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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
work_n	act_n	faith_n	justify_v	11,290	5	9.0946	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A60368	Christian instruction directing to a more perfect and saving knowledge of God, in the foundation-principles of true religion. By way of question and answer. Meet to be seriously considered by all true Christians, for their help and furtherance in the great concerns of eternal life. By W.S.	Saller, William, d. ca. 1680.	1670 (1670)	Wing S398C; ESTC R218598	19,270	28

3.13 to himself as appears from the seventh and eighth Reasons going before and so hath brought us under the New Covenant Heb. 10.19 20 29. which is established upon better Promises Heb. 8.6 than the Old was Q. VVhat are the tearms conditions or promises pertaining to the Old Covenant A. These for substance are all the tearms of that first Covenant The man that doth these things shall live by them And Cursed is he that doth them not Rom. 10.5 Gal. 3.10 12. Q. VVhat are the promises or tearms of the New Covenant A. First in brief these are the New Covenant tearms He that believes shall be saved and he that believeth not shall be condemned But secondly The whole revelation of the Lords divine pleasure exprest in the Promises and Threatnings of the Scriptures are the New Covenant Tearms those only excepted that before were named appertaining to the First Covenant Q. But what is the New Covenant it self or how may it be understood A. Christ himself is said to be given as the Covenant Isa 42.6 and 49.8 Secondly the Blood of Christ is called the Covenant or Testament Mat. 26.28 Mark 14.24 Luke 22.20 1 Cor. 11.25 Thirdly Teaching mercy pardoning mercy and renewing mercy are called the Covenant Jer. 31.33 34. Heb. 8.10 11 12. From all which this is evident That the New Covenant is Free Grace not only tendred but extended by the Father through the blood of the Son to all men sufficient to enable them to believe acceptably and they that believe have eternal life given them and all that tends to fit them for that blessed inheritance while the obstinate unbelievers for their disobedience to the Gospel of Grace perish Q. Is Faith of necessity to this New Covenant benefit A. Yea in all come up to years of discretion and capeable to attain it as appears Heb. 11.6 7. Gal. 3.22 26. John 3.15 16 18 36. Q. Have Children no Faith suppose you A. We have no reason to believe they have or can have any seeing Faith comes by hearing Rom. 10.14 17. and there can be no reason to believe that Faith can possibly be raised in the soul without hearing or means equivolent to bearing sufficient to enlighten the understanding in the knowledge of the Truth Q. Do you believe Children are saved although they have no Faith seeing the Lord will not save persons of understanding without it A. Yea First because Christ tels us that Of such is the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 19.13 14. Luke 18.15 16 17. Secondly They being redeemed and so delivered from all danger of eternal ruine upon the Old Covenant account It is no way likely that the New Covenant which is better and more merciful will ever condemn such as never live to disobey it also the Scripture plainly manifesteth that the second Adam brought a Cure every way proportionable to the Disease the first Adam brought upon the world Rom. 5.12 c. and that the grace is much more abundant that comes by him which being true there is no place for a doubt concerning the estate of Infants but that it is well with them seeing they have no more disease but what hath originally befallen them if Children have no Faith Q. VVhat then is a visible Church of Christ or how may it be discerned from other Assemblies A. The visible Church of Christ is an Assembly of faithful Persons Saints by calling at least Q. VVho are Saints by calling A. Those that are won by the Gospel to believe and voluntarily give up themselves to the profession and practice of Religion and Godliness Ephes 1.1 Phil. 1.1 5 6 7. Col. 1.2 4 5 6 7 8. Q. VVhat Ordinances hath Christ appointed in his Church visible A. Prayer Preaching Baptism Laying on of Hands the Lords Supper with all Duties of Love in general and when necessity requireth Excommunication also 1 Tim. 2.1 Acts 12.5 2 Tim. 4.1 2. Mat. 28.19 20. 1 Cor. 11.20 Heb. 13.16 2 Cor. 9.6 7. 1 Cor. 5. John 13.14 15. Mat. 18.15 16 17.18 Q. At what age ought persons to be Baptized and received into Church-Communion A. The Scriptures have not exprest any age but the time when persons do indeed repent and with all the heart believe the Gospel Acts 8.36 37 38. Mark 16.15 16. Acts 2.38 41 42. and so saith the Common-Prayer-Book also in its Catechisme and that according to truth Q. Be those that are Baptized and so Members of the visible Church Heirs of Salvation A. Yea if they do as they profess in truth believe John 3.15 16.36 Q. VVhat is true Faith let us understand and know it seeing it is so necessary to Salvation A. True Faith believes unfainedly all that God saith how unlikely soever it appears to sense Gen. 15.6 Gal. 3.6 7 9. Luke 1.45 Q. VVhat is the nature of true Faith or how may it be known when it is savingly wrought in the heart A. It will work men to a suitable obedience and deliver them from the love and service of sin and therfore if any do live in the service of known sin they cannot be in the Faith nor yet the Servants of Christ John 8.34 39. 1 John 3.