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A47625 A systeme or body of divinity consisting of ten books : wherein the fundamentals and main grounds of religion are opened, the contrary errours refuted, most of the controversies between us, the papists, Arminians, and Socinians discussed and handled, several Scriptures explained and vindicated from corrupt glosses : a work seasonable for these times, wherein so many articles of our faith are questioned, and so many gross errours daily published / by Edward Leigh. Leigh, Edward, 1602-1671. 1654 (1654) Wing L1008; ESTC R25452 1,648,569 942

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Some say it was an eternal transaction before all time onely manifested to us by the Spirit There are four set periods of Justification First In Gods purpose which reacheth as far as the eternal transactions between God and Christ such as were set down in the Lambs book Secondly When Christ did in the name and stead of sinners perform that which was the matter of their justification but in neither of these periods was the soul translated out of the state of nature into the state of grace Thirdly Actually at that moment when we come to own Christ as a Saviour by beleeving Fourthly When the Spirit which translates the soul out of the state of nature into the state of grace makes it known to the soul. Others say there are five as it were periods or degrees of Justification 1. When the Lord passeth a sentence of Absolution on men at their first Conversion immediately upon their Union with Christ Act. 13. 38 39. 2. He that is justified fals into daily transgressions therefore there must be a daily imputation and application of the death of Christ Iohn 13. 10. 3. There is a high act of justification after great and eminent fals though there be not an intercision yet there is a sequestration such cannot then plead their right Davids sinne of adultery and murder made a great breach upon his justification therefore he prayes God Psal. 51. To purge him with hysop to apply anew the bloud of Christ. 4. There follows a certification a sentence passed in the soul concerning mans estate 1 Iohn 5. 9. Rom. 8. 33 34. 5. Justification is never perfected till the day of judgement Act. 3. 19. then sentence is passed in open Court before men and Angels Of preparatory Works to Justification The 13th Article of the Church of England saith Works done before the grace of Christ or Justification because they are not done as God hath commanded them we doubt not but they are sins Matth. 7. A corrupt tree brings forth corrupt fruit Heb. 11. Without faith it is impossible to please God Tit. 2. 9. To the defiled all things are defiled Whether these Works without faith merit ex congruo Potest homo nondum reconciliatus per opera poenitentiae impetrare mereri ex congruo gratiam justificationis Bellarm. l. 5. de grat lib. arbit c. 22. The Papists say one must dispose and sit himself by Alms and Repentance to partake of Christ this they call Meritum ex congruo and then say they one receives primam gratiam See 2 Cor. 3. 5. Rom. 9. 15 16. We confesse that God is not wont to infuse saving grace but into hearts fitted and prepared but he works these preparations by his own Spirit See B. Dav. Determ of Quaest. 34. Whether Works with faith deserve grace ex condigno We say not as Bellarmine chargeth us that the Works of the regenerate are simply sins but in a certain respect The Papists say after one is made a new-creature he can perform such Works as have an intrinsecal merit in them and then by their good Works they can satisfie for their smaller offences Secondly They have such a worth that God is tied say some of them by the debt of justice Others say by the debt of gratitude to bestow upon them everlasting glory Some say they deserve this ex natura operis Others say Tincta sanguine Christi being died with the bloud of Christ This is a damnable doctrine throws us off from the Head to hold justification by works Our good Works as they flow from the grace of Gods Spirit in us do not yet merit Heaven 1. From the condition of the Worker though we be never so much enabled yet we are in such a state and condition that we are bound to do more then we do or can do Luk. 17. 7. We cannot enter into Heaven unlesse we be made sons Come ye blessed of my Father and the more we have the Spirit enabling us to good the more we are bound to be thankful rather then to glory in our selves Againe we are sinners the worker being a servant sonne sinner cannot merit 2. From the condition of the work those works that merit Heaven must have an equality and commensuration as a just price to the thing bought but our works are not so Rom. 8. 