Selected quad for the lemma: ground_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	believe_v	faith_n	hope_v	1,483	5	7.8841	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A39756	The fulfilling of the Scripture, or, An essay shewing the exact accomplishment of the Word of God in his works of providence, performed and to be performed for confirming the beleevers and convincing the atheists of the present time : containing in the end a few rare histories of the works and servants of God in the Church of Scotland.	Fleming, Robert, 1630-1694.	1669 (1669)	Wing F1265; ESTC R27365	219,887	314

Christ who have rather choifed sin then affliction O is it not They judge the testimony of the God of truth is not sufficient security to carry them through such a strait and are not fully perswaded that it must come to passe what he hath promised for if this were they should reckon it their greatest safety to embarque their interest on so sure a ground and with much quietnes repose their soul and disburthen their care by putting it over on the Word 6. What doth the frequent discouragement and unconfortable walk of the People of God speak forth doth it not witnes how litle they are in earnest with this great truth of the Scriptures accomplishment or establisht thereanent What meaneth these distrustful feares and perplexed complaints if their eyes be but open to know they have such a well as the promise of God at their hand hovv is it that the smallest straites are so puzling and ready to out wit them that they so usually stumble at the crosse And as things from without doe appear their eucouragement made to ebb and flow Is not here the cause That they stagger at the promise whilst probabilities in some visible way doth not go along for its performance It s truely easy to have some sweet notions of faith at a distance but whilst the tryal comes near upon such a closse approach that there is not an other way but to put the whole stresse of their particular interest on the Word and on it alone many are then at a stand because they are not throughly assured that though the earth should be overturned there is an absolut necessity for the promise of God to take place Now from these things may it not appear that this grave truth of the Scriptures accomplishment is but little known or studyed I confesse we may think on it with astonishment how a matter so nearly concerning is not more our work there are indeed many things vvorthy to be knopvvn but our short life can scarce allovv time or give leasure for the study thereof but O this thongh vve had only 2 dayes to live I think might require the one to be sure and persvvaded anent the truth of that vvhereon our heaven and eternal blessednesse lyeth to vvhich vve must lay the dead grip vvhen vve are in the passage at that strange step betvvixt time and eternity O vvhat a vvonder hovv rational souls vvho vvalke on the border of the greatest hope and fear imaginable can yet be so unconcerned thereanent such serious thoughts might force men to retire and go sit alone and truely these things gravely considered may seem strange and hard to reconcile 1. That there is such a thing as the very Word and Testimony of God this day upon record vvherevvith vve have so much to doe vvhich doth offer it self to mens tryal and exactest search and yet vve put it so little to that touchstone that vve may knovv it upon an other account then report or hear-say 2. Hovv in a matter of such high importance as salvation through all eternity and the ground of this hope me ● should take the truth on an implicit faith or satis●y themselves with a common assent thereto as though it vvere enough to vvitnes our beleeving the same because vve did never doubt or call it in question I am sure men vvould not be so lax and so easy to satisfy in the most common interest they have here in the World 3. Hovv can men render to others a reason of their hope vvhen it is enquired vvho did never ask a reason of this at themselves or vvill these seale the truth vvith their blood who never had it sealed upon their heart by experierrce 4. Wence is it that men can have comfort in Scripture who are not well grounded in the faith thereof Indeed these who are solidly perswaded anent the truth and its certain outmaking may have much joy and peace whilst they know the ground of their confidence can bear up any stresse or burden they lay upon it and for what end did the Lord witnes the certainty of his Word by two immutable things wherein its impossible for him to lie but that from so sure and strong a ground his People might have strong consolation 5. How can any think to adventure their immortal soul upon that whereon they fear to venture an outward interest or put over their dearest things in his hand and keeping who could never say they know in whom they beleeved 6. May it not seem strange that men can beleeve a certain performance of the Word and promises and not be more deeply affected therewith O is this true shall it surely come to passe and not one jot thereof fall to the ground and should it not cause us awake in the night and bear us more company Ought we not to think our selves at a losse that day wherein we take not a turn in the meditation of divine truth if we be sure that these must take place 7. I would adde if this be indeed the Scripture of God which surely hath an accomplishment O how are we so little Christians Why doth mens walk so sadly jarr with so great an hope What manner of persons should these be that are perswaded within a little these heavens must passe away as a scoll the elements melt with ●ervent heat and the earth be burnt up I think if this will not presse home on men to be serious and diligent they must be in a very sad lethargie V. The accomplishment of the Scripture is a most clear and undenyable witnes of its Divinity that it is his Word who is not like man to ly or the son of man to repent and hath this as its distinguishing character that not one syllable thereof falls to the ground This is the undoubted priviledge of God and of him alone to forsee things contingent which are many ages after to fall out and hath no dependance upon necessary and natural causes and truely this may be a convincing argument yea we may say of all external testimonies is the greatest but its strange to think what a generation there is who can sport at the Scripture and question the truth thereof who yet did never once seriously enquire if such a thing be true else so clear a witne might stare them in the face such a party we should look on with compassion it s also sad to think at how poor a rate far below their allowance many of the Saints doe here live because there is so little of that excellent and more noble Spirit to search the Scripture for their further comfort and establishment thereby It is true this blessed record doth bear witnes to it self and is knowen by its own light whereon there is such a visible impresse of the glorious God such convincing marks of its true discent as may throughly shew whose it is and how far it exceeds all humane invention and thus by a clear manifestation of the truth

