Selected quad for the lemma: act_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
act_n	condition_n	faith_n	justification_n	3,398	5	9.7058	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A63017	The re-assertion of grace, or, Vindiciæ evangelii a vindication of the Gospell-truths, from the unjust censure and undue aspersions of Antinomians : in a modest reply to Mr. Anth. Burgesses Vindiciæ legis, Mr. Rutherfords Triall and tryumph of faith, from which also Mr. Geerie and M. Bedford may receive a satisfactory answer / by Robert Towne.	Towne, Robert, 1592 or 3-1663.; Bushell, Seth, 1621-1684.; Towne, Robert, 1592 or 3-1663. Monomachia, or, A single reply to Mr. Rutherford's book ...	1654 (1654)	Wing T1980; ESTC R23436	205,592	262

upon false grounds 1. That a man cannot distinguish himself from hypocrites 2. That there can be no assurance but upon a full and compleat work of godliness Answ 1. No A man cannot distinguist himself certainly without faith's evidence how would you have discovered Paul having a zealous respect to all Gods Commandments 2. No one nor all your works can bring assurance sufficient I dare say that soul which seeketh establishment and to overcome doubting that way is far from it in the secret bottom of it Imperfections in all whereunto the conscience is privie will more weaken then confirm Semper operum respect nest trepidandi materia M. B. 4. All those Arguments will hold as strongly against faith for are there not many believers for a season or may not a man then know assoon the nature of his heart as the truth of his faith Answ 1. Though true faith fail never yet that is not simply from the nature of faith for there is no gift of grace but of it self it is perishable Constancy and immutability natural be only proper to God therefore Christ prayed that Peters faith might not fail 2. Faith doth not ascertain in that it indureth but in that by it the soul hath an effectual entrance into that grace wherein it standeth irremoveably Rom. 5.2 3. There is not that light of evidence in sincerity which is in faith Heb. 11.1 faith giveth light to those things which otherwise cannot lightly be discerned M. B. Now let us consider their grounds for this strange assertion Answ I cannot say what assertion you mean but it is not much material M. B. Because Rom. 4. It is said God justifieth the ungodly Now this hath a twofold Answer 1. That which our Divines do commonly give that those works are not to be understood in sensu composito c. therefore they compare these passages with those of making the blinde to see c. not that they did see while they were blinde but those who were blinde do now see and this is true and good Answ If you grant that a man is as meerly ungodly till he be justified as a man is blinde till his eyes be opened with those divines the Doctor and you might agree but this answer likes you not though you say it is good and true so well as another viz. Mr. B. 2. But I shall secondly answer it c. Vngodly there is meant of such who are so in their nature considered having not an absolute righteousness yet at the same time believers even as Abraham was So then the subject of justification is a sinner yet a believer Now it is impossible that a man should be a believer and his heart not purified Act 15. Answ So that in few and plain words your opinion is as we see by this and other passages where you call Abraham the ungodly man That a man must be a believer have his heart purified by faith be qualified as Abraham was at least then when it was said his faith was imputed for righteousness before he can be capable of justification here is poor and cold comfort to a distressed conscience who feels himself nothing but a meer compound of sin and misery Do you put men to believe and to know they believe and to be sure faith hath purified the heart but you mean not faith neither but the Law and sanctified them before they come to God who justifieth the ungodly A profound Rabbi O strange Divinity much good do it you You fear infection and so get as far from Doctor Crisp and from Paul's Doctrine as may be yet truth is with you Your Comes individuus to part at and you is impossible You might have named some of those learned men for I know them not But to deal punctually 1. You know that Doctor Crisp speaks of justification as it is Gods only free act absolving and discharging all the Elect of all their sins at once even then when he laid them on Christ Now as God said to Job Where wast thou when I cast the mountains so where was this Faith purity of heart and sanctification then this is no evasion you know but by this all you have said is annihilated he makes faith not to be necessary to justification but the evidence of it in due time for the relieving staying and comforting of the conscience troubled and affected by sin and the Law 2. To draw nearer to you who have thus set your self at this great distance that your longest weapon cannot teach your Adversary to harm him I will grant you that the Scripture setteth forth God as