Selected quad for the lemma: work_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
work_n	abraham_n	faith_n	impute_v	5,476	5	10.4768	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A25801	The practical rule of Christian piety containing the summ of the whole duty of a true disciple of Christ. Written originally in Latin by Benedictus Aria Montanus, and translated into English by A. Lovel, M.A.	Arias Montano, Benito, 1527-1598.; Lovell, Archibald.	1685 (1685)	Wing A3679A; ESTC R214868	74,341	284

A clear instance of this is to be seen in Abraham whom God proposed as a pattern of his free and most gracious Election exhibiting unto us under the type and figure of earthly and sensual things the whole and sum of this great mystery for such was the counsel of God that what things really and truly happened unto him the same should shadow out and represent the spiritual blessings which belonged to us As it is written 1 Cor. 10. All these things happened unto them for ensamples or types and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the World are come Abraham being first called believed in God who had called him and promised to make him a Father of many Nations In God I say who calleth those things which be not as tho they were and trusted to the divine election knowing that to be the most acceptable obedience to God when one willingly and diligently complies with his call and without doubting undergoes that saving discipline as proceeding from him who being the Fountain of all Goodness freely bestows himself His Graces and Blessings upon those who believe and obey him so that when he was commanded by him from whom he had received the Promise to leave his Country his Kindred and his Fathers House he obeyed and went out leaving those advantages which those who live after the manner of this world reap from their Country Kindred and Fathers House for the native Country affordeth acquaintance and confidence the Fathers House Wealth and Riches and Kindred Means and Substance to those who lead their lives according to the dictates of Lust and Ambition Abraham therefore departed as the Lord had commanded him leaving his Country Kindred and Fathers House and chose to be a Stranger and Sojourner in a strange Land following the Command of God that called him Now we know that Strangers and Sojourners have no mind means nor confidence to spend their time in delights and pleasures so long as they think of their condition and behave themselves like Strangers and Sojourand propose to themselves that that is not their Country or place of rest but an Inn or place of refreshment which they must shortly leave and go forward unto a place of more commodious habitation So Abraham being called and commanded to go out of his Country into a Land that was to be shewn to him not only believed but obeyed and put it in execution for he really and indeed forsook his Country Kindred and Fathers House and not in word and inclination alone He said not I will do it or I desire to do it and did it not but actually performed what he was commanded and in that manner Abraham believed in God and it was accounted to him for Righteousness not that he believed only but that believing he obeyed and went out unto a place which he was to receive for an inheritance not knowing whither he went Heb. 11. And that by Faith he Sojourned in the Land of Promise as in a strange Countrey dwelling in Tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob the Heirs with him of the same Promise According to this precedent whoever is called to the gifts and blessings of the Heavenly Promises believes in and would please him that hath promised desiring to have them made good unto him must not only by Faith Will and Inclination but also in Deed and in good Earnest renounce the Pomp Vanity Corruption Delights Pleasures Ambition and other Vices of this World and perform what he obliged himself to and promised before the blessed Trinity in which he professed his belief in presence of his God-Fathers God-Mothers and Witnesses in his Baptism through the grace and assistance of him that called him to whose service he resigned himself and in whose name he was Baptised that is in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost which grace and assistance will never be wanting to those who from a pure and holy heart implore and beg the same as we have already demonstrated Luke 12. I am come to send fire on the Earth and what will I if it be already kindled Now he promised to renounce the Devil and all his Works the Pomps and Vanities of this wicked World and what are the works of the Devil and Vanities of the World but Ambition Lust Avarice and the delights and pleasures of the Flesh that is to say the corrupt manners customs of this World which according to the Doctrine of the Apostles breed cherish and encrease sin and wickedness as it is written 1 John 2. Love not the World neither the things that are in the World If any Man love the World the love of the Father is not in him For all that is in the World the Lust of the Flesh the Lust of the Eyes and the Pride of Life is not of the Father but is of the World And again the Apostle S. James saith James 4. Ye Actulterers and Adulteresses know ye not that the friendship of this World is enmity with God Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the World is the enemy of God Do ye think that the Scripture saith in vain The Spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envie Wherefore we must not only by Faith and in words but in our endeavours acts and deeds renounce all worldly Pleasures Lusts and Ambition for Virtue consists not in words but in deeds And therefore St. Paul saith 2 Tim. 2. If a Man therefore purge himself from these he shall be a vessel unto honour sanctified and meet for the Masters use and prepared unto every good work And St. Peter alluding to Abraham thus admonisheth 1 Pet. 2. Dearly beloved I beseech you as Strangers and Pilgrims abstain from fleshly Lusts which war against the Soul having your Conversation honest among the Gentiles that whereas they speak against you as evil doers they may by your good works which they shall behold glorifie God in the day of Visitation Wherefore that Faith which is commended and praised in Abraham was not an idle and dead but a living Faith quickned by Charity and shewing it self in the practice and exercise of Obedience and so it was imputed to him for Righteousness because he really left his Country Kindred and his Fathers house and obediently went unto the place appointed him thereby setting before us a lively instance of true Obedience Which Moses imitating Heh 11. when he was come to years refused to be called the Child of Pharaohs daughter chusing rather to suffer affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season esteeming the Reproach of Christ greater Riches than the Treasures in Egypt for he had a respect unto the recompence of Reward By Faith he forsook Egypt not fearing the wrath of the King for he endured as seeing him who is invisible In deeds then and not in words alone or an empty and idle boasting of Faith must every one shew himself obedient to God and bring forth the

