Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	faith_n	law_n	sin_n	6,700	5	5.1939	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A08318	The nevv Gospel, not the true Gospel. Or, A discovery of the life and death, doctrin, and doings of Mr. Iohn Traske, and the effects of all, in his followers Wherein a mysterie of iniquity is briefly disclosed, a seducer unmasked, and all warned to beware of imposters. As also a confutation of the uncomfortable error, of Mr. Boye, concerning the plague, out of Psal. 91. By Edvv. Norice.	Norris, Edward, 1584-1659.	1638 (1638)	STC 18645; ESTC S113242	39,058	60

directions against it but why doth hee not name who they were that did so or why doth he not handle the point as other godly men have done but thus break out against the Law it selfe calling it a rule of the flesh to make it vile but all this is nothing else than meere deceit and collusion pretending a cause that never was in any of them at whom he aimeth no not to a thought upon which false supposition also it is that he reproacheth all other Ministers that make any use of the Law for Legalists and Iustitiaries as if they taught righteousnesse by works because they make the Law a rule of obedience which is common and I doubt wilfull calumny of all his followers who know well enough how farre they are from such doctrines and drifts whom they disclaime and decline 2. ASSERTION The Law is not to be preached to beleevers by Gospell Ministers Explication HIs meaning is that the Law is not to be preached at all in the Church of God neither to beleevers nor unbeleevers either for repentance or obedience and that his meaning is so his words declare which are these And why may it not be affirmed In his confirmation that seeing there is no Commission to preach the Law at all now under the Gospell and seeing the Gospell containes the whole mind and will of God and that the Apostles did never preach the Law at all but as subordinate to the Gospell and doth enjoyne Timothy to charge some that they teach no other Doctrine but the faith A clause added against the rest c. why may we not say that the Gospell only is to bee preached to all aswell as to beleevers except any can shew a larger Commission than Christ himselfe c. pag. 50. These words are plaine enough There is no Commission to preach the Law at all the Gospell is only to bee preached to all Generall and peremptory assertions without exception yet neverthelesse to hide his flat Antinomisme in his explanation he tells us that the Law as law is not to be preached to beleevers and afterwards demands Who ever denyed the Lawes use or excellency to discover sinne convict such as the Gospell shines not unto to be a ground for all humane Lawes the very rule of love a meanes to shew the greatnesse of sinne of very plentifull use to beleevers c. One would think that the same man could not own both these assertions at once and set them down both in the same Chapter What hath the Law so many excellentuses to beleevers and unbeleevers and yet is there no Commission at all to preach it doth it containe so many excellent truths and of that necessity in the Church and yet is it no part of the mind and will of God to bee revealed unto men Doctor Taylor his Regula vitae is very usefull for all these points how to make all this accord in any good construction I acknowledge to be past my skill or I suppose any mans else for take it according to his first words the Law as Law is not to bee preached but as subordinate to the Gospell yet then it must be preached howsoever and is within the Commission of a Gospell Minister which before he denyed either the Seducer wanted wit to see his own contradictions or else he was very wicked to speak against the truth and his own conscience together the later is most to be suspected but then they are men to be admired that will see neither of them 3. ASSERTION If repentance and faith bee wrought only by the Gospell then what doth the Law work in any mans conversion to God or conformity to Christ Explication THis demand hee acknowledgeth to be truly inferr'd by him upon the premisses of one of his then disciples according to the doctrin he had first taught him and yet lest he should lose his habit of rayling hee keeps the word * This is his Keax Slanderer on foot still although it be the truth under his own hand Concerning which point I will say no more but if the Law serve to discover sinne and to convince men as before he hath acknowledged and that this discovery and convincing bee necessary to bring men to repentance seeing they cannot repent of what they know not how then is the Law wholly excluded from having any hand in the same at all was it not that and matter of that kind which S. Peter used to convince the Iewes withall Acts 2.37 and is it not that which discovers unto all men their own unrighteousnesse and misery that they may seek unto Christ for righteousnesse and mercy Rom. 3.19 doth not that regulate our love and so our conformity to Christ and his requirings John 13.34 but these matters of repentance humiliation for sin godly sorrow sanctification of spirit feare of God care of obedience and such like are all in too low a sphere for his sublimity and not in the compasse of his mounted speculations only faith and joy are the matters he is conversant in the other serve for poore Legalists to feed upon that know no better but it followes 4. ASSERTION The law did once discover sin it doth so no more nor yet for direction love herein transcends the law as far as life doth death Explication HIs meaning is that now in time of the Gospell the Law doth neither serve to discover sin nor yet to be a rule of obedience for it was alleadged by him in way of Answer to that of the Apostle By the law is the knowledge of finne Rom. 3.20 and Chap. 7. 