Selected quad for the lemma: grace_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
grace_n	faith_n	justification_n	sanctification_n	4,477	5	10.0495	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09977	Life eternall or, A treatise of the knowledge of the divine essence and attributes Delivered in XVIII. sermons. By the late faithfull and worthy minister of Iesus Christ, Iohn Preston, D. in Divinity, chaplaine in ordinary to his Majestie, master of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolns Inne.	Preston, John, 1587-1628.; Ball, Thomas, 1589 or 90-1659.; Goodwin, Thomas, 1600-1680.	1631 (1631)	STC 20231; ESTC S115069	220,964	434

river you will say it hath need though it be full it hath need of the fountaine to maintaine it so may I say of the creatures though they be full of perfection in their kinde yet they have need of that fountaine from whence their perfection commeth which if it be stopt they will come to nothing Thus God is infinitely perfect and immense having no limits For all limits are either from the matter or from the forme the forme is limited because it wants matter to carry it to a further extent and the matter is limited because it is bounded with such a forme but in God there is neither matter nor forme as there is nothing without him so there is nothing within him to bound that largenesse of being which he hath But now to apply this Vse 1 If God be thus full of being as the sea is full of water and a thousand times fuller then all that you can doe reacheth not to him Psal. 16.4 It extends not to him the sinnes that you commit hurt him not all the righteousnesse you performe doth not pleasure or benefit him and if it be so then consider what little cause you have to murmure against him at any time upon any occasion For all discontentment among the creatures comes from the hence that their expectation is not satisfied and what is the reason why it is not satisfied but because they thinke that there is some reason why they should bee respected Therefore examine your owne hearts whether there be not a secret popery in your hearts that you think that you can do somthing that reacheth to God that he should respect you for but if God be thus ful thou canst doe nothing that can reach to him But you shall see how prone men are to this are we not ready to say Why am I not in so great a place as another Why have not I more gifts Why have I not greater imployments Why have I such imperfections Why am I thus subject to diseases and crosses Whence comes this Because we expect something because we thinke we are not well dealt with and why doe we thinke so because men thinke that there is something in them why they should be lookt after they thinke that they have carried themselves so that they thinke there is something in justice due to them But if thou canst say with David and Iob and Christ when he saith to his disciples When you have done all that you can say that you are unprofitable servants What if God will not have David to build a Temple but his sonne must doe it Or Moses to lead the children of Israel into the Land of Canaan but Ioshua must have the glory of it They must be content yet they did more for God than ever thou canst doe therefore thou must labour to be content also The creature doth but take of him whatsoever it hath and therefore it can give nothing to him and shall the River bee beholding to him that drinkes of it because hee comes and quencheth his thirst Or shall the Sunne be beholding to him that hath the use of his light When thou hast done all that thou canst say thou art an unprofitable servant thou canst doe nothing that reacheth to God therefore labour to be vile and low in thine owne eyes and willing to be disposed of as it pleaseth him Againe if this be so then consider the freenesse of his grace in all the goodnesse which hee bestowes for to have done any thing for a man before-hand doth lessen the benefit bestowed Now consider that thou hast done nothing to the Lord therefore labour to magnifie the Lord that hath bestowed it upon thee For this cause the Lord will have justification by faith and not by workes that he might be magnified And so he will have sanctification not by the power of the free-will but by the infused grace of his Spirit that no flesh might boast It is the Lord that is full it is he that gives it to thee thou canst doe nothing to him Rom. 11.35 36. Who hath first given to him and it shall be recompenced him againe for of him and through him and to him are all things c. As if he should say the Lord out of his free grace had shewed mercy to the Iewes for of them he there speakes they were wet like Gideons fleece when all the world was drie Afterwards it pleased him to bedew the Gentiles when the Israelites were dry well he hath done this sayes Paul and what hast thou to say to him Did he any wrong Is he not free May not he doe what he will This is one use Another is that you should