end the same shall be saved And no Man having put his hand to the plough and looking back is fit for the Kingdom of God He that hath ears to hear let him hear God deceiveth no Man Let every one take heed then that he deceive not himself nor suffer himself to be deceived by others This is the plain sure and safe way that hath the promise of good success Repentance I mean which every one ought carefully to set about persist in and prosecute to the end This is the way that never deceived any Man but will certainly bring those that walk therein to eternal Salvation at last For it is written Psal 69. Psal 105. Your hearts shall live that seek God Seek the Lord and his strength seek his face ever more He that seeketh his face always in what manner soever he may end this mortal life yet his Son shall live Psal 9. For thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee The death of Lazarus was mean and obscure in the eyes of Men but that of the rich Man conspicuous and his Funeral pompous The rich Man died and was buried however the Soul of the former was received into Abraham's bosom when this Mans Soul was sent down into Hell Wherefore let those who either never set about the work of Repentance aright or put it off to the hour of death or often in their life-time begin it and as often again leave it off let them I say consider what ground they have to do so and what divine promise they can pretend to trust to for it is not in our power to command our time when we would and whether God will grant it to us according to our wishes is much to be doubted As 't is written Thou hast trodden down all them that err from thy Statutes for their deceit is falshood No Doctor of the Christian Church for what I know ever taught us to put off and delay Repentance and amendment of life till the last day of living nor promised any happy success to those that did so nay St. Austin doubts of the condition of those delayers of serious Repentance till the hour of death and we have no reason but with St. Austin to doubt of the same Wo be to fearful hearts and faint hands and the sinner that goeth two ways Wo will be unto many to whom opportunity and the advantages of amending their lives has been offered and granted whilst they were alive and in health and whilst God waited for them and who still persisting in their wickedness their too late desire of Repentance will through their own fault be unprofitable to them Many instances of wicked Men who die without Repentance happen daily some snatcht away by sudden death others killed some cast away at Sea others slain in Battel or brought to their end by thunder lightning and many other ways who perhaps if their lives had been longer would have seriously set about the work of Repentance but it hath seemed otherwise to the Judgment and Decree of God who seeing he does all that is necessary for reclaiming of sinners is not always wont to superadd more than ought to be expected Mat. 11. Had God done the mighty works in Tyre and Sidon which he did in Chorazin and Bethsaida he knew that they would have repented in Sack-cloth and ashes And if the mighty works which were done in Capernaum had been done in Sodom it also upon the word of our Saviour would have remained until this day But seeing the Almighty had done for those places what was enough in his most righteous Judgment he was not willing to add more than was sufficient How many of those who have led a wicked and sinful life and still professed an inclination and desire to die well have either had the death they wished for or a blessed and happy end How every Man shall end his days depends not on himself but on the Counsel and Decree of God as it is written Psal 68. He that is our God is the God of Salvation and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death But God shall wound the head of his enemies and the hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his Trespasses Most terrible also and yet most certain is that Sentence pronounced by divine Oracle Psal 34. Evil shall slay the wicked and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate But great are the Promises and hopes that the Scripture gives to those who love piety and are of a penitent and obedient heart which we should always have before our eyes The Lord redeemeth the Soul of his Servants and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate Let us then a little consider what these Men do who leaving off to after he had left his The Example of Abraham Country Kindred and Fathers House never returned again into Chaldea or Mesopotamia but travelled and So journed in several places according to the will and appointment of God spending his whole life even to death in the obedience of Gods commands and that he would not die nor be buried any where but there where he had received the Promises nor move a foot from those places wherein he was warned from Heaven to tarry and abide Wherefore the Holy Scripture admonishing those who are the true children of Abraham that is his spiritual Children who is called the Father of many Nations of their duty in imitation of their fathers example saith Isa 51. Hearken to me ye that follow after righteousness ye that seek the Lord look unto the rock whence ye are hewen and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged Look unto Abraham your Father and unto Sarah that bare you for I called him alone and blessed him and encreased him as being a Man who firmly believed and diligently obeyed God that called him Col. 3. So then they which be of the Faith and imitate the example of Abraham are blessed with faithful Abraham Wherefore my dear fellow Christians being furnished with all these precepts and instructions of God the Father and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord and Master let us in the first place take diligent heed that we sin not For that indeed is best but because all the Sons of Adam are under sin the wisest counsel and most acceptable to God that can be given in the next place is that he who hath sinned would with all his heart and mind turn to God 1 John 2. for we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world If he be sought of us with a contrite and humble heart which the Lord himself declares To this Man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word Wherefore the Apostle St. John admonishes us saying 1 John 3. Beloved if our heart