Selected quad for the lemma: act_n

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

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A33930	A confession of faith, published on special occasion wherein is contained the substance of the most material principels of the Gospel and Christian faith, in contradistinction to the errors and heresies by some held and maintained, in opposition thereunto : whereunto is annexed a postscript, with brief animadversions on some things contained in a confession of faith, lately published in the name of the elders and brethren of many congregations in London and the countrey / written by Thomas Collier.	Collier, Thomas, fl. 1691.	1678 (1678)	Wing C5275; ESTC R32494	30,415	69

ready to speak plain and the heart also of the rash shall understand knowledge Chap. 29. 24. They that erred in spirit shall come to Vnderstanding and they that murmured shall learn Doctrine Amen Psal 116. 10. I believed therefore have I spoken Luk. 2. 29 30 31. Now Lord let thy Servant depart in Peace for mine eyes have seen thy Salvation which thou hast prepared before the face of all People a Light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy People Israel Mat. 24. 14. And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the World for a witness unto all Nations and then shall the end come Rev. 14. 6 7. The Church with whom I walk is united in the substance of this Faith before declared The Postscript A Confession of Faith lately published from London providentially coming to my hands and contrary to my expectation finding such things therein as was and is truly grievous to me it being inconsistent with the true Faith and Religion of God I could not in good conscience both towards God and Man pass it by without saying something thereunto In which I find under the name of fundamental Principles of Faith no less than seven things of special note contrary thereunto most of which I have before detected and them I shall but only name so that though there are many good Truths scattered therein yet these contrary unsound and unscriptural notions contradict and undo them all As 1. Absolute Reprobation of the World from Eternity alone from the free Will of God though not plainly in terms exprest but more covertly and hiddenly yet absolutely and fully stated for they say that God hath immutably decreed all things whatsoever comes to pass and that he elected or predestinated a certain number of Angels and Men to Eternal Life to which there can be no addition c. which states absolute Reprobation to all the World besides by an eternal Decree before the World was 2. Christ dying to redeem the Elect only and that none else can possibly obtain which not only denieth the truth of God's Love to the World and Christ's giving himself for the life of the World but contains in it the absolutest Reprobation of the World that can be stated for if Christ died not for them it 's impossible they should be saved Act. 4. 12. 3. Impossiblity for any to believe with the Gospel helps that God affordeth without a mighty miraculous power misunderstanding and so wronging the Scripture for its confirmation Eph. 1. 19 20. 4. Justification by Faith without Works and not by Faith neither as the Scripture states it viz. as the conditions and terms of our Justification in Pag. 40. Of Justification they say it is not by imputing Faith it self the act of Believing or any other Evangelical obedience as their Righteousness Faith is the alone instrument of Justification as of receiving Christ whereas the Scripture saith Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for Righteousness Gen. 15. 6. and Rom. 4. 3 5. His Faith is counted for Righteousness ver 23 24. But they say plainly No it is not imputed but only an Instrument and what that is I do not know nor is the Scripture acquainted with such language but I leave the Reader to believe the Scripture or them which he please 5. Impossibility of falling from Grace which is contrary to the whole current of Scripture as before hath been shewed 6. In Chap. 3. of the Decrees of God That God hath from all Eternity decreed in himself all things whatsoever comes to pass c. and that this Decree is immutable and unchangeable arising not from knowledge of what would be but from his own determinate Will 7. And in Chap. 5. of Divine Providence That this his determinate Counsel extends it self to the first fall and all other sinful actions both of Angels and Men and that not by a bare permission which also he most wisely and powerfully boundeth and otherwise ordereth and governeth in a manifold dispensation to his most holy ends yet so as the sinfulness of their acts proceed only of the Creatures and not from God who being most righteous neither is nor can be the approver of sin Psal 50. 21. 1 Joh. 2. 16. These last words are true and contradict all the rest as most Heretical and false for he cannot but approve his own Decrees In these Positions the Mystery of Iniquity seems to be perfected including a perfection of falshood impiety and abominations in them First The abuse of the Scriptures for proof of this horrid Doctrine not one of the Scriptures mentioned having any such thing in them nor indeed may we imagine any such thing to be in the holy Word of the holy God without blasphemy against him What that God hath eternally decreed in himself all things whatsoever comes to pass the determinate Counsel extending it self to all the sinful actions both of Angels and Men What the Decreer thereof and yet not the Approver of his own Decrees Obj. But we have a way to distinguish between the Actions and the sinfulness of the Actions God decreed all Actions and all Actions in themselves are simply good because acted in his Power and according to his Decrees but the sinfulness of the Action is the Creatures of which God is no Approver To this I say I think it will require more Logick and Rhetorick thus rightly to distinguish than all the Persons in the World of this opinion will be able to find out Hath God decreed the act of Murther and not the sin and so of Adultery Witchcraft and all other abominations is not the act it self the sin if there were no such act there would be no such sin therefore let them divide the act from the sin if they can the act to be God's Decree and the sin the Creatures and God no approver thereof though he decreed it as they say But 1. To prove that God hath decreed all things whatsoever comes to pass all sinful Actions both of Angels and Men Isa 46. 10. Eph. 1. 11. Heb. 6. 17. is referred to all which Scriptures speak only of God's own Works and Counsel determined and declared especially relative to his Gospel-work of Salvation by Jesus Christ and not his determining all the sinful actions of Angels and Men as a weak capacity may easily discern So the like of Act. 15. 18. And as for Act. 2. 23. 4. 17 28. First The Scriptures do not say that God decreed them to crucifie his Son But that he was delivered by the determinate Counsel and foreknowledge of God for them to do unto him what he before knew they would do He determined that his Son should give himself for the life of the World and foreknew that the Jews with the rest would do that Work and he determined to give him up to them and they by wicked hands crucified him And therein he bounded their actions to his own Counsel before determined But

