Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heart_n	act_n	faith_n	spirit_n	2,388	5	5.2354	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17301	Grounds of Christian religion laid downe briefly and plainely by way of question and answer / by H.B.	Burton, Henry, 1578-1648.	1631 (1631)	STC 4143; ESTC S734	16,088	50

so hath an interest to eternall life in and with Christ as fellow-heirs with him Q. Why doe you call faith in Christ a sauing faith A. To distinguish it from common historicall faith mentioned Iam. 2. 19. and to shew it to be an instrument of saluation by Christ. Q. Why doe you call it a liuing faith A. Because vniting the heart and soule to Christ there is a communion of spirituall life as Gal. 2. 20. this faith also working by loue whereby it is known from a dead faith as Iam. 2. 17. Q. Why call yee it a iustifying faith A. Not that it doth iustifie vs as an act or work but onely as an instrument applying Christs righteousnesse to our iustification Q. How is this faith wrought in the heart A. By the Spirit of Christ and that ordinarily by hearing the word preached Q. Why call you this faith a gift of grace A. Because it is not of our selues but it is the frée gift of God as Eph. 2. 8. Phil. 1. 29. Q. How is this faith stedfast A. In a twofold regard first of sure euidence secondly of perseuerance Q. May a beleeuer then be sure of his saluation by faith A. Yea hee is and ought to be so 2. Cor. 13. 5. Q. Doth not a beleeuer often doubt of his saluation A. Yes he may during some strong fit of temptation yet as the sunne vnder a cloud shineth all the while though we sée it not so faith vnder the cloud of temptation beléeueth truely though we féele it not Q. But may not this faith bee quite extinguished and lost for euer A. No not possibly Q. How so A. First because it is a frée gift of grace for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Secondly because he that truely beléeueth hath eternall life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death vnto life Thirdly because Christ prayeth that our faith faile not whose prayer must néeds be effectual Fourthly because we are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation Fifthly from the nature of sauing grace Ier. 32. 40. and 1. Ioh. 3. 9. Q. Is not this a doctrine of presumption A. Nothinglesse it being a doctrine of singular comfort to Gods child to incourage and strengthen him against Satans temptations and owne infirmities as knowing that his faith shall not faile nor stands it with the nature of a true beléeuer to be carelesse of his saluation because he is sure of it sith he knoweth that saluation is not attained but by the meanes appointed of God he hath in him an inward principle of grace holding him on towards perfection Q. But doth faith onely iustifie Doe not workes also iustifie A. Faith onely iustifieth as an instrument and that perfectly in Gods sight works are said to iustifie before men but not before God as Rom. 4. 2. Iam. 2. 18. Q. But are not good workes necessary to saluation A. Yes but not as meritorious causes of saluation but onely as fruits of faith and duties of loue and they appointed vs to walk in to the kingdome being created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes that we should walk in them that according to them not for them we may freely receiue the recompense of reward Q. But are not beleeuers altogether freed from the morall Law by Christ it being that couenant of works made with Adam in Paradise before the fall do this and liue A. Christ the second Adam by his exact fulfilling of the Law and suffering the penalty of our transgressions hath fréed vs from the rigour and curse of it but yet he hath left it as a rule of direction for a holy life Q. How proue you that A. By the very manner of giuing the Law in mount Sina where before the decalogue or ten commandements the Lord saith I am the Lord thy God which haue brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage and thereupon inferreth Thou shalt haue no other Gods before mee c. Q. Why what is the meaning of those words I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage Q. They are not onely a history but a mystery containing a cléere type and figure of our redemption by Christ from our spirituall bondage vnder Satan and sinne So that that couenant in Sina being rightly and spiritually vnderstodd was not the first couenant of workes giuen to the first Adam but it was the very euangelicall the second Couenant of grace and faith giuen in Christ the second Adam Q. But the Apostle saith The Law is not of faith how then comes the law to be giuen vnder faith A. The law in that place is taken for the first couenant to wit of works which hath no communion with faith belonging to the second couenant But the Law as it is giuen in mount Sina the literall veile being remoued is not deliuered as the first couenant but as a rule of conuersation to the faithfull vnder the second couenant Q. But the Apostle calls the giuing of the Law in mount Sina the first couenant standing in opposition to the second as Agar to Sara the bond-woman to the free Sina to Sion and Ierusalem A. The Apostle compares it so only in regard of the literall killing sense to which the carnall Iew was captinated and thereby slaine while not looking vnto Christ the redéemer that brought them out of the spirituall Egypt and bondage they sought to be iustified by the workes of the Law which Saint Paul beates downe in that epistle to the Galatians But to the beléeuing Iew the Law was no other but the swéet yoake and light burthen of Christ. Q. Shew me then the proper differences between the first Couenant and the second A. The opposite differences betwéen the two couenants are these First the first couenant was of mans workes the second of Gods grace and these two are vnreconcileable Rom. 11. 6. The second The first couenant was made with Adam and all his posterity vniuersally the second onely with Abrahams séed called the womans séed Gen. 3. 15. to wit Christ and all the elect The third The first couenant stood vpon mans owne righteousnesse the second stands vpon anothers righteousnesse to wit Christs righteousnes made ours by imputation The fourth The first couenant stood vpon the mutability of mans will and therefore was quickly broken but the second stands firme vpon the sure foundation of Gods immutable vnchangeable will good pleasure and purpose in himselfe and so can neuer be broken called an euerlasting couenant The fifth The first was acouenant of iustice without mercy the second was a couenant of méere mercy Psal. 89. 28. yet in Christ iustice and mercy met together Psal. 85. 10. The sixt The first couenant had no other reward reuealed to the first Adam from the earth earthy but what was confined to the earthly Paradise but the secōd hath

