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	justify_v	3,574	5	8.9714	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A49513	Principle[s] of faith & good conscience digested into a catecheticall form: together with an appendix: 1. Unfolding the termes of practicall divinity. 2. Shewing some markes of Gods children. 3. Some generall rules and principles of holy life. By W. Lyford, Batchelour of Divinity, and minister of Gods Word at Sherborne in Dorsetshire.	Lyford, William, 1598-1653.	1655 (1655)	Wing L3555; ESTC R216824	122,930	334

Word and Spirit of God a 1 Ioh. 1 9 b Rom. 8.13 14. Eph. 2.2 Ier. 44.17.6 And if the blind lead the blind they both fall into the ditch a Blind rule is a blind guide Q. How thirdly may it be knowne A. Because they were never converted neither doe they see why or from what such as be borne and bred up in the true Religiō should be converted such people are yet in their naturall state Ioh. 8.33 34.36 Ioh 3.4 7. Luk. 15.7 Act. 3.19 Q How fourthly may people be convinced to be under sinne and without grace A. Because sin is no burthen to to them they were never pricked in their hearts not soundly humbled under their naturall condition A man may finde many faults in himselfe by cōmon grace but to feel and bewaile the rottēnesse sink of iniquity that is in our hearts the contrarieties that be in our nature against God and the workings of corruption this we cannot discover but by the sanctifying Spirit of God Rom. 7.7 9. Q. How fiftly doth it appeare that men want Grace A. Because they discerns not betweene pretious and vile as between the state of Nature the state of Grace between civill honesty saving Grace Let them tell what the differences be Num. 16.3 Eze. 22.26 Esa 5.20 Joh. 3.4 1 Cor. 2.13 14. Spirituall things must be spiritually discerned you must not heare a Sermon as you would heare a speech c. Q. How sixtly may this be proved A. Because they cannot bring you one promise out of the Scripture nor one mark of a saved one of which they can say this doth belong to me But the lesse they know of the Word of God the better they thinke of themselves and the lesse they search their owne hearts the greater is their assurance These are deluded ones Sound Christians can bring promises and evidences that they are in the state of Grace such as these Rom. 8.1 2 13. 1 Joh. 3.14 1 Joh. 5.1 2. 1 Thes 5.5 6. Q. How lastly may a carnall person be convinced to be under sin A. Because they are not in Christ this you must know that it is not enough for a man to doe his best and what he can but if he be not in Christ the Law layeth hold on him he is under the curse No body is safe by doing his best Eph. 2.12 1 Thes 1.10 the Law is a cruell Master it lookes not what we can doe it accepts not of repentings c. but unless we be in Christ Jesus it curseth all our imperfections Gal. 3.10 1 Joh. 5.11 12. Q. This is the case of man by nature and of all the sons of Adam What must we doe to escape wrath A. We must get into the Covenant of Grace made to us in Christ the promised seed Gal. 3.13 26. Rom. 10.4 Gal. 4.4 5. CAP. VI. Of the Covenant of Grace and our Redemption by Christ Third head of Christian doctrine Q WHat is the Covenant of Grace A. It is Gods free Charter and Grant wherein he bestoweth remission of sinnes and the Kingdome of Heaven in and for the death of Christ Jesus or it is a contract betweene God and man concerning reconciliation and life everlasting to be given and received by faith in Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 5.19 Gen. 17.4 7. There is Gospell in that Rom. 4.16 17. Gal. 3.8 Deu. 26.17 18. The matter covenanted is life and reconciliation the conveyance it is a gift by Christ the instrument and mean to receive it is faith all our right and title to Heaven comes this way from the love of the Father through the merit of the Son made ours by faith Eph. 15. Rom. 5.21 Rom. 3.22 24 Eph. 2.8 Q. What is the true difference between the Covenant of Workes and the Covenant of Grace A. The Law or Covenant of Workes offereth salvation to them that keepe it perfectly in their own persons that is to them that be without sinne and have a righteousnesse of their owne a personall perfect perpetuall Obedience Rom. 10.5 Luk. 10.28 Q. Explaine that farther A. The Law considers not what we can doe now neither doth it accept of sorrowes for doing amisse but it is satisfied only with a full and compleat obedience If thou say I doe my best c. that