Selected quad for the lemma: love_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
love_n	act_n	faith_n	grace_n	4,322	5	5.9067	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A50251	The summe of certain sermons upon Genes. 15.6 vvherein not only the doctrine of justification by faith is asserted and cleared, and sundry arguments for justification before faith, discussed and answered : but also the nature and the meanes of faith, with the imputation of our sins to Christ, and of Christs righteousness to us are briefly explained and confirmed / preached at Dorchester in New-England by Richard Mather ... ; and now by him published at the earnest request of sundry well-affected and Godly Christians.	Mather, Richard, 1596-1669.	1652 (1652)	Wing M1276; ESTC W18271	50,747	60

our righteousness is injurious to Christ as placing faith in Christs room and so making faith to be our Christ 3 Faith doth justifie only relatively in respect of its object Christ Iesus or instrumentally as the hand that receiveth Christ and his righteousness As a mans hand may be said to feed him because it receiveth the meat or to cloath him because it receiveth his apparell or to inrich him because it receiveth a pearl of great value So a mans faith is said to justifie him because it receiveth Christ the righteousness of Christ And indeed what ever is done by faith in this such like matters of our salvation all is done with referēce to Christ and as faith is the instrument that receiveth Christ and no otherwise And therfore what things are said to be done by faith wee shall find they are still said to be done by Christ For instance wee are justified by faith Rom 3. 28. Gal. 3. 22 24. but wee are justified by Christ Isai 53. 11. Eternall life is by faith Iohn 3. 16 36. but it is by Christ 1 Iohn 5. 11 12. Wee are saved by faith Eph 2. 8. but wee are saved by Christ Iohn 3. 17. Math 1. 21. Wee live by faith Hab 2. 4. Gal. 2. 20. but wee live by Christ Iohn 6. 57. 14. 19. Forgiveness of si●…s is by faith Acts 10. 43. 26. 18. but it is by Christ Acts 13. 38. Ephe 1. 7. In like sort when faith is said to be imputed unto righteousness wee must understand it that Christ his righteousness is imputed But now as faith can do nothing but with reference to Christ so Christ will do nothing in this buisiness of justifying a sinner but by faith But as it is said Acts 3. 16. His name through faith in his name had healed the man that had been lame so it may be said Christ his righteousness through faith in him his righteousness doth justifie the sinner For these grounds are certain cannot be denyed 1 That God doth not justifie any without righteousness but by for a righteousness and such as one as is entire perfect Pro 17. 15. Exod 34. 7. Rom 2. 2. 3. 26. 2 That this perfect righteousness is not to be had in our selves Rom 3. 10. Psal. 143. 2. 3 That this perfect righteousness is in Christ and not elsewhere Jer 23. 6. Isai 45. 24 25. 2 Cor 5. 21. Rom 5. 9 19. 4 That this righteousness of Christ cannot justifie us till it be communicated applyed and so be made ours even as meat doth not feed a man till he take it eat it apparell doth not warm a man till he receive it put it on a pearl though of never so much value doth not enrich a man till he receive it and have it in possession as his own 5 Faith is the hand instrument for receiving of Christ his righteousness Iohn 1. 12. Eph. 3. 17. and by this meanes or in this way wee are justified by faith and not otherwise Therfore in Gal 2. 16 17. wee find that to be justified by faith and to be justified by Christ are Synonymaes that is of the same signification for that which in the one verse is called justification by faith is in the other called justification by Christ But Christ is the object of love of other graces as well as of faith why then should faith justifie in respect of its object any more then love or other graces Because faith is appointed of God in the covenant of grace to this office Iohn 3. 16. Acts 16. 31. which can be said of no other grace And there is good reason why faith should have this office even because faith is that which gives all to Christ to Gods free grace in him for therfore is it of faith that it might be by grace Rom 4. 16. Ephe 2. 