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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	life_n	open_v	work_n	2,866	5	5.7385	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B02273	An additional word to The body of divinity, or Confession of faith; being the substance of Christianity. Added on special occasion, tending further to confirm some truths therein. With a further discourse about the doctrine of election, universal, and special grace, &c. All which were touched in the said Confession of faith, but in this more plainy and fully (though briefly) discoursed and designed for the good of all. Whereunto is annexed a seasonable word of advice, being an essay for peace and union among all the sons and daughters of peace. / Written by Thomas Collier.	Collier, Thomas, fl. 1691.; Collier, Thomas, fl. 1691. Body of divinity.	1676 (1676)	Wing C5267AB; ESTC R174082	85,720	108

you to will and to do of his good pleasure Answ 1. It 's the good VVill and Pleasure of God by the Gospel to work men to will and do His VVill therein and this is that which seems to be intended in this place for the Apostle exhorts them earnestly to do the VVill of God as the Text and Context doth demonstrate therefore he intends not such a working as of which they had no power or will to perform but that as God of his good pleasure had by the Gospel wrought in them to will and do his will therein they should improve the Grace received and in which they stood To understand it to intend Gods working an impulsive VVill and that they could not or should not work without it destroys the Exhortation and makes null the Duty 2. As God had begun the good work in them he lets them to know that in the faithful performance of their duty God would continue to work in them and in this way it is that Christians may assuredly expect the continuance of the Spirit 's assisting presence it is as much as to say Vp and be doing and the Lord will be will you But to understand that God works to Gospel-duty by an impulsive power and that without it we can do nothing and so must wait for this before we move towards him in Gospel-duty is corrupt and dangerous tending to end all Gospel-obedience The 8th and last Scripture I shall mention is 1 Joh. 2. 19. They went out from us but they were not of us if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out from us that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us Answ 1. John was an Apostle and might be able to judge infallibly in this matter touching the persons of whom he spake as sometimes Peter did in the case of Ananias and Saphira his VVife Act. 5. 1. to 10. So John might know that those gone out from them were Hypocrites and if so were not truly of them but Plants that were not of Gods planting So that this proves not that all that may go out from the Church were not of them but some may go out who if they had continued might have obtained for such as make Ship-wrack of Faith and a good Conscience had they continued they must have obtained Or 2. Had they been of the Elect in the special sence they would no doubt have continued or returned again by Repentance CHAP. VI. That the Salvation and Damnation of Men shall be sutable to the several Ministrations under which they have Lived WE may now result clearly and safely that the Salvation of all that shall be saved shall be sutable to the means and Ministries under which they have lived That there hath been and is a sufficiency of means of Salvation under all is apparent as hath been before proved and that there was Salvation to some under all hath been likewise proved Act. 10. 34 35. This Salvation shall be sutable to the means and ministry and the attainments of those under it viz. such as have been United to Christ by Faith in and under the Gospel are Espoused to him in the nearest Relation a priviledge and glory which the Gentils that have not heard of Christ nor the common saved ones of the Jews may be supposed to arrive unto Gal. 4. 30 31. Yet this we must understand that all Salvation must be by the Lamb slain i. e. Jesus Christ Crucified and Raised again There hath been no ministration simply in its self capable to save but relative to the Lamb slain though they have been ignorant thereof Act. 4. 12. and this all the Saved ones shall know and Condemned ones too Rev. 5. 11 12 13. Phil. 2. 10 11. 2. That the Condemnation of men in the Judgment day shall be for sinning against God under the means and ministries under which they have lived i. e. They before the Law and without the Law and Gospel too shall be Judged and Condemned for not improving the Ministry of the Creation Psal 28. 4 5. Rom. 2. 1 2 3 12. And they under the Law for sinning against the Law Rom. 2. 12. And they under the Gospel for sinning more immediatly against the Gospel Joh. 3. 19. 2 Thes 1. 7 8 9. They that never heard the Gospel are not capable to believe the Gospel Rom. 10. 