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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
act_n	believe_v	faith_n	justification_n	5,240	5	9.4416	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A20752	The Christian warfare wherein is first generally shewed the malice, power and politike stratagems of the spirituall ennemies of our saluation, Sathan and his assistants the world and the flesh, with the meanes also whereby the Christian may vvithstand and defeate them : and afterwards more speciallie their particvlar temptatiions, against the seuerall causes and meanes of our saluation, whereby on the one side they allure vs to security and presumption, and on the other side, draw vs to doubting and desperation, are expressed and answered : written especially for their sakes who are exercised in the spirituall conflict of temptations, and are afflicted in conscience in the sight and sense of their sinnes / by I. Dovvname ...	Downame, John, d. 1652.	1604 (1604)	STC 7133; ESTC S1536	575,484	731

Christ euen the righteousnesse which is of God through faith Phil. 3.9 and Gal. 3.10.11 Phil. 3.9 Gal. 3.10.11 Hee affirmeth that as many as rest in the workes of the law are vnder the curse and that no man is iustified by the law in the sight of God it is euident because the iust shall liue by faith So Rom. 4.5 To him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is coūted for righteousnesse Rom. 4.5 And our Sauiour Christ teacheth vs to say and acknowledge when we haue done all to our vttermost power which is commaunded vs that we are still vnprofitable seruants Luk. 17.10 Luk. 17.10 § Sect. 4 But vnto these and such like manifest places it is answered that the Apostle speaketh not of the works of the morall law That the former places are to be vnderstood of the works of the morall law and not of the ceremonies onely but of the ceremonies onely to which againe wee reply that no such friuolous distinction can be gathered out of the Apostles wordes nay the plaine contrary euidently appeareth by his maine scope and drift in his whole discourse of our iustification and also by some particular places His chiefe scope is to beate downe the pride of all both Iewes and Gentiles to the end that the whole glory and praise of our iustification and saluation might be ascribed to the free mercy grace and goodnesse of God alone now it is most certaine that the morall duties are in themselues farre more excellent then the ceremoniall and consequently more fit to puffe vs vp with a spirituall pride and to make vs to rest in our selues for our iustification ascribing at least some part of the praise vnto our owne workes and vertues so that if the Apostle had onely spokē of the works of the ceremoniall law mans pride should not bee beaten downe neither should God haue the whole praise of our saluation and so his discourse should be vaine as not tending to prooue inforce that for which end and purpose hee chiefly vndertakes it Againe this should nothing concerne neither the Gentils in former times nor any true Christians since the comming of Christ forasmuch as they did not nor doe not neither were nor are bound to obserue the ceremoniall law cōsequently could neuer once dreame of obtayning righteousnesse by fulfilling the ceremonies but they would rather ascribe the glorie of their iustification to their morall duties to which they found themselues bound by the law of nature written in their harts or doe find themselues bound by the morall law of God written in his worde and therfore it was necessarie for the beating downe of their pride and that they might ascribe the whole glory vnto God of their iustification and saluation that the apostles in this discourse should proue that they were not iustified neither by obseruing the law of nature written in their hartes nor yet the morall law of God reuealed in his word Whereby it manifestly appeareth that howsoeuer the Apostle excludeth the workes of the ceremoniall law from being causes of iustification yet not them alone but the workes of the morall law also § Sect. 5 But this may more manifestly appeare by particular places wherein the Apostle plainly sheweth that he speaketh not onely of the ceremoniall law The former point prooued by particular testimonies but of the morall law also In the second chapter of the Epistle to the Romanes he plainly disputeth as well of the law of nature to the obedience whereof the Gentiles were obliged as of the law giuen by Moses Rom. 3.19.20 Chap. 3.19.20 Hee sayth that all the world are made culpable before God and therefore by the works of the law shal no flesh be iustified in his sight Now if this consequence be good he speaketh not onely of the ceremoniall but of the moral duties for the former belonged not to the gentiles and therefore the neglect of them did not make them culpable nor debarre them of being iustified by their owne workes Rom. 10.5.6 Gal. 3.11.12 21.22.24 Secondly Rom. 10.5.6 and Gal. 3.11.12.21.22.24 The Apostle putteth a plaine difference betweene the righteousnesse which is by the law and the righteousnesse which is by faith and maketh a flatt opposition in the acte of iustification not betweene morall ceremonial duties but betweene doing and beleeuing Eph. 2.8.9 faith and workes Thirdly hee