Selected quad for the lemma: soul_n
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A52593
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A declaration of the faith and order owned and practised in the Congregational Churches in England; agreed upon and consented unto by their elders and messengers. Licensed and entred according to order.
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Congregational Churches in England.; Owen, John, 1616-1683.; Nye, Philip, 1596?-1672.
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1688
(1688)
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Wing N1490; ESTC R222326
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27,512
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123
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whole body of Sin is destroyed and the several Lusts thereof are more and more weakned and mortified and they more and more quickned and strengthned in all Saving Graces to the practice of all true Holiness without which no Man shall see the Lord. II. This Sanctification is throughout in the whole man yet imperfect in this life there abideth still some remnants of corruption in every part whence ariseth a continual and irreconcileable war the flesh lusting against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh III. In which war although the remaining corruption for a time may much prevail yet through the continual supply of strength from the Sanctifying Spirit of Christ the Regenerate part doth overcome and so the Saints grow in Grace perfecting Holiness in the fear of God. CHAP. XIV Of Saving Faith. THE Grace of Faith whereby the Elect are inabled to believe to the Saving of their Souls is the Work of the Spirit of Christ in their Hearts and is ordinarily wrought by the Ministry of the Word by which also and by the Administration of the Seals Prayer and other means it is increased and strengthned II. By this Faith a Christian believeth to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word for the Authority of God himself speaking therein and acteth differently upon that which each particular Passage thereof containeth yielding Obedience to the Commands trembling at the Threatnings and embracing the Promises of God for this Life and that which is to come But the principal Acts of Saving Faith are accepting receiving and resting upon Christ alone for Justification Sanctification and eternal Life by virtue of the Covenant of Grace III. This Faith although it be different in degrees and may be weak or strong yet it is in the least degree of it different in the kind or nature of it as is all other Saving Grace from the Faith and common Grace of temporary Believers and therefore though it may be many times assailed and weakened yet it gets the Victory growing up in many to the attainment of a full Assurance through Christ who is both the author and finisher of our Faith. CHAP. XV. Of Repentance unto Life and Salvation SUch of the Elect as are Converted at riper Years having sometime lived in the state of Nature and therein served divers Lusts and Pleasures God in their Effectual Calling giveth them Repentance unto Life II. Whereas there is none that doth good and sinneth not and the best of Men may through the power and deceitfulness of their Corruptions dwelling in them with the prevalency of Temptation fall into great Sins and Provocations God hath in the Covenant of Grace mercifully provided that Believers so sinning and falling be renewed through Repentance unto Salvation III. This Saving Repentance is an Evangelical Grace whereby a Person being by the Holy Ghost made sensible of the manifold evils of his Sin doth by Faith in Christ humble himself for it with godly Sorrow Detestation of it and self-abhorrency praying for Pardon and strength of Grace with a purpose and endeavour by supplies of the Spirit to walk before God unto all well-pleasing in all things IV. As Repentance is to be continued through the whole course of our Lives upon the account of the body of Death and the motions thereof so it is every Mans Duty to repent of his particular known Sins particularly V. Such is the Provision which God hath made through Christ in the Covenant of Grace for the Preservation of Believers unto Salvation that although there is no sin so small but it deserves Damnation yet there is no sin so great that it shall bring Damnation on them who truly Repent which makes the constant Preaching of Repentance necessary CHAP. XVI Of Good Works GOod Works are only such as God hath commanded in his Holy Word and not such as without the warrant thereof are devised by Men out of blind Zeal or upon any pretence of good Intentions II. These Good Works done in Obedience to Gods Commandments are the Fruits and Evidences of a true and lively Faith and by them Believers manifest their Thankfulness strengthen their Assurance edifie their Brethren adorn the Profession of the Gospel stop the mouths of the Adversaries and glorifie God whose workmanship they are Created in Christ Jesus thereunto that having their Fruit unto Holiness they may have the End eternal Life III. Their Ability to do Good Works is not at all of themselves but wholly from the Spirit of Christ And that they may be enabled thereunto besides the Graces they have already received there is required an actual Influence of the same Holy Spirit to work in them to will and to do of his good Pleasure yet are they not hereupon to grow negligent as if they were not bound to perform any Duty unless upon a special Motion of the Spirit but they ought to be diligent in stirring up the Grace of God that is in them IV. They who in their Obedience attain to the greatest height which is possible in this Life are so far from being able to supererogate and to do more than God requires as that they fall short of much which in Duty they are bound to do V. We cannot by our best Works merit pardon of Sin or eternal Life at the hand of God by reason of the great disproportion that is between them and the Glory to come and the infinite distance that is between us and God whom by them we can neither profit nor satisfie for the debt of our former Sins but when we have done all we can we have done but our Duty and are unprofitable Servants and because as they are good they proceed from his Spirit and as they are wrought by us they are defiled and mixed with so much Weakness and Imperfection that they cannot endure the severity of Gods Judgment VI. Yet notwithstanding the Persons of Believers being accepted through Christ their good Works also are accepted in him not as though they were in this Life wholly unblameable and unreproveable in Gods sight but that he looking upon them in his Son is pleased to accept and reward that which is sincere although accompanied with many Weaknesses and Imperfections VII Works done by unregenerate Men although for the matter of them they may be things which God commands and of good Use both to themselves and to others yet because they proceed not from a Heart purified by Faith nor are done in a right manner according to the Word nor to a right end the glory of God they are therefore sinful and cannot please God nor make a Man meet to receive Grace from God and yet their neglect of them is more sinful and displeasing unto God. CHAP. XVII Of the Perseverance of the Saints THey whom God hath accepted in his beloved Son effectually called and sanctified by his Spirit can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of Grace but shall certainly persevere therein to the end and be eternally
