Selected quad for the lemma: act_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
act_n	faith_n	heart_n	purify_v	2,568	5	11.6551	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77642	Scripture-redemption freed from men's restrictions: being an answer to a book lately published by Mr. William Troughton (who stiles himself a minister of the gospel at Onlep in Leicester-shire) intituled, scripture-redemption restrained and limited: as also the substance of several conferences and disputes had in England, Wales, and Scotland, with Mr. Heath, Mr. Bartley, Mr. Powel, Mr. Sam. Rutherford, and Mr. James Wood, two rectors of the university of S. Andrews, and many others, about the death of our most dear redeemer, and the controversies which are the constant concomitants of it. Together with a brief reply to Mr. Troughton's rayling accusations in his introduction. By J. Brown, sometimes of Orial Coll. in Oxford, afterwards a priest of the Church of England, and vicar of Tenbury in Worcester-shire; but now through mercy a preacher of the faith which once he destroyed.	Browne, James, 1616-1685.	1653 (1653)	Wing B5022B; ESTC R230501	118,497	139

fellow-creatures with all which their minds and consciences yea their lives and conversations become defiled and as many of these as ●●ke notice of the goodness of God entertain the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world embrace the counsel of God apply the blood of the Lamb believe on the Lord Jesus and take heed to their waies according to his word these are led to repentance or a change come to see the sinfulness of sin turn from it have their consciences purged from dead works and their waies cleansed so that at length they come to be holy in heart and all manner of conversation and so are partakers of that special sanctification which I am here treating of viz. by the Word and Spirit For the declaring of this more fully I shall lay down this Querie What is the reason that men dye in their sins and are not purged from their filthiness If I should as many do say that it was Gods appointment he so ordain'd it or that God did not shew them his light of truth or that he did not do this really or that he did not give them ability to receive it as it was manifested and so follow it or else for that he gave not his Son to dye for them neither was it his will that they should repent and be sanctified but that they should dye in disobedience and so be damn'd Sure If I should say thus all good men would abhor me for such speeches and well they might yet these are the tenents and sayings of those men against whose opinions I have appeared and surely I judge that as a man said to Joab in another case I may positively conclude in this that themselvs would set themselves against me if I should go about and preach that God did appoint men to disobedience and to sin and not willing that all should come to repentance but that some men even as they are men should despise the riches of his grace and perish These hard speeches I have heard some men to utter Others are more moderate that God did onely leave men to themselves Whereto I say first that God never left any man in that state whereunto Adam brought them for he brought them to the earth and was not able to shew them any means of grace or so much as a resurrection from the grave but God left not any man there but afforded them such manifestations of his love as will leave all inexcuseable before God Secondly I Answer That God did never nor ever will forsake any poor creature till they reject him 2 Chron. 15. 2. But more of this elsewhere onely I add this that when men have and still do refuse God he leaves them and will have nothing to do with them This may suffice for evidence to this truth that it is not because God would have it so that men are still polluted in their conversations and unsanctified in their lives But as you shall hear in the next place it is because they believe not Joh. 8. 24. I said therefore unto you that you shall dye in your sins for if yee believe not that I am he ye shall dye in your sins Secondly Because they will not be purged Ezek. 24. 13. Because I have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more till I have made my fury to rest upon thee Thirdly Because they receive not the word into their hearts neither take heed to their waies according to it Psal 119. 9 and 11. And if any shall alleadge that when God comes to sanctifie a soul he will do it by an unresistible power I answer There 's neither promise or example of such a thing and they who so affirme make themselves wise above what is written 'T is true there are many works which the Lord doth absolutely of himself without calling for the creatures duty in any respects as in the Creation Redemption and Salvation of mankinde from that misery that Adam brought them so as in and under that free universal and unlimitted consideration which I have spoken of so when God will destroy his enemies none shall deliver out of his hands he will work and none can let it Isa 43. 13. and there are many works which he will bring to pass conditionally as the redemption justification sanctification c. of creatures from their own sins and these he will effect upon receiving and believing the truth as I have also shew'd you in the treating of these things under that special consideration which I have presented to you and as you have heard from Act. 10. 