Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	believe_v	faith_n	jesus_n	17,223	5	6.3565	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A75582	The just mans defence, or, The royal conquest being the declaration of the judgement of James Arminius, Doctor of Divinity in the University of Leyden, concerning the principall points of religion, before the States of Holland and VVestfriezland / translated for the vindication of truth, by Tobias Conyers, sometimes of Peter-house in Cambridge.; Declaratio sententiae de predestinatione. English	Arminius, Jacobus, 1560-1609.; Conyers, Tobias, 1628-1687.	1657 (1657)	Wing A3700A; ESTC R208013	52,267	187

been brought to the test by them neither those who follow the Augustine Confession had judged it reasonable to subject it to a new Examination and change it in some places thereof We cannot but approve this deed and judge Luther not to have done well being admonished by Philip Melancthon in the close of his life as it 's testified in writing by our Countrey-men to reduce the Eucharistical Controversie of the Lords Supper to some better agreement in refusing so to do upon this ground retorted upon Philip as 't is reported of him That by this means the whole Doctrine should be called into question for if reasons of this nature had been admitted then the endeavors of the Church of Rome had been lawful in hindring the controverting and questioning by any new scrutiny the Doctrine receiv'd in the Church for so many hundred yeers To this it 's opposed If the doctrine of the Churches should be subjected to a new Examination at the Celebration of every National Synod they would never have any thing on which they might rest and firmly lean and that it might be truly said of these Churches That they had fidem anniversariam an anual faith and were carried about hither and thither with every winde of Doctrine To which I answer First The Church have Moses and the Prophets the Evangelists and Apostles i. e. the whole Scripture of the Old New Testament wherein the necessaries to salvation are fully and clearly comprehended Vpon this the Church shall build its faith and stay thereon as upon an immovable foundation into which notwithstanding our Confessions Catechisms every determination in all causes of Faith and Religion ought to be resolv'd 2. There are some points in the Confession so certain and indubious that they will never be question'd by any but * Ex. Gr. Whether Christ be the Son of God Whether the soul be immortal Hereticks other branches are of that nature that 't were very advantagious as oft as may be to have them debated amongst learned and God-fearing men that they may be ranked as neer as possibly they can with points of greater certainty 3. It would be endeavoured that the Confession be made up of as few heads as may be and those briefly framed in Scripture-terms omitting all larger Explications Proofs Digressions heapings together of words and sentences Amplifications Exclamations and onely delivering in it the necessaries to salvation The brevity will render it less obnoxious to Errors Obloquy and Examination taking for our example the practise of the primitive Church which gave a draught of the Articles judged necessary to be believed in very few words Some there are that make a distinction betwixt the Confession and Catechism as to a review and judge the former because proper to the Belgick Churches and not so much made use of by others may with less difficulty fall under a Synodical review and examination but the Catechism not being peculiar to us but chiefly appertaining to the Palatinate Churches and of general use and concernment cannot without great detriment be brought to the test To which I answer If the Catechisme of Heydelberg must needs be the form of concord amongst the Teachers of the Churches and to which every of them is bound to subscribe its necessary to subject the same to Examination for there are no Churches ought to be in that place unto us that we should so admit of any writing composed by them as not to preserve our Liberty of examining the same And this I look upon as the principal cause why the Churches of several Provinces agreeing in the Fundamentals of Religion have framed their Confessions peculiar to every of them Let it be granted that the Heydelberg Catechism is no such form and liberty conceded in its Explication as is fitting and 't wil not be necessary either to review or examine the same the burden only of subscription thereunto removed and moderate liberty yeelded in the unfolding thereof CONCLUSION AND this is that most Noble Potent Wise and prudent Lords I have to propose to your Highnesses together with a returne of thanks to this Noble and Potent Assembly to which next after God himselfe I acknowaedg my selfe bound to give an account of all my actions that of your Clemency you have vouchsafed to heare me patiently with my solemne protestations that I am ready to entertaine a fraternal and amicable conference with my fellow brethren concerning these