Selected quad for the lemma: love_n
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A54656
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The gain of Godliness being a consideration of I Tim. 4. 8. / by Charles Phelpes.
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Phelpes, Charles.
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1682
(1682)
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Wing P1977; ESTC R131
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86,937
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202
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THE GAIN OF Godliness BEING A Consideration of 1 Tim. 4. 8. By Charles Phelpes Can a Man be profitable unto God as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself Job 22. 2. Riches profit not in the day of Wrath But Righteousness delivereth from Death Prov. 11. 4. Godliness with Contentment is great Gain 1 Tim. 6. 6. LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the three Crowns and Bible at the lower end of Cheap-side 1682. TO THE READER Christian Reader IT is a general and necessary enquiry of the Sons of Men which is mentioned by the Psalmist to wit There be many that say Who will shew us that which is good That which is truly profitable for us Psal 4. 6. We All need to be shewn what is for Benefit and to be Directed thereunto for though Empty Man would be Wise yet Man is Born like a wild Asses Colt to wit most void of Understanding Job 11. 12. with Psal 32. 9. Every Man is brutish by his Knowledge Jer. 10. 14. Aud this doth Evidently appear by their undertakings and pursuits whatever their words and expressions are For generally they are seeking after the World as their chiefest good And their Wisdome which is Earthly directs them so to do It commends unto them and Glorifies before them the Riches Honours and Pleasures of this vain and transitory Life as the most profitable and valuable Things which can be pursued or procured by them and therefore excites and provokes them to Labour only or chiefly for this Meat which perisheth for these Objects which endure not unto everlasting Life For the things which are seen are Temporal 2 Cor. 4. 18. Hence the Wise Man gives this Caution and Dehortation to the Sons of Men Labour not to be Rich cease from thine own Wisdome Wilt thou cause thine Eyes to flee upon that which is not For Riches certainly make themselves Wings they flee like an Eagle toward Heaven Prov. 23. 4 5. And indeed if we could have never so sure and certain an Enjoyment of them while we are here continued in this World which yet we cannot promise to our selves or assure our selves of yet without all peradventure when we leave this World we must leave all the things of it behind us For we brought nothing into this world And it is certain we can carry nothing out 1 Tim. 6. 7. Be not thou fraid when one is made Rich when the Glory of his House is increased For when he Dyeth he shall carry nothing away his Glory shall not descend after him Psal 49. 16 17 20. And Alas What is our Life Is it not even a Vapour that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away Within a few Years or Dayes we shall go the way whence we shall not return Job 16. 22. Yea though we should Live a Thousand Years twice told and yet have not seen or sought after that which is truly eminently and eternally Good What will All then avail us when we go to the Place appointed for all Living Will he esteem thy Riches No not Gold nor all the Forces of strength Job 36. 8 9. What is the hope of the Hypocrite though he hath gained when God taketh away his Soul Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him Job 27. 8 9. What is a Man Advantaged saith our Lord and Saviour if he gain the whole world and lose himself or be cast away Luk. 9. 24 25. The World then and the things thereof are not Profitable for all things They are not the good we should mainly enquire after or exercise our selves to the Attainment of For they are not of the Father 1 Joh. 2. 15 17. Yea indeed the inordinate Love of the World is Enmity with God and hinders from serving and pleasing Him For no Man can serve two Masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other Ye cannot serve God and mammon saith our Lord Jesus Jam. 4. 4. with Mat. 6. 24. But now the only wise God and our Saviour and therefore also the only good and gracious God doth give a satisfactory Answer to that Enquiry of the Many or Multitude before-mentioned in Psal 4. 6. As the Prophet signifieth saying He hath shewed thee O Man what is good what is truly well-pleasing unto him and everlastingly profitable beneficial for thy self and what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to humble thy self in walking with thy God And so to believe in him For Without Faith it is impossible to walk with and please him Mica 6. 8. with Heb. 11. 5 6. and Gen. 5. 22 24. This is that which God doth Require of us for our Good and Benefit Compare Mica 6. 8. with Deut. 10. 12 13. And suitably thereto the Apostle Paul as directed by the Spirit of Truth speaks in the Words which are the Subject of the ensuing Discourse saying Godliness is profitable unto all things c. And could Men but be perswaded and prevailed withal to Believe this with all their Souls How would it Metamorphose and Transform their Hearts and Lives and make them Christ's Disciples not in Name and Profession only but in Truth and Reality But Alas How many Unbelieving Believers are there in the outward Court of the Church and therefore how many Unchrist-like Christians Jer. 9. 25 26. How many are there that stand up at and profess to Assent and Consent to the Belief concerning whom it may be said They are Children in whom is no Faith as Deut. 32. 20. How many call themselves The only true Sons of the Church while they Actually and openly appear to be The Children of this World or Members of a Worldly Sanctuary And such manner of persons may be forward to suspect That they design their prejudice who endeavour to Moderate their Affections unto and pursuits after these low things and to excite and quicken them to exercise themselves unto true Piety and Purity And St. Paul saw it needful to Assure the Believing Corinthians That he intended no hurt to them when he Exhorted them to have their Conversation without Carefulness and Covetousness But that he endeavoured their certain and stable Interest and Advantage For when he had been saying Brethren the time is short It remaineth that they that Weep for any worldly Loss or Deprivation be as though they Wept not and they that Rejoyce for any present Gain or Increase as though they Rejoyced not and they that Buy as though they Possessed not And they that use this world as not abusing it for the Fashion of this world passeth away But I would have you without Carefulness c. He then presently after thus Writeth unto them And this I speak not for your Disadvantage or Detriment but for your own profit not that I may cast a Snare upon you but for that which is Comely And that you may attend upon
