Selected quad for the lemma: virtue_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
virtue_n day_n keep_v sabbath_n 798 5 10.4111 5 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
A23649 The way of the Spirit in bringing souls to Christ set forth in X sermons on John 16:7, 8, 9, 10 and chap 7:37 / by Mr. Thomas Allen, late pastor of a church in ... Norwich. Allen, Thomas, 1608-1673.; Finch, Martin, 1628?-1698. 1676 (1676) Wing A1047; ESTC R23572 153,393 274

There are 2 snippets containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

as a Saviour was inconsistent with his state yet he had a principle and virtual power to have believed on Christ as a Saviour if God had required it of him Or else it were not our sin now not to believe on Christ if there were never a power given to Adam in the state of innocency to have believed if God had required it of him for we are now condemned for not believing on Christ the power being once given us Though we have lost the power yet that doth not excuse us for the sin of Unbelief That is one Answer But 2. Though it is true Believing on Christ was not expresly required in the first Commandment yet notwithstanding It was and is implicitly required namely thus It was and is required in the first Commandment that we should yield obedidience of faith to whatever God should require of us now then though Believing on Christ was not expresly required and commanded yet notwithstanding believing on Christ was implicitly required thus that when ever God should reveal and make Christ known to us when ever God should command us to believe on Christ this was required that we are bound by vertue of the first Commandment to believe on Christ though 't is true it was inconsistent with that state yet notwithstanding it is implicitly required in the first Commandment as to instance You know Gospel-Worship or the Worship that God requireth now in the Gospel it is inconsistent with that Worship that God required in the time of the Law yet notwithstanding Gospel-Worship was implicitly required in the second Commandment now 't is true Gospel-Worship is not expressed in the second Commandment yet notwithstanding it is virtually implyed because we are bound by virtue of that Commandment to worship God with that Worship which God should institute or appoint God hath now appointed Gospel-Worship under the new Testament and by vertue of the second Commandment we are bound to yield obedience to it now though it was inconsistent with the Worship in the time of the Law So the fourth Commandment requires that we should keep holy the Sabbath Day the express letter of the Commandment is to sanctify the seventh day from the Creation now that we should keep the first day of the Week for the Sabbath under the Gospel this is not expressed in the fourth Commandment yet it is implicitly required namely that we should keep holy that seventh day that God hath appointed or should appoint If God do change the seventh day to the first day of the Week still by vertue of the fourth Commandment we are bound to sanctify and celebrate the first day of the week for the Sabbath so now in this case though the first Commandment did not expresly require our faith in Christ yet implicity we are bound by vertue of that Commandment to yield obedience of faith to whatever God should reveal or make known to us or command us to believe any time afterward So that now if our believing on Christ be required in the first Commandment then unbelief is a transgression of the first Commandment and so a Sin This is the first Demonstration 2. It appears to be a sin namely because Not believing on Christ is a Transgression of the Commandment of the Gospel Not only a Transgression of the first Table of the Law but it is a Transgression of the great Commandment of the Gospel Brethren the Gospel is a Law it is called the law of faith Rom. 2.27 Where then is Boasting it is excluded by what Law of Works nay but by the Law of faith What is that that is the Gospel The Gospel is the Law of Faith wherein God requires our faith and believing on Christ and therefore faith is called the Obedience of Faith Rom. 16.26 But now is it made manifest by the Scriptures of the Prophets according to the Commandment of the everlasting God made known to all Nations for the Obedience of faith That is that the Nations should believe on Christ and so yield obedience to the Gospel by believing it is the Command of the Gospel therefore now not believing on Christ is a transgression of a Gospel Command Where doth the Gospel command our believing on Christ expresly why every where to name but a place or two John 6.29 saith Christ This is the Work of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent This is the work of God not only the work that God worketh in us that is not the meaning of the place but this is the Work that God requires and commands the special work and duty that God requires that you should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ And you have a more express place 1 John 3.23 This is his Commandment that ye believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ This is the great Commandment of the Gospel that we should believe on the name of Jesus Christ therefore now not to believe on Christ being commanded in the Gospel is a transgression of the Commandment of the Gospel and the transgression of a Gospel Command is a sin