Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
scripture_n able_a salvation_n word_n 2,196 5 4.1078 3 false
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A51261 An addition to the Clavis aurea with an enquiry upon what terms the salvation of man doth depend; whether entirely on faith or entirely on works, or whether entirely on grace or free-gift. By Thomas Moor, author of the Clavis aurea, living in St. Thomas's in Southwark.; Clavis aurea. Addition. Moor, Thomas, fl. 1695-1697. 1696 (1696) Wing M2608AA; ESTC R216354 26,490 32

There are 3 snippets containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

carry no other Sense than its one literal Sense and that is Satisfaction enough for us And so I leave you to understand that Text fully in these Books and then you 'll be better satisfied but the Mysteries of Divinity or the ways of God are so far above our ways though they be made apparent to the Vnderstanding and Experience yet may appear Fabulous to your Faith for sometime and it may be in this World for ever as it pleases God to enlighten your Mind As to my Sheet concerning Elijah I find they that know least make most Noise and by such I have reeeived Abuses enough and shewed their malice to forsake my Shop But what would People have me to do Had they bad such Visions and such fulfilling of their Expectations as I have had mentioned in that Dispute with the Athenian Society Could they with a safe Conscience go back Especially when the Learned fly from Argument as if they were afraid to discourse me But herein will lie some Satisfaction if no Man can be found that is able to discourse me then I hope I have the mere reason to suspect my self to be that Person but if I were able as I know nothing to the contrary as yet to overthrow the whole World in Divinity I should never believe my self to be that Elias except I also lived to see the Second Coming of Christ In the mean time I put forth these Books to try the Learned and to cause a Preparation against that Day but whither 't will answer my Expectation I am not certain however I must try it and if it fails me I have been no Impudent Affirmer but modest in what I have writ and have to the best of my Knowledg kept close to the Truth and better cannot be expected from me whereby my Conscience is perfectly satisfied let things go how they will and if there be any Evil let the Learned answer for that whose place it is to satisfy Men in their Errors and Doubts and once more I now try them being the last I intend to write and so I take my leave of them except they answer me and others will be at the Charges of Printing my Re-answers for my Ability will not do it The last things that I can understand by the Scriptures is the Preparation Elias is to make to meet Christ in Love at his second Appearance for the turning a Curse from the Earth Mal. 4. and then follows the second coming of Christ As for the calling of the Jews it lyes somewhat dubious in Scripture whither it will be immediately before Christ's coming or at his coming Our Saviour saith When I come shall I find Faith on Earth Luke 18. 8. Now if the Jews are called before he come I should be apt to think there would be Faith upon Earth otherwise how are they called Besides the Deliverer that is to come out of Sion to turn Iniquity from them must certainly be by Faith and who can give them Faith but Christ See Rom. 11. 26. Again the Generation of the Jews are not to pass away till all these things be done Math. 24. 34. that is in the foregoing verses till the Son of Man come in the Clouds with Power and great Glory this Generation is not to pass away Observe then if the Jews should before the coming of Christ turn Christians they would not regard their Geneology and so their Generation would pass away so that I cannot discern that their calling will be till the the second coming of Christ I shall not detain you here any longer but I hope this Age will not altogether imitate the blind Zeal of the Jews who persecuted that Doctrine they were not able to answer But already my Suffering in this case in forsaking my Shop that have so great a Family proves their Knowledge as little as their Charity which last is one Proof of Apostolick Doctrine And thus in all Ages hath God confounded the Wisdom of the World T. M. An Addition to the Clavis Aurea for a more perfect Satisfaction in Salvation after fifteen years tryal of the Learned THE Scripture tells us in one place That we are saved by Grace through Faith and not of Works least any should boast Eph. 2. 8 9. but in another place contrary to this We are not saved by Faith alone but also by Works James 2. 24. In another place by the Works of the Law shall no Flesh be justified Gal. 2. 16. But in another place contrary to this all Vnbelievers Fearful and whosoever maketh a Lye have their Portion in the Lake of Brimstone and Fire Rev. 21. 