saith Eph. 2.8.9 that wee are saued by grace through faith not of our selues nor of workes least any man should boast himselfe If hee had spoken only of workes they might though foolishly haue wrested it to ceremonies only seeing the Ephesians were not bound to the ceremoniall law as being strangers to the common wealth of Israel as himselfe speaketh ver 12. but whē he saith also not of our selues vers 12. he excludeth al whatsoeuer is in vs from being the cause of our saluation not onely ceremoniall but also morall duties So writing to Titus he saith Tit. 3.5 Titus 3.5 Not by the workes of righteousnes which wee had done but according to his mercy hee saued vs in which place we are necessarily to vnderstand the works of the morall law for Titus being a Grecian was not bound to obserue the ceremoniall law and therefore he was not so much as circumcised as the apostle plainely affirmeth Gal. 2.3 Gal. 2.3 Fourthly Paul speaketh of that law by which wee come to the knowledge of sinne Rom. 3.20 and 7.7.8.9 as appeareth Rom. 3.20 and 7.7.8.9 But the knowledge of sinne came especially by the morall law and therefore of this law the Apostle speaketh Lastly the Apostle speaking of the workes of the law alleadgeth these sentences Gala. 3.10 Gal. 3.10 As many as are of the workes of the law are vnder the curse for it is written cursed is euery man that continueth not in all thinges which are written in the booke of the law to doe them So that he speaketh not of the ceremoniall law alone but of the whole law of Moses and of all things contayned in it and ver 12. ver 12. And the law is not of faith but the man that shall doe those things shall liue in them Which cannot be vnderstoode of the ceremoniall law alone but of the workes of the morall law yea of them especially That the Apostle excludeth as well the workes of the regenerate as of the vnregenerate Secondly it is answered that the apostle speaketh only of the workes of those who are not regenerate nor indued with faith and not of the regenerate and faithfull Which shifting cauill the apostle clearly taketh away not only by applying his speeches vnto all men without any limitation but especially in that example of Abraham which he bringeth for this purpose who though hee were long before regenerate indued with faith and exceeding plentifull in good workes yet hee flatly excludeth all his workes from being any causes of

accompanied with losse as when wee are in hope to gaine thereby These and many other the braunches of sanctification are the vndoubted signes of a true and liuely faith and therefore whosoeuer after due examination find that they are indued with them may also be assured notwithstanding all Sathans suggestions to the contrary that they haue faith for this is the roote from which these fruits spring and they cannot be seuered CHAP. XLIII Sathans tentations grounded vpon our want of sense and feeling of faith answered § Sect. 1 ANd these are the signes by which euery beleeuer may be assured that he hath a true liuely faith Sathans tentation whereby he perswadeth vs tha we haue no faith because we feele it not which howsoeuer they bee to be obserued in euery faithfull man yet not at all times for oftentimes it commeth to passe that the beleeuing Christian doth neither feele his faith nor the fruites thereof especially in the infancie of faith and in the cumbate of tentations which giueth occasion vnto Sathan of suggesting into his mind a daungerous tentation Thou braggest much will he say of thy faith and thou confirmest this thy perswasion that thou art indued therewith with many signes and fruits which haue accompanied it but if now thou examine thy selfe a right thou shalt find in thee no such matter and not to stand vpon other arguments I appeale vnto the testimonie of thine owne conscience whether at this present thou hast any sense or liuely feeling of faith or canst discerne those fruits thereof which before thou hast spoken of if not then doe not flatter thy selfe in vaine with a fond perswasion for though thou wilt not beleeue mee yet at least beleeue thine owne sense and feeling which plainely telleth thee that either thou neuer haddest any true faith indeed or if thou haddest yet that now it is quite lost and perished The answere to the former tertations For the answering of which tentation wee must distinguish betweene the habite of faith and the act of faith or betweene faith it selfe and the worke function thereof which is to apprehend and apply Christs merits and Gods mercy and louing fauour with all the gratious promises of the gospell as it is an habituall facultie of the mind it alwaies continueth abideth in Gods children after it is once wrought in them by the spirit of God but in respect of the function act or worke thereof it hath many intermissions and oftentimes seemeth to be cast as it were into a dead sleepe Now we are to know that we cannot sensibly discerne faith as it is an habituall vertue or facultie of the mind although wee haue it in great measure in vs but onely so farre foorth as it manifesteth it selfe in his actions workes fruits and therefore it is an vnsound and false maner of reasoning to inferre because we doe not sensibly feele and discerne that we haue faith therfore we are destitute thereof for