14. therefore are not under the Condemnation thereof for not believing although the Gospel is Preached more remotely both by the works of God and by the Law and all Sin since the Fall hath been in a true sence against the Gospel yet their judgment must be by the ministrations under which they have been they shall then know that they sinned against their Lord and Judge Act. 17. 31. Phil. 2. 11. Hence it 's said Rev. 20. 12. The Books were opened that is the Book of the Creation and works of God under which all had been Psal 19. 1 2 3 4. and the Book of the Law ver 7. to 12. and another Book was opened which was the Book of Life this is the Book of the Gospel and Men were judged according to the things written in the Books And a fourth Book may be well understood i. e. The book of every man's Conscience that will accuse or excuse at that day and will be a Witness too for or against at the day of Judgment Rom. 2. 15 16. Which should be a warning to all to take heed how they neglect the great Salvation of the Gospel and so judge themselves unworthy of Life Such must then know that the word of Salvation which was able to save them had they believed and obeyed it must be their Judge at that day Joh. 12. 48 And this must needs be very grievous when the word of the Gospel that hath sought to save Sinners and Jesus Christ who hath been thereby wooing and intreating acceptance shall then Judge and Condemn them and they themselves shall then acknowledge the Judgment is just and right where will be no Plea of Non-ability in the matter when it shall be found that it was their own wilfull Will that was the cause thereof CHAP. VII Some further Considerations about the Eternal Judgment relative to the Wicked Whether there may be any probability from Scripture-light of any deliverance from or mitigation of the Punishment of any after the Sentence is past and the Judgment Executed TOuching this I do apprehend that there are probable grounds both from Scripture and Reason that there may be a deliverance of some from the penal part or pains inflicted though not from the sence of Loss the Judgment in that respect will be Eternal The probable Scripture-grounds for this probable supposition are as followeth 1. The Scripture lets us to know that some shall be saved that through their own miscarriages shall lose the reward of their work 1 Cor. 3. 14 15. They shall be saved yet so as by

to us as the revealed will of God and we are not to suppose any thing in the hidden Book of Life contrary to that which is revealed and this Book of Life we must understand to be intended in these Scriptures Rev. 3. 5. and 20 12 15. and 22. 19. All which must be understood to be the gospel-Gospel-book of Life in which all Believers are written and not the first Book of Life for out of that none shall be blotted Rom. 8. 29 36. But out of the second Book of Life many may be blotted and lose their part therein through their own default Rev. 22. 19. And that it must be this Book that promiseth Life on the terms thereof further appears because among the rest of the Books the Book of Life was opened and they were judged according to the things written in the Books i. e. how they had lived sutable to the Laws thereof the Book of Election in the first sense will be no rule of judging by at that day but the Book of the Gospel and the Laws thereof shall be the rule of judging by to those that have been under it 2 Cor. 5. 10. Joh. 12. 48. Rom. 2. 16. Jam. 2. 12. 4. It appears that special Election is no ground to discourage any from believing and obeying the Gospel that they may be saved because we find not in Scripture that any were discouraged on this ground among the many thousands that believed both of Jews and Gentiles yea even of those that Crucified the Lord of Life yet they stumbled not at this stumbling stone but gladly received the word of Salvation which discovers that they understood not Election to lie as any block in the hopeful way thereof 5. Lest any should say they understood not this of Election and therefore could not stumble thereat I answer The Apostles understood it and yet laid it not as any stumbling-block in the way of any but did so Preach and so Write as to encourage all Sinners to come in and obey the Gospel that they might be saved Believers to abide faithful as if Election was no hinderance to the Faith Salvation of any Act. 2. 40. 1 Cor. 9. 19. to 23. and 10. 32 33. Col. 1. 28 29. 6. and finally The Scripture seems to import that many yea very many compared with the first Elect and espoused relation shall obtain some great priviledge though below that of Election and Espoused relation unto Jesus Christ else what means that Psal 45. 14. The Virgins her Companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee that is to Christ where the only one Spouse is distinct from the Virgins her Companions and that Song 9. 6. where are multitudes besides the Espoused Relations of Queens Concubins and Virgins blessing and praising the holy and happy estate of the undefiled Spouse called chap. 5. 