Selected quad for the lemma: law_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
law_n	faith_n	righteousness_n	work_n	41,517	5	6.8201	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A56307	A serious exhortation to an holy life, or conversation With a clear discovery of the nature of it, what it is. The means of attaining it. The trials of it, how it may be known. The motives, or inducements to it. Or, a profitable companion for conversion. Confirmation. Illumination. Consolation. By Robert Purnell.	Purnell, Robert, d. 1666.	1663 (1663)	Wing P4240; ESTC R222001	22,777	109

A Serious EXHORTATION To an HOLY LIFE OR Conversation With a clear Discovery Of The Nature of it what it is The Means of attaining it The Trials of it how it may be known The Motives or Inducements to it OR A profitable Companion For Conversion Illumination Confirmation Consolation By Robert Purnell LONDON Printed for Edward Thomas at the Adam and Eve in Little Brittain 1663. An Epistle To the READER Reader COnsider there are many wayes to Damnation and but one way to Salvation and that is strait and the gate narrow so that although the runners are many the obtainers are few Now that we may so run that we may obtain is my desire and endeavour in this little Piece for there is a way if we could light on it which I have pointed at how to possesse what we want how to live long in a little time and to have one Foot as it were in Heaven whilst the other is upon the Earth This small piece is the Birth of many Prayers and the sum and substance of many sweet Converses and Meditations and the Judgement of most precious Christians so that this Book is of great Worth though but of small Price The best and chiefest Authors that I have consulted withal in compiling the ensuing Treatise are the Prophets and Apostles mentioned in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament so that here is no loose corns to blow off nor mis-spent words that I know of I did lately meet with a small piece about this bigness having the same Title Page upon the matter with this written by one Mr. Thomas Wadsworth sometimes Preacher at Newington near London in which Piece there are many choice things but I finding it lame or short as to the beginning carrying on and finishing the work of a Holy Conversation and finding the necessity of such a Piece in these loose Times wherein the Lords Day is profan'd his Ordinances slighted or adulterated his People despised c. I have made bold to put Pen to Paper and so to compose the ensuing Work which is neither deficient in necessaries nor abundant in superfluities Thou shalt finde it for Order Methodical for Matter Spiritual for Brevity Compendious for Use Precious c. Consider the Truth is the same in all Ages only it shines more and more clear from Age to Age until that which is perfect is come the Truth held forth is the same though with more of God and less of Man such addition is no innovation but illustration not a new light but new sight A man may not be said to make a new World when he makes a new discovery of the old My Friends labour to keep close to God in this loose Age spend not your precious time in complaining on others as most do but rather endeavour in the use of all means to reform your selves lay the Foundation of Mortification deep reserve no lust from the stroak of Jesus Christ let your Speech be seasoned with Grace take heed of neglecting or slighting any of the Ordinances of God in order hereunto read seriously this small Piece being a serious Exhortation to an Holy Life and Conversation and if thou wilt read so as to profit much by it consider observe these three things 1. Consider that Sanctification or an holy Life is the Eccho of Election and Holiness the Blossom of Happiness and Piety the inlet of Felicity whereas an unholy Life brings external internal and eternal misery upon Persons and Nations 2. Have no hand in any Plot but against Hells Policy have no design but against Sin learn how to act to thy God Fidelity to thy Prince Loyalty to thy self Humility so shalt thou be kept from future Falls and guarded from present Fears for God hath either the Castle of a Providence or the Ark of a Promise or the All-sufficiency of his own Grace for a retirement of his People in the greatest Storms and Tempests 3. Make a most strong Determination from the bottom of thy heart to embrace and observe whatsoever thou shalt finde to be the will of God though all the world should be against thee for it so shall all thy Duties and Services be regulated by Precept and winged by Promises Farewell A Serious EXHORTATION To An Holy Life And CONVERSATION THe Lord of Glory who is the great Master-piece of Speech when he speaks from Heaven he makes use of three several Texts of Scripture in one breath Mat. 17. 5. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear him First This is my beloved Son that Scripture you have in Psal 2. 7. In whom I am wel pleased this we have in Isa 42. 1. Hear him this we have in Deut. 18. 15. This high and mighty one hath gather'd up all practicall Divinity into ten Precepts Exod. 20. and Moses reduceth them to four Heads Deut. 10. 12. And the Prophet Micah to three Micah 6. 8. and our Saviour Christ to two Mark 12. 29 31. and all that we can pray for or against into six heads or petitions Matth. 6. 9. to the 14. verse And the Apostle Paul reduceth all into one Rom. 13. 9. He that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law if there be any other Commandment it is briefly comprehended in this saying Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self Now that I may manifest my love to my neighbour I do here present him with this little piece which I have for my own and his sake taken great care and pains in I shall reduce the body of this Book to these two great Doctrines of Grace and Works and so shall begin With the great Doctrine of Gods free Grace and End with the Doctrine of Works which is the ready way to get the apprehension and application of mercy to our selves The Papists say if we are freely justified by Grace we need not to do any good works and if we cannot fall from Grace we need not fear to commit sin but every true Christian will say that Faith and Works must go together in our conversation First To begin with the Doctrine of Grace if we minde and understand the Covenant of Grace justification by Grace the Doctrine of Grace we shall finde that the Apostles all along were very careful to keep this Covenant and Doctrine of Grace distinct from all other things they all along do oppose the Law and Grace Works and Faith our Righteousness and Christs Righteousness teaching us thereby how needful it is that they be kept each in his place asunder and that we do not as most do jumble them both together This Doctrine of Grace hath been and still is a bone of contention Why so because learning cannot reach it natural wisdom is confounded at it evil Angels do not know it most men do turn their backs upon it being bereaved of the knowledge of it or else corrupted from the simplicity of it Let the Reader consider these Scriptures all speaking to the same thing Rom.