18. those sufferings were the most glorious of all when Paul was whipt imprisoned ventured his life he doth not account these things considerable in respect of Heaven See Rom. 8. 18. Iam. 3. 2. 1 Ioh. 1. 8. Rom. 7. 24. 11. 35 36. Ephes. 2. 8. and D. S●lat on Rom. 2. p. 118. to 185. They say The Protestants so cry up Justification by grace that they cry down all good works at least the reward of them we say there is a reward of mercy Psa. 62. lat end Bona opera non praecedunt justificandum sed sequuntur justificatum Aug. Bona opera suxt occultae praedestinationis indicia futurae foelicitatis praesagia Bernard de gratia libero arbitrio Extra statum justificationis nemo potest verè bona opena satis magnificè commendare Luther More hath been given in this Land within these threescore yeares to the building and increase of Hospitals of Colledges and other Schools of good learning and to such like workes as are truly charitable then were in any one hundred years during all the time and reign of Popery Dr. Willet confutes the calumny of the Romanists charging our Doctrine of justification by faith only as a great adversary to good Works For he proves that in the space of sixty years since the times of the Gospel 1000000lb lb hath been bestowed in the acts of piety and charity Whether we be justified by inherent or imputed righteousnesse We do not deny as the Papists falsly slander us all inherent righteousnesse 2 Cor. 5. 17. nor all justification before God by inherent righteousnesse 1 Kings 8. 32. But this we teach That this inherent righteousnesse is not that righteousnesse whereby any poor sinner in this life can be justified before Gods Tribunal for which he is pronounced to be innocent absolved from death and condemnation and adjudged unto eternal life The Church of Rome holdeth not this foundation viz. the Doctrine of Justification by Christ 1 Cor. 3. 11. 1. They deny justification by the imputation of Christs righteousnesse yea they scorn it and call it a putative righteousnesse 2. They hold justification by inherent righteousnesse that is by the works of the Law Gal. 5. 4. The Papists place the formal cause of justification in the insusion of inherent righteousnesse The opinion is built upon another opinion as rotten as it viz. perfection of inherent righteousnesse for if this be found to be imperfect as it will be alwayes in this life the credit of the other opinion is lost and that by consent of their own principles who teach that in justification men are made
compleatly righteous 2 Cor. 5. 21. Our sinne was in Christ not inherently but by way of imputation therefore his righteousnesse is so in us See Act. 13. 38 39. Phil. 3. 9. The Papists acknowledge all to be by grace as well as we but when we come to the particular explication there is a vast difference they mean grace inherent in us and we grace without us that is the love and favour of God Arguments against them 1. That grace by which we are justified is called the love of God Rom. 5. 8. not love active whereby we love God but love passive that is that whereby we are loved of him Rom. 9 15. All our salvation is ascribed to the mercy of God which is not something in us but we are the objects of it Titus 3 4. Those words imply some acts of God to us which we are only the objects of To be justified or saved by the grace of God is no more then to be saved by the love the mercy the philanthropy of God all which do evidently note that it is not any thing in us but all in God 2. Grace cannot be explained to be a gracious habit or work because it is opposed to these Rom. 11. 4. Titus 3. 5. Ephes. 2. 8. by grace is as much as not by works not of our selves 3. It appears by the condition we are described to be in when justified which is set down Rom. 4. a not imputing sin a justifying the ungodly the Apostle there instanceth in Abraham who had so much inward grace in him yet was considered in Justification as unholy and he was justified in this that God imputed not to him the imperfections he was guilty of For the imputation of Christs righteousnesse there is justitia mediatoris that is imputed not justitia mediatoria as they say in Logick Natura generis communicatur non natura generica The righteousnesse by which the just are justified before God is justitia legis though not legalis Isa. 53. He bore our sins in his body on the tree He was made sin for us See Rom. 3. 25. To speak properly the will or grace of God is the efficient cause of Justification the material is Christs righteousnesse the formal is the imputing of this righteousnesse unto us and the final is the praise and glory of God so that there is no formal cause to be sought for in us Some say but falsly the righteousnesse by which we are formally justified before God is not the righteousnesse of Christ but of faith that being accepted in the righteousnesse of the Law Fides tincta sanguine Christi Whether inherent justice be actual or habitual Bishop Davenant cap. 3. de habituali justitia saith a certain habitual or inherent justice is infused into all that are justified Iohn 1. 13. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Gal. 6. 15. 1 Cor. 6. 11 19. 2 Pet. 1. 4. All those that are justified do supernatural works Ergò It is certain that they are endued with supernatural grace and holinesse We are said to be righteous from this inherent justice we are said to be just and that by God himself Gen. 6. 9. Heb. 11. 4. Luk 1. 61. 2. 25. 1 Pet. 4. 18. Bellarmine lib. 5. de Iustificatione cap. 7. prop. 3. saith Propter incertitudine●● propriae justitiae periculum inanis gloriae tutissimum est fiduciam in sola Dei misericordia benignitate reponere By which saying he overthrows all his former Dispute about inherent righteousnesse Whether we be justified by the passive obedience of Christ alone or also by his active In this Controversie many learned Divines of our own differ among themselves and it doth not seem to be of that importance that some others are about Justification We are justified in part by Christs active obedience for by it we obtain the imputation of that perfect righteousnesse which giveth us title to the Kingdom of Heaven Seeing it was not possible for us to enter into life till we had kept the Commandments of God Mat. 19. 17. and we were not able to keep them our selves it was necessary our Surety should keep them for us Dan. 9. 24. Rom. 10. 4. Rom. 3. 21. The Scripture seemeth to ascribe our Redemption wholly to Christs bodily death and the bloud that he shed for us Eph. 1. 7. Rev. 5. 9. but in these places the holy Ghost useth a Synecdoche it putteth one part of Christs passion for the whole 1. Because the shedding of his bloud was a sensible sign and evidence that he died for us 2. This declared him to be the true propitiatory Sacrifice that was figured by all the Sacrifices under the Law Some urge this Argument By Christs active Obedience imputed to them the faithful be made perfectly righteous what need is there then of his passive righteousnesse need there any more then to be made righteous Christ fulfilled the duty of the Law and did undergo the penalty that last was a satisfaction for the trespasse which was as it were the forfeiture and the fulfilling the Law was the principal Psal. 40. 4. Ior. 31. 3. Gal. 4. 4. Some to avoid Christs active Obedience question Whether Christ as man was not bound to fulfill the Law for himself All creatures are subject to Gods authority Yet this detracts not from his active Obedience partly from his own free condescension and partly because his whole person God and man obeyed CHAP. VII Of the Parts and Termes of Iustification Remission of sins and Imputation of Christs Righteousnesse JUstification is used so largely in the Scripture as to comprehend under it Remission of sins but if we will speak accurately there is a difference between Remission of sin and the justification of the sinner The justification of a sinner properly and strictly is the cleansing and purging of a sinner from the guilt of his sins by the gift and imputation of the righteousnesse of his Surety Jesus Christ for which his sins are pardoned and the sinner freed from the punishment of sinne and received into the favour of God Remission or forgivenesse of sins may be thus described It is a blessing of God upon his Church procured by the death and passion of Christ whereby God esteems of sinne as no sinne or as not committed Or thus It is an act of grace acquitting the sinner from the guilt and whole punishment of sin Every subject of Christs Kingdom hath his sins pardoned Isa. 33. ult This is one of the priviledges of the Church in the Apostles Creed Acts 2. 38 39. and all his sins totally pardoned Exod. 34. 6 7. Micah 7. 18 19. This is a great priviledge Psal. 32. 1. Exod. 31. 34. It is no where to be had but in the Church because it is purchased by Christs bloud and is a fruit of Gods eternal love Remission of sins is the principal part of Redemption Col. 1. 14. Ephes. 1. 7. one of the chief things
