Selected quad for the lemma: virtue_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
virtue_n	brotherly_a	faith_n	godliness_n	2,884	5	9.6294	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A53733	Truth and innocence vindicated in a survey of a discourse concerning ecclesiastical polity, and the authority of the civil magistrate over the consciences of subjects in matters of religion.	Owen, John, 1616-1683.	1669 (1669)	Wing O817; ESTC R14775	171,951	414

this matter h● proceeds to discourse of Moral Vertue o● Grace and of Religious Worship with hi● wonted reflections upon and reproache of Non-conformists for their ignorance about and villanous misrepresentation of these things which seem more to be aimed at● than the Argument it self I must here with again that our Author had more perspicuously stated the things which he proposeth to debate for the subject of his Disputation But I find an excess of Art is as troublesome sometimes as the greatest defect therein From thence I presume it is that things are so handled in this Discourse that an ordinary man can seldom discern satisfactorily what it is that directly and determinately he doth intend beyond reviling of Non-conformists For in this Proposition which is the best and most intelligible that I can reduce the present Discourse unto the Supream Civil Magistrate hath power over the Consciences of men in morality or with respect unto moral vertue excepting only the subject of it there is not one term in it that may not have various significations and those such as have countenance given unto them in the ensuing Disputation it self But contenti sumus hoc Catone and make the best we can of what lyes before us I do suppose that in the medium made use of in this Argument there is or I am sure there may be a Controversie of much more importance than that principally under consideration It therefore shall be stated and cleared in the first place and then the concernment of the Argument it self in what is discoursed thereupon shall be manifested It is about Moral Vertue and Grace their coincidence or distinction that we are in the first place to enquire For without a due stating of the conception of these things nothing of this Argument nor what belongs unto it can be rightly understood We shall therefore be necessitated to premise a brief Explanation of these terms themselves to remove as far as may be all ambiguity from our Discourse First then the very name of Vertue in the sense wherein it is commonly used and received comes from the Schools of Philosophy and not from the Scripture In the Old Testament we have Vprightness Integrity Righteousness doing Good and eschewing Evil Fearing Trusting Obeying Believing in God Holiness and the like but the name of Vertue doth not occur therein It is true we have translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a vertuous Woman and once or twice the same word vertuously Ruth 3. 11. Prov. 12. 4. Chap● 31. 10 39. But that word signifies as 〈◊〉 used strenuous industrious diligent and hath no such signification as that we now express by vertue Nor is it any where rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the LXX although it may have some respect unto it as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and peculiarly denote the exercise of industrious strength such as men use in Battail For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is vis robur potentia or exercitus also But in the common acceptation of it and as it is used by Philosophers there is no word in the Hebrew nor Syriack properly to express it The Rabbins do it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies properly a measure For studying the Philosophy of Aristotle and translating his Ethicks into Hebrew which was done by Rabbi Meir and finding his vertue placed in mediocrity they applyed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to express it So they call Aristotles Ethicks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Book of Measures that is of vertues And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are boni mores Such a stranger is this very word unto the Old Testament In the New Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 occurs four times but it should not seem any where to be taken in the sense now generally admitted In some of the places it rather denotes the excellency and praises that do attend Vertue than Vertue it self So we render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praises 1 Pet. 2. 9. as the Syriack doth also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praises and the same Translation Phil. 4. 9. renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If there be any vertue by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 works glorious or praise worthy 2 Pet. 1. 9. It is a peculiar gracious disposition operation of mind distinguished from Faith Temperance Patience Brotherly kindness Godliness Charity c. and so cannot have the common sense of the word there put upon it The word Moral is yet far more exotick to the Church and Scripture We are beholding for it if there be any advantage in its use meerly to the Schools of the Philosophers especially of Aristotle His Doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commonly called his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Moralia his Morals hath begotten this name for our use The whole is expressed in Isocrates to Demonicus by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vertue of manners If then the signification of the words be respected as usually taken it is vertue in mens manners that is intended The Schoolmen brought this expression with all its concerns as they did the rest of Aristotles Philosophy into the Church and Divinity And I cannot but think it had been well if they had never done it as all will grant they might have omitted some other things without the least disadvantage to Learning or Religion However this expression of Moral Vertue having absolutely possest it self of the Fancies and Discourses of all and it may be of the Understanding of some though with very little satisfaction when all things are considered I shall not endeavour to dispossess it or eliminate it from the Confines of Christian Theologie Only I am sure had we been left unto the Scripture expressions of Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ of the fear of God of Holiness Righteousness living unto God walking with God and before him we might have been free from many vain wordy perplexities and the whole wrangle of this Chapter in particular had been utterly prevented For let but the Scripture express what it is to be Religious and there will be no contesting about the difference or no difference between Grace and Moral Vertue It is said that some judge those who have Moral Vertue to want Grace not to be Gracious But say that men are born of God and do not commit sin that they walk before God and are upright that they cleave unto God with full purpose of heart that they are sanctified in Christ Jesus and the like and no man will say that they have not Grace or are not Gracious if they receive your Testimony But having as was said made its entrance amongst us we must deal with it as well as we can and satisfie our selves about its common Acceptation and Use. Generally moral Vertues are esteemed to be the Duties of the second Table For although those who handle these matters more accurately do not so straiten or confine them yet it is certain that in vulgar