sorrow for sinne wrought in the heart by Gods Spirit it being a gift of God 2. Because this sorrow mourneth more for Gods dishonour then our owne by-sins more for Gods Law broken then for the punishment deserued 3. While we giue God the whole glory in the séeking pardon of sinne taking to our selues the whole shame 4. While in a sincere purpose and endeauour for amendment we rather chuse to suffer the torments of hell then afresh to sin against God Q. How doth godly sorrow differ from worldly A. Both in the kind and in the end of it Q. How differ they in kind A. Worldly sorrow is a carnall and legall re pentance looking mainely at the punishment of sinne such was Ahabs and Iudas his repentance but godly sorrow is euangelicall looking through the spectacles of faith vpon a father offended by our sinne but appeased in Christ. Q. How doe godly and worldly sorrow differ in their end A. Godly sorrow causeth repentance to saluation neuer to be repented of but worldly sorrow causeth death Q. How is this godly sorrow a fruit of sauing faith A. Because a man can neuer sorrow godly till he beléeue in Christ the redéemer so as looking on Christ the Sauiour with the eye of faith he therewithall reflects vpon himselfe as the sinner saued by Christ. Q. What is the second speciall fruit and signe of sauing faith A. Charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith vnfained 1. Tim. 1. 5. Q. What be the chiefe obiects of true charity that is whom doth true charity chiefly respect A. In the first place our charity respecteth God in Christ louing him aboue all for the manifestation of the riches of his glory and grace in electing and redéeming vs 1. Ioh. 4. 19. 2. Our charitie looks vpon our brethren and fellow-members in Christ who heare his image for which sake we loue them as truely and intirely as our owne soules This charity being the badge of a true beléeuer 1. Ioh. 2. 14. 16 17 19. 3. Our charitie reacheth to strangers yea to our very enemies to helpe them in extremity and to pray for their conuersion And 4. we must haue an intire loue to God-ward and to his ministers accounting their féet beautifull that bring vs the glad tidings of saluation Q. But many professe loue to God and to the brethren wherein stands the proofe of our loue A. Not in a bare profession but we must proue it first by our inward seruent affection as also by the many reall fruits of loue louing not in word onely but in déed and in truth Q. What els are you to examine in your selfe before you come to the Lords Supper A. I must stirre vp my heart to a spiritual hunger and thirst after Christ in the Sacrament because according to this hunger I shall be satisfied with his swéetnes and shall féelingly finde him a Sauiour of life vnto my soule Q. How may your spirituall appetite be stirred vp to hunger after Christ in the Sacrament A. By finding mine owne emptines and how wretched I am without Christ and how blessed in him this must be by sound repentance and humiliation Q. What conclusion doe you draw from this duty of examination before the Sacrament A. First hence I learne that the sacrament is a high mystery and strong meat for men of ripe yeares hauing their wits exercised to discerne good and euill 2. That no ignorant persons such as cannot giue a reason of their faith nor of the nature and vse of the Sacrament may be admitted to the Lords Table Well comming thus duly prepared what are you to doe in the time of Administration A. I am to meditate of Christs death by the things I sée and heare of the wonderfull loue of God towards me a poore wretched sinner in that he spared not his Son but gaue him vp to death for me that I by beléeuing in him might liue for euer that as by my body I receiue eate and drinke the bread and wine so by faith I receiue and féed vpon Christ tasting how swéet the Lord is to my soule and that I stir vp my heart to be excéeding thankefull for so precious benefits as Ps. 103. 1. c Q. What are you to doe after you haue receiued the Sacrament A. I must endeauour to walk in the strength of that spiritual meat as Elias did vntill I come to the mount of God the kingdome of heauen Q. Will receiuing the Lords Supper once in the yeare or so sufficiently strengthen a man for his whole life as baptisme is but once administred A. No the comparison holds not A science is but once grafted as we into Christ by baptisme but must be often nourished as in often hearing of the Word and often communicating at the Lords Table for saith the Apostle as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye shew the Lords death till he come whereby he teacheth vs to frequent the Lords Table vpon all occasions and constantly to continue the remembrance of his death that so we may be kept watching and waiting for that appearing looking for and hasting vnto the comming of the day of God that we may bee found of him in peace without spot and blamelesse Q. What other duty is requisite for a Christian to practise that he may grow in grace A. To call vpon God in all occasions Q. When must we pray especially A. Though we are to pray continunually yet especially we are to kéepe constant times morning and euening as Psal. 55. 17. 92. 2. Q. To whom must we pray A. To God alone in the name of Christ for Christ taught vs to pray Our Father c. Q. May wee not also pray to Saints departed and to the Angels in heauen A. No in no wise Q. Why A. Because prayer is a diuine worship of God alone For whom we call vpon by prayer we beléeue also in him Rom. 10. 14. But we may not beléeue in Saints and Angels Q. But may we not make Saints and Angels our Mediators of intercession to God for vs in the Court of heauen A. No for there is but one Mediatour betwéene God and man Iesus Christ. 2. Tim. 2. 5. In his name whatsoeuer we aske the Father he will giue it vs. And Christ alone is our intercessour in heauen Rom. 8. 24. He is our onely high priest who hath entred into heauen now to appeare in the presence of God for vs. Heb. 9. 24. So that none can bee our Mediatour or Intercessour in heauen but onely our High Priest which is Christ. Heb. 9. 11 12. Q. But may we not be stirred by pictures and images of God and of Christ and the like and so before them pray vnto God A. No in no sort for this is flatly against the second commandement Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image c. Q. But may we not pray before them though we pray