Selected quad for the lemma: law_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
law_n	know_v	see_v	sin_n	7,779	5	5.1320	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A12210	Yea and amen: or, pretious promises, and priviledges Spiritually unfolded in their nature and vse. Driving at the assurance and establishing of weak beleevers. By R. Sibbs D.D. master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge, and preacher of Grayes Inne London. Reviewed by himselfe in his life time, and since perused by T.G. and P.N.	Sibbes, Richard, 1577-1635.; Goodwin, Thomas, 1600-1680.; Nye, Philip, 1596?-1672.	1638 (1638)	STC 22521; ESTC S102402	91,199	446

up and helpe maintaine a gratious frame within me Where true holinesse is the soule is sensible of all advantages and disadvantages of good An indifferency for any company or imployment shewes a dead heart This is a main difference to distinguish a childe of God from a prophane wretch that only lives to himselfe his heart is taken up wholy with the world and matters below wheras the godly are all for thriving in grace and increase of godlinesse The wicked man considers of things as they serve to satisfie his lust and if wee have better thoughts at any time it is but for a start But a godly mans aimes are alwayes holy and the strength of his soul is put forth that way He values himselfe as hee stands in relation to God and a better life and esteemes all other things more or lesse as they further or hinder his spiritual growth and bring peace and sorrow at the last unto him But I hasten to the second part of the Text The persons to whom this priviledge belongs that is to them that love God And why to them that love God because the Apostle speaketh of afflictions and wee know that the grace which is most conversant in the Saints sufferings is patience which floweth from love Also for that of all other graces is the first and sweetest it is the first for whom wee love wee are sorry to offend and hate whatsoever is contrary to that we affect we rejoyce in that we love grieve in the absence thereof It is the commanding affection of all others and setteth the whole man sweetly a work to attaine its defire Love makes us forward and zealous Christians all the inward worship of God is in the affections As thou shalt rejoyce in no God but me and feare no God but me All the Commandements of God are brought by Christ to this duty Againe love hath a speciall part in this priviledge of bringing all things to work for our good For when we love God wee will make the best use of every thing which we suffer or do If we love God and eye his glory therein Love makes any burthen easie it makes us studious of pleasing the party loved as we say in the Proverb Love me and doe with me what you will Love is full of inventions it studies complacencie and sets the soule a work to honour God in all things In that the Apostle saith To them that love God and not to the children or servants of God Wee may observe That Christianity is not a bare title but it requireth some qualification Therefore the Scriptures when they describe a Saint on earth doe not usually say the child of God but they set him forth by some holy affections or actions wrought in him As such as love God or feare God and walks in his wayes Hereby shewing that Religion is not a matter of complement but a reall and holy endeavour to please the Lord and although the Scriptures do name but some one particular affection yet it is all one as if they had named all for where one is in truth there all followes Again in that the Apostle here ascribes priviledges to those only that are thus qualified wee must take heed in applying the promises of God and these sweet consolations that we be such persons to whom of right they doe belong for all things work for the best not to every one but to such as love God We must not therefore preach comfort to all but must first labour to make men capable of it To this end 1. First wee will shew the Nature of this love 2. Secondly the exercises of it and directions unto it 3. Thirdly some incitements to this holy affection The ground of Love is a considering of God as our owne God in the covenant of Grace and an acknowledging of our selves to bee his peculiar children in Christ Jesus when wee can say as the Spouse in the Canticles I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine this is a loving of God not as the God of Nature only but as ours peculiar by Grace This union of love which knits us to Christ impileth another union by faith first which is a cleaving to God as my God and to Christ as my Christ whence issues a second conjunction or cleaving to him in love as my Saviour my Husband and my Head To come to the nature of this Grace and then to the working of it The Nature of Love is seene in foure things 1. In admiring of some secret good in the thing beloved which stirres up the soule to make out for it 2. In a studiousnesse of the contentation of the person beloved 3. In a desire of union and fellowship with the person we affect 4. In a resting and solacing of our selves in the thing wee love By these let us examine our selves whether we have the true love of God or no For it concernes us much to have this grace it will distinguish us from all others who feare him not First our love to Christ commeth from the high esteem of the good things wee