the habite of faith or faith it selfe may be in vs yet for a time may be so hindred by outward accidents that it cannot shew it selfe in his actions and fruits by which alone it is sensibly discerned § Sect. 2 But I will make this more cleare and manifest by some familiar similitude and examples The former answere made plaine by similitudes we know that in the sicknesses and diseases of the body nature is so infeebled and ouercome that sometimes the partie affected falleth into a dead swoune wherein hee is depriued for a time not onely of the vse of the vnderstanding reason and memorie but also of his senses motion and vitall functions so that in respect of sense and outward appearance hee is quite depriued of all his vitall sensitiue and intellectuall faculties but yet a while after by reason of some outward meanes vsed or by the secrete power of nature working in him hee is restored to the vse of all againe and liueth feeleth much and vnderstandeth as in former times because hee had not lost these faculties but onely by some grieuous impediment was hindred of the vse of them in their actions and functions so that here this manner of reasoning appeareth absurd and false these faculties of the soule cannot be sensibly discerned and therefore hee is quite destitute of them And thus also it is in respect of our faith and other habituall vertues oftentimes through the sicknes of the soule in sinne or the outward violence of Sathans tentations it seemeth cast into a swoune depriued of al the spiritual faculties and vertues thereof faith loue zeale hope patience and the rest but yet soone after by hearing the word by godly admonitions instructions reprehensions and consolations made effectuall by the inward operation of Gods spirit it is reuiued and all the spirituall graces thereof shew themselues againe in their woonted strength so that this inference is no lesse false then the other there is no sensible appearance of these sanctifying gifts and graces and therefore they are quite lost and perished for the graces themselues remaine thoughe for a time they appeare not in their actions and fruits So in the time of winter the fruitfull trees are so nipped with the cold frosts and so weatherbeaten with tempestuous stormes that they appeare naked bare not only without fruite but also leaues so as if wee shall iudge according to sence outward appearance we should falsely conclude that they are dead for by experience we know that they liue and sucke nourishment out of the earth euen when they are most spoiled of their summer beautie and though they are tossed with the winds yet hereby they are not hurt but rather take deeper roote and so are made capeable of more nourishment and though they bee nipped with cold frosts yet hereby they are not made barren nay rather hereby their wormes and cankers are killed and they prepared and made fitt to bring forth more fruite in the time of sommer when the comfortable spring approacheth and the sweet showers and warme sunne beames fall and descend vpon them And thus it is with the spirituall graces in the poor christian in the winter of affliction they are nipped with the cold frosts of feare and doubting and weatherbeaten with the boysterous blasts of Sathans tentations so as they seeme euen dead at the very roote if wee shall iudge according to outwarde sense appearance but yet by experience we find that it is farre otherwise for hereby they are not ouerturned though they be shaken and this shaking maketh them to take more deepe roote in godlinesse and though they bee nipped and pinched with feares and doubtings yet they perish not only the canker-worme of pride sonde presumption and selfe confidence is mortified and killed and they hereby are prepared and fitted to bring forth more plentifull fruites of holinesse and righteousnesse when the spring of true comfort commeth wherein the sweete showers of Gods holy spirit distil vpon

repentant and beleeuing sinners let vs vnfainedly turne vnto the Lord and apply Christ and his meritts vnto vs by a true liuely faith and then we may assure our selues that he will pardon and forgiue vs al our sinnes and receaue vs gratiously into his loue and fauour § Sect. 5 But against this which hath beene alleaged That al Gods promises are made indefinitely to all that beleeue Sathan wil be ready to obiect to the afflicted conscience that these promises were made to the prophets apostles and holy men of God but not to such haynous and rebellious sinners who haue most iustly deserued that God should poure out vppon them the violls of his wrath and those fearefull punishments threatned in the law because of the innumerable number of their sinnes and the outragiousnesse of their wickednesse and therefore such haue nothing to doe with the sweet promisses of the Gospell but are to apply vnto themselues the terrible threatnings denounced in the law against such grieuous sinners For the answering of which tentation wee are to know that the Lords promises made in the Gospell are general indefinite and vniuersall excluding none who turne from their sinnes by vnfained repentance and beleeue in Christ Iesus resting on him alone for their saluation Neither is there any limitation or exception of this or that sinne for be they neuer so greiuous