be content with his disposing he owes nothing to any for of him and through him and for him are all things to him be glory for ever Amen Vse 3 If hee be thus full that the creature doth nothing to promerit at his hand then thou mayest goe to God though thou hast no worth in thee though thou hast done little service to God yet goe to him and say Lord I have done nothing if I had done much yet it would not reach to thee thou art full of perfection and blessed for ever therefore a man may goe to him with great faith and aske great things of him though he be little worth and hath done little service for him For if thou didst God any good thou mightest goe to him and say I have done this and that for thee therefore recompence me But seeing it is not so therefore labour to goe to God in faith and when thou goest thinke with thy selfe why may I not have it aswell as another Doe not say I am not so holy and I cannot doe as Paul and Moses their workes did nothing to him Thinke with thy selfe that when he first chooseth a man he doth it freely and thinkest thou that he is not the same afterwards Therefore now thou mayest go to him on this ground with boldnesse because whatsoever thou doest it is nothing to him Vse 4 Moreover if the Lord be thus full in himselfe then he hath need of nothing He therefore saith to all the men in the world and to all things he saith to Princes I have no need of you to rich men I have no need of you or of your wealth he saith to Schollers that have excellent parts I have no need of you therefore say not I am undone or the Churches are undone because Princes are not for you because men helpe you not for God can helpe them alone he doth not need Princes When there was none saith the LORD I stirred up my selfe like a mightie Giant hee needs no helpe he is most perfect full of being able to doe whatsoever he pleaseth Vse 5 Againe consider with thy selfe that if thousand thousands perish it is nothing to him hee cares no more for the destruction of the whole world than thou

come in that is if my understanding shall suggest a thing inordinate and shall say Goe and give a bribe to Faelix and thou shalt escape imprisonment goe and take a gift of these Corinthians and thou shalt have something of thine owne and shalt not be so dependent on the almes of others now saith he when carnall wisedome shall suggest any such thing to mee I would not admit of it but I walked in simplicity and godly purenesse toward all men but especially toward you Corinthians here was in him the simplicity of the Doves That we might draw it to a little more particulars you shall see an other expression of this Ephes. 6.5 Servants be obedient to them that are your masters in the flesh with feare and trembling in singlenesse of your heart as unto Christ that is servants take heede even with feare and trembling that you admit not by and sinfull respects in performing your duty as there are many motives as feare hope reward and a necessity to doe it but keepe your hearts single that you may looke onely upon Christ and his commandement and then you shall be faithfull in your service but if other respects mingle themselves with this simplicity you will doe but eye-service you will doe it in a double and dissembling manner not plainely and heartily and simply Therefore let us put in practise this simplicity upon all occasions in all other things whatsoever Rom. 12.8 He that distributeth let him doe it in simplicity that is men are subiect to by ends in their good workes as in giuing almes or shewing a kindenesse to men there may be many by-respects as that they may make use of them heareafter or the like but saith hee keepe you your hearts simple to looke upon GOD alone in them So in conversing with men when you professe love and kindenesse you are subject to by ends in doing it but they are commended Act. 2.46 that they did eat their meat with gladnesse and singlenesse of heart that is what love they professed one to another it was simple and plaine not double Compare this place with that in 1 Pet. 1.22 Seing you have purified your selves in obeying the truth through the Spirit vnto vnfained love of the brethren see that yee love one another with a pure love fervently that is when there is nothing else when the heart is simple and plaine when there is nothing but love noe mixture noe by ends in it So likewise when you come to preach the Gospell doe it in simplicity of heart that is let there be nothing besides as the Apostle saith of himselfe he preached Christ and not himselfe so we should doe every thing in simplicity of heart And so you should behave your selves in your elections to looke with a single eye to the oath by which you ought to be guided doe nothing for feare or favour of men or for any sinister respect I wish I could speake and give this rule to all the kingdome at Parliament times For it is an errour among men to thinke that in election of Burgesses or any others