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	perfect_a	4,924	5	9.0614	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A79909	Agapai aspiloi, or The innocent love-feast. Being a sermon preached at S. Lawrence Jury in London, the sixth day of September, Anno Domini 1655. On the publick festival of the county of Hertford; and published this present May 1656. / By William Clarke.	Clarke, William, d. 1679.	1656 (1656)	Wing C4566; ESTC R206588	32,538	47

it cannot be denied but the Apostle doth preach up the preheminence of this duty above all that went before Psal 133. And truly when I consider that holy David hath spent a whole Psalm 1 Cor. 13. and St. Paul a whole Chapter upon no other subject then the excellency of this duty of Charity I cannot thinke my selfe able to perform the same work in any Competent measure in a small part of a Sermon yet since it is fallen in our way according to my time and talent I shall shew you the preheminence of this duty above all others in these Foure particulars In the perfection of its acts In the sweetness of its nature In the Vniversality of its Influence and lastly in the Duration of its Being First it is above all in the perfection of its acts 1 Cor. 13.13 Now abideth Faith Hope and Charity these three but the greatest of these is Charity The advancement of this grace will prove a very easie worke if we can set it above Faith it selfe and since the holy Ghost hath said it we must make it good and that in two particulars First Charity is greater then Faith in respect to the Efficacy of their acts For Charity gives life at least it gives activity to Faith and therefore is greater read this assertion at large verified by St. Iames Chap. 2. from the 14. to the 23. Faith without works is dead if a brother be naked or want Food and ye say be be warmed and filled but give him nothing what doth this profit Faith is dead if it be alone for the Devils beleeve and tremble and v. 22. he saith that Abrahams faith wrought by works and by works faith is perfect And St. Paul makes up St. Iames's argument by the specification of those works which actuate faith Faith worketh by Love Gal. 5.6 It is love then which actuates yea which in St. Iames his phrase perfects faith thus Charity is greater then Faith first in the efficacy of their acts it actuates it perfects faith Secondly it is greater then faith in the Absoluteness of its acts Faith qua talis in its own nature implyeth imperfection not only in matter of degrees for so Charity also is imperfect in this life but even in its own kinde the most perfect act of Faith if it be but Faith hath this imperfection in it to wit the Absence of the object For saith the Apostle It is of things not seen whereas charity is the grace of union Heb. 11.1 and it is the caressing of the heart in the actual Fruition of the object and therefore is perfect in its own kinde For which reason it abideth and Faileth not with Faith hope and other imperfect graces which by reason of their imperfections are unfit for Heaven without a charge as also are all those that imply misery in others such as pitty and compassion c. which in the very natures of their acts forespeak themselves unfit for that state where there is Fulness of joy for ever more whereas this grace of Charity abideth the same in Heaven as on Earth in its kinde though in degrees it is more perfect and for no other reason but because the acts and operations of Charity even as they are performed here on Earth do not imply any Essential inherent imperfections which as you see are to be found in all other graces Therefore Charity is Above all others First in the Perfection of its Acts. Secondly In the sweetness of its Nature There is no duty of Religion that comes so neer to the delight of nature as the duty of Brotherly love as man is naturally a sociable creature so consequently must he be as naturally a loving and affectionate creature Love being the congregating and uniting passion of the soule whereby the object is drawn close to the affection so that Love simply in its own nature is the most consonant to our natural inclination even above all other duties of Religion whatsoever which the Psalmist plainly intimates when he cryes out Psal 133.1 Behold how pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity Faith repentance self-denial taking up the Cross and all duties of mortification instead of pleasure hold in their very acts rather a displeasure and contrariety to nature but how pleasant is unity among Brethren wherefore above all other Secondly in the sweetness of its nature Thirdly in the Vniversality of its influence Charity transfuseth an universal vertue through the whole body of Gods worship and service in all the duties of the same if they are performed as they ought to be whereas other duties are particularly stated within their own limits Meditation is a distinct duty from hearing of the word preached and Hearing is a distinct duty from prayer and Receiving the Sacraments distinct from both but the duties of Love and Charity must have an universal influence in all Charity being among the Graces much as Iustice among the vertues 1 Cor. 16.14 The Apostle particularly exhorts the Corinthians to Watchfulness to magnanimity to Constancy in their particular and distinct natures but v. 14. he enjoyns Charity as an Vniversal requisite to the performance of these and all other particular duties whatsoever Watch ye Stand fast in the Faith quit you like men be strong here are the particular duties and in the next verse Let all things be done with Charity like as it was under the law an abundance of sacrifices there were of proper and distinct kindes some of Sheep some of Bullocks some of Lambs some for peace some for praise some for sin But all were kindled by the same holy fire that was kept alwayes alive upon the holy Altar for these several services And even thus is it with the grace of Charity it is that holy Fire which is ever kept alive in the Altar of the good mans heart whereby he enkindles all his evangelical sacrifices which he offereth unto God and therefore he that cometh with his gift to the altar before he be reconciled to his Brother in effect expects to offer a burnt offering without Fire let him leave his gift First Fetch this Fire then let him kindle his Sacrifice and perform the whole state and series of the duties of Religion quickned with this common Catholick grace which is to the other inferior duties of Gods worship as the Sun is to the lesser Stars though they have a native beauty and light of their own yet do they all borrow the chiefest part of their lustre from this great ruling light of Charity I need no better evidence of the universal influence of this grace then the resemblance the holy Psalmist gives us Psal 133.2 where he tells us that the love of Brethren is that precious ointment of Aaron which was poured upon his head and ran down to his beard and descended even to the skirts of his garments and so gave a pleasant tincture to every part of Aaron from head to foot