Selected quad for the lemma: soul_n
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A39928
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An epistle to the Church of Christ in Chippin-Norton as also certaine scripture rules which Iesus Christ hath given to His churches to walke by, which are approved of and consented unto, by all the members of the said chvrch : published for their use and benefit, and for the satisfaction of such persons as desire to know the principles, and practices of the church aforesaid / by Stephen Ford ...
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Ford, Stephen, d. 1694.
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1657
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Wing F1507; ESTC R6260
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38,085
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Christs worthinesse by his blood and Righteousnesse loke on him as on one that sits at Gods right hand to make intercession for you say unto God Lord though I am unworthy yet thy Son is worthy he hath purchased these mercys that I begge of thee John 14.13 14. 6. Pray earnestly heartily and Spiritually to God take heed of carnall dead heartlesse Sacrifice of formall praying for that will exceedingly prejudice your soules never leave off untill your hearts have been carryed up to God Ioh. 4.24 Coll. 3.23 1. COnsider your Consciences will not let you alone to rest contented except you doe the matter of a duty but then they will be for a time quiet in the thing done but know that no Sacrifice no Prayer can find acceptance with God but a hearty fervent prayer Jam. 5.16 Rom. 12.11 2. God requires the heart in all your dutys and therefore it is but reason that you should give that to him Prov. 23 26. 3. Consider unlesse you pray heartily and earnestly you cannot doe it in Faith now whatsoever is not of Faith is sinne Heb. 11.6 Rom. 24. ult 4. Consider if you doe not pray so you mock God you pretend to doe that which you do not and you know that that is a great sinne Gal. 6.7 Jer. 3.10 5. Consider if you do not pray so you rob God of his own that which is due to him you keep from him will a man rob God saith the Prophet will he be so wicked as to detaine that which he gives unto him Mal. 3.8 Mal. 1.8 9. 6. Consider that you will loose all your labour and paines God will never answer carnall cold heartlesse prayers here nor reward you for them hereafter he will say who hath required these things at your hands Isa 1.11 12 13 14. Math. 7. 7. Continue in prayer be not discouraged and put off with feares that you shall never obtaine that which you pray for because you are not answered presently but go againe and wrestle with God as Jacob did and resolve to take no denyall Gen. 32.24 25 26 27 28. 8. Then when you have prayed wait for and expect an answer looke after your prayers observe what answer the Lord gives to your prayers Psal 85.8 Sam. 11. 9. Commit your selves and your concernment your prayers and all into the hand of Jesus Christ as well after you have prayed as when you are praying and labour to quiet your hearts as the prophet did in the goodnesse of God let him doe what he sees good referre your selves unto him to his wisedome care and love 1 Pet. 5.7 8. I Beseech you brethren take heed of the world engage not your selves in more worldly businesses then you can well mannage and keep your hearts free for God and to have time enough for Spirituall dutys for prayer hearing Conference Meditation and examination 1 Joh 2.15 Rom. 8.6 Phil. 3.18 19. 1 Tim. 6.9 10 11 12. 1. Consider that though it may be profitable for the body yet 't will be very hurtfull and prejudiciall to your soules now you know the soule is much more precious then the body Luk. 12.32 to the 33 Luk. 22.34 2. Consider though you may feare and intend no hurt in so doing to your soules yet your hearts may soon be overcharged with the cares of this life for although in the first beginning your hearts may be kept with God yet by little and little you will find it will grow worldly Math. â— 24 to the end 3. Consider that you have no promise to be assisted and kept by God in so doing because God hath not called you to so many worldly businesses God never calls any of his people in love and mercy to more imployments then they may well do if they will be carefull and yet keep their hearts free for and close to God Coll. 3.1 2. Phil. 3.20 4. Consider if you doe so you will cause both Saints and sinners to have hard thoughts of you you will loose your room in spirituall hearts and sinners will conclude that you are covetuous earthly creatures 2 Tim. 4.10 Phil. 3.19 5. Consider if you engage in more worldly businesses then you ought you will expose your selves to more temptations then you will be able to beare 1 Tim. 6.9 10 11. 