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	object_n	6,980	5	9.0206	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A63270	The saints declining state under gospel administrations, or, The case of desertion briefly stated in a few considerations by William Troughton ...	Troughton, William, 1614?-1677?	1652 (1652)	Wing T2318; ESTC R6248	32,617	114

restanrādae quam retinendae subservire debet they rather revile them and raile at them in a publique way and it is very observable that divers ministers and others whose faces have formerly shined with the glimpses and rayes of Gods countenance upon them whose discourses have ben exceeding savory and spirituall since they fell upon this violent and railing stormy and promoted selfintrest their spirits have ben flat dul their discourses generall and confused and their society uncomfortable neither is there that spirituall life and vigour in them that was wont to bee If the vitall parts of a mans body bee weakened you will say hee is in a consumption it is so in spiritualls when there is not that life of faith love joy c. in the saints which they have manifested in times past 11 Symptome If there be ā departing from the simplicitie of the Gospel Againe if ye depart from the simplicity of a Crucified Christ and cry up every new notion every vaine opinion as a glorious discovery of God are unstabied and unsetled like so many wandering stars waves of the sea being tossed to and from with every winde of Doctrine ready to change your Religion and principles every day according to the judgments of men with whom yee converse It s a symptome that ye are but babes and infants in the Knowledge of Christ for it is the Property of children to be much affected with new things for a little while and then to cast them away againe for other toyes Thus it was with some members of the churches at Corinth and Galatia who it seemes were unstable Christians and much given to novelties and therfore a great trouble vexation to the Apostle for no sooner was he departed from them but they were taken with new doctrines and run after the false Apostles disrelishing both the person and Doctrin of Paul in so much that he breaks out into that vehement interrogation to the Galathians a Gal. 3.1 Oh foolish Galathians who hath bewiched you that you should not obey the truth as if he had said I left you in a good condition when I was last with you you did obey the gospel of Christ but since my depature ravening wolves Satan and his instruments have been among you and they have bewitched you with their false doctrines And againe have yee begun in the spirit and will you end in the flesh with many other passages to this purpose in his epistle to the Churches So that it was not the least worke which Paul had to do to settle and stablish Christians in the Doctrine of Christ after they had submitted to it nor was it the least of his suffrings nay it was a heavy affliction to him as it is to every faithfull dispenser of the Gople that after all this paines and care trouble and suffrings in there behalfe they should depart from the simplicity of that Gospel which hee had boldly preached and contended for * Nostra bac aetate inven as inuumeros qui cam Evangelium Dei audivissent mirabili quodam zele ardo-respiritus in amorem illuis exarserint postea vero per falsos featres circumventi consummat onem salutis suae non amplius in fide ac spiritu Christi sed in justitus carnis quarere coepermt the mother after shee is delivered of her child is put to as much trouble in nurfing and educating it as she was in bringing it forth So was Paul in a spirituall sence he had many throwes and panges after he had begotten them to Christ nay he falls in travaile with them again my little children saith he of whome I travaile in birth againe till Christ be formed in you I wonder not that professors in these daies are cold and dead hearted and that they ly open to the violence of every storme and every temptation for how can it be other wise with them so long as they play fast and loose with truth and depart from the true rocke and foundation But for your better information in this point I shall heere lay downe two cautions First notwithstanding what hath beene said yee ought not to content your selves with this or that measure and degree of faith Two cautions 1. Rest not in the measure you have attained to and knowledge it the mystery of the Gospel as some professors do who fearing they should fall into error and be deluded with new lights as it is called * Learned Zanchy cals it a new heavenly light remaine still in their old formes Si igitur sentimus in animis nostris novū celestem lucem accensam c In explicat ad Ephes fol. 47. and measures as if nothing could be added to their knowledge in spirituall things wee ought neverthelesse to take heed of laying new foundations and taking up new Gospels for no other foundation can any man Lay then that which is Layed b 1 Cor. 3 and if an Angell from heaven preach any other Gospel let him be accused c Gal. 1.8 every faithfull Christian holds to the true foundation though hee cannot argue against every thing that crosses the foundation or vindicate every truth which hee is convinced of yet he closes with that heavenly Martyr that said though he could not despute for Christ yet he could dy for Christ 2 Caution Censure not thy brother upon every alteration Secondly neither ought yee to censure Christians as Apostats for reiecting some things which they formerly embraced for this they may doe and yet not change the foundation or cry up another Christ but it may be they have more light and knowledge and a cleare judgement concerning the foundation and the superstructure or matter to be builded theron that whereas they have formerly builded hay stubble such like combustible matter which shal be consumed by the fire of the spirit of God a 1 Cor. 3.12 they now build Gold and silver and pretious stones that is true Doctrine and faithfull workes upon the true foundation Twelfthly 12 Symptome If ye live more on the acts than on the object of faith love joy if you cast your eye more on that which is inherent in you as your faith in Christ your love to God your knowledge of spirituall things which are weake and imperfect for yee know but in part yee beleeve but in part yee love but in part then on the righteousnesse of Christ which the Lord in his infinit love and grace hath imputed unto you It appeares that you are not much acquainted with the mystery of the Gospel neither do yee give that honor to Christ the obiect of faith which is due to him for should these graces or rather effects of grace have a greater traine more attendants and a fuller Court then that glorious righteousnesse which is layed up for you in Christ should these which are but hand-maides and servants have greater respects and be more honoured in