8. the Daughters of Jerusalem so that there may be many Friends and followers that may come short of the Espoused Relation and yet have a share at that day and that Matth. 25. 1. to 12. seems to sute with those Scriptures though the Lord and Bridegroom will say to the foolish Virgins I know you not that may be In the Espoused Relation to go into the Wedding he knew them but as Virgins that had been his Spouse's Companions or else what means our Saviour Matth. 10. 41 42. He that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall have a Prophets reward c. And he that giveth to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold Water only in the name of a Disciple or because he belongs to Christ Verily I say unto you he shall in no wise lose his reward See Mark 9. 40 41. and Matth. 20. 16. Many that are first shall be last and the last first for many are called but few chosen i. e. chosen to the Espoused Relation yet shall obtain some priviledge as the parable plainly imports See chap. 19. 30. Mark 10. 31. and else what meaneth that of the first-fruits to God and ●o the Lamb Rev 14. 14. if it do not intend the special saved Ones in the Election and the multitudes that may obtain besides according to the metaphor as the Harvest to the first-fruits so that the first-fruits imports multitudes besides and further it would be beneath the spirit and charity of the Gospel to allow no Salvation during the old Covenant to any in the world besides the Elect Church of the Jews and contrary to the Scripture Act. 10. 34 35. or to allow no Salvation now under the Gospel to any among the Gentiles that have not heard of Christ and contrary to the Scripture Rom 2. 14 15 16. Yet not that either can obtain the same Espoused Relation and Salvation as the special Elect Church and Spouse of Christ which probably may be intended in the Church of the first-born Heb. 12 23. and may be the same Rev. 14. 4. who are the first-fruits to God and to the Lamb of which the Church in its militant state and as Elect is a resemblance and a kind of first-fruits Jam. 1. 18. Yet many of these may come short of this Glory CHAP. IV. Touching the Power and Will of Man Whether we may suppose it to be of capacity to believe and obey the the Gospel so as to live thereby THat there is a capacity in men by the help of the means and ministeries of God under which they live to understand believe and obey the Lord therein suitable to the means and ministry will appear to be unquestionable though without and at a distance from all means and ministry from without there is no capacity either of will or power in any man but suitable to the means and ministry there must be and is a capacity both of power and will in all men not but that the capacity both of power and will is of God but that of him there is such a capacity in all men that are men and not debilitated of the ordinary capacities of men appeareth from these five following grounds 1. In that God hath stated it to be the bounden duty of all men suitable to the means and ministry they are or have been under to believe and obey him That this is true fully appears from Scripture 1. For the Gentiles who had no other means or ministry but the works of God which was the general ministry of God to the world Psal 19. 1 2 3 4. Rom. 1. 19 20. God so far teaching thereby as to leave the world without excuse which clearly imports that God expected as duty a return from them suitable to the ministry they were under which we may not imagine if they had no capacity to perform it 2. The Jews under the ministration of the Law which was a higher and additional ministry and suitably it was their duty to believe and obey the Lord therein Exod. 19. 9. Deut. 6. throughout with multitude of Scriptures of like import 3 Under the

the New-Covenant Church of Christ is so common and plain in the Scripture as that I suppose it 's scarcely doubted of any 1 Cor. 1. 2 3. 1 Thes 1. 1 4 5 6 7. 1 Pet 2. 5. to 10. 2. There is a second and special Election in the New-Covenant and this we are likewise to understand to be two fold The 1. are such or some who were Elected and chosen of God in his Son before the World was to the obtaining of the special grace and glory of the New-Covenant in the Restauration and this Election was from the freeness of grace in God without any respect to fore-seen Faith and Obedience as the meritorious or deserving cause thereof though this Election was to believe and obey the Gospel and persevere therein unto the end as the way to obtain the glory and this Election we are to understand is intended in these and the like Scriptures Eph. 1. 4. 2 Tim. 1. 9. Rom. 8. 29 30. and we may rationally conceive and that groundedly from the Scripture something of the reason of this Choise or Election viz. That the undertaking of Christ in the Restauration might be assured not to be in vain on the most special account some were given to him by the Father as a sure and certain reward of his gracious and glorious undertaking Joh. 6. 39. and 10. 15 16. And thus the Prophet personating Christ seems to reason Isa 49. 