made nor deriving any glory from them but onely manifesting his own glory in by unto and upon them He is the alone Fountain of all Being of whom through whom and to whom are all things and hath most Sovereign Dominion over them to do by them for them or upon them whatsoever himself pleaseth In his sight all things are open and manifest his Knowledge is infinite infallible and independent upon the Creature so as nothing is to him contingent or uncertain He is most Holy in all his Counsels in all his Works and in all his Commands To him is due from Angels and Men and every other Creature whatsoever Worship Service or Obedience as Creatures they owe unto the Creator and whatever he is further pleased to require of them III. In the Unity of the God-head there be three Persons of one Substance Power and Eternity God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost The Father is of none neither begotten nor proceeding The Son is eternally begotten of the Father The Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son. Which Doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our Communion with God and comfortable Dependence upon him CHAP. III. Of God's eternal Decree GOD from all eternity did by the most wise and holy Counsel of his own Will freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass Yet so as thereby neither is God the Author of Sin nor is violence offered to the will of the Creatures nor is the liberty or contingency of second Causes taken away but rather established II. Although God knows whatsoever may or can come to pass upon all supposed Conditions yet hath he not decreed any thing because he foresaw it as future or as that which would come to pass upon such Conditions III. By the Decree of God for the manifestation of his Glory some Men and Angels are predestinated unto everlasting Life and others fore-ordained to everlasting Death IV. These Angels and Men thus predestinated and fore-ordained are particularly and unchangeably designed and their number is so certain and definite that it cannot be either increased or diminished V. Those of Mankind that are predestinated unto Life God before the foundation of the World was laid according to his eternal and immutable Purpose and the secret counsel and good pleasure of his Will hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting Glory out of his meer free Grace and Love without any fore-sight of Faith or good Works or Perseverance in either of them or any other thing in the Creature as Conditions or Causes moving him thereunto and all to the praise of his glorious Grace VI. As God hath appointed the Elect unto Glory so hath he by the eternal and most free purpose of his Will fore-ordained all the means thereunto Wherefore they who are elected being fall'n in Adam are redeemed by Christ are effectually called unto Faith in Christ by his Spirit working in due season are justified adopted sanctified and kept by his Power through Faith unto Salvation Neither are any other redeemed by Christ or effectually called justified adopted sanctified and saved but the Elect onely VII The rest of Mankind God was pleased according to the unsearchable Counsel of his own Will whereby he extendeth or withholdeth Mercy as he pleaseth for the glory of his Sovereign Power over his Creatures to pass by and to ordain them to dishonour and wrath for their Sin to the praise of his glorious Justice VIII The Doctrine of this high Mystery of Predestination is to be handled with special Prudence and Care that Men attending the will of God revealed in his Word and yielding Obedience thereunto may from the certainty of their effectual Vocation be assured of their eternal Election So shall this Doctrine afford matter of praise reverence and admiration of God and of Humility Diligence and abundant Consolation to all that sincerely obey the Gospel CHAP. IV. Of Creation IT pleased God the Father Son and Holy Ghost for the manifestation of the glory of his eternal Power Wisdom and Goodness in the beginning to create or make of nothing the World and all things therein whether visible or invisible in the space of six days and all very good II. After God had made all other Creatures he created Man Male and Female with reasonable and immortal Souls endued with Knowledge Righteousness and true Holiness after his own Image having the Law of God written in their Hearts and power to fulfil it and yet under a possibility of transgressing being left to the liberty of their own Will which was subject unto change Besides this Law written in their hearts they received a command not to Eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil which whilst they kept they were happy in their communion with God and had dominion over the Creatures CHAP. V. Of Providence GOD the great Creator of all things doth uphold direct dispose and govern all Creatures actions and things from the greatest even to the least by his most wise and holy Providence according unto his infallible fore-knowledge and the free and immutable counsel of his own Will to the praise of the glory of his Wisdom Power Justice Goodness and Mercy II. Although in relation to the fore-knowledge and decree of God the first Cause all things come to pass immutably and infallibly yet by the same Providence he ordereth them to fall out according to the nature of second Causes either necessarily freely or contingently III. God in his ordinary Providence maketh use of Means yet is free to work without above and against them at his pleasure IV. The Almighty Power unsearchable Wisdom and infinite Goodness of God so far manifest themselves in his Providence in that his determinate Counsel extendeth it self even to the first Fall and all other sins of Angels and Men and that not by a bare Permission which also he most wisely and powerfully boundeth and otherwise ordereth and governeth in a manifold Dispensation to his own most holy ends yet so as the sinfulness thereof proceedeth only from the Creature and not from God who being most holy and righteous neither is nor can be the author or approver of Sin. V. The most wise righteous and gracious God doth oftentimes leave for a season his own Children to manifold Temptations and the corruption of their own Hearts to chastise them for their former sins or to discover unto them the hidden strength of Corruption and deceitfulness of their Hearts that they may be humbled and to raise them to a more close and constant dependence for their support upon himself and to make them more watchful against all future occasions of sin and for sundry other just and holy ends VI. As for those wicked and ungodly Men whom God as a righteous Judge for former sins doth blind and harden from them he not only withholdeth his Grace whereby they might have been inlightned in their Understandings and wrought upon in their Hearts