as well as any transgression of the ten Commandments Now believing on Christ being expresly required in the Gospel unbelief is a transgression of the Command of the Gospel and therefore it is a sin That is the second Demonstration 3. Not believing on Christ appears to be a sin though we make nothing of it because God doth inflict punishments for not believing on Christ God doth punish men for not believing on Christ Now God doth never inflict punishment for that which is no sin punishment properly is the consequent and effect of sin where there is no sin there is no punishment therefore when God takes away the guilt of sin in Justification then God pardons a soul the soul is free from all punishment for sin There is therefore no condemnation no real punishment for sin to them that are in Christ Jesus Now then that God doth punish for unbelief though not total unbelief it is apparent You know Moses was punished for not believing and honouring of God by believing at the Waters Meriba Numb 20.12 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron because ye believed me not to sanctify me in the Eyes of the Children of Israel therefore ye shall not bring this Congregation into the Land which I have given them Moses pleaded hard with God that he might go over and see the good Land saith the Lord speak no more of it I will not hear you in this thing you shall see it indeed but you shall not enter into it because you did not honour me by believing God punishes unbelief and therefore unbelief must be a sin and so the Israelites for their unbelief God did punish them Psal 78.32 33. For all this they sinned still and believed not for his wondrous works and what follows therefore their days did he consume in vanity and their years in trouble Therefore God punished them for their
accepting of this his gracious promise I say it thy sins are forgiven thee relying upon him in the Faithfulness of his Word and Promise I say the Lord Jesus Christ hath forgiven thy sins and you may go home and record it for a Memorial that this day at such a time the Lord hath drawn out my soul to make a close with himself and now eternal life is come unto thee the Lord hath forgiven thy sins and now thou art passed from death to life Let me make the offer again unto such poor sinners as have held out all this time and have not laid hold upon this gracious invitation made by Jesus Christ that will yet venture the Lord perswading your hearts though possibly you have been enemies and opposers and possibly might come to oppose and catch and though never so far off and lost in your selves yet notwithstanding hearken to this invitation that if the Lord doth perswade your hearts to say solemnly and seriously Lord upon this Word of thy gracious Promise and Invitation I do now desire to trust and to venture upon thy Word and do expect the performance and accomplishment of thy Word that now it may be given out to thee that so you also might be brought in unto Christ to partake of this water of life Vse 1. A Word of Exhortation to you who are come to Christ Go away now even as the Virgin Mary and say My Soul doth magnifie the Lord and my Spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour for he hath regarded the low Estate of his poor creature It is said that the Eunuch went away rejoycing after that Philip was caught away by the Spirit and so hath every Believer cause to do Use 2. Another Word is That you would go unto God with a holy boldness as to your God and Father for such special mercies as you desire to have at the Lords hand Now as the Holy Ghost saith Seek the Lord while he may be found and draw nigh unto him while he is near The Lord is near to you do do you draw neer to him with a humble and holy boldness as to your God and Father and you may ask what you will and now beg that the Lord would establish his Work of Grace in your hearts and now ask for this and that mercy and for your relations even what you will In Gen. 17. Abraham falls down in a begging posture God having made a Covenant with him O Lord now that Ismael might live in thy sight so say I Go to God and desire some special mercy this day now while the Lord is nigh Use 3. You who are brought near unto God hath the Lord spoken to you Take heed that you do not stop your ear unto what God speaks and return again to folly Look that you do not walk as the Gentiles did in the vanity of your minds Eph. 4.17 Now you must take heed that you do not walk in the same vanities in your foolish pastimes in your vain conversations take heed you do not walk after the course of the World If the Lord hath taken you out of the World called you unto Christ you are now to walk in a diligent performance of all duties unto the Lord walk close with God in your particular Callings from the heart take heed that you walk exactly and inoffensively keeping a good Conscience Use 4. And lastly That still upon all occasions you would be coming to Christ We are not to content our selves with once coming unto Christ and there is an end but we must come daily even every day When you find your hearts out of frame when you are straitned and dead-hearted come to Christ even every day by vertue of this Promise through this Word leaning and resting upon Christ and O remember this blessed Word this blessed Word of the Lord Jesus Christ wherein he hath said If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink FINIS