things or any other about which at any time any controversie may arise at what time or place or upon what occasion soever it shall be judged requisite by these Sessions And I further engage in every debate to yeeld my self moderate and flexible not less prompt to learn then teach And in as much as in every thing to be conferr'd of amongst us there are two things attendable First whether that in debate be true and then whether it be necessary to be believed unto salvation the Scriptures being the ground of our inquiry in both I do Sacredly affirm and solemnly oblige my selfe not to obtrude any point to be believed my brethren dissenting from me therein though proved by solid arguments to consent with the Scriptures unlesse I have clearly Evinced it from the Divine word it selfe and as dilucidly true so also necessary to be believed by every Christian to salvation which if my brethren will be prepared to do my opinion is there will scarce any debate or Schisme be amongst us And further I adde that I may take away all feare and jealousy that on my part may hang upon this Noble Assembly now charged and burden'd with weighty affaires upon which the peace and prosperity of our Nation and the reform'd Churches depend there will certainly be very many things and those of a high nature which I shall beare with in my fellow brethren not being Lord of another mans faith but a Minister in this to those that believe that in them may grow the Knowledg truth piety peace and joy in Christ Jesus our Lord. But if my fellow-brethren see not how they can attolerate me and grant me a place amongst them yet notwithstanding for that which concern's my self I hope no rent or division will ensue which God avert there are Schisms enough already in the Christian world its incumbent rather upon every one to diminish and abolish them In this case I 'le possess my soule in patience and my place though I shall indeavour to live so long as God shall prorogue my life for the common good of Christianity I will lay downe mindfull of that Sat Ecclesiae Sat Patriae datum FINIS These books following are to be sold by Henry Eversden at the Greyhound in Pauls Church-yard AN Exposition with Practical Observations on the Nine first Chapters of the Proverbs by Francis Taylor Minister of Canterbury in quarto An Exposition with Practicall Observations on the whole Book of Canticles in quarto by John Robotham Minister of the Gospel An Idea or body of Church-discipline in the Theorick and Practick by Mr. Rogers in quarto Imputatio Fidei Or a Treatise of Justification wherein the imputation of Faith for Righteousness mentioned in Romans 4. 5. 6th is explained by Mr. John Goodwin Minister of the Gospel in quarto The Right of Dominions or the Prerogative of Kings proved from Scripture by Dr. Welden Lucas Redivivus or the Gospel-Physitian prescribing by way of meditation divine Physick to prevent diseases not yet entred upon the soul by John Anthony Doctor in Physick in quarto Mercy in her Exaltation a Sermon preached at the Funerall of Mr. Thomas Taylor by Mr. John Goodwin in quarto Anabaptists Meribah or Waters of strife being an answer to Mr Tho. Lamb Merchant by Mr. Price one of Mr. John Goodwins Congregation The natural mans case stated or an exact map of the little world man in seventeen Sermons by Mr. Christopher Love to which is added a Sermon preached at his Funeral by Mr. Thomas Manton of Newington in 80. Gods glory in mans happiness or the freeness of Gods grace electing us by Francis Taylor of Canterbury in 80. The Lords Prayer unclasped being a vindication of it against all schismaticks and Hereticks called Enthusiasts and Fratracilli by James Harwood B. D. Hippolitus Translated out of Seneca by Edm. Prestwich Gospel publick worship or the Translation Metaphrase Analysis and Exposition of Romans 12. from vers 1 to 8th describing and prescribing the compleat pattern of Gospel worship Also an Exposition of the 18th Chapter of Matthew to which is added a discovery of Adams three-fold estate in Paradise viz. Moral Legal and Evangelical by Thomas Brewer in 80. A Comment on Ruth together with two Sermons one teaching how to live wel the other minding how to dye wel by Thomas Fuller Author of the Holy State Pearls of Eloquence or the school of Complements wherein Ladies and Gentlewomen may accomodate their Courtly practise by Will. Elder Gent. in 12. The doctrine of laying on of hands vindicated and asserted being an Answer to Lieut. Col. Paul Hobson in quarto The Male of the Flock a Sermon preached before the Lord Mayor out of the 4th of Malachy by Mr. Aggas Minister of Chynis These Books are now in the Press and ready to Publish Riverus Vniversall body of Physick in English folio The seventh day Sabbath sought out and Celebrated by The. Tillam in 8● Mr. John Goodwin in answer to Mr. Kendall and Mr. Resbury and Mr. Pauson