Children who are these that flee as a cloud like the doves to their windowes O blessed day in which the light did first break up on the poor ofspring of Iaphet who then dwelt in the shadow and region of death O blest day that brought salvation with it to the gentils wherein the Lord did visit these dark places of the earth which were full of the habitations of cruelty I think the sense of so great a mercy should never let us want an errant for giving thanks yea put much to silence our other complaints 4. Is it not also clear that not only as to the time but these very places of the earth which Esai and other of the Prophets did particularly point at this promise had an exact accomplishment for it is this day manifest the isles which we find so frequently mentioned that these should wait for his law and the uttermost parts of the earth whence he should bring th● Daughter of his dispersed may have a clear commentar upon the same from what the Lord hath done to Britain and Ireland with other remote parts of the earth yea hath not the Aethiopians been made to stretch out their hands even in these sun-burnt places of Africk hath not Christ also had a conquest where many a black moore was through grace made as the snow of Salmon and the feathers of a dove so that it is clear how these particular places which were so oft pointed at by the Prophets have been visited by the Gospel and fallen to the share of the Church 5. This change which by the incoming of the gentils to the Church was wrought upon the Earth is a thing so great and astonishing that were it still in the promise and this not yet fulfilled it would truely stagger our faith how such a thing should ever come to passe and is there not here a miracle that the World cannot possibly deny even this great work of God in bringing of the gentils which without an extraordinary power could not be effectuat if men will consider First That svvift progresse which then the Gospel had how it did run and was glorified through the furthest parts of the earth and like a ligtning break forth from one place to another so that in the Apostles time the Scripture doth shew how most of the conspicuous Provinces of Asia had received the Gospel and Tertullian who lived in the second Century in his Book contra Iudaos doth there witnes how many nations and these most remote from other Parthians Medes Armenia Phrygia Cappadocia Pontus and Pamphilia with much of Egypt and diverse parts of Africk besides Rome Spain and other places of Europe were in his time almost wholly Christian for it is indeed clear that the bounds of the Church was then of a larger extent then it is now at this day 2. It is also undenyable that in this solemn day of the Gospels spreading amongst the nations suffering and persecution did all that time attend the Church yea in such a measure that as the writers of these times do witnes neither famine pestilence nor the sword did destroy so many of the World as then were of Christians in the two first centuries put to death for adhering to the truth and it is clear that this great work of God in such a swift spreading of the Church was most discernable in these times of hottest persecution yea then was her most effectual grouth and increase which upon her getting some rest and beginning to flowrish with external peace was at a visible stand 3 How marvellous a thing was this to be brought about if we consider the many different languages that did then stop correspondence between the Church and the rest of the earth for how could the truth thus spread among the nations yea in such remote places of the World Churches be planted by the Apostles and have the Scripture translated and made legible to them without that extraordinary gift of tongues which for that end was then given from the Lord sure beside sacred authority anent this reason may convincingly witnes to the World the truth of such a miracle 4. How strange and wonderful a change was this that in so short a time the Gospel should thus enlighten and put such a lustre on the most rude and savage places of the earth where scarse humanity had been and bring them from the condition of beasts to men should thus tame and civilize the greatest Barbarians and cause the lion to ly down with the lamb yea by the preaching of that Gospel and of a crucified Christ which as it was to the Jewes a stumbling block so to the Greeks foolishnes And in a word was not this indeed a miracle how in a mattet of such high concernment as that vvherein mens soul and everlasting interest lay they should be turned off their old vvay and Religion in vvhich they and their Fathers had been so long rooted that a little spark which did break up in Iudea should bring dovvn the idols of the nations and burn up their temples Alace that there is so little of a large heart of that primitive zeal and fervour this day among Christians for the enlargement of the Church that such merchants are now rare who would venture out to trade with other parts for this excellent ware the merchandise whereof is better then of gold O that in these parts where the truth is knovvn and professed the Lord vvould raise up men of such a spirit and such a Magistrat vvho vvould make it their vvork and lay dovvn solid grounds hovv to advance the Kingdome of Christ in the dark places of the earth and reckon their interest in a forrain plantation upon the account of the Gospel no lesse then on the account of trade vve vvould pray and yet hope for this VIII What vve find foretold by Daniel yea by Christ himself anent the destruction of Ierusalem and ceasing of the Iewish dayly sacrifice with the rejection of that people Dan. 12. ver 11. Matth. 24 ver 2. hath many ages past come to passe wherein the World may see how clearly the event doth answer this Prophecy for it is manifest 1. That this is a truth which doth need no other witnes then the scattered remnant and desolate ruines of that once flowrishing Church and nation of the Iewes vvhich vve see vvith our eyes at this day vvhose present state is so great a monument of divine judgement so clear a vvitnes to the Scripture that I think men cannot look thereon if they be in any measure serious but must have such a conviction 2. What hath befallen this people may it not be an astonishment to the World in all succeeding ages a stroke that hath put them in a more sad condition then any nation or people we ever yet heard of that hath cast them out of their own land scattered them as vagabonds through the earth so that these many ages they have had no scepter