it having filled the World with iniquity and contention for many generations if it might now have its end God will have the Glory and Men the advantage Thus according to the advice therein having as prudently as I could and according to the best light and understanding that God hath given me herein considered and pondered this matter and have herein given a very brief account thereof to the intent that it may be a word of warning to all to beware of being corrupted thereby and that the asserters thereof may speedily repent and blot it out of their Creed and I pray the Lord to grant them Grace so to do Amen If any should be inquisitive to know my thoughts about the eternal Decrees and Providence of God I Answer 1. My desire is not to have any thoughts of God or of his Decrees but such as are holy and honourable to his Name which that it may so be 2. I dare not think of any Decree in God that is contrary to his holy Name and Nature nor in it self distinct from sin as the cause contrary to the good of Men nor contrary to his holy Word his revealed Will and Law of Grace to Men if I should I must therein make null and void all his Word or at best render it uncertain and so no ground or rule of Faith 3. That his revealed Will both in his Precepts Promises and Threats is his decreed Will opened revealed and made known to Men in his Word Act. 20. 20 27. 4. That all his own Works of Creation Preservation Redemption by Jesus Christ and effecting the Restitution and World to come with all the means tending thereunto was decreed by him Act. 15. 18. Ephes 1. 11. but not all nor any of the Sins of Men. 5. That there is nor never was any secret Decree or Will in God contrary to his revealed Word and Will made known to Men in which our safety is assured Mal. 3. 6. 6. That it 's my concern to desire and endeavour to know his revealed Will and it to believe and live to him therein assuring my self there is no secret Will in God that is contrary thereunto Deut. 29. 29. But I believe it to be an Abomination to be abhorred to believe that all the actions of Angels and Men are the conception and birth of the eternal Decree of God All that is good being of and from God and all the evil acts of Sin being of and from the Devil and Men themselves and the evil of punishment from God as the just and righteous reward of punishment or wages of Sin 2. And as concerning Providence 1. That God by his Providence ordereth and governeth all things well and that Afflictions come not to pass by chance or fortune as Men usually understand it but by the over-ruling hand of Providence Job 5. 6. and that by the same over-ruling Providence all the afflictions of his People shall work for their good Rom. 8. 28. And that though God decreed not the sinful acts of any no not the Jews crucifying Christ nor Judas betraying him nor Joseph's Brethren selling him to Aegypt yet he foreseeing they would do it left them to the libertiy of their own wills in the matter and by over-ruling Providence brings about his own designes thereby to his own praise but that Providence hath an over-ruling hand in the Sins of Men for accomplishing thereof according to his eternal Decree any otherwise than by bare permission and over-ruling thereof as before I said I protest against as most unholy to imagine To conclude Let the Reader prove all things and hold fast that which is good 1 Thes 5. 21. Rom. 12. 9. Abhor that which is evil and cleave to that which is good Phil. 4. 8. Finally Brethren whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are of good report if there be any vertue if there be any praise think on these things FINIS These Books following have been lately printed for the Author Thomas Collier 1. THE Body of Divinity or a Confession of Faith being the Substance of Christianity containing the most material things relating both to matters of Faith and Practice 2. An Additional Word to the Body of Divinity being the Substance of Christianity added on special occasion about the Doctrine of Election Universal and special Grace Being an Essay for Peace and Union amongst all the Sons and Daughters of Peace 3. A sober and moderate Answer to Nehemiah Cox's Invective pretended Refutation as he saith of the gross Errors and Heresies asserted by Thomas Collier in his Additional VVord VVherein his Refutation is examined and found too light