Selected quad for the lemma: kingdom_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
kingdom_n	glory_n	power_n	time_n	1,784	5	3.3791	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A53700	Gospel grounds and evidences of the faith of God's elect shewing : I. The nature of true saving faith, in securing of the spiritual comfort of believers in this life, is of the highest importance, II. The way wherein true faith doth evidence it self in the soul and consciences of believers, unto their supportment and comfort, under all their conflicts with sin, in all their tryals and temptations, III. Faith will evidence it self, by a diligent, constant endeavour to keep it self and all grace in due exercise, in all ordinances of divine worship, private and publick, IV. A peculiar way whereby true faith will evidence it self, by bringing the soul into a state of repentance / by John Owen ...	Owen, John, 1616-1683.	1695 (1695)	Wing O759; ESTC R9544	55,512	98

Beauty and Approbation of this Holiness as that which nothing can produce but sincere and saving Faith Secondly FAITH approves of this way of Holiness and Obedience as that which gives that Rectitude and Perfection unto our Nature whereof it is capable in this World It is the only Rule and Measure of them and whatever is contrary thereunto is perverse crooked vile and base Some Men think that their Nature is capable of no other Perfection but what consists in the Satisfaction of their Lusts they know no other Blessedness nothing that is suitable to their Desires but the Swinge of Nature in the Pursuit of its corrupt Lusts and Pleasures So are they described by the Apostle Eph. 4. 19. The Business of their Lives is to make Provision for the flesh to fulfill it in the Lusts thereof They walk in the Lusts of the flesh fulfilling so far as they are able the Desires of the Flesh and of the Mind Ephes. 2. 3. They neither know nor understand what an Hell of Confusion Disorder and base Degeneracy from their Original Constitution their Minds are filled withall this Perfection is nothing but the next Disposition unto Hell and it doth manifest its own vileness unto every one who hath the least Ray of Spiritual Light SOME among the Heathen placed the Rectitude of Nature in Moral Virtues and Operations according unto them and this was the utmost that natural Light could could ever rise up unto But the Uncortainty and Weakness hereof are discovered by the Light of the Gospel IT is Faith alone that discovers what is good for us in us and unto us whilst we are in this World It is in the Renovation of the Image of God in us in the Change and Transformation of our Nature into his Likeness in acting from a gracious Principle of a Divine Life in Duties and Operations suited thereunto in the participation of the Divine Nature by the Promises that the Good the Perfection the Order the present Blessedness of our Nature do consist HEREBY are the Faculties of our Souls exalted elevated and enabled to act primigenial Powers with respect unto God and our Enjoyment of him which is our utmost End and Blessedness Hereby are our Affections placed on their proper Objects such as they were created meet for and in closing wherewith their Satisfaction Order and Rest doth consist namely God and his Goodness or God as revealed in Jesus Christ by the Gospel hereby all the Powers of our Souls are brought into a blessed Frame and Harmony in all their Operations whatever is dark perverse unquiet vise and base being cast out of them but these things must be a little more distinctly explained 1. THERE is in this Gospel-Holiness as the Spring and Principle of it a spiritual saving Light enabling the Mind and Understanding to know God in Christ and to discern spiritual things in a spiritual saving manner for herein God shines into our Hearts to give us the Knowledge of his Glory in the Face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. 6. Without this in some Degree whatever pretence there may be or Appearance of Holiness in any there is nothing in them of what is really so and thereon accepted with God Blind Devotion that is an Inclination of Mind unto Religious Duties destitute of this Light will put Men on a Multiplication of Duties especially such as are of their own Invention in a shew of Wisdom in Will-worship Humility and neglecting of the Body as the Apostle speaks Col. 1. 23. wherein there is nothing of Gospel-Holiness THE new man is renewed in Knowledge after the Image of him that created him Col. 3. 10. That this saving Light and Knowledge is the Spring and Principle of all real Evangelical Holiness and Obedience the Apostle declares in that Description which he gives us of the whole of it both in its Beginning and Progress Col. 1. 