Selected quad for the lemma: father_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
father_n	abraham_n	according_a	nation_n	1,151	4	7.1950	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A28292	Sermons preached on several occasions shewing 1. the saints relief in time of exigency, 2. The admirableness of divine providence, 3. A prisoner at liberty, and his judge in bonds, 4. The most remarkable man upon earth, or, the true portraicture of a saint / by Samuel Blackerby ....; Sermons. Selections	Blackerby, Samuel.	1674 (1674)	Wing B3070; ESTC R23157	148,255	274

things though promised in the word can be effected because they are not able to conceive of the way nor know the means whereby they shall be effected Turn to 2 Kings 7.1 2. and there you shall find this fully exemplified For there 't is said that when Elisha told the people of Samaria that the famine should be turned into plenty An atheistical Lord answered That if God should make windows in Heaven might this thing be I but see how his Atheism and unbelief was reproved Behold thou shalt see it with thine eyes but shalt not taste thereof And most full is that of the Prophet Es 26.11 Lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see But they shall see and be ashamed And indeed oft times it falleth out thus that those providences that do not work to mens conviction and conversion do work to mens confusion at the last Fourthly and lastly Hence it is that the faith of believers bottom'd upon a divine word is honoured and confirmed 1. 'T is honoured for hereby faith is tried and holding out is commended That faith that can trust God upon a bare word of promise and rely upon unseen providences is an honourable faith And therefore is Abraham so much commended for his faith because he followed God in the dark at a word of command And against hope believed in hope that he might become the Father of many Nations according to that which was spoken so shall thy seed be Rom. 4.18 And indeed as true faith gives glory to God as you have it ver 20. so God gives glory unto faith So you may see 1 Pet. 1.7 That the trial of your faith which is more precious then Gold tried in the fire may be found unto praise honour and glory at the appearance of Christ 2. As 't is honoured so 't is confirmed Divine promises give faith its esse its being through divine influence and providential administrations gives its porro esse a further being He that believes in God unseen will trust him more upon experience of his fidelity in performing his word So Psal 9.10 They that know thy name will trust in thee A literal knowledge of God a knowledge by report and hear-say may cause faith to flutter I but a knowledge of God by experience will cause it to fly yea to towre aloft with strength Now that I may wind up the Doctrinal part of this divine proposition Give me leave to say that that which doth confute carnal reason disappoint carnal confidence reprove unbelief honour and confirm the faith of Gods elect must needs be a Soul-amazing glory Applicat 1. Infer Is it so that the providence of God is like a wheel within a wheel then this speaks dread and terror to the wicked for this one wheel within the wheel counterworks them in all their waies and workings the wheel within the wheel is above all wheels Take it in Scripture language in the thing wherein they deal proudly God is above them Exod. 18.11 The providence of God waits upon all the counsels devices and imaginations of Ungodly men to detect and frustrate yea to turn them upon their own heads to their eternal woe and grief So saith David Psal 9.16 The Lord is known by the judgement which he executeth the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands Alas there is no man that plots any evil against God his ordinances appearances and truths but puts his feet into a snare out of which he is not able to extricate himself On some God lets their conscience loose to be their own tormentors with intolerable horrors and terrors and so he dealt with Cain Sometimes he arms the creatures against them even the least as well as the greatest That treacherous man Phillips who betrayed Mr. Tindal was devoured of Lice Sometimes God leaves them to themselves as the executioners of his divine vengeance Judas went forth and hang'd himself Nay sometimes the immediate hand of God falls upon them and ruines them When they cry peac peace to themselves then sudden destruction breaks forth upon them The wheel within the wheel turns their own counsels and plots upon their own heads 2. Infer Is it so then this doth administer abundant matter of unspeakable comfort to the godly 'T is a breast full of the milk of spiritual consolation whereat thou mayest suck and be abundantly satisfied So you may see Psal 16.8 9. I have set the Lord alwayes before me therefore my heart is glad A clear sight of God in Christ is a heart-rejoycing sight and so to behold God in his administrations as the wheel within the wheel that turns all things about to his own glory and our eternal good this is a taking and a comforting object The word of promise is a Christians daily food and the works of providence are his cordials and banquets wherewith God bears him up and keeps him from fainting Many a Soul would fall into a swoon if he were not stayed with these Apples and comforted with these Flaggons I shall say to you as Job to his friends Hear diligently and let this be your consolations Job 21.2 So I say observe consider and meditate upon the providences of God and let them be your consolation and that both in your doing and suffering the will of God whilst you live here Let this bear up animate and fortifie your Spirits against all fear and discouragements that you meet with in your Christian course When God calls you forth to perform hard difficult and discountenanced duties call to mind and remember those assistances which he hath provided in the Covenant of Grace and exhibited to his servants of old when he hath called them forth to such duties You know it was an hard and difficult work for Joshua to succeed Moses in the conduct of Israel into the Land of Canaan he was not only to meet with much opposition from the Inhabitants of Canaan but to conflict with the frowardness and perverseness of Israel Joshua could not expect better usage from them then Moses had had experience of Yet observe how providence did fortifie and encourage him Josh 1.7 first Verses And turn to Hebr. 13 5. You shall find the same laid in for all Christians for the future This may be our consolation that God will not leave us nor forsake us but be with us for our assistance as he was with Moses and with Joshua in their work How God did manage and assist his servants at all times in every work whereto he hath called them Scripture speaks fully and largely Read Ezek. 2.6 Ezekiel met with briars and thorns they were with him in his work and yet saith God to him be not afraid What difficulties and discouragements did the Apostles and servants of Christ meet with in their dispensing the Gospel all along the primitive times I but how mightily were they assisted and carried through all Read Act. 13.45 46. The more they were opposed the bolde● they were

