Selected quad for the lemma: faith_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A01252
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The comforter: or A comfortable treatise wherein are contained many reaso[n]s taken out of the word, to assure the forgiunes of sinnes to the conscience that is troubled with the feeling thereof. Together with the temptations of Sathan to the contrarie, taken from experience: written by Iohn Freeman sometime minister of the word, in Lewes in Sussex.
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Freeman, John, fl. 1611.
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1606
(1606)
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STC 11368; ESTC S113774
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85,859
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215
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full vndoubted assuraÌ„ce of the forgiuenes of sin to theÌ„ that commit sin For howsoeuer the knowledg of the free grace of God offered in Iesus Christ in the word of peace and truth through the corruptioÌ„ of mans hart that turneth as the Spider hony into poison may wheras it should coÌ„fort the conscience corrupt the affections whereas it should take away dispaire increas senselesnes so while it should cure one disease procure another yet such shold be such is the power aâ—d profit therof in such as are ordained to eternall life shal be saued as that as it begetteth coÌ„fort in the mourners so obedience eueÌ„ in them that once were disobedieÌ„t it doth not only cheere but sanctifie the conscience and purge it from dead works For the same word of grace that containeth the promises is not only hidden Manna to feed vs but immortal seed to regenerate beget vs anew This preaching therefore of the kingdom of God the riches of the mercy of God offred vnto sinners should breed in theÌ„ repentance as well as saith newnes of life as well as peace in coÌ„science According as the holy Ghost beareth witnes saying dispisest thou the riches of this kindnes patience long suffering not knowing that the bouÌ„tifulnes of God leadeth thee to repentance The end therfore of all the gra es of God giueÌ„ offered and reâ—eiued is holines of life godliâ—es of conuersatioÌ„ For we are redeemed that we should be freed from euil freed vnto righteousnes VVe aâ—e reconciled by the body of the flesh of Christ that we should be without spot and blame before God we are mortified that sin in the body thereof might be abandoned we are iustified that sin in the guiltines therof might be abolished to speak in a word we are sanctified that we might be saints by calling That man therefore that laboureth not for the perswasion of the forgiuenes of his sin to this end that he may surcease to sin laboureth in vaine for he seeketh not and therfore attaineth not the end of his labor He laboreth therfore as the man that looseth his hire he striueth as one that ouerâ—eÌ„meth not he ruÌ„neth as one that getteth not the garland he trauaileth as one that attaineth not the end of his iourney he iourneieth as one that standeth in the middest of his course Alas brethren what is this but to fight as one that beateth the aire to striue but now lawfully to run but as one that getteth not the garland to labor but in vain So striue therfore that you may â—e câ—owned VVhat a perswasion were this I beseech you to thinke that therfore the Lord cleÌ„sed vs that we shuld bewary your selues washed vs that we shuld defile our selues purged vs that like dogs we should retâ—rn to our vomit tooke away our sins that we should sin still forgaue our offences that we should still offeed him and destroyed crucified sin in vs that we should liue in sin still Alas should the graces of God make vs more vngracious his kindnes more vnkind his loue more d â—sloi d were this to walk worthy of the Lord BrethreÌ„ deâ—eiue not your selues the same death of Christ that forgiueth your sins destroyeth aâ—so your sins For Christ by his own death once offering vp himselfe vpon the Altar of his crosse hath destroyed the body as well as the soule the being aswel as the guiltines the power as wel as the merit of sin be died as well to sin as for sin to destroy the old man as wel as to make thee a new maÌ„ as well to make thee liue purely as in thy life to be purified And therefore if thou art partaker of the death of Chrst thou must both attaine the forgiuenesse of thy sinne which is one fruit and part thereof and also the mortification and abolishing of the bodie of thy sinne which is the otheâ— part and fruit thereof As therfore this is true that there is no coÌ„demnation to theÌ„ that are in Christ so this also is as true that no man is in Christ but hee that walketh not afâ—er the flesh but afâ—er the spiâ—it and againe if any maâ— be in Christ he is a new creature In vaine therfore dost thou perswade thy self to be partaker of the forgiuenesse of thy sin if also thou doest not denie sin with the power therof For assure thy selfe that the samâ— spirit that washeth thee sactifieth thee also that clenseth thee renueth thee that taketh away thy sin destroyeth sin in thee And learn this that thy faith that apprehendeth the forgiuenes of sins worketh alwaies by loue which is the keeping of the coÌ„mandements of the Lord the fulfilling of the law If faith therefore purifie thy heart from sin thou wilt sease to sin For the hart being clean the hands wil not be vnâ—lean a good tree wil not bring forth euill fruit a sweet fountain sowre water a good man an euil life a man clensed froÌ„ sin a life stained corrupted with sin I adde hereunto that there is no forgiuenesse of sin where there is not a true repentance for sin therefore the Lord lyeth alwaies his turning froÌ„ his wrath to our turning from our sins and telleth vs plainly that except we do repeÌ„t we shal all perish So that except thou leaue sinne thou art left in thy sin except thou foâ— goe sin God wâ—ll not forgiue sin except thou forsake thine offeÌ„ces thou forsakest Gods mercy How canst thou looke that the lord shuld forbeare his punishments wheÌ„ thou wilt not forbear thy sin how dost thou looke that the Lord should repent him of his wrath when thou wilt not repent thee of thine offences Moreouer know this if thou mean not to surcease to sin that the promises of grace benefits of Christ appertaines not vnto thee For as ther are 2. parts of the word of God I meane the law the Gospel so there are 2. kinds of men to whom these 2. parts especially appertaine The law belongeth to theÌ„ that are contemners of the law to the disobedient to the vvicked sinners to the vngodly prophaÌ„e to the killers of their father of their mother to manslayers te vvhoremongers to buggerers to theeus lyers to periured persons if there be any thing else that bee contrary vnto holesome doctrin But the Gospel with the promises of graue appertaineth vnto theÌ„ that are heauy loden that mourn are oppressed with their sins which being truly humbled are by the law as by a school-master brought vnto so into Christ in whoÌ„ whosoeuer is he is not vnder the law but vnder grace If therefore thou he not in some regard of the number of this latter sort assure thy selfe that the promiseâ— of mercie appertaine not vnto thee Anâ— therefore if thou being an obstinate person appropriate them vnto thy selfe thoâ— art but an Ammonite that incrochest vppon the possession of Israel and Esau thaâ—