Selected quad for the lemma: faith_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
faith_n	justify_v	righteousness_n	ungodly_a	4,797	5	11.0468	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A33944	The marrow of Christianity, or, A spirituall discovery of some principles of truth meet to be knowne of all the saints : represented in ten sections / by T. Collier ; whereunto is added an epistle, written by M. Saltmarsh.	Collier, Thomas, fl. 1691.; Saltmarsh, M.	1650 (1650)	Wing C5292; ESTC R29305	55,174	122

as the instrumentall meanes of this spirit working as the principall meanes Rom. 10.14 Iohn 6.63 now it is true God is not limited in his way of working that is he hath not confined himselfe to a verbal preaching although it is true likewise that he ordinarily and usually worketh faith by such meanes but a Gospell-preaching is of necessity in the working of faith that is a spirituall Gospel-discovery of the love of God in Christ and such a preaching may be by the spirit of Christ in reading some word or any other way he pleaseth to work and it may truly be called a Gospell-preaching any spirituall Gospel-discovery to a soule through which it is brought up into Gospell-injoyments may truly be called a spirituall unfolding or preaching of the Gospell hence it is that the preaching of the Letter or a verball preaching is no where called a powerfull and prevailing preaching unlesse the spirit preach it is the spirit that must convince the World of sin Ioh. 16. And our Gospell came not onely in word but in power and in the holy spirit 1 Thes 1.5 It is true God usually worketh by means but it is as true that he can as well work spiritually without meanes if he please and this he hath done much of late I do not question but many who are spiritually inlightned and live in the spirituall injoyments of God have had experience of it Qu. 3. What are the properties and effects of faith An. The properties and effects of Faith are many It justifies the soule from sin Act. 13.39 by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses Qu. How may faith be said to justifie Answ 1. Not as the efficient cause of our Justification that is God onely in Christ it is God that justifies who shall condemne But 2. Faith justifies as it receives Christ and applyes him as its justification so that it is said to justifie because it satisfies and quiets the soule in Christ who is its justification Rom. 4.5 He that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnes Note two words 1. He that believeth on him that justifieth that is Christ all that believe are justified by him Acts 13.39 So it is Christ that justifieth faith only ownes that justification held forth in Christ 2. Word His faith is counted for righteousnesse that is either first God never declares a man righteous and just untill he gives him faith to enjoy his righteousnesse in Christ or else secondly his faith is counted or called his righteousnesse because he never till then enjoyed his righteousnesse And so that when I say or the Scripture saith that Faith justifieth that is faith receives and ownes the justification of God in Christ declared and so soule by it lives in the injoyment of justification and freedome from sin The 2. property or effect of faith is union and peace with God Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God ch 15.13 Now the God of hope filyou with joy peace through believing This is one glorious effect that those who once were a farre off should now be made nigh by the blood of Christ and be brought into the injoyment of it by believing The third effect is it puts the soule into the possession of the love of God 1 Ioh. 4.16 We have known believed the love that God hath to us God is love and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him It acts the soule above it selfe and causeth it to dwel in God and so to dwell in his love and this is an exceeding glorious effects and that which in the fourth place fills the soule with joy 1 Pet. 1.8 joy unspeakable and full of glory What can a soule desire more then to dwell continually in the love of God When the soule is satisfied from its union with God and its dwelling in God that all the administrations and makings forth of God is love unto it And thus it dwels in love and from hence is filled with joy it causeth the soule alwayes to dwell at the right hand of God where is joy pleasure for ever more Fifthly in a word to conclude the effect of faith is such as that GOD by it workes up the soule to an internal and external conformity to Christ in some measure with a spirituall and eternal conformity in perfection in another world 1. Iohn 3.1 2 3. Phil. 3.19 where faith shall cease and love and unity be made perfect 1 Cor. 13.13 SECTION VI. Wherein is the condition of persons restored by Christ their union with God discovered THe Restauration of persons by Christ may be considered 1. Either external and generall or else 2. more