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
A89619	Divinity-knots vnloosed or a cleare discovery of truth; by resolving many doubts, according to scripture, orthodox divines, and sound reason, so as weake capacities may receive satisfaction therein. To which purpose, a number of points are explained by familiar simile's. A treatise intended specially for the instruction of young Christians in Rothstorne parish in Cheshire: but published for a further extent of the benefit thereof, to the Israel of God. By Adam Martindale, one of the meanest labourers in the Lords harvest.	Martindale, Adam, 1623-1686.	1649 (1649)	Wing M856; Thomason E1352_2; ESTC R209407	38,259	96

A man may like a piece of Land which as yet brings forth nothing but thornes and bryers not because such or that of it selfe it will grow better but that by his owne worke he can make it fruitfull So God loveth an Elect sinner but it is with respect to his owne graces in time to be planted in them b Eph. 1.4 2.10 And therefore it is necessary that those which God from eternity loves be in time called by the Word and Spirit except such as are incapable they being created in Christ Jesus unto good workes c. c See the Scripture last cited 35. Doubt If we be justified freely d Rom. 32.4 how can God have respect to Faith in justifying us Resol As a hand receiving a gift hinders not but the gift may be free though perhaps such a thing as cannot be received without a hand to take it even so Christ for our justification is freely bestowed on us though we cannot possibly receive him without Faith howsoever he may be tendered to us But that all cause of objection against the freenesse of this worke on Gods part may be abundantly removed even Faith it selfe the hand which receiveth Christ and all his benefits e Joh. 1.12 is freely given us f Eph. 2.8 36. Doubt What need we sanctification repentance or good workes if we be justified by Faith alone g Rom. 3.28 Resol Faith which justifieth is not alone though Faith alone justifie instrumentally I meane else it is God that justifieth h Rom. 8.33 for as the fruit-bearing tree is not without leaves though the fruit soring not from the leaves either by intervention or concurrence but from the tree immediately So a lively and justifying Faith purifieth the heart i Acts 15.9 from which sanctification and good workes have their rise And therefore that Faith which in due time doth not shew it selfe in workes is not a saving but a dead Faith k Jam. 2.17 18 19 20 though they neither prevent not assist Faith in the act of justification 37. Doubt If Christ and all his benefits belong to Beleevers how can Heaven be conferred on persons as a reward for their good workes Resol Heaven is not bestowed on any by way of just recompence of his workes for the best are unprofitable Servants l Luke 17.10 how then can their workes purchase Heaven But God who can as well reward according to workes in mercy m Psal 62.12 as Justice doth abundantly repay them for all their paines and service by putting them in possession of that Kingdome which he ever intended them without respect had to the worth of their workes Simile or repentance A Father at his death doth abundantly reward his Sonne for his obedience when be gives him his Lands although he had long before out of meere Fatherly offection stated them on him So God useth to reward those that serve him with the same things which before he had freely promised them Upon Abrahams obeying of God and non-resusing to offer up his onely Son God promised him a large reward and this is that he shall have a numerous and happy seed wherein also all Nations should be blessed n Gen. 22.15 16 17 18. And yet that which is here bequeathed to Abraham as a reward of his obedience was before this time steated on him by free promise o Gen. 12.2 15.5 In the same manner and order God rewards his people for their obedience and service to him done when he bestowes on them that heavenly Kingdome which hee purposed should be their inheritance before the world was 38. Doubt What need we to beleeve seeing p 2 Tim. 2.13 GOD will be faithfull though we beleeve not Resol The Originall Word which is translated we beleeve not q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not only such a word as denotes the present time r 1 Viz. being the present tense but also it and another of affinity with it ſ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are frequently used for the hesitations and staggerings of the faithfull and doth not import a privation of the habit of Fiath by infidelity for that is damnable t Mark 16.16 Joh. 3.36 Mat. 17 20 Mark 9.24 16.11 14. Luke 24.11 41. But onely a negation or rather a suspending of Faiths acting in some juncture of time which the Text quoted in the Margent will sufficiently cleare especially to him that is able to peruse the Greeke Copy And therefore I can see no more in the Text alleadged but only thus much If we beleeve not that is if for the present or sometimes we by reason of weaknesse discontinue or intermit actuall beleeving not being able to hold to a constant course in acting Eaith on the promises of God we must not measure God by our selves as if he started aside from us as often as we from him but will still remaine faithfull which if he should not doe it could be no lesse to him who by an excellency is called faithful and is faithfulnesse in the abstract then a denyall of himselfe 39. Doubt How can we be sayd to have faith and yet cannot worke miracles u Mat. 17.20 Resol The ordinary answer is as I take it that Christ in the place cited meaneth not Faith in the generall much lesse justifying Faith in speciall but a certaine sort of Faith specifically different from the saving whose adequate and was miracle-working whereof he was then treating which distinction other Scriptures will sufficiently warrant w Mat. 7.22 1 Cor. 13.2 But a learned man of these dayes hath a more subtile notion which is that Faith is a resting on a promise without which it is not Faith but presumption And so the sense is that whatsoever God promiseth we may beleeve and hope for and accordingly will the issue be how difficult soever it appeare 40. Doubt If the persons and actions of Beleevers be not perfectly free from sinne how can either of them be accepted with God which bates and abborres it Resol God indeed hates and abhors the sins of the Elect yet their sins being layd upon Christ nothing hinders why their persons and actions may not be accepted through him 41. Doubt If no sin can be so great but upon repentance it may be pardoned how comes the sinne against the holy Ghost to he unpardonable Resol No sin for the matter of it can be so great but it may be pardoned but that wicked action which considered simply might be forgiven may through the concurrence of aggravating circumstances become unpardonable Two men may be guilty of the same kind of transgression if respect be had only to the materiality of it and yet the one sin against the holy Ghost the other not Paul blasphemed and was forgiven x 1 Tim. 1.13 the Scribes and Pharisees blasphemed and could never be forgiven y Mat. 12.24 31 32. Mark 3 22 28 29. for he