perform the truth unto Jacob and the mercy to Abraham Mica 7. 18 20. If God should be severe to Mark against the pious and righteous persons the manifold iniquities and miscarriages found with them both in their Omitting that which is good and Committing that which is evil they could not stand before him nor receive the benefits of his promises Psal 130. 4 5. And as that perfect man Job saith how should man be just before God namely if he should enter into judgment with him for so it immediately follows If he will contend with him he cannot answer him one of a thousand Job 9. 2 3. with Psal 143. 2. And therefore such as are upright in the main need to Rejoyce in and Implore the mercy of God daily and continually And it is observable that David the man after Gods own heart thus expresseth himself I will sing of thy Power yea I will sing aloud of thy Mercy c. Psal 59. 16 17. And again he saith I will sing of the Mercies of the Lord for ever Psal 89. 1 4. And when he thus speaks of himself in his Prayer unto God saying I have done Judgment and Justice and doth acknowledge himself to be The Servant of the Lord to wit in an especial consideration one that did desire to fear his name and to serve and please him yet then he humbly and earnestly Implores the mercy of God saying Deal with thy Servant according to thy Mercy Psal 119. 121 124 125 and 143. 2. And Daniel a man greatly beloved of his God and an eminently Holy man doth thus address himself unto God in his Prayer We do not present our Supplications before thee for our Righteousness but for thy great Mercies O Lord hear O Lord forgive O Lord hearken and do Dan. 9. 7 9 18 19. with Isa 64. 6. And when the Apostle Jude gives this counsel and exhortation unto the Believers who were Sanctified in God the Father and Preserved in Christ Jesus and Called to wit But ye Beloved Building up your selves on your most Holy Faith praying in the Holy Ghost keep your selves in the love of God He then Immediately further adds thereto Looking for the Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto Eternal Life To signify to us that the most upright and holy Ones do continually stand in need of the Mercy of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ and without that they could not have Eternal Life Jude 1. 2 20 21. Heb. 4. 16. Luke 17. 9 10. The Mercy of the Lord is from Everlasting to Everlasting upon them that fear him Psal 103. 17 18. with 52. 8. Where is Boasting then It is excluded By what Law Of Works Nay but by the Law of Faith Rom. 3. 25 26 27. Yet let none from what hath been said Abuse the Mercy and Grace of God as evil ones are two forward and prone to do Rom. 5. and chap. 6 1 2. and cry Peace to themselves Where there is no Peace For though it be certainly true that God is a God of Mercy towards mankind rich in Mercy the Father and Fountain of Mercies 2 Cor. 1. 3. Ephes 2. 4 5. yet he will not be merciful in an especial consideration To any wicked trangressors Psal 59. 5. He that made them will not have mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no Favour I mean if they continue and go on still in their Trespasses Isa 27. 11. Psal 68 18 21. But this is a very great and considerable encouragement to them whose hearts are perfect with the Lord That he who hath entail'd the Promise on Godliness is one who delights in mercy And therefore he will perform the Covenant to them that keep his Testimonies and seek him with the whole heart though they be subject to Passions and have many Infirmities and Frailties found with them in their due and diligent addressing themselves to the Throne of Grace that they may obtain mercy in the forgiveness of their Sins These are The Vessels of special Mercy which he hath prepared unto Glory Rom. 9. 23. with 1 Tim. 4. 10. Hence the Apostle Paul thus votes As many as walk according to this Rule Peace be upon them and Mercy even upon the Israel of God Gal. 6. 14 15 16. Heb. 8. 10 11 12. 2. The God whose the Promise is that Godliness hath is also a God of Ability and Power one who is strong and able to perform all his Gracious Promises And so he is able to give unto the truly Pious Persons now those things which he knows to be needful for them for this present Life and State Whatsoever is under the whole Heaven is his Job 41. 11. Thine O Lord saith David is the Greatness and the Power and the Glory and the Victory and the Majesty For all that is in the Earth is thine Thine is the Kingdom O Lord and thou art exalted as head above all Both Riches and Honour come of thee c. 1 Chron. 29. 11 13. Deut. 10. 14. He can open his good Treasure and give unto us out of that whatsoever is needful and useful for the Body and outward man as Deut. 28. 1 12. And so also the Heaven and all Heavenly things are his in his hand and at his Dispose 1 Chron. 29. 11. Behold the Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens is the Lords Deut. 10. 14. Psal 115. 16. And saith the Apostle Paul Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath Blessed us with all Spiritual Blessings in Heavenly things in Christ Jesus Eph. 1. 3. Jam. 1. 5 17. Luk. 11. 13. Thus God in former times made known himself to Abraham Isaac and Jacob by the Name of God Almighty Gen. 17. 1. Exod. 6. 3. And Abraham glorified God in believing him to be such an one as he made himself known by his Word to be namely the Powerful the Almighty God and that therefore he could give a Being to his word and and perform the Promise which he had made unto him notwithstanding all appearing difficulties and unlikelyhoods So when the Lord promised him saying So shall thy Seed be It is said by the Apostle He considered not his Body now dead neither yet the deadness of Sarahs Womb. He staggered not at the Promise of God through unbelief but was strong in Faith giving Glory to God And being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform Rom. 4. 18 21. There were some staggerings at that Promise of God as to his Ability to perform it in Sarah it may seem for which she was somewhat reproved by the Lord in his thus speaking unto Abraham Wherefore did Sarah laugh Is any thing too hard for the Lord Gen. 18. 13 14. But no such thing was charged upon her Husband And again when the Lord tried Abraham commanding him to Offer up his Son his only Son Isaac for a Burnt-Offering concerning which Son the Lord had thus promised In Isaac shall thy