4 5 6. and God answers that his Labour should not be in vain and declares the work that was before him and should be accomplished by him in which this of special grace and Election is included the special Salvation both of Jews and Gentiles being assured there 2. The second sort of special Election in the Gospel is All that do believe and obey the Gospel in Truth persevering therein to the end are Elected to be saved and this Election is the same in substance as the first Election to the Church-state only in this it differs the first includes all that believe and obey the Gospel this includes all that are sincere and persevere to the end and this likewise includes all the special Elect even all that believe and obey the Gospel to the end and the reason is because all must obtain the Salvation of the Gospel in the same way viz. of Faith Obedience and Perseverance Matth. 10. 22. Of the Election under this consideration viz. of all that do believe and obey the Gospel to the end it s declared in these and the like Scriptures Joh. 6. 40. 3. 16. 8. 31. Rom. 2. 7. Heb. 5. 9. Col. 1. 21. 23. Rev. 22. 14. And this second Election it is the Apostle seems most to adhere unto both for himself and others because the first is a hidden mystery no man knows it In the first it is God only that knows who are his We know our Election by believing and obeying the Gospel 1 Pet. 1. 10. The first we ought to believe but it s the second that we must stand or fall by therefore I said the Apostle seems rather to adhere to this both for himself and others as that wherein our assurance consists 1. For himself he builds not his assurance on special Election but on constancy in the Faith 1 Cor. 9. 26 27. 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. 2. Directs all others the same way viz. To look to their constancy in the Faith to the end Rom. 2. 7. 10. Col. 1. 21. 23. Heb. 3. 6. To prove that more may be saved than the first and special Elect and gift to Christ I shall demonstrate from these following grounds 1. We may not so understand particular and special Election as to derogate from the universal grace and love of God to all men nor from the truth of the law of grace which calleth upon all and encourageth all and promiseth life to all that do believe and obey the Gospel which if we should so understand Election in the strictest sense as to shut out all besides it would tend to contradict the Gospel in the general tenders of grace to all and so contradict a great part of the glorious and blessed Gospel of grace to men and be a great stumbling-block in the hopeful way of Salvation and a great discouragement to poor Sinners in their believing and obeying the Gospel therefore I say we may not so understand the Decrees of God which are secret as to make-null the plain declared will of God in the Gospel 1 Tim. 2. 3 4. but we are to Preach the Gospel and to assure Sinners that if they believe and obey the Lord therein they shall be saved persevering therein to the end this is the Gospel law of grace and Will of the Lord Mark 16. 15 16. Mat. 10. 22. 2. Because the Lord himself makes this distinction with suitable promises alike to both i. e. He alloweth a latitude beyond the first and special Election or gift to his Son with promise of life on the universal account of grace Joh. 6. 37. There is first a description of the first and special gift All that the Father giveth me shall come to me 2. An encouragement to all comers And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Him that is every one that cometh for it cannot rightly be supposed that him that cometh c. is a promise to the first gift for they shall come i. e. believe and obey the Gospel and there is no doubt of their being cast out that are given and shall come But to prevent a doubt that might arise from the knowledge of the first gift the second promise followeth to assure us that the special gift no whit derogates from the freedom of universal grace and v. 39. 40. more fully confirms the same truth v. 39. Christ states the first gift they shall come This is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day and v. 40. declareth the universal grace and encouragement to all to believe and obey the Gospel And this is the will of him that sent me that every one that seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life c. And this agreeth fully with the general Promises of the Gospeli so frequently stated in the Scriptures Joh. 3. 16. Matth. 11. 28. Isa 55. 1 2 3 6 7. Rev. 22. 17. 3. Sutable to this are we to understand the Book of Life mentioned in the Scriptures 1. Of Gods fore-knowledge and Election to the special and espoused relation to his Son Heb. 12. 23. Rev. 13. 8. and 17. 8. and 21. 27. 2. It intends the Gospel Book of Life in which is the Law of Life and the Promises of Life to all Believers it worketh Life and propoundeth and promiseth Life on the terms thereof this is the visible Book of Life the revealed will of God about the matters of Life and properly belongs