Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	faith_n	true_a	word_n	11,859	5	4.4387	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02414	Pieties pillar: or, A sermon preached at the funerall of mistresse Elizabeth Gouge, late wife of Mr. William Gouge, of Black-friers, London With a true narration of her life and death. By Nicholas Guy, pastor of the church at Edge-ware in Middlesex.	Guy, Nicholas, b. 1587 or 8.	1626 (1626)	STC 12543; ESTC S103587	19,555	63

beleeue himself to be one of that number comprehended in whosoeuer liueth The Iew cannot challenge this priuiledge more then the Gentile for he is the Sauior of the Gentiles as wel as of the Iewes The Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth to the Iew first and also to the Grecian neither is there any respect or difference in Sex or degree male or female bond or free noble or ignoble wise or vnwise There is no difference but he that is Lord of all is rich vnto all that call vpon him so that here also we see a difference betweene the Law and the Gospell The Law was giuen to a certaine people confined to Ierusalem Iury and Israel Few other people of the world had any knowledge of it or meanes to know it In Iuda is God knowne his Name is great in Israel Hee dealt not so with any Nation neither had the Heathen knowledge of his Lawes But the Gospell was preached to all the sound of the Apostles went forth to all people euen to the vttermost end of the earth Hence in the Church Cathotique the company of beleeuers are of all people and kinds and kindreds that liued in the world so that the Law was like a Torch or Candle but the Gospell as the Sunne The Law said Dauid was a Lantherne to his feet but the Gospell is as the beames of the Sunne which commeth out of his chamber and goeth to the ends of the earth giuing light vnto all people Thus is the light of Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse as the beames of the Sunne which shineth to all and if any one doe not partake of that light it is because they shut their eyes against it so seeing they doe not perceiue nor vnderstand least they should see beleeue and bee saued Thus much for the vniuersality of this Charter or priuiledge excluding none comprehending all whosoeuer liueth vpon condition that he beleeueth By faith he partakes of the priuiledge This is the onely limitation of Gods mercy and promise in Christ Faith is the Chanell by which it is drawne and dispersed ouer all the world and makes the earth to bee fruitfull as Eden the Garden of God The eternall fauour and goodnesse of God is as the Fountaine Christ is the Wel or Cesterne and Faith is the Bucket whereby we draw from Christ liuing waters He that beleeues in him shall neuer dye So that when wee say Faith is the condition of life and saluation you must note that it is not such a condition as we vsually make in Bonds and Obligations and bargaine and sale which runnes in this tenure Vpon consideration of something of equall value wee become bound for the performance of such Couenants as if the condition of faith should bee worth Heauen It is not for the worth of our faith put for the merit of Christ that the faithfull shall never dye eternally And therefore the Scripture phrase runnes thus By faith and through faith wee are iustified Not for faith but for Christ apprehended by faith So that it is not faith as an habite or worke in the soule as other graces loue and patience c. which is of equall worth and vertue to preserue vs that we perish not but it is Christ alone who yet hath no vertue or operation in our salvation and redemption without beleeving on our parts to apply him to vs no more then physicke can cure a deadly disease or cloth affoord any warmth to our bodies if they be not both applyed vnto vs so that the Charter runneth betweene God and man like as if a King should grant a great priuiledge to his subiects which they should not purchase at a hard price or with a great summe but onely vpon condition to acknowledge him their soueraign Lord from whom they had receiued such great immunities which is a point of great comfort to the Christian weake in faith because it is not for the worth or excellencie of our faith that we must thinke to stand Though a strong faith is an excellent grace which will make vs as a Rocke or as houses built vpon the sure Rocke Christ the stormes and sea and windes of temptation and affliction may beat but they shall not be able to ouerthrow vs because wee are built vpon a Rocke yet a little and feeble faith which with feare trembling layes hold vpon Christ shall neuer perish because it is not the dignitie of faith which conueyes the benefit vnto vs but the worth excellency sufficiencie of Christ which is apprehended by faith It was not for the vertue of the eye which looked vp to the brazen serpent that men were healed that had been stung with fierie Serpents the weakest eyes as well as the most sharpe sighted if they could but look vp to it were