Selected quad for the lemma: virtue_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
virtue_n	act_n	grace_n	habit_n	906	5	9.7429	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A94070	XXXI. select sermons, preached on special occasions; the titles and several texts, on which they were preached, follow. / By William Strong, that godly, able and faithful minister of Christ, lately of the Abby at Westminster. None of them being before made publique.	Strong, William, d. 1654.	1656 (1656)	Wing S6007_pt1; Thomason E874_1; ESTC R203660	309,248	523

stronger then he comes but when the time comes that is appointed by the Father that the soul shall be actually given unto Christ who was in his purpose and in his covenant given to him before the world was for there was grace given us in Christ before the world began 2 Tim. 1.9 Now he sends forth the spirit of his son into their hearts and he takes possession of them for the Lord and the strong man that formerly kept the house is cast out that he that was before the devils house he is now the Temple of the Holy ghost and the habitation of God through the spirit now there are none for whom the house in heaven is prepared but they that have been the habitation of God here none shal dwell with God hereafter in whom the Spirit did not dwell here the same spirit that as a spirit of holiness dwels in them here it is the same spirit that is in them as a spirit of adoption and glory hereafter therefore the great change in a man the first change as the first fruit of electing love is in the receiving of another spirit and that is only in regeneration then is the spirit of Christ sent forth into the hearts of the Saints Secondly in regeneration a man receives a new Principle for by nature a man hath not in him a Principle of communion with God or of obedience to him Ioh 3.6 that is Christs Reason That which is born of the flesh is flesh it is wholly corrupt and that by which the soul is no way fitted to walk with God therefore marvell not that I say unto you that thou must be born again grace is a new creature 2 Cor. 5.17 Eph. 2.10 We are created in Christ to good works it is a new man an inward man and it is from this created infused habit that all holy actions flow let a mans duties be never so many and his outward behaviour be never so Saint like if it doth not flow from a new man an inward man it can no ways please God or be accepted of him it s a Law written in the heart spiritually enlightning the understanding and effectually determining the will unto Objects spiritual and supernaturally good and before this be wrought in a man there are no duties that are looked upon as duties by him Behold he prays Acts 9. saith the Lord to Ananias concerning Paul he was a Pharisee and they were much in prayer but it was never looked upon and reckoned as a prayer by God till he had a new principle a new man for the Lord looks to the heart that is he sees actions in their principles men can judge of principles only by their actions but God doth judge of actions according to the principles from whence they flow The tree must be good or else to God the fruit can never be good but as the apples of Sodom they must be good things that must be brought forth from an inward Treasury And take a godly man that is converted when he doth not stir up the grace of God that he hath received acts it in duty he doth perform it but barely as a natural man and it doth not stand upon account before God as a duty no further then there is an exercise of the regenerate part is any service accepted of God for it is the good work that is begun in us that the Lord will perfect Phil. 1.6 therefore grace is a good work in us a principle in the soul fitting it for service and communion and it is this that is ordained unto perfection in glory If there be not a new principle a good work begun never look to have it perfected in the day of the Lord. I see I am much prevented I shall but touch the rest Secondly Let us look upon holiness quoad incrementum and so it s commonly called in Scripture Sanctification that is the growth and improvement of that seed and those principles that were wrought in a man at his first conversion 2 Pet. 3 18. Grow in grace 2 Pet. 1.5 Add to your faith vertue non quoad habitum sed actum gradum add to the acts and thereby add to the degrees of the habit for acts do perfect habits And Col. 1.12 it is not barely the having of grace that is required unto Salvation but it is the growth of it and the improvement of it that a man may be made meet for glory I say growth in grace is a duty that is of necessity to Salvation as well as truth in grace where God gives light and means I speak not now of Infants or such as dye as soon as they are converted Col. 1.12 We are made meet Inheriters with the Satuts in light There is a double right that the Saints have to heaven First Jus haereditarium an hereditary right and that is at Regenration when they are put into Christ and so are made Coheirs with him of his inheritance having grace begun in them the same Image of God which shall be perfected in glory and was given as a principle ordained to such a perfection Secondly Jus aptitudinarium and that is a right of fitness whereby we are qualified to receive such a mercy and that is as an heir hath a right of Inheritance in his nonage but he hath not a right of fitness till he comes to years and be able to manage his Estate when he hath received it And there is required in the Saints as well a right of fitness unto Heaven as a right of inheritance without which I may say after a sort they cannot be saved and that upon a double ground First there is no grace that is ordained unto glory but growing grace and if grace be true there is a natural tendency in it unto growth as there is in seed that is cast into the earth and so much the more because they are planted by the rivers of water the Trees of righteousness they grow upon the bank of the River Ezek. 47.10 They shall grow as Willows they shall grow as Calves of the stall Mal. 4.2 There is a great measure of growth promised unto them and if true grace be necessary to salvation then growth of grace must be for there is no true grace but growing grace and there is no grace that shall come to Heaven else I forget that which is behind not that I have already attained Grace is not only donum but depositum and it must be improved it is a Talent that more must be gained by by Trading c. it is a spark from Heaven that will never cease aspiring till it be joyned with the flame of glory Eternal in the Heavens Secondly there is a pitch of grace that the Lord hath appointed unto his People that they shall fill up whilest they live here before they be translated unto glory there is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 4.13 A fulness of the age of the stature of Christ a