and the Gospel that of his mercy 2 Cor. 3. 8. it is called his glorious Gospel Luke 2. 14. All his works set forth his glory both those of creation and preservation or providence Psalm 19. the whole creation must needs shew forth his glorious power and wisdom the sound is said to go over all the world that is All creatures must needs gather that if the Heavens be such glorious Heavens the Sun so glorious a Sun how much more must that God be a glorious God who is the author and worker of them The whole Platform of saving the Church by Christ sets forth Gods glory principally Phil. 2. 11. Luke 2. 14. glory to God in the highest In some works the excellency of Gods power in others the excellency of his wisdom patience but in this all the Attributes of God shine out in their utmost perfection 1. His wisdom that all the three persons of the Trinity should joyn in one work to one end wherein mercy power grace justice patience all meet together 2. Power in upholding Christ to undergo the weight of Gods vindictive Justice 3. Free-grace to do all this without any motive in the world but himself nothing was foreseen in them and some rather then others were saved 4. His revenging Justice and Wrath here were manifested as much as they be in Hell it self 5. His Holinesse he can have no communion with those that are unclean 6. His Majesty none may be admitted to speak or come nigh to him but in the mediation of Christ. The Gospel is The glorious Gospel of the blessed God 1 Tim. 1. 11. that is The glory of all the Attributes of God doth appear in the Gospel more brightly then in all the works which God hath made Mr. Burrh God is glorious in all his works upon the hearts of believers he puts a glory upon them so that in this sense he is effectually glorious Ephes. 5. a glorious Church and Psalm 43. The Kings daughter is all glorious within this glory is grace when God makes one holy heavenly minded meek zealous hereafter we shall have glorious bodies and souls God made all things for his glory for of him and to him are all things Rom. 11. All the unreasonable creatures are for Gods glory 1. In that they are serviceable to man for herein God is glorified in that they can accomplish those ends for which they were made and that is for man Gen. 1. the Sun and Stars are for him as well as creeping things These creatures are for a twofold use 1. To give him habitation and to be means of his corporeal life 2. To be continual quickners of him to praise Gods glorious power and wisdom God is said Acts 4. not to leave himself without witnesse the reasonable creatures are made chiefly for his glory because they know and love him That God is Glorious appears 1. God hath made many of his creatures glorious Dan. 10. 8. so there is one glory of the Sun another of the Moon the King clad with gorgeous attire and being arrayed with the Ensigns of his Soveraignity is glorious so Solomon 2. This glory shall continue for ever because God hath it from himself and deriveed it not from another He is a perfect being independent all things are under him the inferior cannot work without the Superior There is a double glory in things 1. Inherent in themselves which is partly visible as that of the Sun partly intelligible an excellency in a thing which affects the understanding 2. From without given by others so there is a kinde of glory and excellency in some precious stones which affect a man with a kidde of wondering so in an Angel a great shining as in that which appeared to Zachary so in the vision that Paul saw and when God appeared to Moses There is an inward glory standing in being worthy of highest esteem and an outward glory standing in being highly accounted of God is worthy to be esteemed above all and is so by the Saints The chiefest and highest cause of any benefit shewed to us is not our selves but the name of God even his glory and the clear declaration of his own excellencies Ezek. 20. 9. 14. 22. Psalm 25. 1. Ezek. 36. 22. Reas. 1. The thing which induced God to make all things must needs be the cause of all other benefits bestowed after the creation now he made all things for himself and his own name for neither had they any being nor could they have any before and therefore could not be any moving cause to their own creation therefore neither of any other thing 2. All creatures are nothing and lesse then nothing in comparison of God therefore he could not by them be moved to work any thing but doth it for his own names sake Things mean and trifling are not fit to be the highest end of an excellent work God is most high and glorious and all creatures are lesse then nothing before him therefore himself must be moved by himself not by them chiefly to do any thing for them for as God hath no efficient material or formal cause at all but is to himself instead of all these because he is of himself so neither can he have any final cause but himself for if he have any other end then himself that is his own glory he were some way dependent upon some other thing which is impossible If it be objected How is it said then that God doth this or that for Abraham Isaac and Iacobs sake as often Moses presseth him in his prayers The Answer is he looks upon them still in subordination to his own name so that they are motives but in reference to his name and no otherwise He glorifieth himself and aimeth at his own glory in keeping covenant and promise with them Gods glory is the end of predestination both reprobation Prov. 16. 