a justifier of them that are of the faith of Jesus Rom. 3.26 but let me then aske whether it be his faith or Gods act in justifying that doth alter him and his condition Israel looked upon the Brazen Serpent but the blessing of health came from God which did effect the cure 2. You say faith purified the heart Act. 15. what before justification or after Calvin and Luther understand that purifying to be by justification Luthers words are Totus purus es ratione hospitis tui because of Christ received by faith the heart becometh pure And when you tell us Abraham is that ungodly man if you mean he was ungodly when he was justified there is no difference But if you consider him otherwise he was then a worker and so the text is fully against you To him that worketh not c. But when Paul saith He believed in God who justifieth the ungodly it is a description of the object of faith or of God on whom faith believeth even that God whose nature property office and promise is to justifie an ungodly man and not a declaration how the subject or man is to be qualified So that the true God of the Gospell findeth men ungodly when he justifieth them but leaveth them not so Or if you will understand the place of Abraham yet there is no circumstance requiring it how ever he was so qualified by faith his heart purified he reported and found to have exellent things in him at that time when it was said his faith was imputed for righeousness Gen. 15.5 yet God in whom he believed is said to justifie them that are without such qualifications even the ungodly M. B. Another place they much stand upon is Rom. 5. Christ died for us while we were enemies while we were sinners But why then do they say that if a man be as great an enemy as enmity it self can make him if he be willing to take Christ c. be shall be pardoned which we say is a Contradiction for how can an enemy with Christ close with Christ So that would seem more then in some places they seem to allowe Answ You doe not surely deny the truth of that Scripture but argue the inconsistency of it with that assertion viz. That such great enemies and sinners closing with Christ can be pardoned this is a Contradiction say you I

are onely of force for that and during Christ time 2 Exception 2 Against what is said to 1 Cor. 11. Mr. Rutherf saith Faith doth no more hinder a justified person to receive unworthily the Lords Supper then it doth hinder him to commit Adultery Reply It 's true faith is not alway effectual in all to hinder the doing of both these But what then Is it not for want of the exercise of faith in vigour life and perfection that these or any other sins are not prevented So if faith do not hinder what then can hinder what purifieth the heart and rightly principleth and disposeth the soul to all good actions but faith but not faith as a dead quality or habit lying still and idle within but as it 's lively and operative according to its nature and property 2. What else doth the Soul in eating and drinking the Lords Supper imploy or set on work but faith Nay is the act of eating and drinking formally any other thing but to believe So that if faith be not to be put forth and exercised and then where is justification there may be a bodily action in using the visible Elements which is unworthy indeed and not befitting a Christian but no spiritual eating as the Ordinance requireth You make your self sport saying Mr. T 's sense seemeth to carry That a justified person cannot sinne nor eat and drink unworthily because faith makes him worthy and if so the way is a wanton merry way Reply My words speak no such thing if you lift to spell them aright but if your ill-will suffer you not The Lord forgive and amend it Faith includeth all It presupposeth hunger and thirst before eating 2. a true and spiritual receiving 3. inward refreshing and satisfaction thereby whence 4. followeth love rejoycing with thanksgiving so that he who eateth and drinketh in faith cannot eat and drink unworthily The ground out of which all your seven Arguments grow and receive their supposed strength is that mixt-justice or that Mosaical-Government which we do not now live under And therefore that failing they will all totter and fall It needs then your second hand and labour to uphold and confirm it Moreover to the seventh and last requiring some more particular answer I say 1. That all afflictions are subservient to the Law and signes of wrath is no errour or position of ours neither is our assertion founded upon it 2. Yet as afflictions come from justice offended and provoked to inflict them for sinne so they are appendices of the Law and you cannot disprove it 3. You adde as a thing that we hold That as believers are freed from the ruling power of the Law so are they also from the Rod. Whereas 1. your doctrine by a direct and necessary consequence doth free the believer from the ruling power of the Law while you place him under a mixt-Government of justice and mercy for the Law is pure justice without mixture and a strict and exact rule without