Selected quad for the lemma: grace_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
grace_n	justification_n	justify_v	sanctification_n	2,905	5	10.1609	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A52800	An antidote against Arminianism, or, A succinct discourse to enervate and confute all the five points thereof to wit, predestination grounded upon man's foreseen works, universal redemption, sufficient grace is all, the power of man's free-will in conversion, and the possibility of true saints published for the publick good by Christopher Ness.	Ness, Christopher, 1621-1705.	1700 (1700)	Wing N441; ESTC R25504	74,295	146

purpose to give them freely The Assumption is as clear For 1. Our Vocation is from Free-Love Christ called the Sons and leaves the Father with the Hired Servants Mar. 1.20 and Called to him whom he would Mar. 3.13 It is given to you to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven but it is not given to them Mat. 13.11 1 John 5.20 Mat. 11.26 2. Our Justification is from free grace We are justified freely by his Grace Rom. 3.24 3. So is our Sanctification Of his own Will begot he us Jam. 1.18 This Sanctifying Spirit breathes where it listeth and the Wind at Sea is as much at our Command as the fresh gales of this Renewing Spirit 4. Our Glorification Eternal Life is the Gift of God * Rom. 6.23 he doth not sell it for foreseen Faith or Works but he freely gives it Now if all those Fruits of Election be free then Election it self to those Fruits must needs be free also If God call such as have no Money to buy withal Isa 55.1 and blds them drink of the Water of Life freely Rev. 21.6 If Faith be the free Gift of God Eph. 2.8 and it is given to us not only to believe but to suffer for his Name Phil. 1.29 then Predestination to Faith must of Necessity be free also for God worketh all things according to the Counsel of his own Will Eph. 1.11 Consectaries 1. Admire Free grace in this Decree of Predestination and cry How is it Lord that thou manifests thy Love to me and not to the World John 14.22 2. Thou makest not thy self to differ from others but Free-grace does it for thee thou art a Lump of Clay in the Hands of the Potter no better than others yea pressed down to Hell by Adam's Fall that God should lift thee up to Heaven be Thankful 3. Rejoyce with all thy Might as David did for choosing him before Saul to an Earthly Kingdom 2 Sam. 6.14,22 but thee to an Heavenly Kingdom CHAP. VII Of the Fifth Property of the Divine Decree it is Discriminating THE Fifth Property of the Divine Decree it is Discriminating and Particular not Universal or General Reason 1. The First Argument is The Notation of the Word Election confutes the Universality of it There can be no choice made where all are taken and nothing is left that cannot in any good Sense be called Election which is equally Extended unto all Individuals He doth not elect that doth not prefer some before others God did not choose all the Thirty two Thousand Israelites that were with Gideon but only the Three Hundred that lapped to save Israel by out of the Hands of Midian Judg. 7.3,7 and God did not chuse all the Nations but only Israel to be a special People to himself above all People that were upon the Earth Deut. 7.6 It must therefore be Discriminating and a making of some to differ from others He cannot be said to choose that takes all Reason 2. The Second Argument The Scripture speaks expresly that only few are chosen Mat. 20.16 though many be called It is only a little Flock Luke 12.32 and but one of a Tribe and two of a Family Jer. 3.14 Have not I saith Christ chosen you out of the World John 15.19 and the Lord calls Paul a chosen Vessel unto him Acts 9.15 22.14 as a special not common Favour vouchsased to him and how ill it sounds in the Ears of a Gospel spirit to say that Pharaoh and Judas were Elected as well as Paul and Barnabas and that Simon Magus was elected as well as Simon Peter all which a General Election the Arminian Hypothesis most Necessarily asserteth How can those Reprobate Silver pieces be in any good Sense termed chosen Vessels as Paul was to know God's Will and see the Just One. Reason 3. The Third Argument If Elections be general under a Condition of believing than Pilate Caiaphas and Judas were elected under that Condition and so God is brought in to speak after this Manner I have appointed to save Pilate Caiaphas and Judas if they will believe in the Death of Christ but if they shall believe Christ shall not be crucified for those are the very Men appointed by my determinate Counsel to put Christ to