Selected quad for the lemma: friend_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
friend_n	love_v	peter_n	preposterous_a	25	3	15.8363	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A64251	Peter his repentance shewing, among other things, these two points for edification I. what weakenes remaines in Gods owne children, especially in times of triall and danger, and to, what little cause they have to trust their hearts, or be confident of themselves, but get to be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. II. what is the power of Gods grace and covenant, for renewing His children by repentance, and so, what encouragement they have to return after every fall, and goe on in their course of watchfulnesse, humiliation, prayer, and magnifying of Jesus Christ / by Dr. Thomas Taylor.	Taylor, Thomas, 1576-1632.	1653 (1653)	Wing T569; ESTC R20311	101,739	76

slaine then so great and godly a King stayned in his honour and reputed an Adulterer seldome can Satan draw on a great sinne without some false glasse or glosse we must therefore attend to the mouth of God walke in the paths of his wisedome and turn not aside for shewes remember Prov. 3. 5. trust to the Lord and leane not to thine owne wisedome and ver 6. In all thy wayes acknowledge the Lord and he will direct thy steps Vse 4. Lastly here is a notable rule to be observed in friendship examine the love thou shewest to thy friend by the love of God 1. Take heed thy love be subordinate to the love of God that if thou canst not please both thy friend be not pleased with Gods displeasure Mat. 10. 37. He that loveth Father and Mother better then me is not worthy of me nay he that hateth them not Luke 14. 26. so did not Peter he should first have loved Christ as his Lord and then as his friend had he done so he would have kept his word 2. Love the Word better then thy friend Peter should have stucke to the word and not to Christs Person 3. See thy love to thy friend be not preposterous that thy affection destroy him not here Peters friend helpes forward his sin though perhaps unawares The subtilty of Satan creepes into our friendship and fellowships that by our improvidence we instead of helping and loving them hurt them more then the Enemies could doe We must pray for wisedome and judgement that neither willingly nor unawares we either councell or lead them into any sin or uphold any sin in them or hinder in them any good But contrarily become true friends to their Soules it is lamentable that a Father should discourage the Child the Husband the Wife c. from piety and religion or that they should abet evill or counsell or draw one another to ev●l as there is the greatest hatred so ordinarily it ends in most bitter hatred Warming himselfe by the Fire WEE have seene Peter gotten into the Hall of the high Priest What is he doing there she saw Peter warming himselfe Three of the Evangelists make mention of this circumstance John 18. 18. expresseth also his company the high Priests servants and officers stood c. who had made a fire of Coals for it was cold and they warmed themselves and Peter also stood among them and warmed himselfe Luke 22. 56. Peter sat by the fire and warmed himselfe We need take no notice of that small diversity one of the Evangelists says he stood another he sat warming himselfe both are true for in so long time he somtimes stood sometimes sat warming himselfe as they did Concerning the Company of Peter he found a great change instead of Christ and his Apostles teaching hearing conferring praying confirming one another against Temptations and provoking to the love of the Lord he is among a company of Rackshels and prophane Serving-men of the high Priest who are at busie against Christ as their Master and all their tongues and talke bent against Christ which was now the businesse in hand and Peter if he will be safe among them must frame himselfe unto them Had he beene in the Mountaine or in the Temple or in his owne House with his Master his exercise had bin otherwise but now he is in the Pretory of the Jewes and in the House of the high Priest where Christ indeed was but taken and bound and mockt accused and condemned no safe place to confesse the truth and what can he doe there but deny Note How soone even Gods children are corrupted with wicked Company even Peter a great and forward Disciple of Christ full of zeale and courage who will pray professe and immediately before draw the Sword in Christs quarrell within two or three houres afore with Christ and his fellow Disciples now can deny among persecutors Great is the force of wicked Company to pervert even a godly minde how easily was good Abraham brought to make a lye for his owne safety as Peter did here when he was in Gerar where the feare of God was not Gen. 20. 2. How easily a good man may be brought to Sweare through custome and continuance with evill persons see in godly Joseph who dwelt in Egypt and could swear by the life of Pharaoh Reason 1. A pronenesse in godly men to be withdrawne by evill Company as the body to be infected by a Pestilentiall ayre so the minde by the contagion of bad company it appeareth by the phrase Prov. 1. 15. When evill men entice thee c. withdraw thy foot from their path drawing backe the foot argues an inclination and propensity even in the Son of Wisdome to walke with them And Chap. 4. ver 14. advising to keepe the way of Wisdome as life it selfe as a meanes to hold in the right way he counselleth not to enter the way of wicked men nor walke in their way and to acquaint us with our owne inclination that way● marke his vehemency ver 15. Avoid it goe not by it turne from it passe by it What need so many repetitions if we were not prone to the lust of it Reas. 2. There is a bewitching focr● in evill company to draw even a good minde beyond his owne purpose and resolution Doe you thinke Peter had a purpose now to deny his Master whose purpose immediately before was so strong against it but now suddenly in other company he is another man Wherefore else did the Lord so earnestly charge his own People among whom he had done such marvailes as were not done in all the world Exod. 34. 10. to looke diligently to themselves to make no compact with the people of the Land least they should be brought to utter departing from God and to their most grosse Idolatry ver 12. 15. Numb 11. 4. that great sinne of Lusting so fearfully revenged was begun by some Strangers that came out of Egypt who fell a lusting and turned away and the children of Israel also lusted and hence it is as impossible for a man to be still in the Sun and not be ●and or touch Pitch and not be fouled as to be still in evill Company and not be evill Vse 1. For Gods Children to avoyd and separate themselves from sinners society the danger of infection leaves it not a thing indifferent for a man to choose any Company but as necessary to avoyd sinne it selfe so the company of sinners can there be true fellowship with God and his enemies too Motive 1. What agreement between darknesse and light and between righteousnesse and unrighteousnesse 2 Cor. 6. 16. what delight for a Sheep among a herd of Swine 2. Every mans company tels what he is a good man may be cast into evill company by occasion or improvidence as Peter and be none of them but as the company he affecteth and seeketh is so is he Ravens flocke together by companies so doe