hold that no tongue can so fully expresse the sense of some places as that wherein it was written nor is of the same authority but as it agrees therwith we freely confesse that in the Characters and Printing there may be errour which may be rectifyed by comparing one Booke and place with another And without the spirit of God to assure us no knowledge of the Originall is sufficient to give us full assurance that it is Gods word c 1 Cor. 2.14 but by the helpe of the holy Spirit d 1 John 2.20 27. the Scriptures may sufficiently informe an illiterate man for his salvation CHAP. II. Of God 3. Doubt IF God be unchangeable a Jam. 1.17 how can he be sayd to repent b Gen. 6 6. 1 Sam. 15.11 Resol It is spoken according to our capacity for though God doe never repent c Num. 23.19 1 Sam. 15.29 that is change his counsell yet he doth as if he did repent when he undoth what he had before done d Gen. 6.6 7. Nor may God be charged with changeablenesse though the course of his providence be turned but the change is in us You know the Sun by the same quality and in the same season will soften Wax and harden clay yea will soften the earth when it is frozen and harden it at other times and yet the Sun never altereth his quality but is still the same So though God be gracious to some and severe to others e Rom. 9.18 Ezek. 18. yea severe and gracious to the same person at diverse times and in different respects f Ezek. 18 21 22 23 24 c. yet he is one and the same for ever g Exod. 3.14 4. Doubt If God be a spirit how is hee sayd to have hands eyes wings c. Resol This is onely spoken as the former according to our capacity that by the hand of God we may note his power h Isa 59.1 by his eye wisedome i Psal 11.4 by his wings protection k Psa 57.1 5. Doubt If God be indivisible and simple how can the sacred essence be distinguished into three persons Resol I see your skill in Logick is small or else it were easie to know how to distinguish betwixt things that cannot be divided I can distinguish betweene the essence and existence of the same thing betwixt inseparable accidents and their subjects or to speake Common-road language between a body and its substance forme figure c. and yet not divide them So it is no repugnancie in reason it selfe that the God-head be one entire entity l 1 Cor. 8.4 6. and yet considered in a personall respect may be distinguished into the Father Sonne and holy Ghost m Mat. 3.16 17. 1 Joh. 5.7 6. Doubt I finde in the 45. of Isaich Vers 21. that Christ saith there is no GOD but himselfe notwithstanding wee heare him saying as much by his Father John 17.3 how can both be the onely true God Resol GOD and CHRIST differ not essentially but onely personally the Father is GOD so is the Son yet they are not two Gods but one There is no other God but that God which the Father is nor any God but that which Christ is and this word onely is not exclusive of any person of the Trinity for every person is the onely God but of all others whether reputed Gods or Creatures n 1 Cor. 8.4 5 6. CHAP. III. Of Gods Decree and creation 7. Doubt TO what purpose should I seek the good of my soule If I he elected I shall be saved if not I cannot Resol It is not for you to search the Cabinet of Gods counsell a Deut. 29.29 but to beleeve b John 3.18.36 and repent c Luke 13.3 5. which if you doe you are not to question your salvation d Eph. 2.8 2 Tim. 1.9 2 Cor. 7.10 Saving Faith though it be not a cause is a fruit of election e Acts 13.48 for God hath respect to the meanes as well as the end and conjoyneth them in his decree f Eph. 1.4.5 2.10 and therefore we may conclude that beleeving we are justified g Rom. 3.28 which is an assured argument we were predestinated h Rom. 8.29 30. and shall be saved i Tit. 3.7 But on the other hand they that are hardened by sin k Psa 95.8 Heb. 3.13 are rejected of God l Rom. 9.18 and shall be damned m 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Gal. 5.19 20 21. 8. Doubt If God predestinate the meanes as well as the end seeing sin is the meanes tending to damnation whom he predestinates to damnation doth not he predestinate them to sin And if so how can he be free from it Resol In Predestination two things are to be considered 1. Gods preterition passing by or non●electing of a person 2. Predamnation or fore-condemning a person to perdition The former is of the meere pleasure of God for there can be no other reason given why this man is chosen and that refused Now those whom God thus passeth by through want of that assistance which he is not bound to give fall finally from God and so considered are pre-damned or fore-ordained to destruction God doth not force or cause men to sinne but leave them to it For sin being no positive thing but a privation of what should be Viz. of obedience ariseth from the insufficiency of the Creature left to it selfe If a King by his wisedome could foresee that diverse of his Subjects would prove Traytors and be hanged unlesse he prefer them and doth forbeare to gratifie them so far onely because it is not his pleasure so to doe can he be justly accused of the Treason which after they commit I beleeve no polititian wil affirma it Must we then be so bold as to charge him who is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity to be in any sort the cause thereof because he doth not uphold us against it 9. Doubt If God doe not onely passe by men but predamne them to Hell also by this his decree as you shewed in the resolution of the last Doubt how can his justice be cleared seeing man had then not actually sinned Resol Men sin in 〈◊〉 not from eternity yet are their sins from eternity and to eternity with God For with him things are not past present and to come as with us but alwayes present in one infinite moment And therefore the Lord who seath all the sins of a reprobate by one pure individuall act from and to all eternity may as well pisse an act of damnation against them 〈◊〉 they were actually committed 10. Doubt Might not God as well damne men in a capacity of holinesse as thus to leave them to sin and then condemne them for it Resol It is a curious and unprofitable question to dispute whether he might not without wrong to the Creature have done so Perhaps Rom. 9 20 21