special and spirituall First externally and generally and that hath a relation to all it is as ye have heard formerly 1. A condition of being in the world 2. A condition of possibility of a spirituall and eternall wel-being in God if God in his Sonne draw up the soule to himselfe Ioh. 6.44 But secondly and that I principally intend is the more speciall and spirituall condition of soules thus drawne up to God in Christ it is not onely a restauration to the condition of the first Adam with relation to a freedome from sin This every believer enjoyes by Christ a freedome a justification from sinne But secondly every soule drawne up out of it selfe to God is brought into the condition of the second Adam which is a condition as far above the first as the Heaven is above the Earth For the first man is above the earth earthly the second man is the Lord from Heaven and as all men have born the Image of the earthly so those who believe beare the Image of the Heavenly and as is the Heavenly such are all they that are heavenly 1 Cor. 15.47 48 49. And wherein in Christ exceeds the first Adam therein believers exceed for they are as he is even in this world 1 Iohn 4.17 Now the condition of Christ and so the Saints exceeds the condition of the first Adam not only in their being upheld by God but principally in these four particulars 1. In their spirituall relations unto God Christ and so all believers are related to the Father as Sons and that not only by creation as the first Adam or naturall generation but first Christ a Sonne by a spirituall proceeding and comming forth from the Father who was eternally one in the Father and so in him all believers are made by the same spirit the adopted sons of God being made partakers of the same divine Nature Adams Son-ship was in the flesh by creation ours in the spirit by regeneration and the spirit of adoption which is indeed a mystery to all naturall men and worthy to be looked into and knowne of all the sonnes and daughters of Syon 1. John 3.1 2 3. Behold what

more then he is ever able to pay the Creditor having vowed satisfaction the debtor is cast downe and troubled exceedingly the creditor to satisfie both his own word and the mind of the debtor sends forth his son and fully inables him to pay the debt he brings along the debtor with him payes the debt cancels the bonds and sets him free and thus it was with the Father man had sinned God had said in the day thou sinnest thou shalt dye this debt of death must be discharged the Father that he might be just and yet a justifier and that the conscience of faln man whom he loved might be satisfied he gives or sends forth his Sonne he payes the debt and so satisfies the word of the Father and the conscience of the sinner and so indeed is not essentially the procuring cause of love but rather an effect of love to satifie both the word of the Father and the conscience of the sinner and this was Gods way from eternity through which he intended to manifest hmselfe to his people SECTION V. How persons come to have benefit by this meanes that God hath appointed as the way of life SInners come to have benefit by Jesus Christ by believing Iohn 3.16.36 He that believeth on the Son hath life and he that believeth not on the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth in him Faith as an instrument is the meanes appointed of God by which sinners receive and owne Jesus Christ and life by him For clearing this truth three things will be necessary to be considered First what Faith is Secondly how it comes Thirdly the properties and effects of it 1. What it is Faith is the apprehending and applying Christ and so the Father and his everlasting grace in him 1. It is the apprehending of Christ that is the observing and beholding of him as he is in himselfe the seeing of him in his beauty and excellency Esa 33.17 thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty it is to see all that worth to be in him that the soule needes and then 2. To apply him according to the soules present occasion a dying Christ to a dead soule and this Christ commends unto us to be the faith by which Soules come to enjoy salvation Iohn 6.40 this is the will of him that sent me that he that seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life note Hee that seeth the Son that is apprehends that worth and excellency that ability the Father hath put in him to save sinners able to save all those to the utmost that come unto God by him and beleeveth on him that is applieth him receiveth him as its alone Saviour and justifier to them he gives power to become the Sons of God Iohn 1.12 even to as many as believe on his name 3. This faith doth not onely apply Christ as given forth of the Father singly and a part from the Father but it applyes that is ownes the Father in the Son and that everlasting love of the Father to the Soule brought downe through the Son for the Son is but the Fathers way downe to sinners Iohn 