8. which argues we must be saved by perfection in good works I need not tell you the insatisfaction in these things insomuch that we are at a Nonplus to know on what terms our Salvation doth depend whether entirely on Faith or entirely on Works or partly on Faith and partly on Works or entirely on Grace So that the Scripture is a Book sealed up and he that is not able to overthrow all Men of the contrary Judgment to his can be no Minister of it As it came by Inspiration so Inspiration must unfold it they were never yet laid open for Paul writ the Wisdom of God in a Mystery 1 Cor. 2. 7. and there hath been no Spiritual Man to do it since and the Scripture speaks but of one to come to which I refer you to my Disputation with the Athenian Society concerning Elias in Mal. 4. By the word Grace I mean a Free-gift as if Salvation were given us we not meriting it by any Free-will in us VVhen I say Moses Law I mean not only the Moral Commands of Moses as the Ten Commandments and the like but also the Moral Commands of Christ which are the same as the Law only some of them more difficult to be obeyed as for example if the Law saith Thou shalt not commit Adultery Christ saith if we but lust after a Woman we commit Adultery in the Heart If the Law saith Thou shalt not covet Christ bid the Rich Man to sell all he had and to give to the Poor This being understood I shall now open what I have said concerning on what terms our Salvation doth depend when it is said by the works of the Law shall no Flesh be justified it is without we keep the Law of Moses so entirely as not to break it in one point for then we are guilty of the whole James 2. 10. in that Sense that it will condemn us and Repentance will not fetch us back to be justified by that Law being once broken but a Sacrifice or Christ must make up what of that Law we are not able to keep when it is said we are not saved by Faith alone but also by Works it is to be understood that Faith is dead without Works James 2. 26. So that Faith which works not by Love from whence flows good VVorks is not a living but dead Faith
and not esteemed of in the sight of God but yet we cannot understand by this that our VVorks are to be so perfect that the Law must not be broken for then what would the Blood of Christ signify to us VVho is it that ever liv'd so holy but every Day breaks the Law tho against his Desire But more of this in another Place As to the Scripture which seems to plead for Perfection of good VVorks and Faith in this Life or no Salvation which is that Vbelievers Fearful and all Lyars shall have their Portion in the Lake Rom. 21. 8. points that such Perfection is given after this Life otherwise who shall be saved this will end the Confusion that is preach'd Thus I have given an uniting of the Scripture as to Faith and Works And for the better understanding this I proceed to the Definition of a justiing Faith But first let me tell you Perfection in good Works is taught to be in this Life and so the Error of the Galatians is on us who expected Justification by the Law for they say if we repent we shall be forgiven which I grant but that which is the Mistake and brings us under Bondage again is that they allow not Repentance sufficient without also a forsaking of the Sin repented of and Men not always finding it in their Power so to do fall into Despair So that we had need of a more comfortable Doctrine to encourage us in that which is good and to render us Satisfaction For I find from the Example of the Primitive Christians that sold their Estates and gave it to the Poor that Love draws more than Fear compels A Definition of a Justifying or Saving Faith A Justifying or Saving Faith consists in three parts 1. To believe that Christ suffered for Sin without doubting of it 2. To love him to that perfection of Love as not to fear but to be assured of our Salvation 3. To delight in good works tho we cannot be so perfect in them as to keep the whole Law of Moses or Moral Commands of Christ yet having this Faith Good Works would be as was in the Primitive Faith when they sold their Possessions and distributed to those that wanted far surpassing what is now practised So that believing without doubting assurance of Salvation and good Works make up one Faith for Justification And if one of these three parts be wanting the Faith is not Justifying and so by consequence nor Saving Whence all three parts put together make up such a Faith as we must have either in this World or the World to come or no Salvation Proofs of this Faith in every part of it 1. He that doubts whether Christ suffered or not doth not believe for he that doubteth is damned is he eats because he eateth not of Faith Rom. 14. 