell who were reputed choicest Saints A form will do nothing without the power of Godliness There are two things which every man is mainly concern'd to mind 1 To be Good 2 To appear so He that is not so is lost with God and he that appears not so is lost with men Ones goodness if unknown to himself will afford him little comfort and if unknown to others it will procure him little credit Abbreviatus contractus Drus Is the Spirit of the Lord straitned Doct. 5. The Spirit of the Lord is not so straitned but he knows how to inspire and instruct his Prophets Doct. 6. The Spirit of the Lord is then straitned when proud people presume to prescribe to dictate unto his servants the Prophets what and when and to whom they shall speak and when and what not Are these his doings Hence note that Doct. 7. The ordinary way of the Lords dealing with men is in love and mercy acts of judgment are his but they are his strange not his genuine acts how full and sweet is that in Hos 11.8 How shall I give thee up Ephraim How shall I deliver thee Israel c. In this sacred volum where is the parallel What pathetick Interrogations puts he there unto himself q.d. Thou art upon the brink of destruction 't is but a giving thee up and thou art ruined Oh but how how shall I do it Do not my words c. Doct. 8. Note that the Word delivered and Ordinances dispensed by faithful Ministers are his Attend them then with due care and conscience with fear and reverence with faith and patience Doct. 9. From the connexion of the principal efficient and instrumental causes viz. the Spirit and the Word Such as sincerely desire to receive good from God must attend to and depend on the Spirit of the Lord in the use of Ordinances Ubi enim Ecclesia ibi spiritus ubi spiritus Dei illic est Ecclesia omnis gratia Iren. lib. 3. udvers Haereses For the Word can do nothing without the Spirit and the Spirit will do nothing ordinarily without the Word Let people talk as their deluded fancies prompt them One day they will see and say that they who are enemies to the Word are no true friends to the Spirit despising the one they do quench the other Quae Deus conjunxit c. How sweet Oh what a reviving Cordial is that precious promise to a pious Soul in Exod. 20.24 In all places where I record my Name my word and Ordinances by which I am known as a man is by his name I will come unto thee by my Spirit and I will bless thee there shall be a comfortable meeting and a Cordial closing of my Spirit with your Spirits See one for all Isa 30.20 21. Thine eyes shall see thy Teachers mark that and thine ears shall hear a word behind thee c. Do not my words do good There is a twofold word the one is verbum audibile that 's the Holy Scripture Ephes 6.17 and there is verbum visibile viz. the Sacraments they are call'd visible Sermons as Christ in that conveys himself by the ear so in these he conveys himself by the eye into the Heart Hence observe Doct. 10. That the Word and Ordinances of God are very operative and powerful The Spirit of the Lord concurring they are not only preceptive and directive but affective and effective they are the rod of his strength Psal 110.2 In a word there is a sevenfold force or power in the Word There is a Sin-subduing power it puts down strong holds casts down carnal reasonings Oh 't is mighty through God 2 Cor. 10.4 5. A Soul-humbling power it lays a proud sinner as low as Hell makes him cry out Lord I am vile what wilt thou have me to do and I will do it To be and I will endeavour to be it Act. 2.37 9.6 16.31 A Soul-cleansing power Joh. 15.3 Now are ye clean through the Word which I have spoken to you And chap. 17.17 Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth A Soul-solacing power This word of promise is my comfort in my affliction Psal 119.50 it keeps the Soul from fainting a promise like pearl in broth is cordial A Soul-quickening power No such Incentives to holy duties in the World as in the Word Psal 119.50 A Soul-searching power It ransacks and rifles the Conscience and looks into the most secret transactions of the Heart When the Sun shines into the House the Atoms are easily discerned when the Word shines into the Heart our secret lusts are easily discovered Rom. 7.7 Heb. 4.12 A Soul-healing power Psal 107.20 He sent his Word and healed them How long might a Soul sit at the foot of a Philosopher and hear his Lectures of Morality ere it should experimentally feel and find such an Heart-transforming power going along with them such a mighty change wrought by them Est quaedam verbi omnipotentia as Luther said of Prayer To him that walketh Doct. 11 D. 11. Christianity is a walk a Christians life is not a standing or sitting still every day must we do a days work and go a days journey towards our Heavenly Country Up then and be doing here is not your rest Quo brevior opportunitas co major sedulitas lose your season and you may lose your Souls opportunities are for Eternity but they are not to Eternity The Spirit will not always strive with man now Christ stands and knocks Gen. 6.3 Cant. 5.3 but he that stands stays not give him no childish no churlish answers work and walk now now if ever now for ever you may want an 1 opportunity if you slip this Esto in diebus aestatis Formica Prov. Arab. who knows what a day may bring forth if you be not present in duty God may be present in judgment may come quickly Rev. 2.5 His Judgments are often sudden and prevent mens expectations but never their deserts Lam. 4.12 Hos 10.15 Ere you can get out of bed he may let out your blood Or 2 you may want ability and not be in a capacity a sickness may come that may take away your senses your friends perhaps may be forc'd to bind you in your beds and is that a