34. Acts 13. 39. and many other places in which you may see that the Lords work and the duty or endeavour of his creatures by him furnished with ability to do what he requires must and ever did go together God purifies the heart by faith see Act. 15. 9. God it is that purifies the creatures duty is to believe The Lord doth and will ever work according to the counsel of his owne will which also he hath revealed in his word and he hath sanctifi'd us from the first offence by his Sons blood which otherwise would have caused our eternal banishment from the Lord yet will not sanctifie us from our vain courses but through belief of the truth which cleanseth the souls that receive it in the love of it for when a poor creature who long hath serv'd sin and Satan comes to know the love of God in Christ and believe it his heart is so purified and his conversation cleansed that he cannot indure sin but hates every false way denies ungodliness and worldly lusts and lives soberly righteously and godly in this present world And thus having treated of Sanctification also under a twofold consideration I shall by the gratious assistance of God next speak something of Vocation which is the call of God or God's calling of his poor creatures to believe in the light which he gives them and leave off their sins it is his inviting or perswading men to do well the stretching out of his hands as it were to beseech men to come to him i. e. to conform to his light or revealed will And this is Universal for as he chose or appointed created deliver'd justified and sanctified mankinde to seek and serve him so he calleth all men everywhere to know him obey him and glorifie him according to that power or ability that he hath given them or the light or commands which he holds forth to them He calleth the Stubborn and rebellious Isa 65. 2. the refusers Prov. 1. 24. them that perish and put from them the word of God and eternal life Act. 13. 41 46. such as spend mony for that which is not bread and their labour for that which satisfieth not who thirst after unprofitable things Isa 55. 1. Ho● every one that thirsteth come and the Spirit and the Bride say Come and let him that

God hath given to his Son to give to whom he will and he will give it to such as hear his voice and follow him so that it is plain to me and many thousands more that there was before time an election or appointment of all men to the means of grace and also of such as in time do believe through the Spirit to everlasting glory Object But faith is the gift of God and men cannot believe except God give Faith Answ In this poor souls lye sadly in the dark because their Teachers have not rightly divided the word of truth to them That I may therefore shew you how faith is the gift of God I must desire you to consider that faith is taken chiefly two wayes in the Scripture First For the doctrine of Christ the Gospel so 't is taken Jud. 3. ver Contend earnestly for the Faith once delivered to the Saints so t is taken Gal. 1. 23. so also Gal. 3. 23. Before faith came we were kept under the Law shut up unto the Faith that was afterwards to be reveal'd Rom. 10. 8. the Apostle speaking of the Gospel sayes This is the word of Faith So it is taken Eph. 2. 8. By grace are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God not of works c. As if he had say'd Our salvation is not by the Law of works but by the Gospel which is the gift of God and is called the Gospel of our salvation Eph. 1. 13. and salvation Act. 28. 28. God hath given three great gifts to men Christ Faith and Life and these three are as fully and freely the Gifts of God one as the other onely by faith so taken as a gift I understand the truth or Gospel of God Secondly Faith is taken for the duty of believing as Heb. 11. throughout Rom. 10. 17. Jam. 3. 2. with many other places and it imports the act of the creature enabled by the Lord to believe Obj. Is it not said To you it is given on the behalf of Christ not onely to believe but also to suffer for his sake Answ I know God doth give or grant men to believe and suffer he gives the power or ability to believe or suffer or else it were impossible that men should do either all our sufficiency is of God he gives the object of Faith Christ or the Word of Truth and he gives power or ability to believe this truth But to say that God gives the duty or act of faith is not common sense for that were all one as to say that God believes and obeys for he that acts a thing is said to do it and he that acts faith is the believer He worketh in his creatures to will and to do and then it 's their duty to work out their salvation with fear c. not with fear lest God should fail them but lest they should come short c. For the fuller discovery of this consider seriously what is said Isai 43. 