Prayer can be no means to procure it it 's onely the Worship and service of God for out of his positive decree of Predestination he hath appointed the salvation of such individual men 5. It takes away that wholsome fear and trembling in which we are commanded to work out our Ph. l. 2. 12. salvation in that it positively affirms That the elect and believing person cannot sin with that full bent of will as the wicked do neither totally or finally fall away from faith or grace received 6. It begets in men a despair of doing that which their duty required obtaining that whereunto their desires were carried out when they are taught that the grace of God which is necessary to the production of every good act out of the absolute and precise Decree of God is denied to the major part of men and that in pursuance of a preceding Decree equally peremptory with the later wherein he determined not to confer eternal life but everlasting death upon them it cannot but easily hence arise that whoever is not perswaded of his being elected should judge himself of the number of Reprobates whence must needs spring up in him a fearful desparation of doing righteousness and gaining eternal life Seventeenthly This Doctrine 17. Arg. inverts the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ In the Gospel God requires of men faith and repentance promising to converts and believers life everlasting but by this Decree of Predestination God is set forth as precisely willing to give salvation to some singular men together with faith and repentance by an absolute and irresistible power because 't was his will and pleasure to save them In the gospel God denounceth eternal death to Impenitents and Unbelievers that deterring them by his threats from their infidelity he might save them but in this Decree of Predestination God is represented unwilling to give unto some men that grace necessary to Faith and Conversion because he had peremptorily decreed to condemn them The gospel saith God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son 3 Joh. 16. that whosoever believed in him should not perish but have everlasting life but this Doctrine saith God so loved those he absolutely elected to eternal life that he hath given his Son for them alone and works them up to faith by force irresistible In a word the gospel saith Perform the Command and thou shalt obtain the Promise believe and thou shalt live but this Doctrine saith Because it is my will and pleasure to bestow life upon thee therefore will I give faith unto thee likewise which is the very inversion of the gospel and a turning it upside down Eighteenthly This Predestination 18. Arg. is in open hostility with the Ministry of the gospel 1. For no man can be a Minlster and fellow-labourer with God neither the Word preached by him an instrument of grace and the spirit if the Lord quicken him who is dead in sin by an irresistible power no more then the creature could be an instrument of * Instrument of Grace i. e. of love in the Creation of the world grace in the first Creation or Contributory to its resuscitation from the dead 2. By this Doctrine the dispensation of the Gospel is made the savor of death unto death to the greater part of Auditors and an instrument of condemnation out of the primary purpose and absolute intent of God without the least intuition of their preceding Rebellion 3. By this Predestination baptism to reprobate Infants the children of federal and believing Parents is a meer blank and seals nothing and so altogether unprofitable and that out of the precise Intention of God without any default of the Infants to whom according to divine Command this Ordinance is administred 4. This obstructs faith and confidence in publique prayers and supplications to God for the benefit of all those that hear the word when according to this doctrine there are many amongst them whom God is not onely not willing to save but in his absolute eternall immutable will preceding all things and causes would condemne notwithstanding the Apostle injoining Prayers and supplications to be made for all men adds this reason for this is good and acceptable before 1 Tim. 2. 1 4. God our Saviour who will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledg of the truth 5. The composure of this Doctrine easily renders Pastors and Teachers sloathfull and negligent in their function as if their diligence were onely advantagious to those whom God would precisely save being in no possibility of perishing and their negligence only Prejudiciall to those whom God would have miscarry and are necessarily to be undone for ever without any possibility of salvation 19. This Doctrine tends to Religions 19 Arg. overthrow in Generall and the christian in speciall Religion considered in generall is founded upon a twofold love of God without which it neither hath nor ever will have any being in the world the first is that Love of righteousnesse which gives being to the hatred of sin the second is the love of the rationall creature the love extended to man as in the businesse in agitation according to that of the Apostle He that cometh unto Heb. ii 6. God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him