Selected quad for the lemma: grace_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
grace_n	salvation_n	teach_v	ungodliness_n	2,577	5	11.7800	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A28643	Precepts and practical rules for a truly Christian life being a summary of excellent directions to follow the narrow way to bliss : in two parts / written originally in Latin by John Bona ; Englished by L.B.; Principia et documenta vitae Christianae. English	Bona, Giovanni, 1609-1674.; Beaulieu, Luke, 1644 or 5-1723.	1678 (1678)	Wing B3553; ESTC R17339	106,101	291

If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my disciple And whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath he cannot be my disciple 3. This is the ground-work and the true institution of a Christian life and this is that excellent knowledge of Christ which is difficult and unpleasant to natural men and contrary to the Spirit of the World This is the highest Philosophy which exceeds the capacity and knowledge of the wise men of this world and this is the highest perfection and the certain way to Bliss to know and to follow Jesus Christ and him crucified to hate ones self and the world with all its pleasures and vanities and to love poverty contempt sorrows and tribulations But to understand well this plain lesson or first principle requires a great measure of Grace and more yet to relish it with pleasure most of all to practise it to live accordingly in the whole course of our conversation CHAP. XX. Of the desperate folly of men who willingly run to ruin by their inconsideration 1. ETernal torments being prepar'd for none but such as will be miserable and by their free and wilful wickedness chuse Hell for their portion on the other side Eternal joys above being offer'd to all that will partake of them who would not think the Prisons of darkness and sorrow should be wholly empty and Heaven infinitely full and throng'd Who could imagine any man should be so desperately mad as to chuse eternal misery when he could easily be happy for ever Yet so it is few there are that enter the Kingdom of Heaven and many there are that go down to Hell insomuch that the first compared to these are but a small number whom our Blessed Saviour calls the little flock The folly of men is so strange and amazing that the greater part of them prefer Eternal woe to Bliss Eternal though you shall not find one how thirsty soever that would sip of that cup he should suspect to be poison'd yet many every where may be found who greedily commit those sins which not doubts or opinions but a certain faith assures them must be punisht with ever-burning flames 2. This unheard of madness many attribute to want of Faith which though it may be true of some amongst us yet daily experience and observation puts it beyond all doubt that the greater part of them that perish perish for want of consideration For though they believe that there is a Hell and that therein none shall suffer but such as will enjoy the pleasures of sin while they live yet they soon forget this important truth their fancy and their affections are fixt to this earth they only please their appetites and live so sensually that their reason can hardly look beyond the present the notions of Eternity are kept out and their understanding made uncapable and unwilling to consider wisely that their short joys and delights will soon end into bitterness and endless sorrows and that it is very easie for us whilest we live to avoid that dreadful misery and obtain Eternal happiness And would to God men would seriously mind and observe this O that they were wise that they would understand and consider their latter end and live accordingly It is man's property and his privilege to think and meditate and sure his thoughts and meditations should of themselves run first of all to his chief end to that which is his own greatest interest No error or ignorance is so pernicious as to neglect ones own Salvation CHAP. XXI The Character of a true Christian 1. HE is a Christian indeed that owns the Faith of Christ and obeys his precepts and follows his Blessed Example for to this we are oblig'd by our Christian Profession to raise our selves above these earthly things to live a Divine and Heavenly Life Because that the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation hath appeared unto all men saith the Apostle 1 Tit. 2.11 teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live in this present World Soberly Righteously and Godly looking for that Blessed Hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar People zealous of good Works Therefore as he cannot justly be called Doctor who is not so much as a Scholar as he deserves not the name of Captain who understands not Souldiery and as he is not an Artist that hath not the skill of it No more can he with truth be called a Christian who is not a true follower of Christ 2. They therefore only are truly Christians who having renounc'd the vanities and sinful desires of this World love God with all their heart and with all their strength and their neighbour altogether in God and for God preferring not themselves to any others because that in our second and better birth we are all made equal They that strictly observe the rules of justice and sobriety in all things behaving themselves so innocently as not to give a just cause of offence to any Person they that use the creatures for necessity as sick men do Physick coveting nothing but that only which cannot be taken away from them they that seek not to please and fear not to displease any but God alone they that hate their own flesh in that it is the body of sin and therefore daily chastize and keep it under lest it grow petulant and masterless they that are ever constant to their resolutions and being above the World cannot be terrified by any threats or persecutions they that in prosperity and adversity are always the same peaceable and even able clearly to see and to follow truth they that longing after things Eternal despise things present and living upon Faith Hope and Charity believe therefore what they see not hope what they have not and love that which as yet they do not possess they that so love God that for his sake they refuse no labour and are always ready to expose themselves to any dangers without any other design but only to advance his glory they that from the testimony of a good conscience and their confidence in Gods mercy chearfully expect Christ's coming in his Heavenly Kingdom and can joyfully say with the Apostle 2 Tim. 4.7 I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the Righteous Judge shall give me at that day They alone have a right to the Title and the Blessedness of Christians that do all these with sincerity 3. Such men as these rejoyce when they are counted worthy to suffer for the name of Jesus and they count that day lost in which they have not done and endured something upon his