there is no substance no reality your understandings are clouded hearts hardened your consciences benummed your spirits like Tinder apt to take every impression of Satan and all this because the bridegrome hath withdrawne himselfe from you he is gon behinde the curtaine the sun is ecclipsed t is night with you and what saies our saviour if a man walke in the night he stumbles and if the light that is in thee namely the understanding which is the light of thy soule be darknesse oh how great is that darknesse d 2 Mat. 6.22 In this sad condition you may take up that complaint of Job e Job 29.2 3 3 4 5 20 25. who had experience of the Lords hiding his face from him my harpe is turned into mourning my organ into the voice of those that weepe and wish which him that you were as in the months past as in the daies when God preserved you when his candle shined upon your head and when by his light you walked through darknes when the Secret of God was upon your Tabernacles the Almighty was yet with you when your glory was fresh in you and you were as those that comfort the mourners when you did see the power and glory of God in the Sanctuary f Psa 63.2 and your harts were sweetely drawne out unto him because of the savor of his good ointments g Cant. 1.2 namely the glorious rayes of his countenance which shined upon you Vse 2 2. To conclude if you would bee restored to your former comforts and injoyments or greater I beseech you and oh that God would enable you by his grace to looke up to Christ by an eye of faith and clasp fast about him It is not all your prayers and teares though I doe not say these or any Gospel ordinance wherein Christ manifests himselfe must be neglected it is not your gifts and parts nor any of your performances that can restore you but only the Lord Jesus apprehended by faith how comes the heart to be filled with joy and peace but in beleeving h Rom. 15.13 and againe beleeving yee rejoyce with joy unspeakable and glorious i 1 Pet. 1.8 for your incouragement let me tell you that ye have a tēder hearted Saviour to deale with one that hath aboundant experience of your sorrowes one that knowes what it is to have the countenance of God eclipsed goe to him and plead before him the promises his death his resurrection his precious offices relations call to minde former experiences of his love and goodnes he died for you when you were enemies to him and will he not give you a gracious visit now that yee are his friends he was found of you when you sought not after him k Isai 65.1 wil he not manifest himself to you now that you seeke him by faith hee knowes very well that you cannot be without him having once had communion with him and therfore hee will answere you when you call he wil open when you knock and both hee and the father will come and sup with you l Iohn 14. he cannot be long from you for yee are his jewells and ingraven upon the palmes of his hands yee are members of his body m Ephe. 5.30 and can he forget his owne flesh and blood its impossible what though yee have rebelled against him yet consider that hee loves you freely and will heale your backslidings for his anger is turned away from you n Iosea 14.4 his thoughts are not as your thoughts nor his wayes as your wayes o Isa 5.1 having once set his love upon you hee will never take it off againe hee may in his heavenly wisdome for a while hide his face from you that you may prize his countenance the more when you have it take heede of an evill heart of unbeleefe in departing from the liveing God to whome will yee goe I pray you for hee only hath the wordes of eternall life p Ioh. 6.68 hee that hath wounded you must cure you nay hee will do it if yee will but come to him him than cometh to mee I will in no waies cast out Now the Lord drawe you by the Cordes of his love q Hos 11.4 that you may come to him and finde rest in your soules not in the act of your coming but in the person whome yee come to for he is the eternall rest of the Saints FINIS THE TABLE A. ALterations not alwayes censurable p. 67 Applause p. 35 Assurance weakned p. 51 Attainments rest not in what you have p. 66 B. Bitternesse against those differ in judgement ill p. 59 C. Communion of Saints slighted p. 56 Comfort suspension of it page 4. Sharking after Creature-Comforts p. 48 Conversation whose most holy and mortified p. 27 Corruption the keenesse of it doth not certainly suppose declension in spirituals p. 14 Covenant of works now many goe back to is p. 52 D. Desertion totall and reall what p. 3 Distempers bodily Distempers hnider spirituall actings p. 16 F Faith not the acts but objects of it to be leaned upon p. 68 Formality in duties p. 39 G Gospel the simplicity of it not to be departed from p. 62 Growth the measure of spirituall growth different p. 18 H. Heart tender-heartednesse to the weak p. 28 Heaven no full possession of it here p. 81 Humility those most humble have clearest apprehensions of God p. 22 I. Injoyments Great and high injoyments of God how knowne p. 21 22 c. O Ordinances to whom pretious 24. Why some neglect them p. 40 44 R. Reproofe p. 37 Rigteousnesse of Christ onely to be looked at p. 53 S Saints considered as justified as sanctified 6 7 8. lesse subject to bondage now than under the old Testament 9. They have their ebbings p. 11 Sorrowes not to be rested in p. 70 Spirit whether Saints may be under the spirit of bondage 54. A free agent p. 77 Strangenesse to Christ p. 72 Streames ill to affect them and neglect the fountain 31. Sad effects of it p. 33 Sympathizing p. 79 Sullennesse p. 75 T. Temptations Satan tempts to think better or worse of ones selfe than it is p. 12 13 V. Unfruitfulnesse p. 46 W Weak who are tender-hearted to them p. 28 ERRATA FOr lacivious page 26. read lascivious Imediate p. 40. r. immediate Presemum pag. 45. r. presemium Our selves p. 49. r. your selves Parsecution p. 59. r. persecution Ptactice p. 61. r. practice He could not dispute p. 67. r. I cannot dispute yet I can Familior p. 73. r. familiar Sence p. 82 r. since Saints there p. 83. r. Saints here Morning p. 86. r. mourning