8. it being the very propertie ●…s I may say the ingenie of faith to bring nothing of its own for a mans justification but to come naked emptie unto Christ to receive all from him and from Gods free grace in him 4 It is ●…y faith alone that wee are justified Justification is not only by faith at the first but alwayes by faith as long as a man lives So that though a man be furnished with never so many excellent vertues graces duties services c yet it is not by any of them nor all of them but still by faith by faith only that he must be ●…ustified in Gods sight For which purpose this example of Abram is very observable convincing for Abram as was observed before had afore this time done many excellent services in leaving his kindred and country at Gods command in building Altars and calling on the name of the Lord where ever he came in yielding to his inferiour Lot for peace sake in rescuing him out of captivity with the perill or hazard of his own liberty life in his contempt of riches offered to him by the King of Sodom c Yet after all this the Holy-Ghost placeth his justification in none of these things but only in his believing If Abram had had no works then it might have been said he was justified by faith through want of works but sith he abounded with store of excellent works and yet is justified by faith we may conclude that justification is not by faith works much less by works alone but by faith only So Paul tells of himself Phil. 3. 7 8 9. that for time past he did count all things loss for Christ and saith he for the present I do so also and for time to come even when Christ shall come to judgment I then desire to be found in Christ not having my own righteousness but that which is by the faith of Christ Hence it is said wee are justiffied freely by his grace Rom 3. 24. which two words do shew that all works are excluded and so works are expressly excluded that faith alone may be established Rom 3. 28. Galla 2. 16. Ephe. 2. 8. If Justification be by faith then it can not be by works not by any tighteousness of our own either inherent or actuall either inward vertues graces or outward dutyes of obedience the reason is because faith works are opposite in this matter and can not stand together Rom 3. 28. Gal. 2. 16. And the Scripture plainly teacheth that justification by woks is impossible Acts 13. 39. Rom 8 3. They then are greatly deceived that think a man may have the righteousness of justification without faith and that faith is of no use in this matter but only to assure a man of his justification as already past done wheras the truth is justification is not afore faith but by faith viz as by an hand or instrument to receive the righteousness of Christ which righteousness of Christ is the matter that being

31. 3. But if notwithstanding this love of God we can yield there is a time when the elect do not believe but are without faith wee may as well yield t●…ere is a time when they are not justified For this love of the Lord would prove the eternity of the one as well as of the other both being streams from the same fountain and fruits from the 〈◊〉 root and yet both in time and one of them a qualification of the other Even as God loves his elect afore he gives Christ for out of that love he gave Christ Joh. 3. 16. 1 Jo●…n 4. 9 10. and yet when Christ is given he doth then bestow fur●…er 〈◊〉 o●…●…is love So out of his love he drawes the soul to C●…t by ●…aith Jer 31. 3. and then makes that effect of his love a 〈◊〉 ●…or a new ●…arther effect of his love in justification even as justification a qualification for gloryfication Rom 8. 30. If justi●…cation be by faith then it is needfull for every soul to labour in ●…e use of meanes for the attayning of this grace because it is by this that we 〈◊〉 be justified if ever we be justified Oh let men consider what a blessed thing it is to be justified to have sin pardoned Psal. 32. 1 2 and what a wofull misery it is to remain under the guilt of 〈◊〉 to ly dy therin John 8. 24. And the way and meanes to ●…ave it otherwise to escape this misery atta●… this blessedness is this faith in the Lord Jesus Christ All moral vertues will not su●…fice without this no nor all gifts of grace and holy dutyes of obedience that are possible to be found where this faith is wanting Abram had many excellent vertues and ch●…se service to God to men and yet he is not justified by any of them but by 〈◊〉 only Without 〈◊〉 faith it is 〈◊〉 to please God Heb 11. 6. or to escape his wrath everlasting condemnation Joh. 3. 18 36. Mark 16. 