his love of righteousnesse is demonstrated in this that he will not give eternall life to any but those that seek him his love of men that he will bestow blessednesse upon them if they inquire after him The mutuall relation betwixt them is this There can be no place for the fefluxes of love to the creature but as the love of righteousnesse permits it The * The love of Righteousness more noble then the love of the creature former is far more excellent then the la●er there is alwayes a way open for the emanations of love to the Creature where the love of righteousnesse hath not stop't it The first is evident in Gods condemning man for sin which he loves as his Creature which he would not do if man were more dear to him then his own justice or his eternal ruin more abhorrent then his disobedience The second is clear in that he condemnes none but for sin and saves those that are turnd from it which would not be done by him unlesse he yeelded his love to the Creature so far as justice regulated by judgment permitted it This Doctrine of predestination inverts and changeth this order and mutuall respect First by asserting God precisely to will the salvation of some men without having in his purpose an eye to their obedience whereby his love of men is preferd to his love of righteousnesse and that as men they are more respected by him then his own justice and their misery more abhorrent unto him then their sin and disobedience The second by averring the contrary that God absolutely will 's the

decree of righteousness or sin obedience or disobedience that might proceed from either of them Secondly That God for the bringing to passe this his preceding decree determined the creation of Adam and all men in him in the right state of originall righteousness and futher ordained that they should sin and so be deprived of originall righteousness and become guilty of eternall condemnation 3. That God hath decreed those whom he would precisely save as to salvation so to the means appertaining thereunto to bring them to faith in Jesus Christ and perseverance in it and this indeed by his irresistible grace and power so as they cannot but beleeve persevere and be saved 4. That God hath decreed to deny unto them whom in his absolute will he hath preordained to destruction and accordingly doth not confer that grace which is sufficient and necessary to salvation so as they are neither able to believe neither can they be saved Now after the diligent weighing and examination of these foure branches in my own breast I come to deliver the things that Arminius his Arguments against the doctrine contained in the four branches mentioned above follow touching this doctrine of predestination 1. That this doctrine is not the foundation of Christianity Salvation or the Certainty therof Not of Christianity 1. For this predestination is not that decree of God wherein Christ is established by his Father the Saviour head and foundation of those who are made heires of eternall life which is the onely fundamental of Christianity 2. Neither is this of predestination that doctrine by which men as living stones are built upon Christ alone the corner stone by faith and joyned to him as members to the head Not of salvation 1. For this predestination is not that decree of the good pleasure of God in Christ Jesus upon which alone our salvation leaneth 2. It is no foundation of Salvation for it is not the powor of God unto salvation to those that beleeve in that the righteousness of God is not manifested by it ex fide in fidem from faith to faith Neither of the certainty of salvation For that stayeth it selfe upon this decree they that beleeve shall be saved I beleeve therefore I shall be saved but this doctrine of predestination neither comprehendeth the first or second member of this syllogisme which some confessed in these words We meane not that Consult the Belgick Theses the knowing of this predestination is the foundation of Christianity or salvation or that it is necessary after the same manner as the doctrine of the Gospel Secondly The doctrine of 2 Arg. predestination thus delivered doth not contain in it either the whole or any part of the Gospel for this consists partly of an injunction of faith and repentance partly of a promise of forgiveness of sins of the spirit of grace and of eternal life according to the tenure of the sermons of Christ and the Baptist his forerunner and his successours the Apostles after his ascention but this predestination neither respects the command of faith and repentance neither the promise it doth not teach us What kind of persons God hath predestinated in general which is properly the Evāgelical doctrine but contains in it a mystery onely known to God wherein are comprehended the individual persons whom God hath decreed to save and condemne whence I further conclude this doctrine of predestination not to be necessary either to be known beleeved hoped in or effected to salvation so a learned man confesseth in his questions to bee disputed Why the Gospel