Death Acts 2.23 and 4.28 Before that was done according to this Hypothesis those Men might have believed and so God's Decree about Christ's Death should not have been absolute but depending upon a Condition which those Men might have fulfilled to wit Believing in Christ's Death which had they done they had believed in something that would not have been at all Thus Carnal Reason bespatters Divine Wisdom Reason 4. The Fourth Argument How can it be safely said that God ever intended the Salvation of any others but of those who are or shall be effectually saved Otherwise God's Will would be frustrate to wit his Will of Intention and the Will of Man would anticipate the Will of God contrary to these Scriptures God doth in Heaven and on Earth whatsoever pleaseth him Psal 115.3 and Job knew that God could do every thing that he willeth Job 42.2 and no Man can resist the Will of God Rom. 9.19 Reason 5. The Fifth Argument The Apostle that was singularly taught of God sheweth that there is this Difference betwixt Man and Man founded in the Breast of God that some are chosen to Life and therefore shall most certainly obtain it others are refused and left in a perishing Condition which they shall as certainly not escape Rom. 11.7 The Election obtaineth it but the rest are blinded The Difference is of God according to the purpose of Election not as of him that foresees Faith or Works but as of him that gives both Thus were Jacob and Esau discriminated the One from the Other Rom. 9.11 Consectaries 1. It is Distinguishing Love that our Potter hath made us Men and Women not Toads or Loathsom Creatures Much more Christians and not left in that perishing State 2. 'T is the Will of God that some be Poor and others Rich c. So here that some be Vessels of Honour and others of Dishonour 3. Christ rais'd not all up that were Dead but Lazarus c. nor all that were born blind but him in John 9. Bless God for raising thee up from Death and healing thy Blindness and not others CHAP. VIII Of the Sixth and Last Property of the Divine Decree it is Extensive THE Sixth Property of the Divine Decree is Extensive there is a general Decree that relates to all Created Beings both Animate and Inanimate Coelestial and Terrestrial this indeed extends it self to every Individual in the whole Creation for as it gave a Being to all Things so it preserves them in that Being while they continue in the World The Creator is not herein like the Carpenter that builds an House and leaves the Preservation of it to the Care of others but the Work of Providence which extends it self from Angels down

over rules ours If Man can determine his own will and not destroy the Liberty of it much more may God who is the Maker of it and Intimior Intimo nostro the Watch-maker can turn any Wheel God can invincibly turn the Will without Violation to its Natural Freedom which was his own Gift 3. 'T is free in Natural and Civil Things yea and in Onward Acts of Spiritual Things too assisted with Common Grace yet can it not do them in a Spiritual Manner without the Assistance of Special Grace nor any thing that immediately accompanies Salvation 4. To will is from Nature to will well is from Grace Spiritual Fruit must spring from a Spiritual Root Non ideò currit Rota ut Rotunda sit sed quia Rotunda saith Austin most Elegantly Of Perseverance of the Saints HAving dispatch'd the Third and Fourth Point which are Ejusdem farinoe and Congenial touching Freewill in the Fallen Estate and Effectual Vocation or Conversion to God I come to the Fifth Point to wit Th● Perseverance of the Saints * This is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an idle Point Th● Position to be defended is this That True and Saving Grace cannot be totally and finally lost For the better Understanding of this the First Enquiry is What is this Saving Grace Answer 1. Negatively First It is not the Grace of Nature or th●… which is Natural which is Twofold 1. In the pure Estate wherein this Free Spiritual Gift of Original Righteousness was concreated with and infused into the Soul so soo●… as it had its Being in pure Nature therefor● 't is call'd both Grace and Natural Grace 2. In the fallen Estate 't is the Remainder of the Image of God after the Fall in the Soul of Man Rom. 2.14,15 The Gentiles d● by Nature c. this is Gratia gratis data but no● Gratia gratum faciens Nor Secondly Is it Supernatural Common Grace which is called Supernatural as not attainabl● by the Power of Nature or Free-will and Common as given to the Elected and to the Non-elected As Dexterity in Callings given by the Spirit to Bezaleel