healed and the begger which receiues a gift may be fully possessed of it euen with a trembling and shaking hand as well as he that hath the most stedfast hand But though a weake faith beleeving in him may serue the turne yet faith there must bee or else no hope for this priviledge For without faith it is impossible to please God So that this is that which puts a difference betweene the sheepe and the goats the wise the foolish virgins the faithfull and vnbeleevers Some say that beleeving onely without other good works wil neuer bring vs to life the which though in some sence we deny not yet this is most certaine that all other vertues without faith to beleeue in Christ are nothing worth This is that vnum necessarium which the Gospell requires of vs to beleeue in Christ and for want of this how many Infidels Iewes and Turks perish euerlastingly euen all those morall vertues of the Heathen their chastity iustice temperance c. wherewith diuers of them did abound and exceed many Christians in them were all but splendida peccata because to the Infidell and vnbeleeuing all things are impure so that notwithstanding all these if they remaine without faith in Christ they shall dye For as there is but one name giuen vnder Heauen by which we must be saued which is the blessed and sweet name of Iesus so is there no way to attaine vnto saluation by that name but by beleeuing in him But as I haue shewed you that this faith to beleeue is necessary and a weake faith may be accepted with God before I leaue the point it will not be amisse something more fully to shew you the nature of true and sauing faith which consisteth not onely in beleeuing in Christ in the History for there is Credere de Christo credere Christo credere in Christum The first is to beleeue all is true which the Scriptures report concerning the Nature Offices and Merits of Christ this a man may do and finde no vertue or fruit of it in his owne soule The second is to beleeue Christ as

his Will the Apostle tells vs that he would haue all men come to the knowledge of the truth that they may be saued And if we will not take him on his bare word wee haue his oath for it As I liue saith the Lord I haue no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked tuane from his way and liue So that we may bee sure for his willingnesse to doe hee would not that any man should dye then if we may see his power to doe it there remaines nothing more to adde to our comfort and for this wee shall easily be assured for hee is said to haue the keyes of hell and of death so that though a man should be lockt vp prisoner there hee hath the Keyes to open the doore and set vs free againe To him all power is giuen both in Heauen and in earth Power then hee hath sufficient as much as we can desire the power of the greatest Monarches and Emperours and wisest Artists in the world doth not extend thus farre to giue life to the silliest creature to the least Gnat or Emmot They that are stiled Gods in the world and sit in the seat of Iudgement as Pilate did haue power ouer life but onely priuitiuely not possitiuely onely to take away life but not to giue life vnlesse it be onely by way of sauing aliue they cannot make aliue or restore to life and therefore it was that the King of Israel answered Naaman with indignation Am I God to kill and make aliue This is a worke of God alone But this power is giuen to Christ who is therefore called Verbum Vitae Fountaine of Life From whence the diuers streames of all kinds of life doe flow both naturall spirituall and eternall in regard of the naturall life he is called The life who breathed the breath of life into vs and man became a liuing soule In whom wee still liue moue and haue our being In regard of our spirituall life he is our life So Christ liues in vs and hee which hath Christ hath life but hee which is without Christ hath not life In regard of our eternall life he is the life as appeares by the Verse immediately going before my Text I am the resurrection and the life Thus to his will he hath also power to both these what more can be added It may bee you will desire that he should bee as constant in his promise as he is ready and willing and hath power and ability Of this also wee may bee ascertained for euery good and perfect gift commeth from aboue from the Father of lights with whom is no variablenesse nor shadow of change The strength of Israel will not lye nor repent for he is not man that hee should repent So that if hee hath once promised wee need not feare he will goe back from his word Hath he said it and shall it not come to passe Let him be true and euery man a Lyar. So then you see in respect of the Author or Donour the Charter is as full and sure as we can desire it I come to the second particular the large extent of it whosoeuer liueth It is without limitation of time or place or condition of men It is not bounded within the compasse of some particular men liuing in such an age of the world nor vnto