4. 5. But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness Titus 3. 5. Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us Rom. 11. 6. And if it be by grace then it is no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace so that the righteousness whereby we are justified before God is a perfect righteousness which is the righteousnesse of Christ alone Heb. 1. 8 Mat. 6. 33. Rom. 4. 6. So again Psal 71. 15 16 19 24. and Isa 45. 24. Surely shall one say in the Lord have I righteousness and strength I will saith David make mention of thy righteousness even of thine onely So that in this Justice and Mercy as Psal 85. 10. both meet together Justice in that God will not justifie a sinner without a perfect righteousness and yet Mercy in that he will accept such a righteousness that is neither in him nor done by him but by his surety for him There are these eight points or heads in this Doctrine of Free Grace This Doctrine is the Foundation and Basis of all Christian Religion This Doctrine is the inlet of all Divine peace and consolation This is the root and spring of all Gospel obedience This is the great stop and bar to keep out all floods of error This Doctrine is the main support of the Soul under all trials This is the great Doctrine by which Arminianisme and Popery is overthrown This is the Doctrine against which Satan doth most War endeavouring either to pervert or to corrupt it This Doctrine is one of the hardest to be learned it being above the reach of nature To begin with the first of these This Doctrine is the foundation and basis of the true Christian Religion as doth appear by these few instances Our Election is the Election of Grace and according to the good pleasure of his will Ephes 1. 4 5. Our Vocation is according to his Grace 2 Tim. 1. 9. Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace c. Regeneration is of Gods own will Jam. 1. 18. Of his own will begat he us by the word of truth Faith it self is the gift of God Philip. 1. 29 Ephes 2. 8. Our justification is freely by his Grace Rom. 3. 24. and a free gift Romans 5. 15. Forgiveness of all our sinnes is according to the riches of his Grace Ephes 1. 7. In whom we have redemption through his Blood even the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace Eternal life is the gift of God Rom. 6. 23. The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord see Acts 15. 11. Now if any shall ask why God should discover this great mystery which was kept secret since the world began to us who are sinners of the Gentiles who in time past served dumb idols or why God should be found of them that sought him not or made manifest to them that asked not after him I can give no other answer then that 1 Cor. 1. 29. That no flesh should glory in his presence or that Mat. 11. 25 26. Even so Father because it seemed good in thy sight As this Doctrine is the foundation and basis of the true Religion so in the second place it is the root and spring of all Divine peace and consolation Now peace and joy comes into the soul by these veins By the vein of our acquainting our selves with him Job 22. 21. By the vein of believing in him Romans 5. 1. Rom. 15. 13. By the vein of staying our selves upon him Isaiah 26. 3. And so much for the second head This Doctrine is the root and spring of all Gospel obedience how do men write of a serious exhortation to an holy life and conversation if they discover not the way to it Our Saviour saith the tree must be made good before the fruit can be good The Branch cannot bear fruit except it abide in the vine Joh. 15. 4. so that this Doctrine is the root and spring of all true obedience for this Doctrine being received and retained works these five things in the heart and soul viz. Faith Love Fear Willingness and Chearfulness and from these as from five springs doth Gospel-obedience flow True obedience doth flow from faith whence it is called the obedience of faith Rom. 16. 26. So also love constrains them in whom it is to walk holily John 14. 23. If a man love me he will keep my words Psalm 26. 3 4. For thy loving kindness is before mine eyes and I have walked in thy truth True obedience doth spring from an holy fear Psal 119. 161. My heart doth stand in awe of thy words so Noah being warned of God was moved with fear and prepared an Ark Heb. 11. 7. As it springs from Faith Love and Fear so it ariseth from a willing minde Psal 27. 8. When thou saidest seek ye my face my heart answered Lord thy face will I seek Gospel-obedience is or ought to be performed chearfully or delightfully Psalm 40. 8. Thy Law is in my heart as well as in thy book I delight to do thy will O God By all which it doth appear that this Doctrine of Grace is the root and spring of an holy Conversation seeing in God are all our springs and from him are all our supplies to enable us to perform any duty to exercise any grace to subdue any lust to resist any temptation to bear any affliction In a word the Lord tells us without him we can do nothing This Doctrine of Free Grace is the great stop and barre to keep out all false Doctrines and floods of Errors The floods of all Error flow in at the door of ignorance and specially ignorance of this very thing viz. the Error of the Papist the Quaker the Arminian together with all the instability formality legallity that more or less is found amongst people of all perswasions or at least most of them springs into them at the door of the ignorance of this precious Doctrine of Free Grace Now for a remedy herein let every Christian study pray enquire for and stand fast in the Free Grace of God see that blessed place 1 Pet. 5. 12. Exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein you stand Rom. 5. 2. By whom we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand so that it is most clear and plain that their standing in this grace did fence them from all false Doctrines and erroneous Opinions whilst others that were ignorant of this Doctrine remain seeking their salvation partly by Grace and partly by Works as Rom. 9. 32. Wherefore because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the Law for they stumbled at the stumbling-stone c. This Doctrine is a main support of a soul under all