Selected quad for the lemma: father_n
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A10826
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Spirituall encrease: or, Conclusions for pacifying the perplexed conscience of the weake Christian
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Robertson, Bartholomew, fl. 1620.
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1621
(1621)
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STC 21098.7; ESTC S114561
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50,019
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237
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wee shall receiue in him that promised EXPLA. If we consider our meriâ—â— we must despaire but wee must depend vpon his promise and his oath that by two immutable things wherein it is vnpossible that God should lye we might haue strong consolation which haue our refuge to lay hold vpon that hope that is set before vs and this is a commendable presumption when wee challenge God vpon his owne bond and not vpon any sufficiency of our workes Wherein notwithstanding faith receiueth comfort and strength by the good fruits and effects of grace in the feare and loue of God in faithfull care and conscience duty towards God and men tokens of Gods secret election foreâ—â—kens of future happinesse so that a man called to God by fear and framed to righteousnesse by loue presumes that hee is of the number of them that shall bee blessed CON. 17. To proue whether wee be in the faith is to prooue whether Christ be in vs for truly faith is that whereby Christ dwelleth in our hearts EXPLA. Wee haue receiued not the spirit of this world but the spirit which is of God that wee may know the things that are giuen vs of God The originâ—â—â— of all other gifts is the giuing of Christ vnto vs For vnto vs a child is borne and vnto vs a Sonne is giuen in whom all the promises of God are yea and amen and for his sake first made and in him performed whom the Father giuing to vs and for vs had altogether with him giuen vs all things the gift of the Spirit the gift of repentance the gift of faith the gift of righteousnesse the gift of loue the gift of suffering for Christ the gâ—ft of all things pertaining to life and godlinesse the gift of eternall life yea all manner spirituall blessings in heauenly thing these be the vnsearchable riches of Christ preached â—â—to the Gentiles a mystery which from the beginning of the world was hid in God and not opened to the sonnes of men nay not to the very Angels was it knowne so that when it was done they did euen desire and delight to looke vnto it the accomplishment of which riches is in the ioy of heauen And so now we are the sonnes of God but yet we know not what wee shall be for sinnes depriued vs of Paradise a place on earth but by the purchase of his blood wee are intitled to a farre higher euen the Kingdome of heauen and his blood is not onely the blood of remission to acquit vs of our sins but the blood of the Testament to bequeath vs and giue vs estate in that heauenly inheritance and all these things wee haue by faith in him by which hee purified our hearts and dwelleth therein by his Spirit whose Temples we are CON. 18. As wee haue a measure of true righteousnesse against sinne wherein wee doubt not but God accepted vs so haue we also a measure of true assurance against all feare and doubt whereby our hearts rests perswaded that God will for euer preserue vs. EXPLA. God our wise father both giueth comfort to his children and also prouideth to keepe them within their bounds that tasting of the ioy of saluation and finding it thence-forth bitter and grieuous vnto themselues to be distracted by perplexities and feares from the quiet enioying thereof they may the more carefully endeuour to cleaue fast vnto him beware of any thing that should interrupt their ioyfull peace We are ready by corruptioÌ„ to abuse comforts and therefore God so ordereth the same that they are euer out of our owne nature or afflictions nipping and snipping vs that wee grow not proud and rely on our selues to the destruction of our selues God maketh sin the whetstone of righteousnesse and affliction trouble of minde by distresse and fearefull doubts whetteth and sharpeneth our faith and assurance which by fighting increased and the longer it wrastled the stronger it waxed as a man in danger of drowning catcheth for hold to saue himselfe so God sendeth variety of disturbances that the minde should not gnaw and waste it selfe away whereof the one is drawne away with the other that wee should not be steeped and dissolued with sorrow for if God correct with the rod of men his mercy hee doth neuer take away CON. 19. By this wee may know we are in God and God in vs because hee hath giuen vs of his Spirit which promised to men fellowship with himselfe immortality to vs mortall Iustification to sinners glorification to vs being abiects EXPLA. The originall of all this consisted in Gods election wherein he hath made vs his children and heires touching the hope of euerlasting life which we expect by title of inheritance not by purchase of merit hauing receiued for earnest and pledge therof the spirit of Christ sanctifying and preparing vs thereto for not of the works of righteousnesse which we haue done but of his mercy hath hee saued vs. Iohn the Baptist sayd he was not worthy to loose the lachet of his shooe who can then be thought worthy of that heauenly Kingdome The Centurion of whom Christ gaue testimony that he found not so great faith no not in Israel coÌ„fessed of himselfe I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter vnder my roofe who then is worthy to enter vnder the roofe of heauen but euery faithfull man may say with Daniel To thee O Lord belongeth righteousnesse but vnto vs belongeth confusion of face and with Dauid Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lord for in thy sight no man liuing shall bee iustified and againe If thou straitly marke what is done amisse who shall bee able to stand CON. 20. By what our faith assures vs of present standing by the same and as farre it secures vs against future falling EXPLA. Faith looketh vpon God as a Father who himselfe teacheth all his children that they may be sure to learne as a good shepheard that so gathered the sheepe that none of them shall bee lacking as a good husbandman that so senced his vine keepeth it night and day that none assault to hurt it as a Rocke strong sure that the gates of hell shall not preuaile against the Church of the faithfull that are founded and builded vpon it It lookes vpon Gods promise I will put my feare into their hearts that they shall not depart from me It looketh into the Mediation of Christ who had not prayed for Peter onely That his faith might not faile but for all that beleeue in him Holy father keepe them in thy name wherefore wee are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation Hee that keepeth vs by faith must be vnderstood to keepe our faith not by any power of ours but by his onely power for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance whom hee called