see in him But how shall wee know whether that wee have this admiring of the good things we see in God and in his word and children Wee shal know it by our choice and our choice followes our judgement Would wee know whether our judgement be good See what do we choose especially when things of the world and God come together And here we want not examples to guide us The question was whether that Moses should still choose to live in Pharaohs Court and hee accounted his sonne in law or else depart and suffer adversity with Gods children Now Moses by sound judgement had an high esteeme of the excellencie and priviledges of the Saints And therfore chose rather to endure afflictions than to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season Let us then see whether wee can be contented to part with our preferment or pleasure for God or no. And whether we do esteeme the rebukes of Christ greater riches than the treasures of the world whether we can lay down our lives and liberties at Christs feet and gladly want all so we may enjoy him If it be so with us our estate is good Againe let us see whether wee have a right prizing of the good things in God Doe wee delight to speak much and often of Christ and the benefits we receive by him How was Saint Pauls heart enlarged and his tongue full of heavenly eloquence in setting sorth the unspeakable mercies of God which wee have by Christ Jesus our Lord If God be on our side who can be against us saith he What shall separate us from the love of Christ Shall tribulation shall anguish and affliction I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor any other thing can doe it Another signe to know whether we have a secret admiration of the good things

thereby I am taught to know thee In all troubles that befall him hee professeth that it is good for him to cleave unto God And the lesse outward wealth he hath the more he seeks for inward grace making a holy use of all things Vpon these instructions hence delivered let us take a view of ourselves and try whether we in our afflictions are such as cleave to God and are drawne neerer to him thereby call to mind the crosses wherewith God hath exercised thee and the blessings which at any time he hath bestowed upon thee and see how in both thou hast beene bettered see what profitable use thou hast made thereof for thy soules comfort Let us see how we have followed the providence of God in his dealing with us for if we have an interest in his goodnesse then will wee bee carefull as God turnes all things for our good so to follow the same together with him for the good of our souls Now because things do not alwayes conduce to the good of Gods children as outward Peace and prosperity oftentimes make them worse therefore some may object how can this be true which here the Apostle saith That all things doe worke together for the best to them that love God The answer hereunto is that for the most part the children of God doe take the good of the blessings which God bestowes on them and avoid the snares of evill which accompany the same Iob saith The things I feared are come upon me By which we see that Iob in the midst of his prosperity did feare and was jealous over himselfe But a more plainer answer of the objection is that if the good things of God as Peace Plenty and Prosperity doe fall out at the first to their ill yet neverthelesse they shall prove in the end a great gaine unto them for whereas by occasion of these they formerly fell having too high an estimation of the creature and overprizing the same they see now more into their nature and learne to contemne them Againe the outward good things of this life shew the weaknesse of Gods servants and serve to try what is in them and therefore we read of Hezekias that God left him to try what was in him the outward treasure which he had was a meanes to make knowne to himselfe and others the pride and vanity of his minde the plenty prosperity of the Saints are greater triers of them than adversities and wants For many that have comfortably gone through a low condition have yet foully failed in a full estate their corruptions breaking forth to the view of others prosperity teaches men themselves it tries their spirits and layes them open to the world Therefore it seemeth good to God to strip his servants of these outward things They can acknowledge with patience his righteous dealing knowing that mans happinesse consists not in abundance of these things but that the blessing of God is riches enough But some may object and say I have beene long afflicted and have had many crosses upon me and little good doe I finde by them I am never the better but rather the worse for all This may be true thou sayst but stay a little and consider the event howsoever by reason of the bitternesse and continuance of the crosse hitherto thou findest little good thereby yet know that God is all this while but in hammering and working of thy unruly heart thy good will follow afterwards We see by experience that sick persons while they are in their physick are made sicker and sicker but after that hath done working then the party is far better than before It is a folly to think that we should have physick and health both at once it is impossible that a man should sow and reap both together We must of necessity endure the working of Gods Physick If trouble bee lengthned