and Aholiab superficial Illuminations given to Hypocrites Ministerial Gifts given to Judas Delight in hearing the Word as the stony Ground and Herod These Tastes of Heavenly Things are given to Servants as well as to Sons so differs from Saving Grace 1. In the Subject which is proper and peculiar to the Elect only and is no wider than Election it self 2. In the Original Common Grace flows from Christ as a Redeemer but not as their Redeemer and from the Spirit of Christ assisting but not indwelling 3. In the Efficacy Common Grace may qualifie for a common Profession where there is a Form of Knowledge Rom. 2.20 and a Form of Godliness 2 Tim. 3.5 which neither doth renew the Heart nor raise it up above a common Frame yet may do much for God with the stony Ground and suffer much for God with the thorny Ground and yet not be Special Grace Which the World cannot receive John 14.17 and which revives and reigns so that Sin cannot have Dominion Rom. 6.14 Gifts are but as dead Graces but Graces are living Gifts 4. In the Property or Nature Common Grace is but the Ornament not the Substance of a Christian Gifts indeed may beautifie Grace but Grace only sanctifies Gifts as the Gold beautified the Temple but it was the Temple that sanctified the Gold Mat. 23. 17. for the Eminency of Gifts and the Prevalency of Sin a Form of Godliness and the Power of Sin may consist together 5. In their Duration Common Grace we acknowledge may wither away 't is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Gift that God repents not of as that Gift of Effectual Calling is Rom. 11.29 whereas the least Drop of Saving Grace shall grow to a River but the greatest Flood of Spiritual Gifts may decay to less than a Drop thus the Spirit in Gifts of Prowess and Government departed from Saul 1 Sam. 16.14 and Ministerial Gifts as the Right Arm and Right Eye may be wither'd up Zecb 11.17 this may be lost 6 In the Event and Issue at last Common Grace aggravates Condemnation as a sinking Ship the more it is laden with Gold the deeper it sinks So the more Men are laden with Gifts without Grace the deeper they sink into Hell as a Harlot may have Children but no Credit nor Comfort of them because they are Bastards So Bastard Graces which Christ begets not in us such as false Hope Faith Love c. if we be not married to Christ never ends in Joy Parelii or Mock Suns as they continue not in the Cloud so they give no true Light of themselves Verisimilia are not Vera This is not Childrens Bread but Crums falling to those under the Table Our purblind Souls had need say therefore with blind Isaac Com● near my Son that I may feel thee for the Voi● may be Jacob's yet the rough Hand may be Esau's W● may bless our selves with Thoughts of embracin beautiful Rachel as Jacob did when in the Morning of the Resurrection it proves but ●lear Ey'd Leah Jam. 1.26 Thirdly Supernatural Saving Grace which is the Sanctification of the Spirit Renewing in us the Image of God and Guiding and Strengthning us to Obedience and in Obedience to the End Rom. 6.14 2 Cor. 12.9 Acts 14.26 1 Cor. 15.10 c. This is the Effectual Working of the Spirit of God on the Hearts of the Elect to quicken them when dead in Sin and to give to them a certain continued Connexion of all Spiritual Blessings which manages them onward even to a State of Glory Rom. 8.30 Col. 1.12 Insomuch that Sanctificatio est Incboata glorisicatio The Effects of it doth accompany Salvation being permanent Effects both on the Soul in Justification Adoption and in the Soul in Vocation Sanctification Perseverance to Glorification This Grace differs not from Glory in Kind but in Degree Grace is Glory Militant as Glory is Grace Triumphant as Glory is Grace In Patriâ so Grace is Glory In Viâ ad Patriam therefore 't is call'd The Riches of his Glory Rom. 9.23 As it is the most Glorious Creature of the Father of Lights flowing immediately from his blessed Face This is that Grace which cannot be totally and finally lost fail it may but so fall it cannot 2 Pet. 1.10 Enquiry 2. What is it to fall Totally and Finally Answer 1. To fall totally is to have Grace together dead in us both in the Act and in the Habit no Life either in Branches Bole or Root no Seed remaining in us nor Root of the Matter 2. Finally to fall is never to rise again never to recover by Repentance that Secund a post Naufragium Tabula but to dye in Sin unrepented of unpardoned Enquiry 3. What Arguments or Reasons be there to evidence that this special saving Grace cannot be Totally and Finally lost Answer The Reasons follow why the Chosen of God cannot totally and