9 10 11. We desire that you may be filled with the Knowledge of his Will in all Wisdom and spiritual Understanding That you might walk worthy of the Lord in all pleasing being fruitful in every good Work and encreasing in the Knowledge of God strengthned with all might according to his glorious Power unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness It is a blessed Account that is here given us of that Gospel-Holiness which we enquire after in its Nature Original Spring Progress Fruits and Effects And a serious Consideration of it as here proposed a View of it in the Light of Faith will evidence how distant and different it is from those Schemes of Moral Virtues which some would substitute in its room it hath a Glory in it which no unenlightned Mind can behold or comprehend the foundation of it is laid in the Knowledge of the Will of God in all Wisdom and Spiritual-Understanding this is that spiritual saving Light whereof we 〈◊〉 the Encrease hereof is prayed for in Believers by the Apostle Ephes. 1. 17 18. Even that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Glory would give unto you the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the Knowledge of him the Eyes of your Understanding being enlightned that you may know what is the Hope of his Calling and what is the Riches of the Glory of his Inheritance in the Saints which here is called encreasing in the Knowledge of God ver 10. The singular Glory of this saving Light in its Original its Causes Use and Effects is most illustriously here declared and this Light is in every true Believer and is the only immediate Spring of all Gospel-Holiness and Obedience For The new man is renewed in Knowledge after the Image of him that created him Col. 3. 10. THIS Light this Wisdom this spiritual Understanding thus communicated unto Believers is the Rectitude and Perfection of their Minds in this VVorld It is that which gives them Order and Peace and Power enabling them to act all their Faculties in a due manner with respect unto their Being and End It is that which gives Beauty and Glory to the inward man and which constitutes a Believer an Inhabitant of the Kingdom of Light whereby we are delivered from the Power of Darkness and translated into the Kingdom of the Son of God's Love Col. 1. 13. Or out of Darkness into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2. 9. THAT which is contrary hereunto is that Ignorance Darkness Blindness and Vanity which the Scripture declares to be in the Minds of all unregenerate Persons and they are really so where they are not cured by the glorious working of the Power and Grace of God before-mentioned NOW Faith discerneth these things as the spiritual man discerneth all things 1 Cor. 2. 15. It sees the Beauty of this heavenly Light and judgeth that it is that which giveth Order and Rectitude unto the Mind as also that which is contrary unto it is vile base horrid and to be ashamed of As for those who love Darkness more than Light because their Deeds are

eminent as that it might appear unto all Men that is who are concerned in us as Relations Families and other Societies this is that which principally renders us useful and exemplary in this World and for the want whereof many Professors fill themselves and others with Disquietments and give Offence unto the World it self This is required of all Believers but they will be eminent in it in whom Faith works this Weanedness from the World in order unto a peculiar Exercise of Repentance 3. THERE is required hereunto an Unsollicitousness about present Affairs and future Events There is nothing given us in more strict Charge in the Scripture than that we should be careful in nothing sollicitous about nothing take no thought for to morrow but to commit all things unto the sovereign Disposal of our God and Father who hath taken all these things into his own Care But so it is come to pass through the Vanity of the minds of Men that what should be nothing unto them is almost their all Care about things present and Sollicitousness about things to come in private and publick Concerns take up most of their Thoughts and Contrivances But this also will Faith subdue on this Occasion where it tends unto the Promotion of Repentance by weanedness from the World It will bring the Soul into a constant steady universal Resignation of it self unto the Pleasure of God and Satisfaction in his Will Hereon it will use the World as if it used it not with an absolute Inconcernment in it as unto what shall fall out This is that which our Saviour presseth so at large and with so many divine Reasonings Mat. 6. 25 to the 34. 