lengthen thy patience when the sick humour is carried away and purged then we shall enjoy desired health God promiseth forgivenesse of sinne but thou findest the burthen of it daily on thee Cheere up thy selfe when the morning is darkest then comes day after a fight victory will appeare Gods time is best therefore wait cheerefully Oft times Gods servants under his crosse are so sore wrought upon that they have hardly leisure of making a good use of the same being distracted and dejected for the present so as they burst out rather into further evill than before But afterwards when their afflictions are thorowly digested then they begin to finde the fruit of patience humiliation and obedience and are better for the same ever after therefore wait contentedly God 's leisure thou shalt surely finde a sweet calme after the storme is over though we finde little benefit by afflictions for the present yet let us not conclude all is naught with us for tentations being bitter will not suffer men in them to lift up their hearts strait after the extremity vexation thereof is laid then ensueth the quiet fruit of righteousnesse But if all things yea sin it selfe shall turne to the best to those that love God what need we then care for the committing of sinne The Apostle S. Paul was in his dayes troubled with the like question therefore observe with what detestation he answers saying God forbid the damnation of such men is just But to answer more fully and plainly for the satisfaction of weak Christians True it is that al things even the sinnes of Gods servants shall by Gods mercy turn to their good yet never the lesse the rule of Gods Word must be ever regarded which is this we may not doe evill that good may come thereof That which is evill in it selfe must not be done no though for the doing thereof we might gaine the greatest good or avoide the greatest evill whatsoever as if it were to winne a World wee might not tell a lye because it is a breach of Gods Law Christ saith to the Devill It is written thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God Wee may not therefore by sinne tempt God so to see his goodnesse in working good out of our wickednesse If therefore upon this ground of Doctrine that all things shall turn to the good of Gods children yea even their sins themselves any of us shal commit wickednesse and displease his Majesty to try what mercy and wisdome is in him to draw good out of our evill this is a provoking of Gods goodnes and those who thus doe turne the truth of Gods Word into poyson and make even that their destruction which should build them up in grace and holinesse If we sin through weaknesse and frailty of our flesh and through strength of tentation upon repentance we may find grace but if presuming that God will turne all things to our good we break his Law what else do we but first of all make God the cause of our evill and secondly vex

grace he improves his abilities to glorious uses esteeming things below too meane for him Grace is a wondrous pleasant thing offensive to none but to wicked men that have no savour of God or goodnesse it sweetens the soule makes it delectable for Christ his holy Spirit to lodge in as in a Garden of spices A gracious man that hath subdued his corruptions is wondrous amiable both to himselfe and to the Communion of Saints his heart is as fine silver every thing is sweet that comes from him grace is full of comfort to a mans own conscience the sense of which enlargeth the soule to all holy services Fourthly an ointment hath another property it consecrates persons to holy uses Anointed persons are raised above the ordinary ranke The graces of Gods spirit elevate men above the condition of others with whom they live Anointed persons are sacred persons they are inviolable Touch not mine anointed and doe my Prophets no harme we wrong the apple of Gods eye we offer indignity to Christ himselfe if we hurt these Indeed nothing can hurt them but God by his over ruling power turnes all for their good Lastly an ointment is a royall liquor it will bee above all so the graces of Gods Spirit where they are will be uppermost they will guide and governe all As if a man have excellent parts grace will rule these and make them serviceable to Christ his truth and members If we have weaknesse and corruption grace will subdue it by little and little and never leave conflicting till it hath got the victory What are our souls without Gods anointing Dead stinking offensive to God to good men and to our selves we cannot see with peace the visage of our owne soules who can reflect seriously into his heart and life without horror that hath no grace A man that sees his conscience awakened without this anointing what is he surely as the body without the soule it is not all the excellencies of the soule laid upon a dead body or all the goodly ornaments that bedeckt it can keep it from stinking and being a loathsome object because it wants the soule to quicken and enliven it to good imployments of it selfe it is but a peece of earth all the vigor and life that the body hath is communicated from the soule they are beholding to our soules for many things Put the richest ornaments whatsoever upon the body and not the Spirit of grace upon the soule to cherish and refresh the same that it may appeare lovely in Gods sight all is to no purpose Likewise