and manifold yet if wee performe the condition of faith and repentance the Lord will make good his promises vnto vs. For the first namely that the promises of the gospell are indefinite and generally made to al who repent and beleeue it shall manifestly appeare if wee consider the particulars Esa 55.1 the Lord calleth all vnto him indefinitly saying to euery one who thirsteth come to the waters and yee that haue no siluer come buy and eate Come I say buy wine and milke with out siluer and without money so that though we haue no worthinesse and righteousnesse of our owne yet if we thirst after the mercy of God and righteousnesse of Christ and come vnto God by vnfained repentance and vnto our sauiour by a liuely faith our thirst shall be satisfiyed and all our wantes supplyed So Ezech. 33.11 the Lord solemnely sweareth that hee will not the death of a sinner but that they turne from their wicked wayes and liue where hee speaketh not of this or that sinner but of all without exception who turne vnto him Our sauiour Christ likewise maketh this indefinite promise Marke 16.16 that whosoeuer shal beleeue and be baptised shal be saued and Iohn 3.14 he saith that as Moses lift vp the serpent in the wildernesse so must the sonne of man be lift vp 15. that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternal life So that as al who were stunge of the fyrie serpent were healed if they looked vpon the brasen serpent neither was their any exceptiō or distinctiō between those who were deeply or but a little pearsed with the sting for if they were stūg they died if they vsed not the remedy ordained of God though their wound were but small and shallow but if they looked vp to the brasen serpent according to God ordināce they were cured though their wound were neuer so deadly and desperate so those who looke not vpon Christ Iesus hanging on the crosse with the eye of faith are sure to fall into euerlasting death and damnation bee their sinnes neuer so few and on the other side they who lay hould vpon Christ and beleeue in him are sure to bee saued though their sins bee neuer so many and grieuous So in the 16. verse it is said that God so loued the world that hee hath giuen his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life and ve 36. He that beleeueth in the sonne hath euerlasting life c. So that here is no exception of sinnes for the promises are made indefinitely to all that beleeue In like maner our Sauiour hath promised Iohn 6.37 That whosoeuer come vnto him hee will not cast them away and ve 40. he assureth vs that it is the will of his father who sent him that euery man who beleeueth in him should haue euerlasting life And the Apostle Peter Actes 10.43 saith that vnto our Sauiour Christ giue all the prophets witnesse that through his name all that beleeue in him shall haue remission of sinnes And the Apostle Iohn likewise saith 1. Ioh. 2.1 that if any man sinne wee haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous and hee is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world that is for whosoeuer repent and beleeue of euery kingdome countrey and nation So that by all these places it is cleare and euident that none are excluded from being partakers of Gods mercifull promises but those who exclude themselues through their infidelitie and vnrepentancie § Sect. 6 Neyther is there any sins so innumerable in multitude so hainous grieuous which will debarre vs from receiuing the benefit of Gods mercie and Christs merites so wee repent and beleeue That our sins cannot debarre vs of Gods mercy so we repent and beleeue as may appeare also by plaine testimonie Esay 1.18 the Lord thus speaketh to the Iewes whom hee had described to bee rebellious and most outragiously wicked Come now saith the Lord let vs reason together though your sinnes were as crimson they shal be made white as snow though they were red as scarlet they shal be as wooll The Apostle Paul likewise witnesseth Tit. 2.14 that our sauiour Christ gaue himselfe for vs that he might redeeme vs from all iniquitie And the Apostle Iohn saith that the bloud of Christ cleanseth vs from all sinne and if wee acknowledge our sinnes he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes 1. Ioh. 17.9 and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse So that here is no mention made of any sinnes which are excepted or which exclude vs from Gods mercy Christs merits so that we repent beleeue neither are the promises of the Gospell limited or restrained in respect of the number or greeuousnesse of our sinnes so we performe the conditiō of faith and repentance for whosoeuer is hartily sorie for his sinnes past and purposeth for the time to come to leaue and forsake them whosoeuer doth beleeue Gods promises and resteth vpon Christ Iesus alone for his saluation by a true and liuely faith he may be certainly assured that the Lord hath pardoned and forgiuen all his sinnes and receaued him into his grace and fauour though his sinnes be neuer so many and hainous and on the other side whosoeuer continueth in his vnrepentancie and infidelitie shal be condemned though his other sinnes be neuer so few and small neither will all our other sinnes debarre vs of Gods mercy vnlesse they bee ioyned with vnrepentancie and vnbeliefe for obserue