7. to which he replyed that though it did so heretofore yet it doth not so now those times and that use of the Law are past and gone and so out of date the Gospell now doth all without the Law which is his spirituall sense and the mystery of his way but to colour the matter being foule in appearance hee tells us in his explanation that the Sacrifice of Christ doth better set forth the odiousnesse of sinne than the terrors of the Law which is no part of the point what doth most set out the odiousnesse of sinne Ignoratio ele nchis but what doth discover the sinnes themselves in their kinds and severall branches which must needs be the Law according to the Apostles testimony the very definition of sin being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the transgression of the Law 1. John 3.4 then is it to be preached with the Gospell for repentance Concerning the other branch about the directing use of the Law to justifie his deny all he gives us to understand as if none knew it before that the inward principle from which all true obedience proceeds is love which inward grace doth farre transcend the letter without as if that were the question from what inward principle true obedience proceeded and not rather by what Rule the same is regulated and ordered which is the Law of God discovering good and

in this time of visitation which hath sorrow enough in it selfe though it bee not furthered by mens errours Briefly then I answer If it doe appeare that the promises contained in that Psalme are not litterally to be understood but in a mysticall sense then that collection concerning the certain exemption of any from the danger of the Plague cannot be grounded on that Scripture but that the same is not litterally to be understood appeares by these reasons 1. Because the whole Psalme in a manner is metaphoricall wherein there is mention of the wings and feathers of the Almighty of his arrowes of the hands of Angels of the snare of the hunter of treading upon the Lion Dragon and Aspe Things not properly so to bee taken nor in that manner ever accomplished 2. Because the promises all along according to the letter cannot be so applyed nor expected as for instance That such as trust in God shall not dash their foot against a stone verse 12. The pestilence shall not come nigh them verse 7. no not neere their dwelling verse 10. They shall tread upon Lions Dragons and Serpents vers 13. They shall have advancement with long life and with honour verse 14 15 16. For then no true beleever in his going should at any time stumble or if so yet not at a stone as the Divell applyed it Mat. 4.6 The pestilence must not only not fasten upon their persons but not so much as come neere their dwellings * At the honse of Mr. Doctor Chetwind in Berckley before twenty witnesses as this foolish man once maintained in my hearing out of this Psalme Then might also a beleever by his faith tread upon Lions Dragons and Aspes or Adders without danger also it would then follow that the most faithfull people must live longest and be advanced in the world contrary to the Scriptures and all experience 3. Because it is said in the generall that no evill at all shall befall such ver 10. for so they must be exempted from all afflictions Amos 3.6 where they are termed evills although by the goodnesse of God they are turned into good to his people so that according to the letter they shall not at all be visited with any losses crosses or common sorrowes not with any mortall diseases or sicknesses as the Feaver Consumption or Pox not be hurt by any deadly weapons as swords and speares especially arrowes unlesse through want of faith Verse 5. so that every souldier who dieth in the field must bee concluded to want faith yea and every mans death must be a judgement for some particular finne and want of faith in a temporall promise aswell as in the case of the Plague which by his opinion must needs follow and so none at all shall be truly said to die in faith but through unbeleefe at least in respect of temporall promises 4. Because according to this interpretation the plague must be the punishment only of wicked men for so are the words with thine eyes shalt thou behold the reward of the wicked verse 8. and so all that die of the Plague must be condemned for wicked men even upon that evidence that they die of that disease which were a very wicked opinion to hold Hezekiah was sick and might have died of the Plague as he was told Isay 38.1 David demanded concerning them in his time these sheep what have they done 2 Sam. 24.17 he accounted them not greater sinners than others because they were so visited but more innocent in respect of that particular than himselfe many godly and faithfull people in all ages have been taken off with this visitation yea which is much to be observed some in our owne times Note men of note that have held the opinion of this Temporary have died of the same disease for a warning to all to beware how they tempt the Lord with their folly and this man in particular who proclaimed before many that if ever they heard The time and place aforesaid that he died of the plague they should report he wanted faith to expound the Psalme then according to the letter we see how