this anointing hath relation to the persons anointed Kings Priests and Prophets Christ is primarily anointed and all our grace is derived from him hee teacheth us divine things by a Divine light The poorest Christian in the world whose heart is right with God sees good things with such convincing love that he imbraces them and ill things with such a convincing hatred that he abhors them A man that lives without God in the world may talke but he cannot doe he may speak of death but he dares not die he trembles to thinke of the last tribunall and of resigning his soule into the hands of his Maker such an one may discourse of suffring but when it comes to the point his heart failes him oh how he shrinkes when danger approacheth what indirect courses will hee take to save his skin how hardly is corrupt selfe brought under how heavily doe men come off in this point of doing and suffering for Christ laying downe all at his feet and resolving to be disposed of at his pleasure in every thing Men speak much of patience and selfe-deniall but they do not practise them these vertues shine not forth in their conversation which is the shame of Religion only a true Christian hath the right knowledge of the doing of things and is able to speak a word in due season to reprove to admonish to comfort every member in the communion of Saints hath some qualification for the good of the whole body A faithfull man is likewise spiritually anointed a Priest to stand before God Almighty he poures out his soul for himself for others having Gods eare open at all times to his suits Every sincere Christi an is a favourite in heaven he hath much credit there which hee improves for the welfare of the Church here below And hee keepes himselfe as a Priest unspotted of the world a true Christian is taught of God and knowes the meaning of that Law of his which prohibiteth Priests so much as to touch defiled things therefore he studies innocency he runs not after the course of the multitude neither is carried away with the streames of the times he will not converse familiarly with those that may staine him but so farre as his calling leads him lest he should therby contaminate his spirit A Christian Priest hath his heart alwayes to the Holy of Holies that so he may offer up thankes and praise to God and offer up himselfe a sacrifice to him his endeavour is to kill and slay those beasts those lusts that lurk in his heart contrary to the Almighty Lastly he that is anointed by the Spirit is a King in regard of his great possessions for all are ours things present and things to come life and death prosperity and adversity all help us to Heaven Evill things are ours in advantage and successe though in disposition they be not ours but have a hostil disposition in thē God over-powers the evil of things and gives a Christian a living principle of grace to suck sweet out of sowre draw good out of evill What a King is this that even the most terrible things are at his command and work for the best unto him He conquers and brings under his greatest enemies and feares neither death or judgement nor the vengeance to come knowing God in Christ to bee his reconciled Father he rests assured all things else will be will be at peace with him Others have Kingdomes out of themselves but in thēselves they are slaves Every lust leads them away Captive A Christian is such a King as hath a Kingdome within himselfe hee hath peace and joy and rest from base allurements and terrours of conscience hee walks by rule and therfore knowes how to governe all the glory of his Maker is the chiefe thing hee eyes and to that hee referres every action Who hath annointed us and sealed us Annointing and sealing goe together the same God annoints us doth also seale us Both are to secure us of our happy condition Now Christ is the first sealed Iohn 6. Him hath God the Father sealed God hath set Christ a part from others hath distinguished him and set a stamp upon him to be the Messiah by the graces of the spirit whereof he was richly beautified and by many miracles whereby he shewed that he was the Sonne of God by his resurrection from the dead by his calling of

but a little signe of grace in me Be not discouraged you know in wax though the stamp be almost out yet it is currant in Law notwithstanding Put the case the stamp of the Prince be an old Coyne is it not currant though it bee crackt Suppose the mark of the Spirit should bee dim and blurred scarce discernable in us this ought to bee our shame and griefe yet some evidences of grace are still remaining there are some sighes and groanes against corruption which may continually support us if we mourne in our spirits and doe not joyne with our lusts nor allow our selves in them this is a divine impression though it bee as it were almost worne out the more comfort wee desire the fresher she should keepe this seale of comfort And labour to grow in faith and obedience that we may reade our evidence cleerely that it be not over-growne with the dust of the world so as we cannot see it Sometimes Gods children have the graces of the Spirit in them yet they yeeld so much to feares and doubtings that they can read nothing but their corruption When we bid them puruse their evidences they can see nothing but worldlinesse nothing but pride and envie because they grieve the holy Spirit by their negligence and distrust