9 10. Let all the nations be gathered together let all the people be assembled who amongst them can declare this and shew us former things let them bring for their witnesses that they may be justified or let them hear and say It is truth Ye are my witnesses saith the Lord and my servant whom I have chosen that ye MAY know and believe me and understand that I am he Before me there was no God formed neither shall there be after me Whence I see first when men hear truth they may and must acknowledge it Secondly that all Nations may know and believe God and that there is none but he c. Thirdly that all people are and shall be witnesses against themselves and Christ is and shall be witness that they MAY know and believe God and indeed nothing hinders men from doing these things but self-will the Devil and false Teachers who say that God hath not given all men ability and understanding to know and believe God and people are very glad of such doctrine that they may lye in their sins and yet lay the fault upon God and say that he doth not give them power to do what he requires of them and if he would give them more grace then they would do better and so blessing themseves in their hearts go on in their wickedness hoping to finde an excuse in the last day that God was wanting to them contrary to Isa 5. 4. where the Lord enquires What could have been done more to his Vineyard which he had not done for it to which Mr. Troughton and the rest which hold such principles might reply that God might have done more for he might have brought forth good grapes for them or force them to bring forth good grapes by an unresistable power which he never did nor ever will though poor ignorant creatures have so taught and believed contrary to Rom. 1. 19 20. and chap. 2. 15 16. where it's clear that God hath furnished every man with so much means for the knowledge and obeying of him as will leave them without excuse which is granted by all Object But say they though it may leave them without excuse yet it may not be sufficient to salvation Answ This is most unbeseeming the mouth of a sober man for if the means of grace extended by the Lord to men be sufficient for the glorifying of him it is not too little for the glorifying of them Againe those means which men afford their servants for the doing of their work will not leave them without excuse if not sufficient to effect that which is expected from them through those means and will men still make God an austere master reaping where he did not sow God forbid He was called a wicked and slethful servant Mat. 25. 26 27. that taxed the most High with such dealings And the hard speeches of men who say that God expects more from men then he gives them ability to do and that he will punish them with eternal damnation to whom he gives not means sufficient to salvation will one day be rewarded as that servant was Matth. 25. 28 30. if they repent not Shall not the judge of all the earth do right Gen. 18. 25. I beseech the Reader to weigh well that which the Spirit of God speaks Job 34. 23. for he will not lay upon man more then right that should enter into judgement with God Surely if all men shall be left without excuse it shall be by having sufficient means for the doing of that which God expected from them in their generation and for not doing whereof they shall be damn'd Read Matth. 25. 45 46. and 2 Thes 1. 8. chap. 2. 10. 11 12. But if they had not what was sufficient for enabling them to know God and believe the truth unto salvation they will have an excuse viz. that now they must be damn'd but it is because God gave them not sufficient means to know him and believe his

they who shall be damn'd might have been saved had they received the love of the truth if the Apostle may be believed 2 Thes 2 11 12. Ob. But saith M. Tro. many dangerous consequences will follow if we should grant that Christ died for all as first it riseth up against the power of God as M. Tro. says that he should give his Son to die for the salvation of thousands and yet all not be saved Ans 1. To which I answer first by wa● of the distinction used by the Apostle 1 Tim. 4. 10. he is the Saviour of all men especially of them that believe and from hence observe that God who gave his Son and Christ who gave himself a ransome for all hath saved or delivered every man from the power of the grave but God never gave his Son to save or deliver any from the wrath to come or to bring any to eternall glory but such as believe and obey as I have often proved Ans 2. Secondly it doth not impeach the power of God in that we maintain that what God did intend to bring to passe by his own sole soveraign power through the death of his Son is effected viz. the breaking of the Serpents head the continuance of life to mankind here making way for light and salvation and the raising up all men from the grave but that God did ever purpose to bring men to eternall life whether they believe or no by an absolute power we deny for the Saints themselves are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation 1 Pet. 1. 