a certaine people inhabiting such a City or Land nor to particular estates or professions and conditions liuing in this world If we partake not of it the fault is ours because we doe not apply it nor lay hold on it it is promised and proffered to all men liuing whosoeuer liueth In what age of the world soeuer hee liueth in what place soeuer he liueth from what stocke soeuer hee is deriued and in what condition of life soeuer he liueth the rich and the poore saith Salomon meete together and God is the maker of them both so is Christ the Sauiour of both Of a truth saith Saint Peter I perceiue that God is no respecter of persons Not of the rich before the poore nor of the wise and Scribe and learned before the weake and vnlearned But in euery Nation hee that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him Scythian and Barbarian as well as Iew or Grecian bee hee of noble or base descent This is the large extent Whosoeuer I willingly passe by the secret purpose and prescience of God who sees all things at once omnia simul and so knowes who will embrace it and who refuse it I will not here dispute whether in those generall promises made vnto man in the Scripture by this forme in these words Whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth whether I say God intendeth them alike to euery one this is a secret lockt vp in the bosome of God of which wee may say as the Prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is a secret reserued to God alone which some interpret Secretum meum mihi Secretum meum mihi This is a profundity at which we must stand amazed with the Apostle and cry Oaltitudo O the depth his wayes are past finding out But laying that aside for the Schooles this is that which is more fit to exhort and perswade withall in our Pulpits and which our Church hath taught vs that we should content ourselues with this we must receiue Gods promises in such wise as they he generally set forth vnto vs in holy Scripture not restraining them or determining them in particular to this or that man It is fit that we should so conceiue of God as delighting in no mans destruction nor desiring the death of any but that all should come to the knowledge of the truth that they may bee saued and if wee are not saued wee must not charge God with any ineuitable decree to the contrary as if wee perish vpon necessity but seeing hee hath set forth his gracious promise in Christ to all men whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth wee must ascribe the cause of our perishing to our selues Perditio tua ex te O Israel O Israel thou hast destroyed thy selfe because they wanted faith to beleeue as others that were saued or else they might haue beene saued as well as others It was a fauourable opinion of some which said That all mankind should bee saued effectually to which although we must not giue assent seeing such pregnant proofe to the contrary yet we doubt not but the reuealed Will of God would haue his Grace offered to all and therefore his charge to his Apostles was Goe and teach all Nations and preach the Gospell to euery creature the which as it seemes to vindicate God from all iniustice in the behalfe of those that dye and are damned eternally so it is a point of exceeding comfort to whomsoeuer this priuiledge shall bee offered At the hearing of it none should doubt or suppose that hee is exempted but should

wee would a man of his word giue credit to whatsoeuer hee hath said this wee may doe to the Prophets and Apostles but we must come neerer him then so which is the third to beleeue in him which implies a dependency and resolution to cleaue vnto him As wee apprehend Christ so must wee likewise be apprehended of Christ for Faith hath as it were two hands one receiuing Christ from God the other giuing the Beleeuer to God and both these hands ●…t vseth at one and the selfe same time At the same time that the Beleeuer applies Christ to his owne heart he applies his heart to Christ and cleaues to him with full purpose of ●oule This was notably shadowed out vnder the Ceremoniall Law in the coniunction of the sin-offering which pointed out Christ and the burnt-offering which as Saint Paul hath interpreted it more especially signifieth the sacrificing of the flesh the crucifying of the old Adam I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that yee present your bodies a liuing Sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God which is your reasonable seruice True faith offers both these at once But too many mens faith is lame on that hand which should offer the burnt Offering they onely take Christ but they giue not themselues to Christ they offer the Sinne-offering without the burnt Offering and therefore applying Christ to themselues and not themselues to Christ they misapply It is therefore as St. Bernard calls it Infidelis fiducia a faithlesse confidence for any man to perswade himselfe or presume that Christ Iesus is his Sauiour or that he hath any part