16. What though there be righteousness and merit inough in Christ yet this will not justifie us without faith If a rich man would bestow some precious pearl that is worth thousands and thousands of pounds this is enough indeed to make a beggar or broken-bankrupt rich but yet not till he do receive it Even so in this case It is not through want of merit and righteousness in Christ but through want of faith in their own hearts that many thousand sinners do perish everlastingly By what means may this faith be attained 1 It is good to be well informed of the misery of a man without faith how such an one for the present lyes under the wrath and displeasure of God Iohn 3. 36. Heb 11. 6. how he is uncapable of mercy Math 13. last Heb 3. last how the meanes of grace will never do him good as long as he remaines in that condition Heb 4. 2. that so continuing his damnation is certain unavoidable John 3. 18. Mark 16. 16. If these things were well considered and thought on it might by the blessing of God awaken secure unbelieving sinners out of their sinfull security 2 It is needfull for a man to be convinced that naturally hee wants faith John 16. 8. Iohn 3. 27. as the Apostle confesseth Rom 7. 18. in me that is in my 〈◊〉 there dwe●…eth no good th●…ng Untill a man be convinced of this he will never seek for faith for who will seek for that wherof he feels not any want Nor will God give faith till men see feel their want need of it Luke 1. 53. It is not Gods manner to give grace to them that feel no want of grace but where he hath a purpose to bestow it there he first convinceth the soul of its want It is need●…ll also to be convinced of a mans want of power to believe of himself Else if a man bring a faith of his own making this is not faith of a right stamp for that is a 〈◊〉 of the operation of God Col. 2. 12. Therfore the soul must be convinced of that Iohn 6. 44. and have the experimentall feeling of in himself that he can not co●…e to Ch●…st by believing except he be drawn and therfore must feelingly cry out Draw mee that I may runn af●…er thee Cant. 1. 4. Yea and farther a man must be convinced of his great d●…ep unworthyness that ever God should wo●…k faith in him or give the grace o●… believing to such a wretch and this in regard of his many great sins in regard of his slighting of Christ and grace many a time when it hath been offered in regard that there are thousands others in whom God may glorifie his rich grace and let him dy without any part or portion therin When a man comes to this then if God work faith in him he will be very thankfull and give God the glory of it and God loves to dispence all his favours in such a way as may be for the glory of his free grace Ephe. 1. 6. 3 A third meanes for the begetting of faith is a right serious consideration of Gods promises God hath made many great and precious promises in his word and the pondering and musing on them is one special meanes for the begetting strengthening of this grace Acts 15. 7. and Rom 10 17. It is by the promises that wee are made partakers of the divine nature 2 Peter 1. 4. It is a great mistake in some poor souls to think that the promises are of no use but only to comfort them that are believers already yea and such as know themselves so to bee and therfore these as long as they discern not saith in themselves they dare medle with no promises but lay them aside and let them ly by as things that do not concern them but only concern others wheras one use of the promises is for the begeting of faith And therfore when we can not bring Hope Faith to the promise we must go to the promise for them Therfore thou that art full of doubting and feares do thou seriously consider the promise weigh it think much on it pray over it that God would give thee an heart to believe and if it will not bee at the first think again weigh it again pray again c and by much veiwing gazing on it God may work faith in thee though thou hadst none before as by much beholding the glory of the Lord in the glass of the Gospel wee are changed into the same Image 2 Cor. 3. 18. This may well be meant by that hiding of the Treasure Math 13. 44 45. namely that he hides the promises of mercy in the Gospel in the bottom of his heart and soul by serious meditation and consideration of them Particularly it is good to consider the large extent of these promises how they are general excluding none but such as by