4. A constant Preferrence of the Duties of Religion before and above the Duties and Occasions of Life These things will continually interfere if a diligent Watch be not kept over them and they will contend for preferrence and their Success is acording to the Interest and Estimation which the things themselves have in our Minds If the Interest of the World be there prevalent the Occasions of it will be preferred before Religious Duties and they shall for the most part be put off unto such Seasons wherein we have nothing else to do and it may be sit for little else But where the Interest of spiritual Things prevails it will be otherwise according to the Rule given us by our Blessed Saviour Seek first the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof c. Mat. 6. 33. I confess this Rule is not absolute as unto all Seasons and Occasions there may be a Time wherein the Observation of the Sabbath must give place to the pulling an Ox or an Ass out of a Pit and on all such Occasions the Rule is that Mercy is to be preferred before Sacrifice But in the ordinary Course of our Walking before God Faith will take Care that a due Attendance unto all Duties of Religion be preferred to all the Occasions of this Life they shall not be shuffled off on trifling Pretences nor cast into such unseasonable seasons as otherwise they will be There also belongs unto that Weanedness from this World which is necessary unto an Eminency in degrees of Humiliation and Repentance Watching unto Prayer 5. WILLINGNESS and Readiness to part with all for Christ and the Gospel this is the animating Principle of the great Duty of taking up the Cross and Self-denial therein Without some measure of it in Sincerity we cannot be Christ's Disciples But in the present Case there is an Eminent Degree which Christ calls the hating of all things in comparison of him that is required such a Readiness as rejects with Contempt all arguing against it such as renders the World no Burthen unto it in any part of our Race such as establisheth a determinate Resolution in the Mind that as God calls the World and all the Concernments of it should be forsaken for Christ and the Gospel Our Countenances and Discourses on Difficulties do not argue that this Resolution is prevalent in us but so it is required in that work of Faith which we are in the Consideration of 2. A second thing that belongs hereunto is a peculiar Remembrance of Sin and Converse about it in our Minds with Self-displicency and Abhorrency God hath promised in his Covenant that he will remember our Sins no more that is to punish them but it doth not thence follow that we should no more remember them to be humbled for them Repentance respects Sin always wherever therefore that is there will be a continual calling Sin to remembrance saith the Psalmist My Sin is ever before me THERE is a threefold Calling our past Sins unto remembrance 1. WITH Delight and Contentment thus is it with proffligate Sinners whose Bodies are grown unserviceable unto their youthful Lusts they call over their former Sins roll them over in their Minds express their Delight in them by their Words and have no greater Trouble but that for the want of Strength or Opportunity they cannot still live in the Practise of them this is to be old in Wickedness and to have their Bones filled with the Sins of their Youth So do many in this Age delight in filthy Communication unclean Society and all Incentives of Lust A fearful Sign of being given over unto a Reprobate Mind an Heart that cannot repent 2. THERE is a remembrance of Sin unto Disquietment Terror and Despair Where Mens Consciences are not seared with an hot Iron Sin will visit their Minds ever and anon with a troublesome remembrance of it self with its Aggravating Circumstances For the most part Men hide themselves from this Visitor they are not at home not at leisure to converse with it but shift it off like insolvent Debtors from day to day with a few transient Thoughts and Words But sometimes it will not be so put off it will come with an Arrest or a Warrant from the Law of God that shall make them stand and give an Account of themselves Hereon they are filled with Disquietments and some with Horror and Despair which they seek to pacify and divert themselves from by farther emerging themselves in the Pursuit of their Lusts the Case of Cain Gen. 4. 13 16 17. 3. THERE is a calling former Sins to remembrance as a Furtherance of Repentance and so they are a threefold Glass unto the Soul wherein it hath a trebble Object 1. IT sees in them the depravation of its Nature the evil Quality of that Root which hath brought forth such Fruit And they see in it their own Folly how they were cheated by Sin and Sathan they see the Unthankfulness and Unkindness towards God wherewith they were accompanied This fills them with holy Shame Rom. 6. 21. This is useful and necessary unto Repentance Perhaps if Men did more call over their former Sins and Miscarriages than they do they would walk more humbly and warily than they do for the most part So David in his Age prays for