is no content to the Law the Law requires that all our works be holy without any touch of the flesh Rom. 7.14 2 Cor. 3.7 9. Gal. 3.10 It curseth every failing Q. How doth the Gospel offerus salvation A. By the righteousnesse of Christ th● Mediator so that the humbled soule resting on Christ by faith is justified and ● peace with God though we be not perfectly holy Rom. 3.25 26 27. Gal. 2.1 2 Cor. 5.19 Rom. 4.16 1 Tim. 1.15 This the priviledge of the Gospell that whe● we faile yet if we repent and turnet God God accepts our persons and th● greatest sin shall not condemne us th● Law knowes no such thing Gal. 3.12 Of justification by faith in Christ Jesus Q. 1. Then Christ doth not justify us ● giving grace and ability to keep the Law A. No for then Justification werea● works and not of Grace besides there no such b ability given to any living Grace is given whereby we subdue or corruptions The Covenant with Adam was of workes though all he had was given him and strive to please God b● not to fulfill the Law perfectly a Eph. 7 8 9 10. b 1 Joh. 1.8 9. Act. 5.31 Ac● 15.11 That which I fetch with my pen●● is not a gift but our righteousnesse is 〈◊〉 gift Rom. 5.17 Q. 2. Doth he save us by joyning 〈◊〉 merits to our workes as if we were justified partly by workes and partly by fai●● in Christ A. No we are justified by faith without the deeds of the Law and Christ will not have any to bejoyned with him in that businesse Rom. 3.21 27 28. Rom. 11.6 Esa 64.6 Jer. 23.6 Esa 63.3 Rom. 4 5 6. Heb. 7.25 Heb. 9.26 Gal. 5.4 To a sinners justification Christ is all in all or none at all Q. 3. Doth the New Covenant save as by changing the condition of workes into faith and sincere obedience as if the act of believing and obeying should be in stead of perfect obedience to the Law A. By no meanes The righteousnesse by which we are justified is 1. The righteousnesse of a God 2. Imputed to us residing in the person of Christ 3. Every way able to answer the Law See Phil. 39 2 Cor. 5.21 Ro 3.21 22 26. But our faith and sincere obedience is 1. But the righteousnesse of a man 2. Inherent no● imputed 3. No way able to answer the Law The New Covenant doth not change workes into workes workes perfect incompleat i●to workes imperfect But it changeth workes of our own performing into workes performed for us by Christ for faith doth not justifie as it is a grace wrought in us working in us but as it is an

the things granted by Gods Covenant Q. Must we be in Covenant with God before we can partake of the Sacraments A. Yes for else the outward signes doe not profit Abraham was first in Covenant with God and then he received the signe of Circumcision Even as we use first to agree upon the conditions before we seale and deliver the deeds Gen. 15.6 18. with Gen. 17 7 10 11. with Rom. 4.10 11. Acts 8.13 21 37. As in Covenant and Contract of Marriage there is first a consent of the parties and then the writings are sealed so it is in this covenant of Grace both we and our Children must be in Covenant with God before the Sacraments which are the seales of the Covenant can belong to us Some are in Covenant with God only by outward profession and such people receive the signe but not the thing signified as Acts 5.3 1 Cor. 10.3 5. 1 Cor. 11.27 Rom. 2 25. others are really in Covenant with the Lord they receive both the signe and the things thereby signified as Acts 2.41 1 Pet. 3.21 Our Children are taken into Gods Covenant and so have the signe of Baptisme Howbeit when they come to age they must performe the condition of their Fathers Faith else they forfeit all Q. The Sacraments of the Old Testament were two 1. Circumcision and 2. the Passeover of the New Testament be likewise two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper How do they differ the one from the other The New from the Old A. Not in substance for Christ is the substance and end of all Sacraments but only in the manner the Old did lead unto and fet forth Christs death which was to come the New doe set forth Christ already come 1 Cor. 10.3 4. 1 Cor. 5.7 Exod. 12.13 The parts of a Sacrament Q. How many parts be there in a Sacrament A. There be two parts in every Sacrament 1. Some outward bodily signe 2. And some spiritual benefit signifi'd thereby Q. What is the spiritual thing signified in every Sacram●nt A. Christ crucified or the doing away of sinnes in for the death of Christ it is not every grace represented by an outward signe that doth make a Sacrament but the benefit of Christs passion is that grace which is set forth in every Sacrament Col. 2.11 12. Marke 1.4 Matth. 