1. and election Ephes. 1. 5 6. of the creation and administration of all things Rom. 11. 36. of all benefits obtained in Christ 2 Cor. 1. 20. and should be of all our actions 1 Cor. 10. 35. Quest. Whether the infinite glory which God hath as God be communicated to Christs humane nature Answ. That being a creature cannot have that glory which is due to the Creator It is true Christ is infinitely to be glorified because he is God and man but not therefore his humane nature Our Divines distinguish between a glory meerly divine and a Mediators glory which is next to Divine far above all creatures Object Christ prayed for the glory which he had before the beginning Answ. Christ had it in decree and predestination and that was not Gods essential glory which is a property for he requires he may have it now which could not be if he had it from eternity We glorifie God not by putting any excellency into him but by taking notice of his excellency and esteeming him accordingly and making manifest this our high esteem of him There
all 2 Cor. 5. He became sinne for us and his righteousnesse is imputed to us that phrase is repeated eleven times of Gods imputing Christs righteousnesse to us Faith is said to be imputed for righteousnesse but not as a grace or quality in us for that faith is but one grace but the Law requires an universal righteousnesse even an entire conformity to the Law of God by faith in Christs bloud we obtain Justification 2. To justifie is to absolve or pronounce righteous we cannot be so from our own righteousnesse which is imperfect the Scripture cals Christ our righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1. 30. Rom. 5. 18. as Adams sinne was made ours by imputation we being in his loins so Christs righteousnesse is made ours we being in him the second Adam * Piscator and Mr VVotton make Justification to be nothing but the Remission of sins and imputation of Righteousnesse and the Remission of sins the same thing a man being therefore accounted righteous because his sins are not imputed to him and they deny that the Scripture ever saith Christs righteousnesse is imputed to us Mr. Baxter in his Aphoris p. 186. confesseth that the difference between Justification and Remission of sins is very small Mr. Gataker in Mr. VVottons Defence pag. 58. and also in his Animadversions upon the Disputes between Piscator and Lucius and in his Answer to Gomarus seems to distinguish between Justification largely taken and Remission of sins The righteousnesse by which we are justified and stand righteous before God is not our own righteousnesse but the righteousnesse of Christ Phil. 3. 8 9. 2 Cor. 5. 21. not the righteousnesse of Christ as God the second Person in Trinity but as Mediator God-man In which there are two things 1. The perfect holinesse of his humane nature Heb. 7. 26. 2. The perfect righteousnesse which he performed in doing and suffering according to the Law this is imputed to us Christs active obedience his good works and holy life could never have been meritorious for us nor brought us to heaven if he had not died for us therefore our Justification and obtaining of heaven is ascribed to his bloud as if that alone had done both Rom. 5. 9. Heb. 10. 19. Revel 5. 6 9 11. his intercession and prayers had not been meritorious for us if he had not died for us The parts of Justification First Imputation of Christs righteousnesse that is God accounting his righteousnesse ours as if we had in our own persons performed it Rom. 4. 6 9 23. as there is a true and real union between us and Christ so there is a real imputation of Christs righteousnesse to us Cant. 6. 10. Revel 12. 1. a soul triumphs more in the righteousnesse of Christ imputed then if he could have stood in the righteousnesse in which he was created The imputation of Christs righteousnesse was first rejected by the Jesuites Carl. Consens Eccles. Cathol contra Trid. de gratia c. 5. Secondly From thence there follows a forgivenesse of sins 2 Cor. 5. 19. Psal. 32. This is called hiding ones sins Blotting them out Burying them in the Sea Dan. 9. 24. Some say not imputing of sinne and imputing righteousnesse are not two parts but one single act there is the term from which and to which There are two sorts of contraries such which have both a real being as white and black in colours 2. Privatively as light and darknesse darknesse hath no being but the absence of light so sinne and righteousnesse are two contraries but sinne hath no being for then God should be the authour of it introduction of light is the expulsion of darknesse not imputing sin and imputing righteousnesse is one thing else the Apostles Argument say they would not hold Rom. 4. 