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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	good_a	see_v	word_n	1,813	5	4.0812	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A67691	The method of salvation In two parts. I. A sinner's conversion to saving faith in God through Christ. II. The progress of a believer from his conversion to his perfection, under the work of sanctification. By John Warren, M.A. sometime minister of the gospel at Hatfield Broad-Oak in Essex.	Warren, John, minister of Hatfield Broad Oak, Essex.	1696 (1696)	Wing W975; ESTC R219940	84,414	163

concernment of every one that thinks he stands 1 Cor. 10 12. to take heed lest he fall That your grounds may be good and safe take a few Directions Direct 1. Be very careful to acquaint your selves with the Word of God 'T is the Glass in which you may see your own faces and what manner of persons ye are James 1.24 2dly Watch narrowly over your hearts and lives that you may know what is your general aim and intendment wherein you exercise your selves as Paul Acts 24.16 Herein do I exercise my self c. For a Christian is to try himself by his main purpose and design as the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 1.12 Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience 3dly Rest not upon other mens judgments of you Gal. 6.4 Let every man prove his own work the work that is wrought by him of what sort it is and so the work of Grace which is by himself or others thought to be wrought in him 4. Think not to confirm your Assurance by changing modes and ways of Christianity Neither in this mountain nor yet at Jerusalem shall ye worship the Father John 4.21 In this Mountain there was their Forefathers Example leading them to Mount Gerezim c. But ye that is the Jews plead Solomon's building and God's blessing the Temple at Jerusalem Some have tried this way of changing forms and been quieted a little while but their doubts have returned and must needs for any help that can be that way gotten Evidences of Salvation are internal and standing things abiding 5thly Slight not any hopeful Evidence because you yet find some doubts Paul blessed God that with his mind he served the law of Christ though with the flesh the law of sin Rom. 7. last Assurance is always imperfect and this first work is always needful as I shall shew if God will in the next Step. 6thly Wait always on God by Prayer for information concerning your own estate See Psalm 139.1 2 and 23d Verses Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting MATTH XIII 44. The kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field The which when a man hath found he hideth and for joy thereof goeth and selleth that he hath and buyeth that field THE second Period or degree of a Believer's motion towards his Perfection may be described by rejoycing in Christ as that which is most signal and remarkable in Believers of some little standing after they have a-while conflicted with Fears and Doubts and taken some solicitous pains to assure themselves that they are in a state of grace By this time it is usual with God to give them peace and persuade them of his special love Some Sermon or other he imploys on purpose to disperse their darkness Some Promise or other he so interprets and applies to them as to make it look them in the face and speak comfort to them Sometimes it comes in return to some earnest prayer that they have lately made for it Sometimes when they are sadly pondering their doubts and almost overwhelmed with sorrows But usually when they have little expectation of it then they hear the voice of peace and receive intimation of the love of God and this highly rejoyces and chears up their hearts As our Saviour's words which I have read imply The kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field the which when a man hath found he hideth and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath By the Kingdom of Heaven I understand the Salvation of God in Jesus Christ the perfection whereof is that it crowns men with a Kingly Heavenly and Eternal Glory This Salvation our Saviour here compares to hidden Treasure because as it is of infinite value and excellency so it is unseen by men till their eyes are opened by the Gospel and they are brought by Faith to Jesus Christ and made to believe in him 2 Cor. 4.4 In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the image of God should shine unto them Then when a man believes he finds the Treasure Jesus Christ is found by faith Isa 65.1 To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed Christ is the arm of the Lord and when he is revealed he is found and he that finds him findeth life Prov. 8.35 and when the Soul has thus found Salvation his great care is to secure it to himself that he may be sure of it and not fail to obtain it which I take to be here intimated by hiding of the Treasure when 't is found For in such a case a man's way to ascertain himself of the attainment of what he has found is to make it as sure as he can from other hands that he may not miss of it and having so done he rejoices in the hope of having it to himself which signifies that joy whereof I am now speaking viz. The joy of a Believer under persuasion that he is in a state of salvation The same joy is that reported of the Samaritans Acts 8.8 There was great joy in that city And Verse the 39th it 's said The Eunuch went on his way rejoycing And that in Acts 16.34 He rejoyced believing with all his heart And Rom. 5.1 2. We rejoyce in hope of the glory of God Some Instances of this Joy in Christians upon their first assurance of Salvation after their coming to Christ by faith I shall now shew you And the first Instance is Inst 1. A very thankful remembrance of the means by which they have been awakened and persuaded to return to God Though many Christians are unable to give a particular account of the first time and means of their Conversion yet ordinarily they remember by what means they have been more remarkably stirred up and moved to enquire after God and seek peace with him and are very thankful to God for it And so you shall hear them blessing God for such or such a Sermon or such a man's Ministry whereby it pleased God to set them a moving toward himself O that was a proper word for my case I thought the word was chosen and the Sermon studied on purpose for me it came home so closely to me discovering my sin shewing me what was my confidence and how I deluded my self in it what was my danger and how near I was to it I little thought to have been so fully met withal so clearly to have seen my own face in the glass of the Law to have returned so convinced so affrighted c. I used to hear for others and to observe how they were met with and concerned in what was said But now it pleased God to give me my Portion and send me home with my own Burthen and blessed be his Grace that so and so