26.28 1 Cor 10.16 1 Cor. 5.7 Q. What followes hereof A. Therefore those other five Sacraments of the Papists viz Confirmation Penance Orders Matrimony extreame unction are falsly called Sacraments of the New Testament as being neither ordained by Christ nor having such Sacramental signes and significations A Christian needs but two things to his being viz. a new birth and a growth in Christ both which are set forth in the other two Sacraments besides those five are not common to all Christians that be in Covenant with God nor yet peculiar to the Christian Churches Q. Who is the Author and ordainer of all Sacraments The Author A. Only the Lord God None but God can forgive sinnes bestow spiritual graces and therefore none but God can make signes and seals thereof As he alone can signe and seale a deed that hath the right to sell the land All signes and Sacraments of mans devising cannot teach or help devotion but only delude and breed superstition It is a foolish thing to make a significant signe of that which is not in our power to give Mat. 28.19 1 Cor. 11.23 Q. What is the efficacy of Sacraments Do they justifie the receiver or work in us that grace which they signify if the party him self do not hinder it by some grosse sin And Efficacy A. No Sacraments are signes of Gods grace and favour towards us but not the working causes thereof For then the signe should be before the thing whereof it is a signe which cannot be Sacraments serve as it were to put us in possession of the Covenant as a sealed deed formally delivered doth of an house or land that is sold Remission of sins and oher blessings of the Covenant are not in the Sacraments as Heat is in the fire or as a medicine in a box But as a Key given in token of possession or a deed whereby Men are enfeoft in any House or Land are in Law sure Pawn● of the things promised so are the holy signes given to the beleiver Remission of sins sanctification of our hearts is from God alone through the bloud of Jesus Christ yet for the applying thereof unto us there are diverse means established as 1. Baptisme Act 2.38 Mat 3.7 Mar 1.4 2ly The Eucharist Mat. 26.28 1 Cor. 10.16 3ly Preaching 2 Cor 5.19 4ly Prayer Act 8.22 Ja 5.15 5ly The power of the Keys Mat 18.18 Ioh 20.23 All these are Acts instituted by God Sacramēts are not physicall but moral instrumēts by which God bestoweth what they represent the use of them is in our hands the effect ' in Gods for the use we have his Commandement for the effect his Conditional promise The Sacraments are not bare resemblances and memorials of things absent nor naked signes of Grace received before but means effectual whereby God delivereth into our hands the Grace signified by them Ho●ker Pol. l. 5. S. 57. executed by us for that purpose And therefore although the dead soul that hath no inward motion of faith to receive the benefit offered nor any disposition of heart answerable to the thing that is done outwardly these means availe nothing Gal. 5 6. Yet on Gods part offering and on mans part duely receiving and imbracing them the outward signe the spiritual benefit thereby signified doe ever goe together hence it is that in the Scripture that which is proper to the thing signified is sometimes ascribed to the signe as Acts 22.16 Arise and be Baptized washing away sinnes with 1 Cor 10.16 1 Cor 11. 24 25. The which is well expressed Art 25 of the Church of Eng. Gallica Confessio fidei Art 34.37 Harm of Confessions That the Sacraments be certain sure witnesses effectual signes of grace and Gods good will towards us in such only as worthily receive the same they have a wholsome effect By the Sacraments God doth quicken strengthen Confirme our faith ibid. CAP. L. Of Baptisme Q. WHat is Baptisme A. It is a Sacrament of our engrafture into Christ out of old Adam It is unto us an entrance into the Church witnessing unto us that whereas we were before strangers from God a God doth now receive us into his family people and we again b give up our selves together with our names unto God through Jesus Christ to walk in newnesse of life a 1 Cor 12.13 Gal. 3.27 Eph. 2.11 12 13 b Mat. 3.8 11. Rom. 6.3 4. Q What 's the owtward signe in Baptisme A. The dipping or sprinkling of water in the name of the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost Mat. 28.19 for dipping see Iohn 3. 23. Mat. 3 6