Faith C Change none in God though he wills a change in the creature page 20. Christ the object of faith p. 6 29 30. How he dyed rose again for our justification p. 18 19 20. Consideration of his f●…lness freeness of grace a means for the begetting of faith page 24. Comfort to believers p. 33. How it commeth to pass that believers do not allwayes feel the comfort of a justified estate page 34 35. how attained p. 36. F Faith the object of it as it justifieth page 6 29 30. doth not justifie as a work or vertue in us p. 9. Is not the very matter or thingly which we stand just p. 9 10. doth justifie only in respect of its object Christ p. 10. doth all with reference to Christ ibid. Why Love other graces do not justifie as well as faith Christ being the object of them also p. 11. faith only doth justifie p. 12. no actuall justification afore it p. 13 14 15. wee are not justified by it declaritively only page 16. should be laboured for six means wherby p. 21 to 26. the misery of a soul without it p. 22. means for the tryall of it p. 26 etind●… Faith a supernatural grace 27. the humbled soul the subject of it p. 28. of the fruits of it page 30 31. Forgivness of sinns the dreadfulness of being without it p. 3 31. the happiness of being forgiven page 32 33. G Gospel what page 2. the meanes of faith p. 4. what is its work in the begetting of faith page 4. Grace justificatiō is of Gods free grace page 43. yea though we be not justified without Christs satisfaction p. 41 42. H Humbled soul the subject of faith p. 28. See sorrow for sin I ●…tation the form of justification pag 36. the meaning of that saying faith is imputed for righteous●…ss p. 37. Of Christs righteousness to us p. 38 42. of our sins to Christ p. 39. and how this can stand with justice p. 41. imputed righteousness to be sought p. 44. Justice how to impute the sins of one to another can stand therewith p. 41. how Justice Mercy do accord in justificatiō salvation by Christ p. 40 41. Justification the work of God p. 6 7. can never be lost p. 7. is by faith p. 9 10. by faith only 12. no actual justificatiō afore faith ten reasons p. 13 c objections for justification afore faith answered p. 16 to 22. absurdities of justification from eternity 14 15. purchased by Christ though not applyed afore faith p. 18 19. the blessedness of a justified estate and the contrary p. 31 to 33. how free when it is not without Christs satisfaction P. 41. L Law alone can not beget faith yet is necessary to prepare for faith p. 3. Love of God eternal yet justificatiō other fruits of it exhibited in time 20 21. M Mercy in our salvation though it bee not without the satisfaction of Christ pag 41 42. Ministry of the word a means of faith page 27. See word P Promises of God the consideration of them a m●…n for the bege●…ting of faith 23. Punishment of our sins laid on Christ how this can stand with justice 40 41. R Righteousness of Christ impu●…ed is both active passive p. 42. wee are not as righteous as Christ though his righteousness be imputed to us page 42. wee should not content our selves with righteousness inherent but seek for imputed also p. 44. Comfort against the imperfection of our own righteousness page 44. S Sorrow for sin where it is not there is no faith 28. the sufferings of Christ for our sins a means of godly sorrow p. 43. U Ungodly how God justifies them 16. W Word the means of faith p. 3 4 27. why many have it yet never attain 〈◊〉 faith page 4. their case lamentablē that want it p. 5. what to be thought of Infants Idiots deaf persons that can not hear the Word page 4. Errata In page 1. line 20. for variens read very p 2. l. 2●… 28. for ●…s r. this l. 24. for the r. this p. 15. l. 9 for theupon r. therupon p. 16. l. 19 for only that r. only to know that p. 25. l. 18. for were r. was p. 26. l. 1. for deals r. dealt p. 29. l. 22. for ther●… r. here FINIS Quest Answ Quest 2 Answ. Quest 3 Answ Quest 4 Answ. Do●…r 〈◊〉 Quest 〈◊〉 Answ Quest 〈◊〉 Answ Quest 3 Answ. Quest 4 Answ Quest 5 Answ Quest 6 Answ Use 1 Use 2 Use 3 Quest Answ Doct Reas Reas 2 Use 1 Use 2 Use 3 Use 4 Use 5 Use 6 Doctr Propos. 1 Propos. 2 Propos 3 Quest Answ Propos. 4 Use 1 Use 2 Object 1 Answ Object 2 Answ Object 3 Answ Object 4 Answ Object 5 Answ Object 6 Answ Use 3 Quest Answ Use 4 Object Answ Use 5 Quest Answ Quest Answ Quest Answ Doctr Mr. Forbes Quest 1 Answ Quest 2 Answ Quest 3 Answ Quest 4 Answ Quest 5 Answ Quest 6 Answ Use 1 Use 2 Use 3 Use 4 Use 5