Though there be a stamp in them yet God holds the soule from it and gives men up to mistake their estates for not stirring up the graces of his Spirit in them Honour God by beleeving and he will honour thee by stamping his Spirit more cleerely on thee what a comfort is it to have the evidence of a gratious soule at all times When a man carries about him the marke of the Spirit what in the world can discourage such a soule On the contrary if a man have not something above nature in him when death judgement comes how miserable is his condition If a man be a King or an Emperour of the World and have not an interest in Christs righteousnesse ere long he shall be stripped of all and adjudged to eternall torments Oh the excellency of mans soule a Jewell more to be prized then a Princes Diadem It is the solly of the times to set up curious Pictures but what a poore delight is this in comparison of the ambition of a true Christian to see the Image of Christ stamped in his soule to finde the joy of the Spirit and God speaking peace to his inner man The transforming of our selves into the image of Christ is the best Picture in the world therefore we should labour for the new creature that as we grow downeward one way we may grow up towards Heaven another that as the life of nature decayes so the spirituall life may bee more active and working It should be our daily study while we live in this world to attain that holinesse without which no man shall ever see God There is besides the common broad Seale of God his privie Seal What is the reason that many proud hearted persons are damned the truth is they are all for externall contentments and despise the ordinances of GOD for though they stand upon their admission into the Church upon the common seales and prerogatives which in themselves are excellent yet relying on these things overmuch betrayes many soules to the Devill in the time of distresse It is an other manner of seale than the outward seale in the Sacrament that must settle peace in the conscience When once the beginnings of faith are wrought in us then wee may with comfort thinke upon our receiving of the Communion but the speciall thing to be eyed is the hidden seale If the externall meanes work no inward sanctificatiō in our hearts we shall be the worse rather than the better for them yet we must not be so prophane as to think slightly of Gods Ordinances they are of great consequence For when Satan shakes the confidence of a Christian and saith Thou art an Hypocrite God doth not love thee these help us to hold out why saith the soule I can speak by experience that I have found the contrary the Lord hath removed my feares he hath pardoned my sinne and accepted my person he hath given me many Pretious Promises to support my spirit Here is the excellency of the Sacrament it comes more home to me it seales the generall Promises of God particularly to my selfe for finding the inward worke of the Spirit in my heart and God having strengthned my faith by the outward seale I can defie Satan with all his accusations and look death in the face with comfort We should labour therefore to observe Gods sealing dayes when he uses to manifest himselfe to his people which though it may be every day if wee be spiritually exercised yet it is in the Lords day more especially for then his ordinance and his Spirit go together Now there is a sealing of persons and of truths besides the sealing of our estates that we are the children of God there is a sealing of every particular truth to a Christian. For where there is grace to beleeve the truth God seales those truths firmely to that soule by the comforts of his Spirit For example this is a truth Whosoever beleeves in Christ shall not perish but have everlasting life Now the same Spirit that stirs up the soule to beleeve this seales it fast upon the conscience even to death there is no promise but upon our beleeving the same it is sealed by God upon us for those truths only abide firme in the soule which the Holy Ghost sets on What is the reason that many forget their consolations the reason is they heare much but the Spirit settles nothing on their hearts What is the reason that lettered men many times stand out in their profession to blood whereas those that are more able and learned yeeld to any thing The reason is the knowledge of the one is set fast upon the soule the Spirit brings his seale and this mans knowledge close together whereas the learning and abilities of the other is only a discoursive thing swimming in the braine without any sollid foundation their knowledge of truths is not spiritual they see not heavenly things by heavenly but by a naturall light Those that would not apostatize must have a knowledge sutable to the things they know they must see spirituall things by the Spirit of GOD. Therefore when we come to heare the Word wee should not come with strong conceits of our owne to bring all to our wits but with reverent dispositions and dependance upon God that he would teach us together with his Ministers and close with his Ordinances so as to fasten truths upon our soules else shall wee never hold out for that which must stablish and quiet the soule must bee greater than the soule In time of tentations when the terrours of the Almighty encompasse us when God layes open our conscience and writes bitter things against us those