5. Ob. But says M. Tro. it makes the salvation of the creature to depend on the contingency of his own will and naturall ability Ans 1. Answer first that salvation I mean everlasting glory with God or eternall life is Gods gift as I have formerly proved by the Scriptures Ans 2. Secondly that none shall enjoy this gift of his but such as walk as he hath injoyned them in that Law which he manifested to them is the eternall infringeable and unresistable Decree of God and M. Tro. page 45. confesseth that though the precepts of God do not shew what God hath done for us yet they determine mans duty and the rule of his obedience what God approves as good in it self and what is our duty to do there being a sweet harmony and connexion between the end and the means which is fully as much as I hold in this point viz. that they who would be saved which is the end they must believe and obey as God hath enabled them which is the means or at least one means But says M. Tro. it s contrary to the wisdom justice and love of God that he should give his Son to die for all and not give them faith and repentance c. Ans 1. To which I answer as before that indeed if God had given his Son to die for all with an intent to save all that is give eternall life to all or any without faith and obedience then if any had come short of it it might have seemed to reflect on the wisdom justice and mercy of Jehovah but the Scriptures never reveal any such purpose in God as you may see by Joh. 3. 16. H●b 5. 9. with many other places Ans 2. Secondly so far as God did intend by his Sons death to save or deliver men he did doth and will fully effect ●t and whether men believe it or no they shall one day be saved from the grave by him that died and rose again Ans 3. Thirdly that God so put men in a sav●●ble condition that if any come short of eternal life their destruction is of themselves their rejecting light and loving darknesse will be their condemnation Ans 4. God doth not give faith and repentance as M. Tro. dreams viz. make men to believe by an irresistable power for I have shew'd before that God is said to give faith and repentance when by his Word or Spirit he perswadeth men to believe and repent or depart from evill when he gives the Gospell which is the Word of Faith and frequently in the Scriptures is called faith thus Faith is the gift of God and so when by the Gospel or goodnesse of God any soul is led to repentance God is said to give repentance yet the act or duty of believing and repenting is never call'd Gods gift work or act for then they that shall be damn'd for unbelief and impenitency shall perish because God gave them not the means yea because God did not perform his act or work in the creatures contrary to all the revealed will of God so that it appears to me and thousands besides that M. Tro. doctrine doth highly scandalize and impeach and restrain the power wisdom justice and love of God For if Christ did not die for all or redeem all from the power of the grave at least which is that I hold and which M. Tro. cries down under the name of universall redemption it was either because he could not or because he would not I am certain it is not the later for he will raise up all men at the last day 1 Cor. 15. 20 21 if M. Tro. says it is because he could not wise men will a●hor such savings both therefore are true he is willing and able and also will do it all mankind are and shall be freed in due time from whatsoever Adam brought on them and whosoever affirms the contrary debaseth the power of the omnipotent God seen ●sp●cially in raising up Iesus from the dead Eph. 1. 20. that so he might be Lord of the quick and dead as hath before been manifelled of which dom●nion Lordship or power M. Iro and others though I hope not knowingly have endeavoured to devest Jesus Christ except they will say that our Lord will exercise authority over those whom he never purchased the very thought whereof is abominable to every knowing sincere h●aits seeing the Scriptures ●re so p●ain that to this 〈◊〉 Christ both died and rose again and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and the living they that oppose this disparage the power of Christ scandalize his Scepter which is a Scepter of righteousness and make Christ an arbitrary usurper the name whereof 〈◊〉 amongst all and at least in words exploded by us in this Island And as for the wisdome of the Lord which is infinite Mr. Troughtons Doctrine detracts from it for he confesseth that the tenders of mercy by the Lords commands are and must be to all where the Gospel comes though not really and in good earnest as one saith yet Christ dyed not for all saith Mr. Troughton Now I beseech thee O impartiall soul that readest this judge what is right and see whether it suits with the wisdome of God to invite perswade beseech and stretch out his hands unto stubborn gain-saying wretches having never given Christ for them nor Christ any right to

whom I have believed I know that my Redeemer liveth c. Men will hardly give credit to much lesse rely upon him they never knew and therefore when Christ askt the blind man whether he did believe on the Sonne of God he answered and ●aid Who is he that I might believe on him Jo. 9. 35. 