of thy testimonies as much as in all riches Their Joy in Christ excites them to Obedience as was said before and their Obedience advances their Joy Psalm 37.23 He delighteth in the way Thus Christians find the ways of Wisdom to be ways of Peace and her Paths Paths of pleasantness 5. Fifthly They are very desirous to acquaint themselves with godly Persons by whose converse they way be holpen on in the way of Holiness No sooner was Paul after his Conversion comforted and assured of God that he was reconciled to him and a chosen Vessel but presently He assayed to joyn himself to the Disciples Acts 9.26 even while they were yet afraid of him He knew very well that as he had Abilities whereby he might be of use to them so by walking with the wise himself might become wise Prov. 15.20 Therefore David speaks of Evil Company in Psalm 119.115 Depart from me ye evil doers for I will keep the commandments of my God 6. Sixthly They are impatient of diversion from the way of Duty or Impediments in it If any thing falls out that hinders them from a good Exercise in the season of it it 's a Sorrow and Affliction to them When they are taken off from hearing a Sermon or with-held from an Assembly for Prayer they bear it as a great Affliction as David bemoaned himself when he was with-held from the Tabernacle and the Altar Psalm 42.1 As the hart panteth after the water-brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God And Psalm 84.1 2. How amiable are thy tabernacles O Lord of Hosts my Soul longeth yea even fainteth for the courts of the Lord. This made it so great a wo to David to dwell in Mesech c. or that he was kept in a wandring Condition like the Inhabitants of Arabia Deserta with them that is wandering as they do and so kept off religious attendance on the Lord. So among those whose manner of Life was an impediment to him in his purpose and design to walk with God they were quarrel-some and contentious and he could have no peace nor rest with them unless he would go with them and do as they did Psalm 120.5 Wo is me that I sojourn in Mesech that I dwell in the tents of Kedar Now we see that this is eminent in Persons coming to a comfortable perswasion of their Interest in Christ they are impatient of any hindrance in Christian Duty they much intend the practice of Godliness and Christian Duty But there are some weaknesses attending this their intention of Duty especially at this Age which here we must take some notice of 1. Their Obedience at the first stands most in outward Actions The first care of a Christian about his Obedience is to rectify his life and amend his ways He has first notice of his outward actual Sin before he comes to be so much aware of his indwelling Corruption and so he doth not yet effectually consider no nor understand what work he has to do within himself Like unskilful Menders of the Highways where they find a Slough or Quick-sand they lay a little Gravel on the top and that holds awhile and then sinks in but wiser Men dig to the bottom and scour the Ditches to drain away the water and so clear the way Every converted man knows the Doctrine of Original Sin in some degree but men little think what the sin and wickedness of their Nature is when first they set out Heavenward till some experience of themselves has shewed them what false and treacherous proud and selfish yea sensual and brutish hearts they have within them and therefore at first if they can reform their Lives and outward Actions they think they have done their business and so fall directly upon that the Corinthians at first were careful and inquisitive about outward Actions and Estates Marriage and Celibacy or single Life 1 Cor. 7.1 eating things offered to Idols whether they might touch them or no Chap. 8.1 These were their work and enquiry not as yet so much minding their Pride which made them contentious and schismatical and therefore the Apostle heard not of that immediately from themselves as of the other matters but by those of the house of Chloe which some take to have been a Town or Village or Family at some distance from Corinth which had observed it in them 1 Cor. 1.11 For it hath been declared unto me of you my brethren by them which are of the house of Chloe that there are contentions among you Secondly 2. They are usually very much led by the example of good men as to the manner and method of Christian practice without a due enquiry after the scripture-Scripture-grounds for it Though they are heartily desirous to know the Will of God as before yet in many things they contentedly fall into the same Road wherein Christians of their time walk without examining the Rule as thinking that certainly such good men must needs be right Much is said about the way to advance Uniformity but Experience shews that Custom and Example is mostly inducing to Uniformity Well-disposed men commonly associate themselves to those whom they look upon as Disciples of Christ and do as they do without looking any further Hence they are subject to be puzled by men of unsound Opinions that object against their Christian practice because they have little but example to plead for it And here young Converts often fail not that they follow others in that that is good for that argues humility and a good esteem of them that fear God but that they observe not the Apostle's Rule which teaches to consider how those others follow Christ 1 Cor. 11.1 Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ. Thirdly 3. They do many times unduly divide themselves between Duties of Religion and their particular Callings They are at first so eager to hear Sermons and join with others in Prayer and Conference and such Christian Exercises that they take not a fitting Consideration of what God requires of them in their particular stations So their Families suffer if they have Families or their Parents or Masters are injured by their unseasonable attendance on Exercises of Christianity while they forget the Ordinance of God that in six days we should do all our work all that is incumbent on us as necessary to be done Yea this way sometimes young Professors take themselves off from their business and unfit themselves for it and sometimes disorder their minds and weaken their very natural Faculties by an irregular Intention I say by an irregular Intention upon spiritual things and this turns much to the disparagement of Religion among them that have a mind to take up all Exceptions against it that they can meet with as if Religion put People besides themselves Thus 't is many times with Christians at first setting out but afterward we find them and they find themselves slow enough and lamentably backward to the best Exercises Fourthly 4thly The