Selected quad for the lemma: reason_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
reason_n	believe_v	faith_n	revelation_n	2,830	5	9.5573	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A43111	Absolute election of persons, not upon foreseen conditions, stated and maintained in some sermons preach'd at Hartford : with some animadversions on some Pelagian passages in a book entituled, Vulgar errors in divinity removed, written by Mr. Ralph Battell ... / by Will. Haworth ...	Haworth, William.	1694 (1694)	Wing H1193; ESTC R15048	42,137	40

it 's said Rom. 11.7 the Election hath obtai●… but now what Conditions did these Infants fulfil of obeying and per●●●●ing when as they were cut off before they were capable of doing any thing or using any Means and God had decreed and determined them unto Death in their Infancy Remember now that elect Infants dying in Infancy make but one Body together with us of those that shall be saved Here are some elected without Conditions 3. Reason The Number of those that shall be saved is certain the Number can neither be increased or decreased added to or taken from there is a Book of Life spoke of in Scripture Rev. 20.15 it is a figurative Speech borrowed from Men it signifies the unchangeable Purpose of God in giving Salvation to some now as it is among Men Names are written in Books so the Names of them that shall be saved are in God's Mind and known to him certain as if they were written in a Book now this Book is so kept that none that are written here can be blotted out nor any written that are not already written from Eternity ther fore this is given as a Reason why some Men stood and persevered in Aposta●izing Times when others fell it was this their Names were written in this Book i. e. God had chosen them they must stand their Names could not be blotted out Rev. 13.8 All that dwell upon the Earth shall worship him and whose Names are not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World Rev. 21. ult None shall enter into the City new Jerusalem but they that are written in the Lamb's Book of Life that Number written there and none but that Number shall be saved Rev. 20.15 And whosoever was not found written in the Book was cast into the Lake of Fire All went to Hell but they not any added to them the Number is definite Mat. 24.24 it 's said if it were possible the very Elect But if it were upon Condition that Men are elected this could not be for th●s ● are tendered to a●l Men and sufficient Means to believe and they have Power to believe or not then the Number must increase or decrease as they believe or not persevere or fall off to day there are more tomorrow less more again ●nd ●ess again as Men will hold on or not the Election of a definite certain Number to which not one can be added nor taken from doth diametrically oppose the Election of Conditions which all must be under equally and no on●●eparated from the rest 4. If Election was upon Conditions if we believe and repent and persevere then would he have given Means to all to have known those Conditions else v●r little Love in God to set Terms upon which all Men may be saved and yet not to let all Men know these Terms now it is clear from Scripture that none knows the way to Eternal Life but those that have the preaching of the Gospel or the reading of the Scripture Rom. 1.16 it 's said of the Gospel it is the Power of God to Salvation to every one that believes for therein is the Righteousness of God revealed from Faith to Faith here is the Reason he tells after what the Gentiles could attain to by their Helps it was only to know there was a Godhead full of Power and Wisdom but they could not reach this to understand the Righteousness of God and how the Just should live by Faith and depend upon another for Salvation and receive the Righteousness of God 1 Cor. 1.21 it 's said the World by Wisdom knew not God it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe Acts 11.18 Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted Repentance unto Life This was when the Apostles came among them and preached to them till then notwithstanding all their Helps they were in Darkness and in the shadow of Death 5. To elect upon Conditions is to turn the Grace of God into a Covenant of Works and to put us into that Covenant This makes a Covenant of Works viz. That there is a Condition of Life given to us and it lies upon our Hands to do it we are to perform it be it what it will if we are to do it for Life the Condition to Adam was Do this and live but now it is Believe and live but it is all one as if he had said Do and live in case that our Election depends upon it The Article is changed only or the Act to be done but the Obligation and manner of Treaty is the same it lies upon us to do it otherwise we shall not have the Election of God or Salvation Object But we have Faith given us Answ This makes not a difference this alters it not to say we have Power given us or the Grace of Faith to believe for so had Adam Power given him to do whatever God should command or did command this Power he had given him before he sinned all his Abilities were given him with his Being from God so that they did not arise as some think I say his Abilities whereby he was to walk upon Terms of Justice did not arise from his natural Principle Thirdly Now hear the Inconveniences that follow upon their Doctrine that seems so plausible if you believe and persevere then God chuses you if you perform the Conditions he elects them first then Persons as they fall under them 1. This is against the Perfection of God for to will upon a Condition is but an imperfect Act of the Will it is but a Velleity a wishing or woulding because whatever is willed upon a Condition is willed disjunctively either I will do or I will not do it Now to say God doth imperfectly will is not becoming God who can do what he will do it only saves God's Credit however it falls out but it sutes not his Greatness and Goodness to wish a thing that is never accomplished 2. It doth not sute the Wisdom of God to proceed from Generals to Specials first he wills Conditions and then Men as they fall under these Conditions particular Persons as they fulfil them This argues Weakness in God's Knowledg as if he knew not who they should be before-hand 3. It makes void all Election of Persons thus their Election runs viz. He that believes shall be saved what needs any more except God's Fidelity be suspected If a Prince should say all Rebels that come in shall be pardoned what need any more mentioning of Persons except you will not give Credit to the Prince there needs no Act of Pardon to be granted when they do come in all that do come in enjoy their Pardon and it is not given them by any new Act except there be cause to suspect the Prince's or Magistrate's Fidelity There is no cause at all to suspect that God will not keep his Word and make it good for he hath said whosoever believes shall