36. He must know him before he could believe on him Object But sayes Mr. Troughton 'T is the will of Gods purpose who Christ dyed for in particular and therefore thou canst not fetch the ground of thy faith from thence but looke to the generality of the offer of grace and command to believe Ans 1. I grant it and its that which I ever say that no man hath a ground to believe that Christ dyed for him if he dyed for some particular persons only Ans 2. It seems then there is a generall offer of grace and a precept of God commanding and encouraging to believe I intreat the discreet Reader to consider what clear truth Mr. Tronghton professeth and how he hath with one hand ruined that great building of the Doctrine of restrained Redemption which he and many more with all their hands heads and hearts have labou●ed almost these two hundred years to raise up for seeing there is a Generall tender of Grace and manifestation of goodnesse from the most high God that offer is reall or not Mr. Troughton I thinke dare not say that it is not reall though I feare dares say any thing or else would never have restrained and limited Scripture Redemption for then he makes God like the worst of men If it be reall then I have ail that granted which largue for as fully as my soul can desire For if there be a generall and reall offer of Grace from God as most certainly there is surely then Christ dyed for all or else God offers grace to them and commandeth and encourageth them to believe for whom his Sonne never dyed and consequently to whom that grace could never have done any good Object But God fore-knew they would not receive it Ans But he fore-knew as well that by those abilities by him given them they could and might have received it and therefore he offers it that they may be left without excuse which could not have beene if the tender had never been made and that in good earnest too though Mr. Sympson in halfe sayes the contrary And wherein is the first act of Grace manifested but in Gods giving of Christ to be a propitiation for the sinnes of the whole world That then which is the first and principall manifestation of grace or love which are all one is Gods giving his Sonne to dye for sinners and doubtlesse is first and principally to be made knowne to the world that they may know and believe the love of God and so come to turn from Idols to serve him that so loved them or else we shall make a preposterous preaching of the Gospel What Mr. Troughton sayes That we are not to looke at Christs dying for us but to the precept of God for our encouragement to believe is utterly false and meerly legal for all obedience that is not grounded upon love to him whom we obey is little worth But selfe contradictions breake no square in Mr. Troughtons Doctrine as you shall see in the next place where he saith The command to believe and come to Christ is open and revealed but who Christ dyed for is secret and hid neither is Gods call and command that thou shouldst repent and believe grounded upon Christs dying for thee in particular I Answer 1. This last clause is in part true for it s grounded upon his dying for all in Generall see Joh. 3. 16. and so is the f●rst viz that the command to believe is open and rev●aled but that it is a secret thing who Christ dyed for is untrue for there is not any one thing in all the Scriptures morefully and plainly revealed then this as I have clearly proved But if it be a secret how came Mr. Troughton to know any thing of its in reference to himselfe or others Ans 2. If a man have a conceit at large that Christ dyed for him or a certain knowledge that he dyed for all yet if a man apply it not to his own souls in particular his faith wil be but ill founded For if certaine knowledge of every truth be the sure ground of every act of saving faith how can I beléeve that Christ dyed for me in particular except I f●rst know that he dyed for me in particuler and how any man can know that but by confessing that he dyed for all let any soul judge But many that would be thought Christians are growne just like the Jews yea the Pharisees that have high thoughts of themselves and despise others and that Christ never bought wicked men and Hereticks but onely seemed so to doe If I could see the man that hath not been a wicked man or a Heretick I should it may be say so too but there is not that man on the face of the earth that hath not beene one or both of these as every humble heart will ingenuously confesse and that it was the knowledge of the love of God in Christ that drew them out of the sinck of sinne superstition and error led them to repentance and obedience and so to peace of conscience and joy in the Lord the spirit of God in the Word and their owne experience can and will testifie with many thousands Obj. But sayes Mr. Troughton There are many thousands of precious Saints some yet alive and other at rest with the Lord who had true faith and peace of conscience and yet were stranger to the Doctrine of Christs dying for all men I Answer first So there are that never knew that Christ suffered at Jerusalem yea many thousands that never heard of Christ as Infants and others who dye before they have done or known good or evill and others that were ignorant of many pure divine truths in all ages and places of the world Answer 2. Suppose it be so doth that argue that when we may have more and clearer light and knowledge in the love of God and matters of salvation that we should neglect and oppose it though they who are invincibly and inevitably ignorant of many heavenly truths may be happy yet they who resist them cannot be so Answer 3. If they had true faith and joy in the Holy Ghost who did not certainly know whether Christ dyed for them or no they living under such Ministers onely that held that Christ dyed onely for some what strength of faith peace of conscience and rejoycing in the Lord may they have who know and can prove by many plaine text of Scriptute that Christ dyed for them How may such souls exult and leap for joy through the love of God who know and believe the love of God to them A man who desires such a one