many unavoidable errours it will bring forth Quest It may be demanded what then is the true sense and meaning of the came Answ The summe and substance of the Psal may be comprehended in this assertion following That such as the Lord will protect by his power The summe of Psal 91. shall not need to dread any evill whatsoever be it the snare of the hunter the wiles of Satan and his instruments both of them as fierce and fell as Lyons Dragons and Aspes or the most noysome disease be it the plague or pestilence which destroyeth mightily See Calvin on the Psal or yet the sword and weapons of warre though never so sharp and deadly nor any other mischiefe from any other creature But if it please him to leave any of his servants to such an outward evill to be taken away by any of those means before mentioned then it is in mercy and disposed of for their good either to prove them or to prevent greater evills that are to come upon themselves and others 2 Chro. 34.28 or to chasten them so here that they may not be condemned for ever 1 Cor. 11.32 which is not therfore done because the Lord doth faile in his power providence or truth towards his owne but because he seeth it best for them at such a time in such a manner by such a means to be so visited by him None of the temporall promises being intended against but for the works of mercy to which they are all subordinate and not predominant the fulfilling of them in their kind being no certaine evidence of love nor the contrary of hatred to any Eccl. 9.1 upon which ground it may come to passe that any of the servants of God may be taken away as many have beene with the sword or with the pestilence and yet not through want of faith in the temporall promises much lesse because they are wicked and forsaken persons Which exposition agreeth First See Treatise on the fourth petition with the nature of all temporall promises concerning health wealth strength long life good successe and the like that are varied according to the will of God Secondly the condition of all the faithfull in outward matters of which it is testified by Salomon that all things come alike unto all and there is one event to him that feareth God and to him that feareth him not Eccles 9.2 confirmed by continuall experience Thirdly with the judgements of the learned in all times and of expositors upon this Psalme heare one of them Although God do sometimes permit the godly themselves to be infected and die of the plague or to perish by other dangers yet that is nothing against this testimony and promise because the promises of temporall good things have a silent exception annexed unlesse the Lord shall see it fit to doe otherwise for causes knowne to himselfe Piscator Fourthly The contrary what is it but an uncouth and uncomfortable errour savouring of much ignorance in the sense of the Scriptures putting conditionall promises for absolute and abusing the faith of the servants of God to their great discouragement To all that feare God then would I direct this admonition to look there be no plague in their hearts 1 Kings 8.38 no sinne unrepented off but to make their peace in heaven through Christ to walk faithfully in the way of God and to use all lawfull and good meanes for their preservation and then not to be servilly affraid of any creature no not of the pestilence it selfe which either shall not touch them or if it do yet not in wrath for destruction as others but to loose the soule out of the prison of the body with more speed and it may be ease than many other diseases would have done remembring that of the Apostle That neither life nor death neither principalities nor powers neither things present nor to come nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord Rom. 8.38 39. And for this peremptory dogmatizer who sends forth his immodest and ignorant dictates into all parts to discover his own shame if he were capable of admonition I would advise him to do And of publishing the errors and lies of Traske if it were he as his betters have done before him make certaine retractions of his errors and false doctrines call in his exorbitant and unruly excursions repent of his personall reproaches and slanders against his owne knowledge and conscience especially that blasphemous imputation of distemper on the holy prayer of our Lord Iesus Christ unworthy of a Christian together with his foule handling of the Apostle St. Paul in divers particulars as matters that will not only lie upon his name which already is little worth but upon his conscience which should be pretious to him And then before he print any more books intermeddle any further in Controversies or undertake such high points as the censure of all Churches transcending his capacity to labour to be better grounded in his Catechisme to be informed in the Articles of Christian Religion His ignorance is apparent in these things to understand the difference betweene the Law and the Gospell the nature of the new Covenant what an absolute and a conditionall promise is withall to labour for an humble heart the feare of God the spirit of truth and the power of grace to governe his affections and then he shall see that which now he doth not and be ashamed of what he now glorieth in bewailing those monuments of ignorance and folly hee hath published to the world which I heartily wish he may do or that all may beware what they receive for truth from one that hath so little in him It is an honour for a man to cease from strife but every foole will be medling Prov. 20.3 FINIS