they may pleasure their friends or themselves by having this or that eye to their owne advantage or disadvantage that may arise from it whereas they ought to keep their mindes single and free from all respects so that when they come they may choose him whom in their owne consciences and in the sight of God they thinke fittest for the place and that you may doe so you are to get a single and a simple heart to doe it Vse 3 3 If there bee in GOD this simplicity that we have declared to you then goe to him upon all occasions goe not to the streame goe not to the creatures which have what they have but by derivation and participation but goe to him that hath all that he hath naturally and abundantly not sparingly as they have that have it by participation As when a man is in any miserable condition wherein hee desires pitty and would bee respected and relieved what wilt thou doe in this case Wilt thou goe to weake man and have him to pitty thee No goe to the great GOD in whom there is mercy it selfe Amongst men he that is the fullest of pitty he hath but a streame of it a drop of it therefore seeke not so much to him no not to parents their pitty falls infinitely short of what is in GOD remember that he is mercy it selfe that is thou shalt finde infinitely more mercy in him then can be saide to be in man the most that can be said of man is that he is mercifull but that which can be saide of GOD is that the very thing it selfe is there If you have a firebrand and light it by the fire it is something but fire it selfe is another thing man he hath a little mercy but if you goe to GOD he hath a sea of mercy and he is never dry Therefore whatsoever thy misery or distresse bee whether of conscience or estate be sure that thou goe to God and say to him If evill parents can bee so mercifull to their children when they aske it of them what then shall I have of him that is mercy it selfe Matth. 7.11 So likewise for wisedome if thou hast a doubtfull case and knowest not what to doe thou goest to thy friends which in deede is a good meanes and ought not to bee neglected for in the multitude of councell there is peace but remember this that there is but a little wisedome in them and therefore they will councell thee but a little but goe to God that is wisedome it selfe Pro. 8. Goe to him for hee will give thee wisedome liberally and without reproach Iam. 1.5 thinke of him that hee is the fountaine of wisedome and fullnesse it selfe So if thou needest grace thou wouldest faine have more thou wouldest have thy faith strengthened and thy love and zeale more fervent goe to CHRIST then from whom wee receive grace for grace and that is made to us wisedome sanctification and redemption goe to God that is grace it selfe Goe not to men for what they have they have it from him therefore looke upon all occasions that thou goest to the Lord when thou wantest comfort goe not to thy pleasure and sports and friends and acquaintance but goe to God that is the great God of heaven and earth that hath it in him abundantly and in him thou shalt find more abundance then in any man of the world FINIS THE THIRTEENTH SERMON EXOD. 3.13 14. And Moses said unto God Behold when I come unto the children of Israel and shall say unto them the God of your fathers hath sent mee unto you and shall say unto me what is his name what shall I say unto them And God said unto Moses I AM THAT I AM c. IN these words as you know God describes himselfe to Moses by his eternall being I AM hath sent me unto you Now our businesse

asse having goodly trappings should boast it selfe against the horse which is a goodly creature because it hath goodly trappings or as if a mud-wall that the Sunne shines upon should boast it selfe against a wall of marble that stands in the shadow Therefore consider of this that so thou maist labour to beautifie thy spirit if there were no other reason but that he is a Spirit and that he beholdes the excellency of the spirit this were sufficient Take all other excellencies in the world they make thee onely excellent in the sight of man but this makes thee excellent before God this is a solid thing all the glory of the world is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 empty glory but that which makes thee excellent before God is this As it is Iam 2.5 Hath not God chosen the poore of this world rich in faith and heires of the kingdome which he hath promised to them that love him As if he should say that which makes men glorious is their faith and holines within that is the thing that makes us excellent in Gods sight and inables us to doe higher workes all other things habilitate us but to the things of this life but grace makes thee strong and makes thee to serve the Lord with fear and reverence Heb. 12.28 And therfore this is to be sought of us Phil. 4.8 The world seekes other things after their owne fancie but seeke you these things this is the excellency that we should seeke for