mitigation 2. It is false that we free believers from the Rod as your own eyes may witness while you read our positions for we do not cry down all Crosses and secure the justified from all affliction In this our way we have had and still expect many a scratch and prick from you and others and yet not for any desert or errour that all your diligence can finde and prove Your other pretended errour is cleared before Lastly though Christ paid for sins before yet the Law acquits them not nor conscience apperehends it not before actual justification 3 Exception is against the Covenant Mr. Rutherf Some teach this Covenant hath no condition so Dr. Crisp and other Libertines Reply We must have your lash and unworthy brand also You may sin and we are made to suffer but unless you bring in Free-will this Covenant of Grace will prove absolute no part of it lying on us for that presupposeth some power and goodness where is none for this Covenant is with man being fallen and so having lost all therefore it behoveth that it should be sutable to his broken state requiring neither promising no good conditionally where nothing could be first given by him 2. It is granted by all that all was transacted between God the Father and the Sonne from eternity and that the Covenant as it cometh and is commended to us is as the breaking up of that great seal the opening and manifestation of those secrets concluded upon so farre as they concern the raising of the Elect of God out of their sinful dust unto everlasting blessedness so that what is in the decree of heaven concerning them the same is contained in the Covenant then as God purposed to give repentance faith holiness so he hath included and promised all in the Covenant and these are truely parts and branches of it and not properly conditions Now we see that as there were thoughts of peace in God for us when we were in our lowest and worst condition and in what way and after what manner his mind is to recover our souls from their lost Estates and restore and give life favour and glory unto them so by this Covenant also he hath laid cleared to us a firm ground upon which we may with comfort and considence expect and wait for faith and all things to be given freely unto us This agreeth to the expressions of Zanchie Calvin Parous c. Indeed God observeth his due and set order in giving and working one thing before and another after so as a prius and a posterius is granted but the first suppose repentance or faith is not a condition of what followeth except with us and according to these Authors you will call it a condition of state that is Conditio statu● God bringeth the soul unto such a state or case as he humbleth it and then giveth Grace c. Thus many promises are with an if If ye repent if ye believe then thus it shall be unto you and denote onely order and consequence as Calvin saith not condition As a Husbandman soweth not his land till it be plowed and fitted if he be asked why he doth not commit his seed to it he will answer it must be prepared first but one part of his worke is not the condition of the other when the whole lyeth on him Again if the promise to give faith and repentance be not in the Covenant where is it to be found Is there any thing to be looked for not mentioned in the Covenant 3. You call it a Covenant of Grace now if it be of Grace then works are excluded yea repentance and faith as our acts and if it be free that necessarily fighteth against all conditions it cannot be free and conditional The more freely the riches of Gods Grace is held forth the more glorious and admirable is it in our eyes Besides it is your expression That Christ is a party contracting or a Covenanter undertaking for

or Ministers forth to call men in that they may see the salvation of their God know all things are made ready fit down and rest securely comfortably and contentedly in the apprehension and injoyment of it Neither touching this matter can you finde more high expressions in Luther as you tearm them then in the New Testament see Matth. 22.4 All things are prepared Luk. 2.30 31. Mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people Eph. 2.8 9. He hath saved us By grace ye are saved not by works lest any man should boast It is you that are too low of Stature who cannot reach to salvation by simple believing and receiving it unless you be heightened and the hands of your faith be lengthened by good works and there is no fault in the highness of the expression I would learn of you how good works can be present when a lost sinner layeth hold on salvation or on Christ that he may be saved or what the presence of them can availe him or what good work was required of the Jaylor or found in him when trembling as truly wretched and undone and crying what he might do to be saved Paul bade him to believe in the Lord Jesus and he should be saved Act. 16.31 but of this more hereafter as occasion will be given M. B. S 3. If this were their ground of many unsavoury assertions among them c. Answ If you were not too