Doves flye together so wicked men love wicked mens company and godly delight in the Saints which excell in vertue A good man is described that he will neither stand nor walke in the way of sinners Psal. 1. 1. nor will sort with workers of iniquity Psal. 1. 4. 3. The practise of wicked men should make good men shun their company for wherein are their sports and delights but in things which displease God and grieve his spirit and the spirits of all that love God and his glory what can a good man see in such company but must either infect him or at least offend him in every thing almost What else ayme they at when a good man fals into their company but either to allure him unto some evill or make him more remisse in some good Objec But if we should avoyd wicked company we must goe out of the world evill men are so rise and bad examples so universall 1 Cor. 5. 10. Answ. Every conversation with wicked men is not condemned there may be some perso●all conversation as Lot in Sodome neither can we expect the floore of Christ so cleansed as that there is no Chaffe with Wheat and Lillies must grow among Thornes but 1. Unnecessary scandals and perilous prejudiciall to our faith and piety must be avoyded Israel cannot get out of Egypt to sacrifice to the Lord. 2. If we cannot avoyd their persons avoyd their fashions affections courses 3. Mourne that thou art forced to dwell in Meshech and to have abode in the tents of Kedar Psal. 120. 5. Vex thy righteous soule daily with Lot to heare and see the uncleane conversation of the wicked 4. Choose to sit alone rather then with such company Jer. 15. 17. grieving he should be reserved to see such times he professeth that he did not sit in the assembly of mockers but sat alone so Elias complaineth that he was left alone Objec But this will be thought singularity pride of heart disdaining our neighbours I shall be thought to seeme better then others or that no company is good enough for me or out of singularity cast off my old company and good-fellowship Answ. 1. Sathan hath many pretences to keepe good men in bad company Lot having bin once or twice warned by the Angel prolonged the time and made not such haste to get out of the company of the Sodomites till the fire had almost overtaken him Gen. 19. 14. But it will be thy safety and duty to remember the Commandement and linger not 2. I must get Gods good conceit of me and contemne what men s●nisterly judge of me I can never approve my selfe to God and evill men 3. When thou art fully resolved to be a good man thou wilt utterly disdaine evill company Psal. 119. 115. Away from me ye wicked for I will keepe the Commandement of my God 4. Thou wouldst be ashamed of the company of a Harlot but thy companions are impudent in sinne as the Harlot nay their lives are beastly as Beasts themselves lesse harme in dwelling with brute Beasts then these reasonable Vse 2. Reprove the indifferency of them that can brook all company and company with all manner of persons if they be Atheists Blasphemers Ruffians c. can fashion to them and be as good fellowes as the best doest thou professe the Religion of God and in courses joyne with open enemies consider Psal. 50. 16. Thou runnest with the Theife and art a companion with Adulterers what hast thou to doe to take mine Ordinances in thy mouth either to Preach or professe seeing t●ou hatest to be reformed These men let them fall in company of good men can personate and speake of matters of Religion what good Sermons they have heard give testimony to some good Preachers and others but herein they are artificial their other course is naturall and proper to them this most violent and strained out of one mouth can there issue sweet water and bitter How much blameworthy are they that choose wicked society and familiarity Is it no sinne for Daughters of God to match and marry with Sonnes of Men for a Man professing Religion to marry an idolatrous Papist A Man acquainted with his owne perill will avoyd Alliance and bad acquaintance farther off and be carefull to avoyd bad company for a little while much more so neare and undivided and personall familiarity Where is there a Trader that careth who he be familiar withall for gaine or a Merchant almost that refuseth to live in any Idolatrous Nation as Spaine Italy or other where he cannot live without bowing to Baal Or Gamester that careth how prophane he be that will beare him company or drinke Remember the counsel of Peter to new Converts Acts 3. 4. Save your selves from this untoward generation and you may helpe to save them by avoyding them and making them ashamed c. remember the shame in the end losse of good name the sorrow of sinne committed and duties omitted Vse 3. Joyn your selves to such as feare God in whom thou mayest espie Gods Image and Graces for thy Patterne Example Provocation Incouragement By whom thou mayest be admonished instructed strengthned and helpt out of thy weaknesse It seemes very sweet to sit warme among wicked men to eate and drinke and be joviall with them but there is a bitter sawce for such sweet meats as in Peter but on the contrary in company of godly men thou art under the shadow of Gods mercy for their sakes God loveth his children and their friends for Lots sake his Family was saved And among the wicked Gods anger hangeth over thy head as they are punished so mayest thou be therefore depart from the tents of these wicked men A Plague is comming Now his Action Warmed himselfe PEter had little businesse here but to see what would be the issue of Christs apprehension to while away the time he sitteth downe to warme himselfe with the Serving-men Note 1. Peter had one end in being there God had another had Peter savoured the revealed will of God he had not bin there who had no other material businesse but to sit down and warme himselfe But by the secret will and providence of God Peter must be here not onely to accomplish the word of Christ but for another speciall purpose he must be here more for the Churches good then his owne that while by being here his owne Faith failes he might be a meanes to confirme the Faith of the Church so God one rules his weaknesse as he must be an eye witnesse of all Christs sufferings in the house of the high Priest both from the councell the Servants and Master himselfe Never did any evill befall any of Gods Servants but by Gods overruling power was turned to some good to themselves and others not onely of evill punishment but of sin it selfe for even that is under all things Rom. 8. 28. turned to the best The greatest poysons are by the skill