cannot be termed a Book or discovery of predestination 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simply in its self but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 respectively because it neither Sets downe the numerical matter nor forme absolutely that is It doth not declare how many nor whom * As Ieremiah whom God knew before he came out of the womb sanctified him Jer. 5 a very few onely excepted but what kind of persons in general are predestinated Thirdly This doctrine of predestination was never admitted decreed or approved 3 Arg. of for the first six hundred yeares after Christ in any councel General Councils either general or particular not in the Councel holden at Nice wherein it was determined against Arrius for the diety and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Son of God not in the first at Constantinople in which it was decreed against Macedonius for the diety of the holy Ghost not in the Ephesine Councel against Nestorius for the unity of the person of the Son of God not in that holden at Calcedon which condemned Eutiches and determined for two distinct natures in one and the same person of our Lord Jesus Christ not in the second held at Constantinople in which Peter Bishop of Antioch Anthym the Constantinopoletane and others were condemned for asserting the passion of the Father with the Son not in the third at Constantinople in which the Monothelites were condemned for affirming to be but one only will and operation in Jesus Christ Neither had this doctrine any better intertainment in particular Councils as that at Jerusalem Particular Councils Arausin neither was it vintilated or confirmed in that held at Milevite in Affrick against Pelagius and his errors as appeares by the Articles of doctrine decreed in it against them And the doctrine of Austine himselfe touching this point was so farre from being received in these Councils that Celestine the Romane bishop his contemporary writing to the bishops of France and condemning the Pelagion tenents shuts up his Epistle in these words As we dare not contemne the more profound and difficult parts of those questions started and broadly handled by the opposers of the Hereticks so judge we it not necessaty to abet them beleeving it sufficient what the writings have taught us according to the forementioned rules of the apostolical seat to the owning of the grace of God from whose power and worth nothing ought to be substracted For those Canons mentioned by Celestine in his Epistle and decreed in the three foregoing particular Councils we shall agree well enough especially as to those things which were requisite for the maintaining of grace against Pelagius and his errours Fourthly There was never 4 Arg. any sound and orthodox teachers of the church for 600. yeares next after Christ that ever broched and approved this doctrine of predestination no not the keenest assertors of Grace against Pelagius such was Jerome Austin the Author of the Book entituled The Call of the Gentiles Prosper the Aquitani Hilarius Fulgentius Orosius as appears by their writings Fifthly This holds no agreement 5 Arg. or correspondency with the Harmony of Confessions put forth in the name of all the reformed and Protestant Churches Printed and published at Geneva For if they be faithfully consulted 't will be apparently manifest that many of them do not agree in this point some of them onely glancing at it And

inspiring him with holy desiers to the willing of good Actually yea also by this he so wills and works together with man that what man will 's he might accomplish And thus I atribute to Grace the begining continuance and consummation of all good so far as that man now regenerate without this preventing exciting Subsequent and Cooperating Grace is in capable to think will or do any good or resist any noxious temptation Hence it 's apparently manifest I am no way injurious to the grace of God by ascribing too much to the free will of man as some asperse me The hinge upon which al the Controvercy is turned is this whether the grace of God be an irresistible force actions and operations as ascribable to grace are not here disputed none more ready then my selfe to confesse and inculcate them all the manner of the operation onely is that in debate wherein I believe according to the Scriptures that many resist the HolyGhost and repell Grace offered them As to the perseverance of Saints my judgement is this Persons engrafted into Christ by true Faith and participating of his quickning spirit have strength sufficient to encounter Satan Sin the World and their own corruption and by the same assisting grace to carry away the Victory Christ himself standing by them in their assaults by his spirit extending his favourable hand towards them so they be found in a fighting posture implore his aid and not be awanting to themselves preserve them from falling so that neither the fraud or violence of Satan shall be able to seduce or pluck them out of his hands But whether these very persons by