6. Consider 't is better to have Communion with God then to have much of the creature to have a praying â—enlarged heart then your purses full of mony and your barnes full of corne it is farre better to be enriched with heavenly things then with earthly Psal 4.6 7 Phil. 3.7 8 9. 7. Consider that Saints must be singular men they must be as lights to guide others wicked men must see that Saints are men of other Spirits of choice Heavenly minds Math. 5.46 47. Isa 63.8 John 17.16 9. ENdeavour to walke very humbly having low thoughts of your selves and shewing much meeknesse and humility before all men in your words deportments and in all things Coll. 3.12 Phil. 2.6 7 8. Prov. 39.23 Jam. 4.6 Isa 57 15. Isa 66.2 1 Pet. 5.5 6. 1. Consider that you were filthy vile wretched Creatures the worst of all excepting Divels before the Lord Jesus Christ did cleanse and wash you before his Righteousnesse covered you Ezek. 16.14 first verses Isa 51.1 Rom. 3.9 10 11 12 13 14 to the 20. 2. Consider that you have deserved nothing but hell and wrath or whatever may make you miserable 3. Consider that to be humble is to be like unto Jesus Christ himselfe he that was and ever shall be Coequall with the Father made himselfe of no reputation how low did he stoop to exalt you Phill. 2.5 6 7 8. 1 Tim. 3.16 John 13.13 14 15. 4. Consider that the more humble you are the more grace you shall have God delights to fill the Humble with Wisedome and knowledge he will open secrets unto such Psal 25. 1 Pet. 5.5 6. 5. Consider that Humility is a great and glorious ornament to Religion none can more honour the Gospell then an humble Christian he is a shining blessed Christian oh how doth humility commend religion unto others even unto Saints and sinners Math. 3.5 6. Consider that the more humble you are the more communion you shall have with God you will have more assisting Grace then others to keep you from backsliding God will quickly take his leave of a proud person but he loves tod well with him that is of a poor and of a contrite heart Is 57.15 Isa 66.2 Psal 138.6 7. Consider that you live upon free grace God may take that from you that of his free Grace he hath given to you if you forget him and lift up your selves with his mercys Math. 25.28 1 Pet. 5.5 8. Consider the great distance that there is between God and you how infinitely great and glorious he is he is glorious in holinesse fearfull in prayses and you are poor nothing Creatures poor wormes God may if he please crush you in peeces and give
yea he will if you do cast your selves and all your concernments upon him 2 Cor. 9.8 2 Tim. 1.12 Jud. 24. Phil. 4.19 7. God hath pronounced such as doe not relie on him but upon any other thing acâ—ursed oh 't is very dangerous Jerem. 17.5 8. Many promises are made to this duty God hath engaged himself by promise to you that shall rest alone on him to pardon you to helpe you to protect you to give you peace Mark. 16.16 Isa 41.10 Rom. 5.1 9. It is of all other duties the greatest and such a duty that if it be well performed will as a meanes enable you to performe all other duties that you owe to God or men you will hereby be inabled to pray to fight against flesh and blood yea against the Devill himselfe You will engage the great God to stand by you to supply you with all grace at all times Eph. 6.11 12 13 14 15 16 17. Math. 21.22 Notes of living by faith 1. YOu live by faith and rest on Christ when you can acquiesce satisfie and quiet your hearts in him when all creatures and creature supports and comforts faile you then you can trust in him and say I have interest in an able and faithfull God in a full and all sufficient Christ and here I can rest my soule and I am fully satisfyed I have enough in having him here lys my happinesse he hath made a Covenant that is sure and certaine and this is all my salvation 2 Sam. 23.5 but if you despond in your spirits complaine murmur and are as persons undone when the Lord takes away Creature supports then certainly you rested upon these things A man may think that he doth believe and relie on God with a strong faith so long as he is hedged about with Creature comforts but very difficult to know whether he can live by faith indeed at such a time 1 Jam. 30.6 Prov. 18 10. 