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
A97294	Some prison meditations and directions on several subjects viz. on [brace] the fall of man, the sufferings of Christ, repentance and faith, reproof and counsel, the holy Scriptures, prayer, love to mankind, sincerity, the vanity of the world, the benefit of affliction, heaven and hell / by Samuel Young, minister of the Gospel.	Trepidantium Malleus.	1684 (1684)	Wing Y88A; ESTC R43962	59,844	144

III. Of Repentance and Faith MEDITATIONS THE Apostle Paul gives us a Compendium or Abridgment of his Doctrine and Preaching Repenarnce and Faith Acts 20.22 Repentance sheweth a man his sin When a Convert is in his Agonies and Pangs in his throws and conflicts then the heart the once hard heart falls a bleeding before God Faith sheweth a man his Saviour Acts 16.13 We are often call'd upon to believe in Christ Quest Why might it not be as well exprest to believe in the Father or in the Holy-Ghost as in the Son It is true the Father Son and Holy-Ghost save us but in a different way The Father by sending the Son The Holy-Ghost as sent from the Father and the Son in the Hearts of Believers but the Son by his Merits by his Death The Father contrived the Spirit applyed but Christ procured the Remedy This Repentance wounds and Faith heals By Faith we are said to be justified Rom. 5.1 and the Righteousness of God is revealed from Faith to Faith Now when Christs Righteousness is imputed unto us by Faith it is not the Righteousness of Christ as God for that is his uncreated Righteousness and this essential Righteousness cannot be communicated to us and made our accidental Righteousness and this is the Righteousness of the Father and Spirit as well as of the Son And then Father and Spirit might be said to justifie us as well as the Son But it is the Righteousness of Christ the Mediatour who is God man Jer. 23.6 And this is his name whereby he shall be called The Lord our Righteousness DIRECTIONS Stay Reader ere thou goest any farther if thou art an unconverted man get and cherish a few Resolutions to put in Practice the few following Directions Lift up thine eyes unto that God whose dwelling is not with flesh that he would thus incline thy heart in hopes of this I direct 1. Go in secret sit down and consider the great sins of thy Heart and Life Allow time enough for this Are you guilty of the horrible Sins of the Age Try your selves by the Word by the Ten Commandments Can you not do this will you do it 2. Consider these things till you find your Hearts to ake and Countenance to change If you have such Convictions as to say O that I had not done these things Could I live over my time again things should be otherwise Thô such Convictions may not be saving yet they are too good to be thrown away Strike man whilst the Iron is hot 3. Fall down on the Ground pray to God for Pardon and Acceptance through Christ Say as Ezra Chap. 9.6 O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face unto thee My God for our iniquities are increased over our Heads and our Trespass is grown up to the Heavens Cry as the Leper Mat. 8.2 Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean Look to Jesus typified by the brazen Serpent John 3.14 15. that thou mayest be healed 4. Away to the minding of Secret and Family Duties Read the Scriptures call on God lest the sparks of Convictions you have gotten go out 5. Converse with them that Converse with God say as David Psal 119.115 Away from me you Evil-doers for I will keep the Commandments of my God Psal 119.63 I am a Companion of all them that fear thee and of them that keep thy Precepts Tell them your Case beg their Prayers hear their Instructions I have lain down a few plain Directions Wherefore I pray thee O Sinner Let my counsel be acceptable in thy sight as an Ambassador of Christ I pray thee as in Christs stead as though God did beseech thee be thou Reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5.20 Will not this do Then I adjure thee by that God that made thee by that Jesus that shall judge thee another day Consider thy ways If any think a Death-bed-repentance will serve thy turn the famous Bolton saith that Oracle of his time in his Directions for distressed Consciences That he could not get proof of any man Converted on a sick Bed I knew one reformed three years upon sick bed Repentance but at last grew more vile than ever In some Respect we may bless God that blasteth such Convictions The World too much depends on them now what would they do if they saw them in any Persons sound and saving Mat. 20.7 12. If you say some were called at the last hour I answer But none were called at the last minute If a man in old age be converted which is very seldom will it follow therefore a man on a Death-bed may be so Dr. Hammond in his Discourse of Sick-bed Repentance tells us how we should deal with such Gods example saith he must be our rule Judg. 10. v. 13 14 16. to