23. questioning the lawfulness or unlawfulness of the Meat he eats which shews that a doubting Faith is a damning Faith But in objection to this we say Christ healed the Man that said Lord I believe help my Vnbelief So he healed all that were diseased of their Bodies that came unto him whether Believers or Unbelievers yet without this Faith there 's no Salvation And as to his not quenching the smoaking Flax that 's in some for it 's certain that Israel in part are concluded in Unbelief born to die in Unbelief And indeed the Faith now in general is a doubting wavering seeking Faith and Books are now writ to prove the Scriptures the word of God there being so little credit given to them 2. The second part of this Faith is assurance of Salvation It is neither Circumcision nor Vncircumcision that availeth but Faith that works by love Gal. 5. 6. Hence 't is a Faith that works by love that is saving or available and this Faith which works by Love is not made perfect if Fear be not extinguished as 't is writ He that fears is not made perfect in love 1 John 4. 18. Now if 1 question whether God loves me so well as to save me I am in fear and where there is Fear there is Torment John 4. 18. So that it 's evident a Faith which works by Love is made perfect by a casting out of Fear which cannot be till there be an assurance of Salvation this being so clearly proved proves the first part of Faith to be true that doubting is not believing for who can be sure of his Salvation that doubts of Christ's Suffering 3. The third part of this Saving Faith is to delight in good Works tho we cannot be so perfect in them in this Life as to keep the whole Law of Moses and Moral Commands of Christ The Error that the foolish Galatians were under is the same as now 〈◊〉 which was that they sought Justification by being so 〈◊〉 good Works that they were able to keep the Law or 〈…〉 committing Sin as if we must first keep the Law 〈…〉 before we can have an Interest in Christ As 〈…〉 ●o absurd as to say they can live without 〈…〉 But Paul tells them he preached the Gospel to them 〈…〉 the Flesh and in the next Verse he calls this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Flesh which was Sin And in that 〈◊〉 so 〈…〉 they must have seen it because Paul 〈…〉 this his Temptation in the Flesh which the●efo●e must be a visible Sin or Temptation Gal. 4 13 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may go far and not be perfect 1 Cor. 13 'T is ●●●rity that is the tryal of a Christian's Faith and it never faileth The 〈◊〉 satisfaction of future Joys opens the Hearts of Men but Unbelievers hold it best to be sure of keeping what they have here for fear of not being recompenc'd hereafter But I would not have you mistake the Apostle when he saith Though I bestow all my 〈◊〉 to the Poor and have not Charity it profiteth me nothing ● Paul doth not say he that giveth his Goods to the Poor for Christ ● sake hath not Charity that cannot be but to give them in O●●●u●ation or Pride For Charity covereth a multitude of Sins 1 Pet. 4. 8 and true Charity sussereth long or is patient and is kind and e●vieth not ●●aunteth not it self is not puffed up and doth not unseemly beleave it self especially towards the Poor as if they were not his Fellow-Creatures Paul preach'd Sin unavoidable so that if he had found in himself that he could have avoided it altogether he could not have let his Experience and Doctrine so contradict each other for in Rom. 7. 21 he thus writes I find then a Law that when I would do good evil it present with me Again ver 18. to will is present with me but 〈◊〉 to perform that which is good I find not and much more in that Chapter to the same purpose And indeed the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit that we cannot do the things we would Gal. 5. 17. But i● objection to this we read Paul got the Victory 1 Cor. 15. ●7
AN ADDITION TO THE Clavis Aurea WITH An Enquiry upon what Terms the Salvation of Man doth depend whether entirely on Faith or entirely on Works or whether partly on Faith or partly on Works or whether entirely on Grace or Free-gift By THOMAS MOOR Author of the Clavis Aurea living in St. Thomas's in Southwark God hath chosen the foolish things of the World to confound the wise and weak things of the World to confound the mighty 1 Cor. 1. 27. London Printed in the Year 1696. TO THE READER MY Clavis Aurea lies unanswered before that Book was printed I was so careful to send a such-like Copy to Dr. Stillingfleet another to Mr. Laughton at Trinity-Colledge in Cambridge and the same Copy that is now in print to Mr. Bradford now Minister of Bow but all of them refused to discourse me the reason I could never know of their Refusal Dr. Stillingfleet would not flatly deny me but tyred me out in coming after him This Clavis Aurea now in print I sent one to Mr. Vincent and after some time I visited him with two Friends with me but he positively refused to discourse one Once I visited Cambridge having chosen the Trade of a Barber preferring it before the tempted Life of a Lawyer to which my Parents designed me where having that opportunity as I Trimm'd them I put Questions to the Schollars by which and their Answers I was well Satisfied of the Strength of my Argments Most of the Ministers about where I live have had that Clavis Aurea but none of them have been so Charitable if they thought me in an Error to endeavour to convince me Alas Disputation is ten Thousand Times beyond Preaching for Men by Reading and Study may be well Skill'd in the Moral part of the Scriptures and pay from them preach to the World seemingly very good Doctrine and be cryed up for excellent Preachers but Disputation tryes a man to the quick it was the usual Custom of Paul in all places he came to to dispute and to enter into the Jews Synogogues and dispute them nay in the Market-Place Acts 17. 