of it and sorrowful for it you will find his Grace sufficient for you and himself alsufficient in you A weak Christian assisted by the Spirit of the Lord can do all things Phil. 4.13 7ly Here is comfort for you against those oppositions and temptations you may meet with from the Devil when you are at the Lords Table O that we were as careful to prepare our selves for that Ordinance as he is to prepare for us he is ever fixed and very diligent on holy days in holy places at holy duties Job 1.6 not because he loves them but because he hates us I have read of one who said he saw but one Devil in the Market for most of the buyers and sellers were his already but a Legion in the Church A Legion according to Varro is 7622 but what imploy had so many evil spirits there why to lay snares for them to hinder the operation of the Word and Sacraments and consequently the salvation of Souls Doubtless you are not without discouragements by reason of your own corruptions and his oppositions Well but your Redeemer hath not left you comfortless the Spirit of the Lord is not straitned He is a most glorious and victorious Spirit your way in this case is to set the power of this Spirit against the power of Satan when the gates of Hell and powers of Darkness press hard upon you 't is your wisdom in order to your comfort and conquest to improve this power of the Spirit of the Lord. The more you are assaulted by that evil spirit the more shall you be assisted by this good spirit He will be with you in the floods and in the flames Who and what art thou O great Mountain before this Zerubbabel 8ly Here is comfort for you as to the greatness of those mercies and blessings now by you desired and expected O says a child of God how shall I get my heart humble more quick and lively what shall I do for a broken bleeding Heart for more full assurance of the pardon of my sin and the salvation of my Soul Ah what shall poor I do for a little more light in my Understanding O that my Will were healed c. These indeed are great things they are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as accompany Salvation Yet although these be very great things as to you they are not so to the Spirit of the Lord if it be marvelous in your eyes is it therefore marvelous in Gods Zach. 8.6 All things are alike easie to an Almighty Agent and this Spirit is such Exod. 14.24 a look from him in anger can lay your strongest lusts dead he can irradiate your minds with beams of Divine light and efficaciously incline overpower determine and heal your Wills He can in one word do every thing therefore be confident of this very thing viz. that as he easily can so he assuredly will He I say who hath begun a good work in you will own it and crown it and perform it until the day of Christ Job 42.2 with Phil. 1.6 9ly Here is also comfort for you in case of barrenness under former administrations perhaps you find not that power as yet over your impetuous lusts as you then and there expected no more peace of conscience Nec mibi dant s●●llae lucem c. You have often been at the Lords Table and yet no assurance or no more assurance of his love and of eternal life than you had before If it be thus your present case is sad yet thus it may be your internal eternal state be good For though you have not peace yet you want not grace in the best of Saints there is a want in grace but in the worst or weakest Saint there is not a want of grace Though you are cast down yet you are not cast off you have not so much as will comfort you but you have enough to save you 'T is Heaven that is the proper place of comfort and Earth of grace 'T is the pleasure of our all-wise God to make some to weep and wait long for a smile from Heaven and thus he acts in a way of wisdom not ever in a way of punishment Know and do your own work let the most High alone with his hear what he will speak for he will speak peace unto his people the day that 's clouded now may be clear anon 't is darkest a little before the dawning of the day Remember for your comfort 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lux fidei veritatis ●●materia perpetuae laetitiae Orta Sparsa justi multa patiuntur antequam laetitiâ fruantur that light is sown for the Righteous and joy for the upright in heart Ps 97.11 The Interval of time may be considerable between the sowing and the reaping But act you faith on the Promises acquiesce in and submit to the Will and Wisdom of the Lord for unto the Upright and they are the persons I am now addressing this discourse to I say unto the upright there ariseth light in darkness i.e. comfort in troubles remember that the Spirit of the Lord is not straitned Concerning him take three notions along with you He is 1. A free Agent as the wind bloweth when and where it lifteth so the Spirit worketh witnesseth sealeth assureth when whom himself pleaseth 2. A wise Agent and therefore will act most seasonably and opportunely when it will most conduce to his own honour and your comfort 3. A strong and mighty Agent when he begins 't is not sin nor Satan nor the World shall let him Therefore though now you mourn yet you may not murmur Groan you may but must not grumble be it never so little life light and power and peace you have arrived at I say to you as did Elibis to Job ch 34.32 should it be according to your mind is it fit you have just what you will and when you will if you will be your own carvers take heed of cutting your own fingers Withdraw not from this Ordinance but as before wait with patience and work with diligence for the Spirit of the Lord is not straitned this is a reviving Cordial in this case Antisthenes an Heathen Philosopher desired nothing of the Heathen gods so much as the Spirit of Socrates You have a more glorious Spirit this Spirit of the Lord who will in due time make you more fruitful and cheerful and give you more increase of grace more setled peace of Conscience yea an absolute mastery and victory over all your spiritual enemies Once more and I dismiss you 10ly This speaks comfort to you who persevere in prayer the seed of Jacob not in name only as were these in the Text but in deed and truth To hold on in Duty is not the practice of the most Job 27.10 but of the best 't is no easie work which is both above nature and against it This affords comfort to you 't is like the rod of myrtle in the travellers hand Pliny which makes him fresh and lively and keeps him from being weary O nourish no jealous thoughts of God if you distrust him you will desert him Remember for your encouragement and comfort that the good Spirit of the Lord is in full power and at liberty still to give a blessing by as at the first to give a being to his holy Institutions To which ever-blessed Spirit together with the Father and the Son be ascrib'd all Honour and Glory World without end .. FINIS