dispense comfort by Degrees When they cryed God seems to deny Deliverance and when they were greatly humbled the Lord was grieved for them He adviseth Ministers and others to shew such men the necessity of mourning and self-indignation If I be too forward to comfort them I ruine them saith he I would to God they were of his mind who are so forward to absolve upon dry Confessions and to Canonize in Funeral Sermons to the great hardning of the Hearers God will say by Conscience on a sick bed What I have written I have written The Soul that Sins shall dye Some are ready to say If they mind these things now they shall be out of their Wits Miserable Souls they have long since told the World by their Lives that they were never well in their Wits You know Physicians sometimes say to their Patients Had I come timely I might have cured you If a Patient say I will take no Physick I will not be confined to my Chamber I will eat and drink what I please this is to say I will not recover I will dye So to say in the heart I will not follow Directions is to say I will be damned Remember God that calls you needs you not Job 22.33 Is it any Pleasure to the Almighty that thou art Righteous or is it any gain to him that thou makest thy way perfect Let none deceive themselves and think they have repented and believed when it is not so They may say as Agag Surely the bitterness of Death is past 1 Sam. 15.32.33 and yet be hewed before the Lord. O Blessed God! what a dreadful Surprizal will it be in the time of Death to many great Professours that thought for twenty thirty years or more that they were in the Way to Heaven and then then find themselves mistaken who find themselves at the Gate of Hell when they thought themselves at the Gate of Heaven Have you Convictions now stifle them not bring them before God lest he say of you My Spirit shall no more strive with you O man Gen. 6.3 I take an everlasting Farewell of thee seeing thou wilt be unholy be

about which we differ they will be saved We all grant Repentance Faith and a Holy Life necessary Mind these things Would to God I had spent some of the hours in enquiring how my Soul might be bowed down before God in Prayer that I have spent in enquiring whether I should Pray in my own words or the words of others that I had more enquired how I might come to the Lords Table Hungring and Thirsting after Righteousness and less what gesture I should there use You know my Brethren your own Judgments often change in the smaller matters of Religion which may make you moderate towards them that dissent from you seeing you so often dissent from your selves As the Body changeth in a few years old matter passeth away and there comes a succession of new so every enquiring thinking man knows that what he thought lawful at one time he hath thought unlawful at another and cannot help it Testifie my Brethren testifie against the formal men of all your perswasions who when they plead for the high things in Religion do it with so much coldness as if their words did freeze in their mouths but when for their little notions are so full of rage and fury as if wrath and envy had chosen their faces to discover their complexion to the world But remember you are Christians and Christians must love one another Germanicus in his Speech to the Souldiers when there was a mutiny among them Tacitus said Divus Julius seditionem exercitus uno verbo compescuit Quirites vocando that Julius Caesar ended a sedition in an Army by one word calling them Romans he bad them remember they were Romans so you are Christians If the hand have the Palsie and shakes much and can hardly hold any thing who is presently for Amputation or cutting it off Learn you of Paul Rom. 1●1 2. Him that is weak in the Faith receive you but not to doubtful disputations For one believeth that he may eat all things another who is weak eateth herbs v. 13. Let us not therefore judge one another any more v. 19. Let us therefore follow after the things that make for Peace and the things whereby we may Edifie one another I know not how my counsel may take with some of you I know that he that cometh between two that are fighting to part them is sometime beaten by both I know that some on the one hand will be offended and charge me that I seem to countenance Superstition and others on the other hand will say that I favour Schism but I matter not The Protestant Church the Vessel in which we are is ready to sink Lord save us or else we perish God be merciful to those desperate Souls who because we cannot agree therefore reject all Religion as if a man at Sea seeing the waves urgent and hearing the winds roaring should say if this 't is to be in a Ship I will never here abide and so commit himself to the vast Ocean So are they that reject all Religion because of the Contentions that are in the Church of God and fall into Atheism and Prophaneness Accept kindly of this plain Discourse devoid of all Embellishments of fine words and Phrases and take up with the great things of Religion as you are directed by one that is of Pauls mind who saith of himself 1 Cor. 9.20 21 22. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew that I might gain the Jews to them that are under the Law as under the Law that I might gain them that are under the Law to the weak became I as weak that I might gain the weak I am made observe all things to all men that by all means I might save some Had some weak headed Christians among us seen him thus to do perhaps they would have said that Paul often changed his Religion or could not tell what Religion to be of that he was not fixt or a man of no Principles Hear what he says elsewhere 1 Cor. 10.33 Even as I please all men in all things not seeking mine own profit but the profit of many that they might be saved As far as I can I am yours in your divers ways of worshipping one Lord Jesus Christ This I am resolved on that having been instrumental for the Conversion of many Souls and I hope shall of many more yet ungathered that I will Preach Repentance Faith and Obedience to the Gospel Grow my Brethren Grow in Grace that you may have that commendation given to the Church of Thyatira I know thy Works and Charity and Service and Faith and thy Patience and thy works and the last to be more than the first Rev. 2.19 But Oh! That my head were waters and mine eyes a fountain of Tears that I might weep day and night not only for the Prophaneness of the Ungodly but for the backwardness of the Righteous to all good works I cry to you as in that Song Judg. 5.12 Awake awake Deborah Awake awake Set about the work to be more serious your selves and to sound an Alarm in the ears of a drowsie sleepy world that they may be saved That this may be your work is the hearty Desire and Prayer of him who is Your Brother And Servant in our Lord Samuel Young Gloucester Goal Feb. 2. 1683 4 TO ALL SEA-MEN THAT ARE Or would be Serious HAving in this Book spoken of the chief things in Religion I could not but call on you to mind these things your selves and to put others in mind of them I have you daily on my heart before the Throne of Grace that you that are serious may endeavour by Prayer by Admonitions by a good Example to make many so You that are Baptized have taken Christs Press-money have taken Christs Livery and are under an engagement to Fight under his Banner against Sin the World and the Devil testifie against the Drunkenness Swearing Uncleanness Sabbath-breaking Contempt of Prayer and Reading of Scriptures and other sins many among you are guilty of I know your great Objection is Obj. That you shall be derided if you so do this I have heard from many of you A. 1. Deride their Derision Remember what is said of Christ and when his friends heard of it they laid hold on him for they said he is beside himself Mar. 3.21 If you are accounted mad by them that are really so you have Christ for your Companion 2. It is better be derided by men now for the faithful discharge of your duty than be derided by Christ Angels and Saints another day for the neglect of your duty 3. The Derision of some may soon turn into imitation They that at first mock at good counsel may in time take it and give it to others I have seen an instance one laughing to see another minding secret Prayer and yet seeing constancy and resolution for that duty practised the same Remember if you mourn not if you pray not over the ungodly their sin is yours

Here all met that some would part Here was Scripture for he read some of Isaiah his Prophesie Here was the Spirit that bad Philip go to him Here was the Preacher for Philip expounds all to him Who throws away a letter of great concern because he cannot read all nor understand all he reads it the oftner takes the more pains calls for help and glad to understand most of it when he cannot understand all If any plead We cannot read A good Woman in Queen Maries time that could not read got a new Testament went from house to house and desired others to read to her and soon got much knowledge Knowledge doth not get into the Soul by the Eye onely but by the Ear. Many understand the mysteries of their Trades that never read Books about them Many can tell what news is going that never look into Gazets or News-letters by hearing and considering I have saith God Hos 8.12 written to them the great things of my Law but they were counted as a strange thing If any say I want time Can you find time to eat to sleep and not to look into the Word of God Some can find time to read vain books that can find none to read Scripture Tho' such are as Politianus that left reading the Scripture Morney de ver Rel. Christ and studied and disputed about such questions as these whether we should write Carthaginenses or Carthaginienses c. As insignificant are all other Studies when men contemn the Word of God 4. If you find Convictions from Gods Word