17. and he disputed daily in the School of Tyrannus Acts 19. 9. and received all that came unto him so that he sought Disputation net Shamming them of pleading Excuses and turning them out of Doors for fear of his Reputation and consequently his Interest I would have all men take especial notice that 't is a true thing that Custom in a false Religion hath diverted Men from the belief of what cannot be overthrown whereas its safer to rely on such unanswerable Proofs and that renders us excusable though the Tenets in themselves should prove erronious since we close with the Truth as near as we can and better cannot be expected from us but to adhere to what we cannot by Argument maintain is altogether Sinful having no Plea or Reason to give In Scripture Divinity was ever a Free-gift and could not be obtain'd by study and was given to Labouring and Tradesmen as the poor Fishermen and Paul a Tent-maker who work'd with his Hands to maintain himself and left it for an Example to others who now do not follow the Example of him that was able to reach them all 2 Thess 3. 8 9. As the Clavis Aurea hath not yet been answered so I account this likewise will prove unanswerable because I have followed an infallible way to ground my Tenets upon Thus All Scriptures are certainly true and as they are true they cannot contradict one another Really for then some of them must of necessity be false they may seemingly as they do contradict one another but not really because they are all true and nono false if rightly interpreted from the Originals and the Originals be also true but I take them as they lie in the last Interpretation which Interpretation if any pretend to contradict the only way to be satisfied of that is by these Books I have writ by veiwing their Harmony which if they were not rightly interpreted from their true Original● in what I write they could not be united in Sense one with another From this Rule I make choice of some place of Scripture for our satisfaction in Salvation that will admit of no other Exposition than its own literal Sense and besure no other Scripture must contradict that Scripture really because they are all true hence I make my choice of Rom. 11. 25 26. Blindness in part is happened to Israel till the fulness of the Gentiles be come in and so all Israel shall be saved I find this Text will admit of no other Exposition than its own literal Sense and Experience confirming its literal Sense true of their Blindness to continue so long which makes this literal Sense an infallible Exposition For Israel in part do die in Vnbelief and are born to die in Vnbelief since their Vnbelief is to contine so long till the Fulness of the Gentiles be come in which could not be for any Sin they had committed because they were not born and were they to have Free-will they could not be foreseen to contiune so long in Vnbelief which Exposition is infallible as in this Book I prove more largly I must of necessity then since all Scripture is true and none false bring all Scriptures of that concern to concur with it and they must not contradict it for then some Scriptures must be false but this will appear more easy to your Vnderstanding in reading this Book I must likewise tell you that all Scripture of Salvation that carry a double Sense must be brought to this of Rom. 11. 25. otherwise they prove nothing in themselves as carrying a double Sense so all Arguments that carry a double Sense I reject because then there will be no end of Controversy As for Example The Worm that never dies and the Fire that is never quench'd Isa 66. 24. may be brought to signify a sting of Conscience and a real Fire after this Life or may be taken thus when united to Rom. 11. 25. when a new Heaven and Earth is made as appears in the Texts before then all Flesh that is all Men shall come and worship before me from one new moon and from one Sabbath to another that is always and shall go forth and look upon the Carcases of the Men that have sinn'd against me c. Now if all Flesh come and worship before him who are left for them to go forth and look upon but as they have been the Children of the Flesh and now in Glory they shall consider themselves and abhor their former condition in the Flesh and so by the Worm that never dies and by the Fire that is never quench'd may be signified the Wrath of God excluding these very Persons Bodies eternally from Heaven This last Exposition of that Text then will appear the truest and let the Exposition be what it will it must not contradict that Text of Rom. 11. 25. which will