this adornes thy spirit And now if I should aske any man whether is it not better to have Gods image renewed in him and to be like to him than to have the excellency of humane knowledge every one would say that to have Gods image renewed in them were the best but then why doest thou not busie thy selfe about it why doest thou not labour for it why doe you studie much and pray so little So if I should aske another whether grace or outward excellency were better he would say grace but then why doe you not bestow some time about it to get it It is a great signe that the heart is right when we can judge aright of the excellency that is to be sought by us 2 Cor. 5. It is made a signe of a new creature that he doth judge aright of spirituall things Iam 1..10 It is made a signe of a man converted to God when he is brought low that is he is drawne from that high esteeme of outward excellency which before he had when he sees that they are but fading flowers things of no worth and thus the soule gets strength to it selfe When thou hast cleansed thy spirit when thou hast adorned it with such spirituall beauty so that God is delighted in thee then thou must goe yet further thou must let it have rule and dominion thou must let it have the upper hand of the body in all things Let thy spirit be still advanced that is let it not bee drowned with the body but be emergent still aboue it kept from all base affections let it be cleare from all corporeall drosse that is from those bodily affections of meate drinke uncleannesse sports pastime c. wherewith the body is delighted for this spirit is the most excellent thing in thee therefore it is meete that it should have dominion that it should not be brought into subjection no not by any spirituall lust that ariseth from the spirit that the body is not capable of much more then a shame is it to be brought into subjection by any bodily lust that wrongs the Father of spirits 1 Cor. 6.12 13. All things are lawfull to me saith the Apostle but I will not be brought under the power of any thing Meat is for the belly and the belly for meat but God shall destroy both it and them His meaning is this I see that it is not convenient for me to eate flesh I doe not deny but that I have a desire to eate flesh as well as others but because it is not convenient therefore I will bridle that appetite for Meat is for the belly and the belly for meat but God shall destroy both it and them If that appetite should prevaile the body would rule over the soule but that I will not suffer that my spirit should be brought into subjection by any bodily appetite And consider what an unreasonable thing it is that the spirit should be brought under the body There are but two parts of a man and they draw us two wayes the spirit drawes us upward to the Father of spirits as it is a spirit and the body drawes us downeward Now consider which should have the vpper hand they will not goe both together Now know this that if the spirit bee under the body it will breede confusion It is so in other things looke into the Common wealth if you should see servants riding and Princes going on foot looke into nature if the fire and aire should bee below and the water and earth aboue what confusion would there bee So is it in this case The Apostle compares them to bruite beasts 2. Pet. 2.12 and the wise man compares them to a citie whose walls are broken downe so that there is an vtter ruine Saith the Apostle Peter in the place forenamed that they as naturall bruite beasts made to bee taken and to be destroyed who speake evill of the things they understand not and shall utterly perish in their owne corruption that is if a man will come to this to suffer such a confusion as this they shall even bee served as bruite beasts are Nay beloved if it were with us as it is with beast we might giue libertie for these corporall appetites to rule over the soule as take a horse if he hath no rider then you blame him not though he runne and kicke up and downe for he is a beast and hath no rider to sit him but when he is under the bridle then if he doth not doe that which he should doe then you blame him But a man hath reason to guide him and hee hath grace to guide reason now to cast off both these is more than brutish Consider that all things the more refined they are the better they are for they come neerer to the spirit So then doe thou looke vpon thy selfe and say with thy selfe the more that spirit within me is advanced the more it is suffered to rule without impediment it is the better for me To give you an instance or two that you may see the practise of the Saints in this case Iob he saith I esteemed thy word as my appointed meales c. I will rather restraine my body in this then I will suffer my soule to want that which belongs to it as he saith for eating and drinking so saith David for sleepe rather then my soule should not doe its duty I will deprive my body of sleepe saith he So Iesus