negligence may not desert the imitation of their existency in Christ embrace again this present world fall from the sound Doctrine once deliver'd to them lose a good conscience make void the grace of God would be diligently inquired into out of the Scriptures and very useful and necessary to be debated in our first convention yet I profess ingenuously It was never taught by me that the true Believer might totally or finally fall away from the faith and so perish though I cannot dissemble there are places of Scripture which seem to countenance the same to which I could never meet with any satisfactory answer although on the other part there are some places alledged not unworthy of observation Concerning assurance of salvation I judge him who believes in Jesus Christ as well by the act of the holy spirit inwardly moving and the Fruits of Faith as by his own conscience with the Testimony of the spirit witnessing with it may have a certain perswasion and indeed be assured if his heart condemn him not that he is the son of God and stands in the love of Christ yea more may depart this life with an unshaken confidence of the grace of God and mercy in Christ Jesus and appear before that Tribunal of grace devoid of all anxious fear and trembling solicitude yet ought he alwayes to pray Lord enter not into judgement with me but in as much as God is greater then our hearts and knoweth all things and man not his own Judge for though he know nothing by himself yet is he not thereby justified it is God that judgeth him I dare not equal this certainty with that wherewith we know there is a God and that Christ is the Saviour of the world but the extent of this may be further treated of in our Convention Besides all these there hath been much discourse abroad concerning the perfection of Believers and regenerate persons in this life wherein I have been traduced as heterodox and as almost of the Pelagian Opinion in this point viz. That the regenerate in this life may perfectly keep the Law of God To which I answer That if I should thus judge yet should I not Pelagianize either in whole or in part if so be I added this they were able to do by the grace of Christ and not without it yet that there could be a plenary observation of the precepts of Christ by a renewed person in this life I never affirm'd neither ever denied but left it alwaies dubious contenting my self with that of Austine whose words I often quoted in the University having nothing to adde of my own they were these There are four questions Austine's Judgement observable in the business in hand 1. Whether there was ever any man without Sin who from the beginning to the end of his life never transgressed 2. Whether there ever hath been now is or ever can be any such person that sinneth not i. e. who hath reached that perfection here that he transgresseth not but fulfils the Law of the perfect God 3. Whether there be a possibility in this life for a man to be without Sin 4. If 't be possible why there was never any such person found To the first the Father answers That there was never any such person found besides the Lord Jesus Christ To the second He thought never any man attained perfection in this life To the third He judged it possible by the grace of God and mans free-will To the fourth Man doth not that which is possible by the grace of Christ either because he is ignorant what good is or places no complacency or delight in it Hence it s apparently manifest Austine the sharpest adversary the Pelagian Doctrine ever had was of this Judgement That it was possible by the grace of Christ in this life to be without sin Yea he further addes Let Pelagius confess mans possibility of being without sin to be only by the grace of Christ and we are agreed but the Pelag●an Tenent appeared to this Father as if man by his own stre●gth though with greater facility by the grace of Christ had been able to keep the whole Law How far I dissent from this Opinion I have enter'd above and now testifie mine account of it as Heretical diametrically opposite to the words of Christs Without me ●e can do nothing and perniciously John ●5 9 destructive to the glory of God My judgement thus stated I cannot see any thing comprehended therein for which any man should justly fear to appear together with it in the presence of God or suspect any grievous evil to arise He refers to Mr. Gomar's Expression to the States p. 1. yet being sensible of those daylie Aspersions more and more cast upon me as if I should carry in my bosome some pernicious Heretical opinions I am not able to divine what the matter is unless they pretend something amiss in my Judgement concerning the divinity of the Son of God and mans justificat●on before him for as I understand touching both these heads much speech was had after the last Act before the Supreme Court and many things given out upon it for which I think my self engaged to declare to your Highnesses the carriage of the whole business That which relates to the Divinity of the Son of God and the word