lose them not as you have too often done Cain when terrified in his mind built Cities Saul called for Musick so some run to their profits and pleasures If a man had great Treasure about him and came by a dangerous way where many were robbed and he himself had some time been robbed how would he fear As the Lord liveth thou art the man Thou hast been many times richly laden with good convictions affections and purposes gotten from the Word of God the Cares and Temptations of the world have robbed thee and feek to do it again 5. Remember You that are Believers what Encouragement they had in Scripture you have and by them Josh 1.5 Heb. 13.5 God directeth and comforteth you Hos 12.4 5 6. where he speaks of Jacob Yea he had Power over the Angel and prevailed he wept and made supplication unto him he found him in Bethel and there he spake with us Therefore turn thou to thy God Keep mercy and Judgment wait on thy God continually God by giving Jacob the blessing speaks to us to wait on God But to the Scripture we must add Prayer But of that in the next Chapter CHAP. VI. Of Prayer MEDITATIONS THE great Benefit and Comfort of Prayer we read of often in Scripture and the People of God find often by experience Family Prayer Psal 13.2 and Secret Prayer Acts 10.2 have been minded by the Saints of Old In Secret Prayer it is good to stop sometimes after some Confessions Petitions and Praises that the heart may be more deeply affected with them Never did any Believer pray in vain though sometimes it may seem long before God answer When Corn is sowen Rain comes Snow comes Prost comes and all seems to be lost but stay till the time of Harvest and there is a good Crop so after Prayer Temptations come sad Providences come and yet at last all is well When a Child of God is in Prayer he is not weary of God nor of the duty but weary of himself and the corruption of his nature of Satan and his Temptations but still may say How good is it to draw nigh to God! In Secret Prayer if unsuitable thoughts come of men or business pray about those things as occasion may be so will ye catch the Devil in his own craft He is not so wise but he may be outwitted He hath helped me by his Temptations to matter of Prayer thousands of times against his Will Directions in answer to a Question Q. But what if I have no heart to the work 1. Pray obedientially when you cannot pray comfortably God calls for Prayer wait on him in the face of all discouragements Obedience will make an unpleasant work pleasant 2. Remember that discomposure may quickly end in enlargement Abraham found his Ram on the Mount Gen. 22.13 and that in the Thickets So many find their hearts in Prayer not before and that in the midst of violent Temptations 3. Remember that many Prayers we reckon some of the worst God accounts as some of our best Prayers Great are the rewards for what some think to be dead Prayers We reckon the goodness of Prayer by composure of thoughts by affections but God by self-loathing and seeing nothing in our selves and duties but all in Christ Let us cry earnestly to our God Pagans have cryed aloud to their Gods 1 Kings 18.26 They cut themselves and leapt upon the Altars which they made If any say I know not how to pray in Secret I never yet did it I know not what to say Go to God and say so It is a good Confession Lord here I am come I would pray but know not what to say It may be given you in that hour what to confess and pray for and that with great melting of heart Ask the Experience of the people of God Love them but of that in the following Chapter CHAP. VII Of Love to Mankind MEDITATIONS LEt Brotherly Love continue Heb. 13.1 is in many mens mouths but in few mens hearts If we enquire who is our Brother Not the man nearly related or the man of the same perswasion or opinion onely but chiefly all of the Houshold of Faith How many men of several Parties are as Jews and Samaritans that have no dealing one with another We must love the Saints as rich so poor ones ignorant as well as learned the weak as well as the strong We must love the ungodly yea our Enemies Love is to be shewn in forgiving injuries in supplying necessities If any hate us we must love them if they deferve bad of us they and we also deferve worse of God yet God feedeth them cloatheth them Mat. 5.45 and shews them mercy If God will use them as his Rod to chastise us we must be content Who knows what wrath will do or where it will end It is storied of Pope Stephen that he so hated Pope Formosus that he caused his Body to be taken out of the Grave and cut off those Fingers that had blessed the Clergy and so made void all his Canons and Ordinances And he that came after him took measures somewhat like so that at last saith Platina Nihil enim aliud hi Pontifices cogitabant quam nomen dignitatem Majorum suorum extinguere and yet all these men were Infallible all the while Let Husbands and Wives resolve that their contentions shall not