men to call them forth unto the works whom he hath gifted and qualified for it and this drawing out of the spirits of men in that way that the Lord would have them is a special work of the spirit of God 1 Sam. 10.26 God having gifted Saul he doth draw out the spirits of men to call him to the office of a King and to joyn with him in it whose heart God had touched and the finger of God is the spirit of God by whom the hearts of men are touched and therefore Zach. 4.6,7 Not by power and might but by my Spirit that is his spirit that is working upon the spirits of men both in instruments and opposites raising and elevating the one and subduing the other so that the spirit inclining and ordering and over-ruling of the hearts of men in such a work it is an evident testimony of a call from the spirit for their hearts God had touched c. Thirdly there is yet something more and that is persons being thus chosen there is a sanction and a stablishment from the Holy-Ghost that doth come upon them that as all the duties of the office lie upon their consciences by the command of God that whatsoever is required in that office the Lord expects it of them so all the honour and dignity of the office is due to them and that by a command from the Holy Ghost and men are to be subject for conscience sake as an act of obedience unto God as a wowan before she hath chose a husband is at liberty to marry whom she will only in the Lord but having once chosen a husband all the duties that belong to a husband she is to perform unto him by vertue of the Covenant of God and in obedience unto God and as it is with a people in the point of the Magistracy its true that civil government is appointed by God but that it shall be in this or in that form he hath not appointed and therefore though there be several forms of government yet all are lawful and may according to the rules of prudence be made use of in any state as shall be most for the publike good therefore all forms of civil government are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2.13 but having made choice of Magistracy in what form so ever the authority of God then comes upon it and ye are to obey as unto God and to be subject for conscience sake Rom. 13.5 and so it is here also and upon these three grounds it is that the Holy-Ghost is brought in for the Constitution and establishment of Church-Officers and therefore it is that he hath set 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 20.28 He did constitute them in that particular place where they should be Thirdly for this cause the Apostles they took special care to set up all the Institutions of Christ as well offices as ordinances as the state and condition of the Church did require and therefore they did not only gather them into bodies but they did also set Officers over them Acts 2.14,23 They ordained Elders in every Church and the same charge and employment they gave to the Evangelists who were appointed to this purpose to confirm the Churches and to ordain Officers in every Church Fourthly and we see that all the Churches of Christ accepted of Officers and acknowledged them as such as there were Elders in the Church of Ephesus Acts 20.28 and the Church of Jerusalem had not only Apostles but Elders also Acts 15.2,22 and therefore the whole Church is brought under these two heads them that rule over you and all the Saints Heb. 13.24 They are not all Rulers all are not men in office there be Rulers that are distinguished from Saints To what end are officers appointed in the Church what need is there of them they are appointed by Christ for these ends First for the Churches perfection in the Constitution thereof for though a Church without officers be a true Church in respect of the Essence of it when there is a society of visible Saints united into one body by mutual consent in the profession of the faith of the Gospel as appears Acts 6. there was a Church at Ierusalem before there were Deacons and a Church at Antioch before there were Elders Acts 14.23 but yet it is nor a compleat Church in all the parts of it as an Organical body therefore it hath officers superadded and therefore as soon as the Apostle had converted a people to the faith first they did embody them and then for their perfection they set officers over them they did not look upon them as compleat whilest they were as sheep without a Shepherd till there be some to rule and to order them in the waies of a Church and according to the Institutions of Christ and therefore in all ages the officers have been in a special manner the glory of the Churches as the Apostles were Rev. 12.1 Upon their heads is a Crown of twelve stars and therefore Cant. 8.8 We have a little Sister and she hath no breasts that is a stablished ministery and settled officers from whom the sincere milk of the word might be sucked breasts of consolation whereby they might be supported Now this tends to the perfection of a Church as we see it described Ezek. 16.7,8 Thy breasts were fashioned and thy hair was grown it notes coming unto maturity and ripeness of age whereas a Church wanting officers is but a little sister yet in her infancy or minority c. Secondly Officers are appointed in the Church to avoid confusion therefore the Lord saw officers to be necessary 1 Cor. 14.33 God is not the author of Confusion but of Peace in all the Churches of the Saints and Col. 1.2.5 rejoycing and beholding your order according unto Gods order when every man keeps his place and rank that is they that rule keep their place and they that are to be subject keep their place for the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a military term and if either of these be wanting there will be confusion in the Church therefore he will have some to rule and others to obey that there may be no disorder and by this means no differences for its disorder that is the ground of all differences as it is order that is the ground of peace break order in a Church and you break the peace of it immediately Thirdly the Lord doth it for the Churches edification that as he doth give diversity of gifts and all of them to profit withal 1 Cor. 12.7 It is not that any of them should lie idle and be used barely for a mans self and his own advantage as an ornament to himself but for the good of the Church so the Lord doth also appoint diversities of administrations to officers in the Church that according unto mens gifts so they may have suitable employments in the Church in which they may encrease their gifts and thereby