2. If it be more and more familiar and easy to you you can quickly and readily go to your resting place and not account it a strange thing Psal 56.3 Isa 26.4 3. If you are not discouraged in the work God sets you about because of the difficulties you meet withall in it but you are carried on with much resolvednesse and boldnesse of spirit to doe your duty yea though your way be hedged up with thornes yet you will not decline any one duty it is a signe that you rest on Christ. Gen 22.10 first verses 20. Act. 24. 4. If you can keep your ground and stand stedfast and keep close to God in times of temptations and raising up of that unbeliefe that is in your hearts if you can say that none of these things move you 6. Eph. 11. to 18.7 Math. 26. 5. If when the Lord withdraws and hides his face from you when your graces are dead your Sanctification clouded your light is gone out as to your present sence I say if then you can rest on the name of the Lord 50. Isa 10.43 Psal 5. and stay upon the God of Jacob then to conclude well though it be a sad and cloudy day now yet I shall see the Sun-shine of grace againe 6. If when you see your emptinesse wants and insufficiency you can then go freely unto him who hath all fullnesse of all grace for supply and there wait untill it please him to satisfy your desires and you aâ—e kept from going back to broken Cisternes then you live by Faith 30. Isa 18. 2 Chron. 20.12 7. If you can quietly and cheerfully commit your selves to God all your cares troubles and injoyments and mind nothing but your duty and priviledges how you may receive from God and how you may live to him and please him well in all things how you may walk worthy of the Lord and bring forth fruit to his praise and take no care but a dutifull care what you shall eat and what you shall drink but throw your selves on God for these things then you Live by Faith 4. Phil. 6. 1 Pet. 57. 2 Tym. 1.12 NOw then for your comfort and incouragement know that if you can find that you are thus brought home to Christ that there is a reall hearty â—ntract made between Christ and your soule and that now it is your care to rest and rely on him then know for your comfort 1. That you have an interest in and a right unto all the promises that are made in Christ unto Believers the Father Sonne and Holy spirit are all by Covenant engaged to you to doe you good his wisdome his strength his goodnesse and farthfullnesse nay his Justice 1 Joh. 1.9 oh you that are the Lordâ— blessed ones rejoyce and be exceeding glad you may 't is your priviledge 2 Cor. 1.20 Joh. 18 21 23. 1 Joh 1 9. 2. You have freedom and liberty to treat with God about the great concernments of your soules or bodys yea you may draw neer unto him with boldnesse and confidence and make your requests known unto him Oh precious priviledge Heb. 10.19 20 21 22. Rom. 8.15 Heb. 4.15 16. 3. You have an interest in Christs love he can and will receive you and your Sacrifices that you shall offer up to God in his name he will plead your case in Heaven be sure he will never neglect you if you doe not neglect him he expressed his hearty love to his poor friends when he was leaving of the world promising them that if they should aske any thing in his name he would do it he that loves you can doe what he will for you Joh. 14.13 14 15. Joh. 15.7 John 16.23 24 26. Joh. 17. 4. God the Father himselfe loveth you Jesus Christs Father and your Father loves you notwithstanding your former sinnes and present infirmitys he loves you with an everlasting love before you loved him he had his heart fixed on you looking upon you in Christ when you were sinners though he loved you not with the love of delight and complacency as now he doth having stampt his own Image upon you Joh. 16.26 27. Joh. 14.23 5. Be sure that your Heavenly Father will never leave you nor forsake you provided that you endeavour to please him and continue faithfull unto him he will not doe as men to love for a month or a yeare and provide for their friends for a few days but as his love will be eternall so will his care be also he will provide for your soules and bodys Rom. 8.32 he delights in the Prosperity of his Servants Heb. 13.5 2 Chr. 15.2 6. You have an interest in and a peculiar right unto all the good things that Christ hath he hath purchased all things that pertaine to life and Godlinesse you being Christs all these benefits are yours name what you will that may make for your well being here and your eternall Salvation and happinesse hereafter Oh blessed portion 1 Cor. 3.21 22 23. Eph. 1 14. Rom. 8.32 NOw Beloved the Lord having done all these