either in the life or death of Christ albeit hee continue vnder the power of sinne and Satan Such a faith to speake in the words of the Poet is fallax fiducia a confidence whereby men cousen and deceiue themselues in hoping to attaine vnto Heauen though they hold on in the high way that leadeth vnto Hell Nay it is indeed in effect to blaspheme and dishonour Christ by denying though not in word yet indeed that there is any power in his death any vertue in his resurrection any renewing grace receiued from him to sanctifie those who truly beleeue in him Turkes and Pagans who plainely deny him doe not derogate so much from the glory of Christ as doe prophane professors of his name tolerabilius enim lingua quam vita mentitur The lye saith Saint Augustine which is made by the lippe is more tolerable then that which is made by the life Can Christ dwell in their hearts by faith as Saint Paul speaketh and not liue in them In whose heart soeuer Christ is resident by faith there hee reignes and disposeth him as it seemeth best to his godly wisdome By Baptisme we are buried with him into death that like as Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glory of the Father euen so wee also should walke in newnesse of life If we be risen through faith with Christ we must seek those things which are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Whosoeuer truly beleeueth in Christ conquereth this world who is he saith Saint Iohn that ouercommeth the world but hee that beleeueth that Iesus is the Sonne of God They that by faith are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Wheresoeuer there is a Christian beliefe there will also be a Christian life Credere in Cristum saith Saint Augustine est credendo amare c. To belieue in Christ is through faith heartily to affect him and to be really incorporated into him so that beleeuing in Christ is more then to comprehend him in the vnderstanding it is also to imbrace him in our hearts and affections As Christ naked without respect of his merits is not the obiect of our faith so our faith naked without our affectionate desire to bee ioyned to him is not the true meanes to apprehend Christ and conueigh his merits vnto vs. This is that which is required on their parts who partake of the priuiledge here promised The taske is not hard it is not to giue a great ransome for our soules so the poore could not enioy it or to discourse accuratly so the simple and vnlearned could not attaine vnto it or to goe a great iourney to finde Christ so the lame and impotent might misse of it but only to beleeue in him which is a matter possible with euery man whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall neuer dye and so I come to the last part of my Text the priuiledge here granted Exemption from Death Death hath a threefold acception It is either naturall spirituall or eternall Whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ is exempted from all these The two later onely haue properly the name of Death For Death to speake properly is either a separation from God here in his Kingdome of grace or a separation from him hereafter in his Kingdome of glory Not to partake of his sauing grace here in this world is to bee spiritually dead and not to be crowned with his glory in the world to come is to be eternally dead They who haue onely vitam naturae the life of nature here in this world and haue not vitam gratiae the life of grace are spiritually dead according to that of the Apostle She that liueth in pleasure is dead while she liueth and according to that of our Sauiour Let the dead bury the dead It may bee said of such as it was of the Angell of the Church of Sardis They haue a name that they liue but are dead So they who in the next world haue onely vitam naturae the life of nature and haue not vitam gloriae the life of glory are eternally dead From both these deaths all true Beleeuers in Christ Iesus are exempted for they liue spiritually and eternally That the true beleeuers in Christ Iesus enioy a spirituall life is euident according to that of S. Iohn 1.12 13. They that beleeue on his Name are borne not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Besides their naturall birth they haue a spirituall As many as by faith are in Christ Iesus they are new creatures they receiue a new life so likewise doe they enioy eternall life according to that of our Sauiour This is life eternall by faith to know the Father to be the onely True God and whom he hath sent Iesus Christ All the question seemes to be concerning their exemption from the naturall death but if we diligently obserue their condition it will easily appeare that they are exempted frō that death also For as they who enioy natural life are said to bee dead because they are depriued of the spirituall life so they who are naturally dead may be said to be aliue because they enioy the life of glory The naturall death to them especially is changed into a sleepe Death to them is not