14.6 Iohn 12.44 He that believeth on me believeth not on me but on him that sent me that is believeth not alone in Christ but believes and injoyes that everlasting good will and love of the Father to the soule anb so seeth the Father in Christ commending love and so giving forth himselfe to the soule and so is able to see and say that it is indeed God that justifies and that God was in Christ as the way reconciling sinners to himselfe not imputing their sins and now the sinner sees that Christ never acted any thing or brings downe any thing to the soule but what was and is the good will and pleasure of the Father and so faith ownes not only Christ but the Father giving forth the sonne as the price of their redemption Ephes 1.7 Gal. 3.13 and way of their adoption Gal. 4.5 2. How is this Faith obtained Answ It is the free guift of God as Christ who is its object and all other good things for every good and perfect gift comes downe from the Father God in Christ is the Prince and Author of our faith Heb. 12.2 Looking to Jesus the Author and finisher of our faith Eph 2.8 ye are saved freely by grace through faith that not of our selves it is the gift of God faith is the proper and peculiar guift of God no man commeth unto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him it is the Father that workes all the Father first loves and then gives his Sonne and then drawes soules up unto himselfe in the Son else they never come No man comes to me unlesse the Father draw him Iohn 6. hence it is that the experienced soule desires to be drawn Cant. 1.2 Phil. 1.29 for unto you it is given in the behalfe of Christ not onely to believe but to suffer that is you who have received this gift of faith must expect to suffer likewise Obj. But is not faith held forth in the Gospel as the condition of the Covenant of grace he that believeth shall be saved Answ 1. Although it seemes in the letter of the Gospel to be held forth as a condition of the Covenant he that believeth shall be saved yet it is in the spirit mystery of the Gospel a condition on Gods part it is true none can be said and say truly himselfe that he is in the Covenant of grace before faith yet this faith is the gift of God as you have heard and if any condition it is on Gods part in the mystery and it is his promise Heb. 8.10 This is the Covenant I will make with them I will write my Lawes in their hearts saith the Lord that is I will take them off themselves and make them partakers of my spirit which shall cause them to own love in God and to live out of themselves in God and shall cause them to act spiritually even as Jesus Christ himselfe acted and so faith may be said indeed to be rather a branch or part of the Covenant of grace then the condition for God in the Covenant promiseth to write his Law and to give faith and all good unto the soule he gives Christ a Covenant and with him he gives all having given us his Son how shall be not with him give us all things 2 Faith is indeed an evidence to the soule that is in the Covenant of grace and made one with God hence it is called Heb. 11.1 The evidence of things not seen that is not seen with a carnall eye the spirit evidenceth it and saith receiveth that evidence and so the soule is satisfied through faiths believing of the word and spirit of God Obj. What is the meanes by which God worketh faith Answ The meanes by which God workes faith is his word and spirit by the preaching of the Gospel

the Scripture the just shall live by faith and we are justified by faith c. Answ 1. Faith may be acted not onely on Christ dying upon the crosse but in Christ living in the soule that is my believing that Christ is spiritually formed in me as well as that he hath dyed for me that I am justified in the spirit as well as in the flesh faith hath the same object in the spirit as in the flesh to believe that Christ lives spiritually in the soule and that it shall be swallowed up in the conclusion wholly in the spirit 2. There may be often occasions to make use of faith likewise while we are in this body of flesh although the soule obtaines a good degree of the enjoyment of the spirit from and in God yet there will be through the presence of corruption some stirre and trouble and this God in his wisdome permits for ends best known to himselfe The Apostle Paul who lived exceeding highly in the spirit sometimes in the third heaven that is in the highest dicovery of God yet he meets with a thorn in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet him that was some strong lust in the flesh that might cause him to look down again And the reason he renders lest he should be exalted above measure 2 Cor. 12. For the truth is if God should cause any one to live alwayes in heaven that is above all lusts and corruptions in the highest discovery and enjoyment of God hee would be ready to be lifted up above measure Experience teacheth us as much ready to look upon all knowledg and enjoyment