Selected quad for the lemma: grace_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
grace_n	bring_v	salvation_n	ungodliness_n	2,454	5	11.7039	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A88816	Gospel-separation separated from its abuses; or The saints guide in Gospel-fellowship. Whereby they may be directed not onely to preserve the purity, but withall the unity of Gospel-worship: by a well-wisher to Sions purity and unity, R.L. Imprimatur. Joseph Caryl.	Lawrence, Richard, d. 1684.	1657 (1657)	Wing L676; Thomason E1613_5; ESTC R202679	77,723	176

Doctrine and holy example to convince them of their errors and withall presseth them to unity and warns them against their divisions as the worst of their errors as it is evident from those Scriptures quoted From whence I argue That if the Apostles and infallible penmen of Scriptures who were able to judge of matters of controversie without mistake did for the Churches peace sake permit persons holding and maintaining many great and dangerous errors to abide in the Church and there own them as fellow-Brethren whilest they manifested visible sanctitie in the main and retained the substance of true Faith and that in the most pure time of the Church when the erroneous persons could not receive those errors by tradition and education from Christian Ancestors or Teachers Then much more ought the Ministers of the Gospel and with them all Gods people now being themselves fallible in judgement and exceedingly disagreeing among themselves about the points in controversie even the able and gracious of them and especially considering the time we live in is but the dawning of the day of Gospel light and knowledge out of a long dark night of Antichristian error and pollution through which many of themselves not long since were groping in the dark about several Gospel truths in which the light of Christ hath since more fully informed them to walk towards one another with all tenderness and charity putting in practice that rule of forbearing one another in love Ephes 4.2 And thereby endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace verse 3. But it is evident the Apostle and holy Pen-men of Scripture did so walk in like cases when there was not the like Reason Therefore Gods Ministers and people ought so to walk now Object 2. Then you are for the permitting of all Errors in the Church for if we must not separate from Errors of this nature what shall we separate from Answ To make a particular discrimination by name of all Errors or to determine the degree of any particular Errors that shall render the erroneous person incommunicable is too hard a task for me to undertake I shall onely propose some general Rules and Cases which the Scriptures seems to countenance and shall submit them to the judgement of judicious Christians First That Churches and Beleevers ought to withdraw from and deny Communion with all such who though they profess the true form of godliness yet deny the power of it Secondly From such who though they make a profession of the power as well as the form of Religion by holding regeneration and visible grace to be necessary qualifications for visible members of Gospel Churches yet when they are so corrupt in judgement that their Errors are first contrary to godliness or secondly inconsistent with true Grace or thirdly destroy the foundation Doctrine of Salvation they ought to be withdrawn from For the first By persons denying the power of godliness I mean such who though professing of and practising the true external Acts of Gods worship as they may be generally professed and practised by the generality of sound Christians yet in their declared principles and conversation disown the inward life and power of it exprest by the visible effects of true Grace as the work of regeneration and being born again Jo 3.3 with all other visible signes of Repentance from dead Works and Faith towards God as Hebr. 6.1 to be necessary qualifications for Gospel-fellowship which may be discerned either by their palpable ignorance as Nicodemus Joh. 3.4 or otherwise by their apparent enmity to or scorn of gracious qualifications in others by deriding the godly as holy brethren and sisters or by the scorning the spirit in its gifts and graces in the Saints Now such though they may profess the form do visibly deny the power of godliness from whom we have an express rule to withdraw 2 Tim. 3.5 From such turn away and from such doubtless the Apostle presseth the Corinthians to separate themselves 2 Cor. 6.14 15 16 17. Be ye not unequally ●●aked together with unbeleevers for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness and what commmunion hath light with darkness And what concerd hath Christ with Belial or what part hath he that beleeveth with an Infidel And what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols for ye are the Temple of the living God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you 2. Second sort of persons that the Scripture is clear the Churches and Servants of God are to separate from is from persons holding opinions or living in Practises contrary to Godliness I mean such opinions as tends to a denying of God to be a patterne of Life in his revealed communicable qualities manifested by his word and by the Life of Christ who was the express Image of his Father Heb. 1.3 and the lives of his holy Prophets and Apostles concerning which Paul to Timothy gives an express command 1 Tim 6.3 If any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholesom words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to Godliness c. from such withdraw thy self and further in the first Chapter and 1 verse But thou oh man of God flie these things and follow after Righteousness Godliness c. Nay the same Apostle to Titus makes this the distinguishing Character of the true faith Titus 1.1 Paul a Servant of God according to the faith of Gods Elect and the truth which is according to Godliness So in Titus 2.11 12 verses for the grace of God which bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present World and by well considering the scope of those three short Epistles you may plainly observe what the Apostles meaning was by doctrines according to Godliness in all persons of what State of condition soever as in People towards Magistrates 1 Tim 2.1 2 3. Titus 3.1 In Ministers in their places Chap. 3. Chap. 4.6.12 vers 2 Tim. 2.15.24 Chap. 4.2 Titus 1.6 7 8 9. in private Christians towards their Ministers Chap. 5.1 17 18 19. In Servants towards Masters Chap. 6.1 2. Titus 2.9.10 In rich toward the poor Chapter 6.17 18 19 verses In aged men Titus 2 2. In aged women Titus 2 3 4. In young women Titus 2.4 5. In young men vers 6. Teaching us by all those Scriptures with all other of like tendency in the Word of God that then are Opinions to be esteemed contrary to the truth which is according to Godliness when they tend to break the Bonds of natural and Civil relations and to slight the duties of them and fill the Heads and minds of Christians with loose