and is affirmed to be unspeakable and full of glory he that knows not is scarce meet to Paraphrase upon St. Pauls Epistles Neither is that Peace with God through Jesus Christ which is rought in the Hearts of Believers by the Holy Ghost who creates the fruit of the lipps peace peace unto them a matter of any more affinity with a Moral peaceableness of mind and Affections Our Faith also in God and our Faithfulness in our Duties Trusts Offices and Employments are sufficiently distinct So palpably must the Scripture be corrupted and wrested to be made serviceable to this presumption He yet adds another proof to the same purpose if any man know distinctly what that purpose is namely Titus 2. 11. Where he tells us that the same Apostle make the Grace of God to consist in Gratitude towards God Temperance towards our Selves and Justice towards our Neighbours But these things are not so For the Apostle doth not say that the Grace of God doth consist in these things but that the Grace of God teacheth us these things Neither is the Grace here intended any Subjective or inherent Grace or to speak with our Author any Vertuous Quality or Vertue but the Love and Grace of God himself in sending Jesus Christ as declared in the Gospel was is manifest in the words and context beyond contradiction And I cannot but wonder how our Author desirous to prove that the whole of our Religion consists in Moral Vertues and these only called Graces because of the Miraculous Operations of God from his own Grace in the first Gospel converts should endeavour to do it by these two testimonies the first whereof expresly assigns the Duties of Morality as in Believers to the operation of the Spirit and the latter in his judgment makes them to proceed from Grace Our last inquiry is into what he ascribes unto his Adversaries in this matter and how he deals with them thereupon This therefore he informs us pag. 71. It is not enough say they to be compleatly vertuous unless ye have grace too I can scarce believe that ever he heard any one of them say so or ever read it in any of their writings For there is nothing that they are more positive in than that men cannot in any sense be compleatly vertuous unless they have grace and so cannot suppose them to be so who have it not They say indeed that moral vertues as before described so far as they are attainable by or may be exercised in the strength of Mens own wills and natural faculties are not enough to please God and to make men accepted with him So that vertue as it may be without Grace and some vertues may be so for the substance of them is not available unto salvation And I had almost said that he is no Christian that is of another mind In a word Vertue is or may be without Grace in all or any of the Acceptations of it before laid down Where it is without the Favour of God and the Pardon of sin where it is without the renewing of our natures and the endowment of our Persons with a Principle of spiritual life where it is not wrought in us by present efficacious Grace it is not enough nor will serve any mans turn with respect unto the everlasting concernments of his Soul But he gives in his Exceptions pag. 71. But when saith he we have set aside all manner of vertue let them tell me what remains to be called Grace and give me any notion of it distinct from all morality that consists in the right order and government of our actions in all our Relations and so comprehends all our Duty and therefore if Grace be not included in it it is but a phantasme and an imaginary thing I say first where Grace is we cannot set aside vertue because it will and doth produce and effect it in the minds of men But Vertue may be where Grace is not in the sense so often declared Secondly Take moral vertue in the notion of it here received and explained by our Author and I have given sundry Instances before of Gracious Duties that come not within the verge or compass of the Scheme given us of it Thirdly The whole aimed at lies in this that vertue that governs our actions in all our Duties may be considered either as the Duty we owe to the Law of nature for the ends of it to be performed in the strength of nature and by the direction of it or it may be considered as it is an especial effect of the grace of God in us which gives it a new principle and a new end and a new respect unto the Covenant of Grace Wherein we walk with God the consideration where of frustrates the intention of our Author in this discourse But he renews his charge pag. 73. So destructive of all true and real goodness is the very Religion of those men that are wont to set grace at odds with vertue and are so farr from making them the same that they make them inconsistent and though a man be exact in all the duties of moral goodness yet if he be a graceless person i. e. void of I know not what imaginary Godliness he is but in a cleaner way to Hell and his conversion is more hopeless than the vilest and most notorious sinners and the morally Righteous man is at a greater distance from grace than the prophane and better be lend and debanched than live an honest and vertuous life if you are not of the Godly Party with much more to this purpose For the men that are wont to set grace at odds with vertue and are so far from making them the same that they make them inconsistent I wish our Author would discover them that he might take us along with him in his detestation of them It is not unlikely if all be true that is told of them but that the Gnosticks might have some principles not unlike this but beside them I never heard of any that were of this mind in the world And in truth the liberty that is taken in these discourses is a great instance of the morality under consideration But the following words will direct us where these things are charged For some say that if a man be exact in all the Duties of moral Goodness yet if he be a Graceless Person void of I know not what imaginary Godliness he is but in a cleaner way to Hell I think I know both what and who are intended and that both are dealt withal with that candour we have been now accustomed unto But First you will scarce find those you intend over forward in granting that men may be exact in all the Duties of Moral goodness and yet be graceless persons For taking Moral vertues to comprehend as you do their duties toward God they will tell you such Persons cannot perform one of them aright much less all of them exactly For they can neither trust in