under a pretence of acting for God Wicked men will do so but you must go beyond them You must do more then they can do 3. In living by faith upon God 2 Cor. 5.7 We live by faith and not by sight A Christian ought not to hang by the eye-lids eying and looking at external wheels and second causes only but to exercise faith upon the wheel within the wheel This is that which must actuate and inliven all second causes or else they cannot work What is it that thou dost desire this must bring it to pass Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit Zech. 4.6 Would'st thou have thy corruption mortified thy temptation conquered thy graces strengthened thy comforts enlarged thy fears prevented thy prayers heard rest not upon the external wheels but upon the wheel within the wheel Means must be used but not trusted in God alone is the object of a Christians faith Say therefore In vain is salvation hoped for from the multitude of hills and mountains but in the Lord our God is salvation Jer. 3.23 And let it be said of you as it is of Abraham Ro. 4.18 19. Who against hope believed in hope When all instruments are dead Ordinances dead Comforts dead Graces dead heart even dead yet give glory to God by believing in him who never dies And for this end follow the example of the Prophet Psal 77.10 11 12. I will remember the years of the right hand of the most high I will remember the works of the Lord surely I will remember thy wonders of old I will meditate also of all thy work and talk of thy doings Yea wouldst thou set this internal wheel on work wouldst thou move that Why then set faith on work this is that whereby divine providence suffers it self to be moved How came Abraham to be the Father of many Nations but by the movings of this internal wheel and what set that a going but the faith of Abraham And therefore it is said that he believed in hope that he might become the Father of many Nations Beloved if ever you would set any instrument or inferiour wheel on work you must move the greater wheel So it is here 't is God that must move and you must set God on work by faith An active faith will not let God alone it gives him no rest untill he hath set all second causes on work and accomplished the desired mercy Now in this you go beyond all moral men they may make use of means I but they can't believe they can't set the great wheel on work 4. In fixing your hearts upon things that are above Let the constant openings of your Souls be for the entertainment of Heavenly enjoyments And this is a wonder Rev. 12.1 A Christians heart should be in Heaven and the world under his feet The Earth is Gods and a good mans foot-stool thou mayest walk upon it but not be buried in it Most excellent is the Apostles Rule 1 Cor. 7.29 30 31. But this I say Brethren the time is short It remaineth that both they that have wives be as though they had none and they that weep as though they wept not and they that rejoice as though they rejoiced not and they that buy as though they possessed not and they that use this world as not abusing it for the fashion of this world passeth away And this was the Apostles glory that the world was crucified unto him and he unto the world Gal. 6.14 He looks upon all as so many dead corps and carkases Fourth and last Inference If this divine wheel be so admirable and glorious then this teacheth you to maintain a constant communion with it For you are little wheels I but what will you do if this divine wheel be not as a wheel in the middle of a wheel what shall act and move you in order to your comfortable winding up Sure I am you will be like Sampson when his Lock was cut off Your strength is departed from you and you like Instruments laid aside and of no use I but if God be in you and with you then you shall go forth in the strength of an omnipotent power and be admirable in working yea you shall have cause to admire the wheel within the wheel and sing with Moses Who is a God like our God glorious in holiness fearful in praises doing wonders Yea with the heavenly Quire saying Amen blessing and glory wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be unto our God for ever and ever Amen FINIS A Divine Paradox OR A PRISONER at LIBERTY AND HIS JUDGE IN BONDS Being a Subject Treated of before the Right Honourable the Lord Chief Justice Hales at an Assize holden at Saint Edmunds Bury In the County of Suffolk March 27. 1669. By Samuel Blackerby Minister of the Gospel at Stow Market LONDON Printed for Nevil Simons at the Princes Arms in S. Paul's Church Yard 1674. Acts 24.25 And as he reasoned of righteousness temperance and judgement to come Felix trembled THat I may observe the watch-word given and confine my discourse to the time alotted for it I shall at present wave my usual course and lay aside the threds by which I was resolved to have steer'd my passage to the Text And yet before I can attempt to anatomize and breath any vein of truth therein I must crave leave to strip it of a double paradox which at first view it secmeth to be drest up in For 1. Here is a Prisoner in liberty 2. A Judge in bonds Saint Paul the Prisoner and Felix the Judge the one we meet with in the entrance into the Text the other in the close and both afford us matter of admiration First The liberty of St. Paul the Prisoner for here we find him at liberty to preach and preaching with liberty 1. At liberty to preach That an Apostle should be a Prisoner is much but that he who was imprisoned upon the account of preaching should have liberty whilst a Prisoner to preach and that before his Judge this is more Not many daies before he was accused by a famous Oratour and libell'd against with a deep charge of high misdemeanours and capital crimes and that with so much artifice and subtilty that it is a wonder that a sentence of death had not passed upon him according to the malevolent expectation of his malicious enemies and he for ever deprived of his liberty to preach any more and yet to speak in the Ciceronian Dialect Vivit imo vivit in Senatum venit He lives yea he lives to preach And that 2. With liberty I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with much liberty and boldness For neither the grandeur of the Auditor nor the experience that he had of a former durance no nor his fear of future had any such influence upon him as to seal up his lips or tempt him to play the Sycophant or flattering Courtier that thereby he might have gained an enlargement