believe it to be nothing but carnall therefore he brings down Paul that he might exercise faith and live upon grace as wel as others My grace is sufficient for thee my strength shall be perfected in thy weaknes So that notwithstanding this life of a Christian in the spirit yet there will be the use of faith alwayes either in the spirit or in the Letter sometimes God brings a soule to live upon grace as it was revealed by Christ in the flesh and brought home and enjoyed by the spirit when we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord in the Spirit but when we are absent from the bodie wee are at home in the spirit 3. There is a continuall use of faith that of the most spirituall Christian with relation to the perfection of our eternall enjoyments for the Saints doe not onely enjoy a oneness with God here and from hence much spirituall and internall glory but by faith believes and hope expects that perfection of glory hereafter wherein it shall be perfectly made like unto Christ when this vile body shall be changed made like unto his glorious bodie which at present so acts it selfe even in the Saints which prevents them even of that perfection of glory which they by faith expect when the change comes when corruption shall put on incorruption and mort all shall put on immortality when this naturall bodie shall become spirituall then shall be fully enjoyed what hath been by faith believed by hope expected and of this hath the spirituall christain a tast by the spirituall enjoyment of God here although not as then so fully swallowed up in that glory Obj. But it seems that Christ in the flesh is the way to Justification and glory the way into the holyest which is heaven it self where none shall enter till they are changed but Christ who is entered already Heb. 9.24 Ans True Christ is entered into heaven It selfe only in perfection but believers they enter likewise in part viz. when they are got within the veil that is to say the flesh then they see into the spiritual mystery mansions of glory unconceivable and indeed un-utterable as the Apostle saith and desire to live continually within the veile if it might be while they are here yet they are raised up more and more in the spirit and in the conclusion shall be for ever with Christ within all veiles which was best of all as the law in the Letter was a veil to the Gospel both in Letter and Spirit 2 Cor. 3.14 So is the Gospel in the flesh a veil through which and within which all the Saints by degrees shall fully enter Qu. What is the difference betweene the law and the Gospel A. The difference is both in the Letter in the Spirit the Gospel in the spirit is the substance of that righteousnes spiritually included in the law as the Type Image or character of that spirituall substance the Saints are partaekrs of Hence it is often called the Law in the Spirit the Letter killeth the Spirit giveth life I through the Law am dead to the Law that I might live unto God Gal. 2.19 that is I through the Law of the Spirit that is the righteousnesse of God in Christ am dead to the Law in the Letter that I might live unto God in the spirit and not to the Law and selfe in the Letter 2. Difference is in the Letter of the Law and so of the Gospell and this is glorious for the Letter of the law requireth a righteousness that was broken death seiseth on all by that meanes the Gospell in the Letter holds forth a righteousnesse in Christ fulfilling the letter of the law so that what righteousnesse is in the law required is obtained by Christ and every beleever is made partaker of it and so the difference is 1. The Law prescribes a Rule the Gospell fulfills the Rule Mat. 5.28 The law requires a righteousnesse the Gospell fulfills that righteousnesse Rom. 10.3 The law was the administration of death the Gospell the administration of life Quest Is not the law in the letter a Rule to believers Answ 1. Not as it was handed forth by Moses from Mount Sinai so it was a killing letter but 2. as it was taken into the hand of Christ and so satisfied and handed forth by Christ being turned into Gospel-Rules it remaines a rule so farr as we are in the flesh I meane in the knowledge of Christ after the flesh but as God writes his Lawes in the hearts of his people and taketh them up in the spirit so shall they live above the law in the letter even of the Gospel yet not without for they have it within them it is in their hearts and so they are a law unto themselves Then the rule in the letter is as a stay in the hand or as a guide in the way helping the soule up to the Spirit and then he walkes not after the flesh but after the spirit having the law of the spirit of life within him guiding him in the way of holinesse and so that Scripture is made good 1. Iohn 3. The anointings which you have received shall teach you all things and ye need not that any man teach you and the spirituall man judgeth all things yet he himselfe is judged of no man