As in the former Cases so in this there must be a great deal of regard had to the disposition of mind and nature of the Principles from which such persons dissent or oppose for that may much aggravate or extenuate their evill and thereby much differ the Rule of your walking towards them for if such opposition or dissent proceed from that common Principle and Spirit of opposition and contempt which generally the Popish and Prelatical people walk in against holy qualifications and purity of worship prest after by the Godly then to walk towards them as persons holding only the form of Religion but denying the power of it but if such dissent or opposition proceed from a conscientious mind charitably disposed towards the godly thus walking only differing in judgment as to the Rules of Church-membership then such a conscientious dissent and charitable mind on the one hand requires a suitable deportment on the other then though you ought not to own them nor joyne with them in an union of Church-state in regard their Principles and practices may wast the visible bounds of Christs Church viz. Regeneration and Sanctifying faith yet to walk towards them with all Christian tenderness and charitable respect owning what is good in them as well as rejecting what is evill that though you cannot own them in the state in which they stand as true Gospel Churches in regard the Principle by which they walk opens the door to all materiall pollution and the body of the matter of which they are built are not living stones yet you may own their persons whiles in that State as Gospel brethren and perform towards them all dutyes of Gospel brotherhood which they are capable as particular Christians to receive and are willing to accept of at your hands and such of them as the Lord hath by his Providence called by his graces spiritual gifts qualified for the work of the ministry they making it their maine business to convert Souls to Christ and to press their hearers to sanctification and Godly life they ought doubtles to be highly esteemed for their works sa●● and to be frequently prayed for that God would give them utterance that they may open their mouths boldly to make known the mystery of the Gospel as in Eph. 6.19 and the success of their labours to be as much prized and thanks to be as duly returned to the Lord for it as for the success of those in Gospel Order herein Christ set us an example Mark 9.39 shewing this reason for it he that is not against us is on our part verse 40. And so Paul though some preached Christ of envy and contention Phil. 1.15.16 yet saith he what then notwithstanding every way whether in pretence or truth Christ is preached and I do therein rejoyce yea and will rejoyce therein verse 18. so that I do judge though there cannot be an union of Church State with such yet there ought to be a tender and charitable deportment towards such as visible Saints and Gospel Brethren Object But there are many who will be excluded amongst the number of common professors that though there be nothing appearing in them that evidences a work of grace or true conversion yet they are not prophane scandalous persons nor despisers nor raylers at Godliness but seem to be sensible of their own ignorance and desirous to be further informed in the power and mystery of the Gospel Now how ought we to walk towards such must we esteem them as Idolaters or Heathens because they are not visible Converts and walk in a false way of worship Answ As I do judge the grace of Christ in Saints where it hath its kindly work dos naturally tend to humble lay low Saints in their own eyes and makes them vile in their own sight so it doth as naturally tend to work in them a tender heart and charitable affections towards all others in whom the least appearance of love to Christ is found rather directing them to erre in matters in the least doubtfull in charity then in Severity for that great Gospel grace of Charity which the Scripture so much magnifies and gives the preheminence above all other graces unto 1 Cor. 13. is only then usefull when the case is doubtfull for where certain evidences of things are there needs not Charity to Chancellorize for then our understanding and judgment of themselves are able to determine which being defective and subject to erre in doubtful cases the Lord hath provided Charity to be Chancellor in the Conscience whose business is when the severity of a rule tends to oppress to moderate and prefer mercy and equity before severity and exactness of rule therefore wherein the case may be in any measure doubtful Charity must then supply the defect of visible evidences at least to suspend thy judgement on the severe hand And therefore I answer you ought not to esteem them either Heathens or Idolaters but Christians though their conditions were much more doubtfull then the qualification in your objection states them to be for I do judge a sense of ignorance with a sincere desire after further knowledge in the mystery of the Gospel are if not signes of the new birth yet evident signes of spiritual pangs that prepare for it and ought instead of being so vilified and slighted to be taken into the Churches care and watch who is in that case to perform the part of a compassionate tender and spiritual midwife by using all means to encourage strengthen and comfort such soules lest there shall want strength to bring forth yet not administer the Seals until there be Evidence of a new Creature for first God must subscribe the evidence you must be able to read his hand in a visible work of grace before you ought to apply his Seals which are to be a visible confirmation of the new Covenant agreement between God and the soul. But doubtless not only in these cases but towards all professing Christianity Gods people ought to demeane themselves with all tenderness and respect and avoid all provoking and harsh carriage either in word or deed that shall tend to the hardning and incensing of them against the precious wayes of God and to shew out of a good conversation their workes with meekness of wisedome Paul fearing the spirits of the Saints in this case exhorts the Collossians to walke in wisdome towards them that are without and that their speech should be alwaies with grace seasoned with salt that they might know how they ought to answer every man Chap. 4 5 6. And so to the Thessalonians studdy to be quiet and to do your own business c. that ye may walke honesty towards them that are without c. 1 Thes 4.11.12 But if Christians were more exercised in considering the riches and freeness of Gods Grace to their poore souls and of their own vileness and unworthiness of the least part thereof if they would more look unto the Rock