6. where he alledgeth Psal. 32. He brings that place which speaks of not imputing sinne to prove that we are justified by Christs righteousnesse imputed This they esteem their Argumentum palmarium saith Gomarus Thus they argue Paul here proves by the testimony of David that Justification is an imputation of righteousnesse either by his words or by words that are equipollent not by his own words therefore he proves it per verbornm aequipollentiam and consequently those speeches to impute righteousnesse and forgive sins are equipollent but a thing may be proved also saith Gomarus by force of consequence and M. G●taker saith the Argument is weak Christ dying is the deserving and satisfactory cause to Gods Justice whereby we obtain Justification and Remission of sins Some Hereticks hold God was never angry with man only men were made enemies by their own sins and do therefore conclude that satisfaction by Christs bloud as by way of a price is a falshood and all that Christ did by dying and suffering was only as an example to teach us in what way we are to obtain remission of sins and therefore according to them Justification is a pardoning of sin without Christ as a Mediator Arguments to the contrary 1. Christ is called a Redeemer Rom. 3. 14. 1 Cor. 1. 30. and Iob I know that my Redeemer liveth He is a Redeemer and we obtain our Justification by this Redemption therefore he is the meritorious and deserving cause of it he hath redeemed us by his bloud and we are bought with a price 2. He is a Mediatour 1 Tim. 2. and he is the Mediatour of the New Testament These things are implied in that 1. That God and men were equally disagreeing God was alienated from men and men from God 2. Christ came that he might pacifie God angry with us and convert our hearts who were rebels against him 3. The means by which this was done the death of this Mediator as appeareth Heb. 9. 15 16. 3. From those places where Christ is called a Propitiation 1 Iohn 2. 1. in allusion to the Mercy-seat Exod. 25. 17. Numb 7. 89. Two things are implied here 1. That God was exceeding angry with us for our sins 2. That Christ did pacifie him by his bloud The Mercy-seat was called also the Oracle because God answered by it and the covering because it covered the Ark in which were laid up the Tables Christ is compared to this both in regard of his Prophetical Office because God doth by him declare his will as also in regard of his Priestly Office because by this God is pleased 4. From the places where Christ is said to be a Sacrifice Ephes. He gave himself an Offering and a Sacrifice and in the Hebrews Christ was once offered whence note 1. That Christs death is a true Offering and Sacrifice 2. It was done in the dayes of his flesh for the destruction of sin 5. All those places must needs prove Christ to be the meritorious cause where Christ is said to take away our sins and the punishment from us Isa. 53. He bore our iniquities 2 Cor. 5. 21. When were we justified seeing Justification is a change not of our quality but state
deliver our selves out of his hand and worthy to be subject to him in the lowest degree Thirdly The effects of this fear are most excellent 1. It interests him in whom it is to all the gracious promises of God for this and a better life it plainly proves a man to be regenerate and sanctified and to be Gods true childe and faithful servant 2. It worketh a great tranquillity of minde and a most setled quietnesse of heart it armeth the heart against all carnal and inordinate fear of other things Exod. 1. 17. Isa. 8. 12 13. Luk. 12. 4 5. and strengthens against all temptations There is a double fear 1. Of Reverence a reverent respect to God this is kept up by considering Gods Attributes discovered in the Word Psal. 16. 8. Iob 31. begin Isa. 6. 3. Exod. 23. 11. Hab. 3. 16. 2. Of caution or circumspection in our conversation This is stirred up by considering 1. The strictnesse of the Law Psal. 19. 9. it condemns not only acts but sinfull lusts and motions Psal. 119. 96. 1 Cor. 2. 3. 2. The sad fals of the Saints when they have laid aside the fear of God Peter fell by a damsels question There is a servile fear of God as a Judge and a filial fear of him as a Father the one is ne puniat the other ne deserat Aug. Courage or Boldnesse It is a passion quite contrary to fear which stirreth up and quickneth the minde against evil to repel or bear the same without dejectednesse Saul David and Davids worthies Ionathan Caleb and Ioshua were couragious A godly man is bold as a young Lion Be of good courage Be strong saith God to Ioshua Caleb and Ioshua would have gone up to possesse the Land notwithstanding the strength of the Canaanites There is a double Resolution 1. In sinne and iniquity Ier. 18. 