not despised our heauenly calling therefore in the day of trouble we shal haue rest when destruction shall come vpon the secure like an armed man God most glorious Lord of lords although hee make sicknesse his messenger and death his minister till he shall destroy them both yet his mercies are vnspeakeable that forgiueth vs all our sinnes his goodnesse is great who hath regard to the children of men CON. 72. All trouble should be rather matter of ioy then displeasure EXPLA. This is our prayer thy will be done we must be contented with all hee hath done that our hearts may beare vs witnesse that of all things the Lord is most deare vnto vs for if wee giue our heart to loue the Lord our troubles shall seem neither great nor strong vnto vs for what can be great if our heart bee prepared to say We reioyce in afflictions because they shall breede in vs a hope which shall neuer make vs ashamed oâ— what can bee great if God hath taught vs that the momentany afflictioÌ„s of this world they are not worthy of the glory that shall be reuealed vnto vs or what can be great if wee can reioyce in afflictions reioyce exceedingly when we fall into many and great tribulations All is but vanity what should dismay vs Nay how should we not be glad if death were euen at our bed sides that we might euen once see the vtmost malice of the Deuill and after for euer bee deliuered from him O! how God is delighted with vs when we bee faithfull to abide these light chastisements How many things haue all the â—odly suffered are we not ashamed to refuse the crosse which they haue borne yea weight well thy case what it is and thou shalt fee little cause of sorrow in it or if thou compare it with others none at all and it all things were as euill as thou couldst imagine what then Where is our loue to Iesus Christ that gaue his pretious blood to the death vpon the Crosse for our sakes if we will not leaue all for him One haire cannot fall from our head but at his commandement He is head of his Church and all things happen they not vnto vs as he will Onely when wee sin let vs bee sorrowfull to offend such a Sauiour let it grieue vs more then death it selfe but to remember againe so assâ—red hope we cannot but reioyce in the Lord and alwayes reioice so let Gods wil peâ—swade you that whether you liue or whether you die you may bee wholly his The world hath taken vp enmity against vs and striueth dayly to separate vs from the Lord but there is no ioy to this that wee know our selues to bee the children of God to bee ioyned to Iesus Christ and made a chief member of a glorious body with whom we shall be ioyned for euer And what is this world to immortality What are fulnesse of delights to the grace of God the fellowship of Saints the forgiuenesse of our sins the loue of Gods countenance the assurance of our life the brightnesse of his glory and these vnutterable eternall blessings Let vs count then all things dung that wee may winne Christ desire to be dissolued and be with Christ that we may say O death where is thy sting All things of the world are but seruants of death and serue to make his power more fearefull vnto vs vanquish death and thou hast vanquished all height and depth life and death all is ours and we are Christs CON. 73. To confesse sin and not to hide it is a ready way to saluation aduancement of Gods glory EXPLA. Satan is enemy to vs and his sleights are many tread Satan vnder foote and triumph with Christ so shalt thou shame the Deuill For hee that hideth his sinnes shall neuer prosper but hee that confesseth and forsaketh them shall haue mercy To Achan Ioshua said I beseech thee giue glory to God and shew mee what thou hast done This is to giue glory to God to confesse So did Dauid acknowledge his iniquity the Israelites before their absolution and forgiuenesse confessed to the Priest and thereafter their sinnes were layd on the beasts Adam did cloake his sin but we must be borne anew So did Cain but wee are of a better kinred then he God will once reueale the â—ecrets of hearts and then wee shall reioyce that there is nothing of ours hid better to receiue the reproach of flesh and after receiue the glory of God Iohn his preaching began at confession the prodigall Son called heauen and earth to witnesse his impiety Paul did euer tell vs hee was a persecutor the Theefe entred not into Paradise til he first in the hearing of Israel sayd We are rightly punished and receiue things worthy of that wee haue done This then touched the glory of God and therefore wee must forsâ—ke the loue of our selfe we must not dissemble with him that cannot bee mocked in the middest of the congregation I will praise thee I will declare thy Name vnto my Bretheren saith Christ. Gods graces must neither be locked vp in our hearts but will burne within like fire I haue beleeued therfore I spake A fire I say shut vp in our bones wee shall bee weary with forbearing I will speake thy name before Kings and will not be ashamed CON. 74. God hath giuen his Elect as a free gift to Christ. EXPLA. The Apostle telleth vs Behold the children which thou hast giuen me This teacheth vs to acknowledge his gift and grace and not any wisedome in vs why hee would choose vs or any constancy in vs by which wee would cleaue vnto him but God in his grace drew vs that we might come vnto him and with his power he strengthneth vs that we should abide with him All that my Father giueth vnto me commeth vnto me and the reason is because my Father hath giuen them to me and he is greater then all and hee prayeth oftentimes in that long prayer for them that beleeue because his Father hath giuen them vnto him that we may be taught humility that in vs that is in our flesh ther dwelleth no goodnesse but that he chose vs he did it of his free grace and mercy which he would shew vnto vs and as wee know that once God hath freely giuen vs vnto Christ so wee know our election standeth sure because it is according to his promise who hath loued vs for euer CON. 75. To know the sufserings of Christ aright is our greatest consolation EXPLA. Christ suffered the death ouer which the Deuil had power the same death which is the reward of sinne by bearing it he ouercame it and he conquered no more then hee submitted himselfe vnto for by death hee ouercame death and he hath brokeÌ„ the force of it no further then he had felt the sting of it in himself for body and soule hee was made a sacrifice sor our