you all Believers know this that Christ is in them by Faith except they be Reprobates The plain Meaning of it is this viz. All true Christians know this that where God doth long afford the Gospel unto Men and it hath had some Workings on them if they resist it and resist it totally there is reason to fear that they are Reprobates Christ it 's true may be in one and he not know it but all Christians fear that if so be Christ be not in them under the Means that then they are not accepted of God 2. We shall know hereby that by every Affliction we shall be the better Rom. 8.28 the Apostle comforts the Romans against Afflictions that they should be the better for them because they were called according to his Purpose Nothing will comfort a godly Man under Affliction but that he shall be the better for it Not the taking off the Afflictions or Support under them but it is only this that will quiet that they shall work together for good As a covetous Man is not contented to have his own unless he may have Profit by it so a godly Man is not content to keep his Grace under Affliction except he grow better by it Now this we shall see by knowing our Election 3. Knowing you Election you will be enabled to give God the Praise of the Glory of his Grace This Grace is his Electing Love Those that know their Election their Hearts will be exceeding humble for they see nothing in themselves moving God to have a Love to them this will empty the Heart and lay it low and cause it to magnify Grace mightily Your Election may be known 1st It is an Act that is past and hath a Being in the Will of God from Eternity things that are to be known must have a certain Existence Election hath he knoweth who are his and he knoweth who are his only from his own good Will and Pleasure Rom. 11.34 Who hath known the Mind of the Lord or who hath been his Counsellor Now Election upon Condition is from a Man's uncertain fickle slippery mutable Will so can never be known and hath no Existence 2dly It may be known for it is an Act of God which he will not reverse nor repeal 2 Tim. 2.19 The Foundation of God stands sure the Lord knoweth who are his As sure as the Knowledg of God cannot be deceived so he cannot cast off them that he hath chosen The Foundation of God stands sure tho Professors fall and eminent ones yet not one that was of the Foundation of Election 3dly It may be known for God hath made known who are the Vessels of Mercy Heb. 6.17 Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the Heirs of Promise the Immutability of his Counsel confirmed it by an Oath His Counsel is made known to the Heirs of Promise by the Oath or Gospel 1 Thess 1.4 the Apostle saith he knew their Election and not by Revelation and Inspiration as he had the Doctrine which he was to deliver unto Men but he judged of Mens Persons by their Practice The Apostle Paul did so Acts 13.10 he judged him to be a Child of Satan because he did not cease to pervert the right Ways of the Lord. And so Peter Acts 8.23 of Simon Magus Thou' art in the Gall of Bitterness The Ground of it was because he thought the Gift of God was to be purchased with Money The Apostle speaks of the Assurance of Election putting himself in Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect Rom. 8.33 And again Who shall separate us ver 35. He speaks of Believers How knew he the Thassalonians Election by the Works he saw in them 1 Thess 1.4 5. For our Gospel came not unto you in Word only but also in Power And by the Works of the Gospel they might know as well as Paul nay better than Paul because the Work was wrought in them The Midwife knows that the Woman was with Child when she see the Child but the Mother that brought it forth knew it more certainly He that eats any thing knows the Savor better by his Taste than he that smells the Scent of it The Apostle judges by the Thessalonians Works they might judg of themselves more certainly than he he judged by external Actions and they had the internal Operation in themselves 4thly God calls upon to be sure of it puts us upon it engageth us to look after it Now if it could not be known then may it be said that God dissembles which cannot be said 2 Pet. 1.10 Make your Calling and Election sure Object But it will be said Many have been deceived and thought they have had Evidence of it when they have not they have taken these things for Signs in which there was no Light Answ Some have taken Brass for Gold Will it follow then that there is no difference betwixt those two Metals If Men have been deceived with false Coin they should learn to go try them at the Touch-stone 1. If you will know your Election it is required you should be those whose spiritual Senses are exercised to discern of things You must have a good Understanding of spiritual Matters Novices will not reach this Hypocrisy may be so finely drawn as that it may be taken for the Power of Godliness by Men that are good and counted great Men. 2. You must have the Counsel of the Spirit beside your own Understanding 1 Cor. 2.11 12. None knows the things of a Man but the Spirit of a Man that is in him so the things of God none knoweth but the Spirit of God and this Spirit which is of God is received that we may know the things that are freely given us of God 3. That you may judg aright you must judg by the Scripture not by Reason or Revelation or external Privilege or the Perswasion or Testimony of others or the Perswasion of a Man 's own Heart only First Not by immediate Revelation without the Scripture as some pretend Some think to know their State by Revelation so some poor Souls cry out sometimes O if they knew they were in the Number of them that should be saved why then they would believe They that hold that a Man is elected conditionally if they hold that God doth know before-hand who will do well and who will not yet they must hold no Man knoweth his Election but by immediate Revelation because as none knoweth what he shall do at the point of Death but only God so none but he can immediately reveal what he will do with us and what he will do then In these late Times some have made light of the Word of God as a low Rule as a Light in a dark Place as a Morning-Star only which withdraws when the Sun comes they have been given up to strong Delusion and they have seen they tell you Glory like to the Glory of the Son of God testifying to them that