dainty nice and quick in mis-apprehension our assertions would not effend you but be as savoury and acceptable as they be to others of as good judgment as your self M. B. That there may be injudiciousness in them as a cause in part of some their erroneous passages will appear in that they frequently speak contradictions Answ If you have greater perfection in judgment and other parts shame not nor disdain them that want neither be arrogant in your self you have nothing but what you received 2. In the undertaking and managing of this quarrel you bewray great weakness of judgment as all may perceive 3. If speaking of contradictions do argue injudiciousness this is more then evident in you I could give instance in many passages which I observed You condemn that assertion It 's no Law if it have no power as to command so to curse and yet with the same breath do say that a Law is alway condemning potentially though not actually If it be condemning potentially alway then it hath alway power do you not see your contradiction If it do not actually it is not because lex non est damnaus but for want of occasion And the like may be seen in your expressions about the Law and salvation by grace and by works c. Mr. B. ibid. This is a passage often but very dangerous That let a man be a wicked man even as high as enmity it self can make a man yet while he is thus wicked and while he is no better his sins are pardoned and he justified Yet in other passages Though a man be never so wicked yet if he come to Christ if he will take Christ his sins are pardoned Now what a contradiction is here To be wicked and while he is wicked and while he is no better and yet to take Christ unless they hold that to take Christ or to come to him be no good thing at all Answ 1. If you wanted not charity towards your Adversary you might have tolerated and accounted of such-like passages as you do of those high expressions in Luther and you pass by great mountains in Dr. Tayler as if no error were in him and are thus strict to finde out a mole-hil or mote in Dr. Crisp and yet can shew none This is out of no love to truth or hatred of error 2. Many things we say are tolerated in Luther for many special reasons and it is clear to me that the same grounds of toleration were in this Author you so except against 3. The injudiciousness seemeth here to be in you who see not to put a difference between a wicked mans disposition and his condition while he is thus wicked and no better to wit in his state and condition If he will come to Christ take Christ that argueth a change in disposition and will a minde to be delivered and freed from that so cursed and dangerous condition he is in 4. To come to Christ to take Christ be good for the wicked man for he hath no way else left for salvation but first he may thank him from whom that motion and perswasion came who gave him that heart and ability to come None can come to me unless the Father draw him Ioh. 6.45 And 2. If this be all the good you so plead for to come to Christ then he is wicked and no better nor otherwise till he come or begin and have a heart to come and so much his words import which might have prevented this wrangling if you pleased 5. Will you teach a man that this act of comming or taking Christ is a good thing in him to be looked at by him or that it is any whit satisfactory to the justice of the Law or available to the recovery of his lost soul and estate that he may put this act in and reckon it towards his discharge or justification or you will teach and tell him that Christ is all this unto whom he therefore cometh forthat purpose If a notorious Malefactor condemned to dye have a pardon put into his hands or have it for going to the King can he plead his going or doth any account him less wicked or guilty for that Also In the same page 30. and Sect. you are offended with the Authors Rhetorical expressions as is also Mr. Geree Ans But what doth not offend a weak and crazie stomach where the minde is prejudicate and sinister nothing can please else where or when may he better use it then in Christs cause or work and it is to as much if not better purpose then a great deal of reading you shew in this Book making little or no use of your alledged Authors but only for a flourish like him that lighteth a candle and presently puffeth it out If he had his weakness so have we The high-Priest of old being compassed himself with infirmity was thereby to be moved to have compassion on the ignorant and them that were out of the way Heb. 5.2 And you impute it ibid to his injudiciousness that your adversary doth minde onely the promissory part of the Scripture and stand little upon the mandatory Answ Be it so I hold it judiciousness and wisdome in him For 1. There be ten for one yea a hundred for one who are wholly for the Mandatory 2 Besides every mans conscience naturally preacheth the Law of works within him Rom. 2.15 but is unprincipled in grace and the free promise 3. If you did consider what little pure Gospel-light is in the general