12. The devils are consirmed in wickednesse 2. In the truths and wayes of God Dan. 3. 18. This is an almighty work of Gods Spirit whereby a Christian is able to do and suffer glorious things for God and his cause Dan. 1. 8. Act. 21. Nehemiah Esther Athanasius Luther and others were thus couragious There is boldnesse with God that flows from innocency Iob 11. 15. and that flows from slattery a boldnesse that ariseth from a seared conscience Deut. 29. 19. and from a reprobate conscience Heb. 6. 1. Iohn 14. 17. It must be well ordered First For the Object of it it must be exercised against all sorts of evils Natural which may come upon us in the way of our calling and duty as David used courage against Goliah 1 Sam. 17. 34. Ionathan against the Philistims and Esther against the danger of death the Judges of Israel were couragious and Paul in his sufferings and chiefly Christ Jesus when he set himself to go up to Ierusalem and to bear the curse of the Law It must be withdrawn from unfit objects we must not be couragious against Gods threats nor great works as thunder nor against our betters nor against the evil of sinne and damnation To be bold to do evil and to despise Gods threats is hardnesse of heart This was the sinne of the old world and the Philistims when the Ark came against them and of Pharaoh Secondly For the measure of our courage it must be alwayes moderate so as to resist and bear such evils as do necessarily offer themselves to be resisted and born not to provoke danger 2. It must be used more against publick enemies and evils then private and against spiritual evils then natural we must resist Satan strong in the faith Motives to true Christian Courage 1. It is both munimentum the armour of a Christian and ornamentum the honour of a Christian. 2. Consider what examples we have in Scripture of this vertue Moses Exod. 10. 26. Ioshua Daniel Esther Peter Paul Means of getting Courage 1. See your fearfulnesse with grief and shame and confesse it to God with sorrow for in the acknowledgement of the want of Grace begins the supply thereof 2. Consider of the needfulnesse worth and excellency of this Grace 3. Beg of God the Spirit of Courage 4. Take heed of self-confidence Heb. 11. 34. Frustra nititur qui non innititur Bern. Remember Peter and Dr Pendleton In the last place I shall handle some compound affections Anger Reverence Zeal It sutes well with Gods Attributes and his Dispensations that we should Love Joy and be confident and yet fear Psal. 11. Matth. 8. 8. God discovers different Attributes of Mercy and Justice on which we are to exercise different affections His Dispensations also are various as there is a fatherly love so there is ira paterna Deut. 26. 11. Jude 11. See Phil. 2. 13. Of Anger Anger is a most powerful passion and hath by an excellency engrossed the general name of passion to it self The most usual name used by the Hebrews to signifie Anger is Aph which signifies also the nose and by a Synecdoche the whole face either because in a mans anger the breath doth more vehemently and often issue out of the nose which is as it were the smoke issuing from the flame kindled about the heart or else because in the face anger is soonest discerned The Grecians used two names to expresse this affection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Latine it is called ira because it maketh a man quasi ex seire as it were to go out of himself Ira furor brevis It is the rising of a mans heart against one that behaveth himself amisse to punish him It is a mixt affection compounded of these three affections Hatred Desire Grief 1. There is hatred in pure just and innocent anger of the sinne and fault principally and a little for the present of the faulty person but in corrupt anger of the fault little or nothing of the person most of all 2. There is Grief in pure anger at the dishonour done to God in corrupt anger at the wrong done to ones self or his friend 3. There is desire in pure anger of using means according to our vocation of bringing the party to repentance and hindering the infection of the sinne in unjust anger of revenging our selves upon the party and delighting in his smart therefore it is so violent a passion because it is composed of those three all which affections are fiery It is easie to perceive all these three concurring in every angry person Therefore such as are in love or in pain or in sorrow or hungry in deep studies are very teachy and soon moved to anger for in all these there is an excessivenesse of some one or two of these passions whereof anger is made and therefore anger is soon provoked seeing that these will soon breed a third as wood and fire will cause a slame with a little blowing The formal cause of it is when any thing is highly esteemed by us and that is contemned by