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. Acts 15.9 Q. VVill not that Faith then justifie men which is without good works A. No it cannot because it is fruitless and dead Jam. 2.14 c. Q. Are we justified by Faith or by VVorks or by both together A. Nay we are justified by Faith without Works Rom. 3.20 27 28. and 4.2 3 4 5 6. For however the Faith that is without Works will not justifie yet the Works themselves add nothing toward our justification Q. VVherefore then are good VVorks of necessity A. They are not at all of necessity to justifie us nevertheless if we be without them our Faith is not true nor living no more than he can be a living man that hath no breath in his nostrils Q. But are VVorks of no use but only to prove our Faith true and of a living nature A. Yes we may and must work diligently as well as believe in order to the attainment of our Sanctification which is as necessary to Salvation as Justification is and Holiness is not gotten without diligent working John 3.3 4. Heb. 12.14 2 Pet. 3.14 Heb. 6.11 12. Q. VVherefore must we work in order to our growth in Holiness and not in order to our Justification A. In the one works profit not but contrarily tend to rob the Lord of the honour of his grace who forgiveth freely iniquity Rom. 4.2 3 4 5 6 7 8. but in the other works are profitable for the attaining of holiness as was shewed before and they are profitable to men and honourable to God Tit. 3.8 14. Mat. 5.16 Heb. 12.14 Q. But then wherefore must we believe in order to Sanctification seeing it will not prevent working A. All Works are altogether vain without grace and blessing from God which must be fetched by Faith from him through

Church and not by virtue of any power or authority that is placed in any Officer or company of Ministers whatsoever to give him lawful power to Officiate as a Minister of Christ that otherwise wanted a lawful authority so to do My Reasons are First I find hands laid on them that neither wanted an Office nor a sufficient Call to the exercise of it upon their setting forth from the Church to preach the Gospel abroad in the world Acts 12.3 Secondly I find that whose hath gifts to Preach may lawfully use them 1 Pet. 4.10 11. and yet this seems to be the greatest work of an Apostle of Christ Compare 1 Cor. 1.14 17. with 9.16 17. And I can find no warrant for Churches or Ministers to commit a Pastoral charge to any man but such an one as is a known apt and able Preacher 1 Tim. 3.2 Tit. 1.9 which cannot well be except he be frequently found in the work of Preaching and therefore my judgement is that the work of the Ministry is not bound to a Minister although a Minister be bound to his work Acts 20.28 Q. You said a little before that Baptism belonged to such as believe and repent Let us understand what that Ordinance is and wherein it will profit us A. It is a Burial in Water in the Name of the Father Son Holy Spirit to signifie Death Burial and Resurrection that as Christ died for us and rose from the Grave so we that believe shall rise by means of his Death to inherit eternal life and shall receive grace through his Death to kill sin and quicken us to walk in newness of life 1 Cor. 15.29 Rom. 6.3 4. Q. Since you say Believers shall rise to inherit eternal Life shall no others rise from the grave again A. Yea although all shall not rise to glory yet Christ having Redeemed them from the Curse of the Law it is impossible the Grave can detain them for ever but first or last both good and bad shall rise again John 5.28 29. 1 Cor. 15.21 22. Q. Do not all the dead good and bad rise at once A. No the faithful rise to enjoy a glorious Kingdom with Christ a thousand years before the wicked world shall rise again 1 Thes 4.16 Rev. 20.3 4 5 6. yet shall they at last rise to receive the sentence of condemnation Dan. 12.2 John 5.29 Q. What think you of the Spirit or Inward-man Doth that more excellent part die with the Body or what state is it in till the Resurrection A. What its injoyments are or in what place or places their Spirits remain I shall not say and I would no man would say more in the case than he can clearly prove to raise fruitless contention but this much is clear That the Spirits of men do live when the Body is dead and are capable of enjoying more communion with Christ than while they remained in the Body 2 Cor. 5.6 8 9. and 12.2 3 4. Phil. 1.21 22 23 24. Mat. 10.28 Luke 9.30 31. and what I have seen urged to the contrary wants strength and clearness but Controversie becomes not a Catechism Q. Is the Spirit taken out of the Body to the estate it shall for ever remain in as some think and the Body never rise out of the dust again A. Although the fore-named Texts be full of authority to prove that that very Body that dies and is laid in the dust shall rise again yet I for a further proof commend to consideration 1 Cor. 15. Job 19.25 26 27. These places can admit of no other Interpretation Q. Will you speak to the Ordinance of Laying on of Hands in what cases it is appointed A. It seems to me to be appointed in several cases First for the blessing of the Lord on Church Members for the gifts and increase of the Spirit that they may grow useful in and to the Body the Church Acts 8.15 16 17 18 19 20. and 19.2 6 7. 1 Cor. 12.14 and 1.12 And being reckoned among the Principles Heb. 6.1 2. I cannot see but Principles of Religion must belong to all that are Religious Q. But those Texts in the Acts speak of the gift of Tongues given by this Ordinance Is it to be practised for that end A. Hands are to be laid on for what Gifts it pleaseth the Holy Spirit to give 1 Cor. 12.11 for however it pleased the Lord to give those gifts that were more than ordinary in the use of it sometime in that day yet it seems to be more the design of the Lord for the advancement of the Gospel in that day than the end of that Institution and the Gift might exceed the expectation of the Administrator or the Receiver its like if we consider 2 Tim. 1.6 7. 1 Cor. 12. and 14 Chapters It can no more be proved that it was appointed for such an end than it can be proved that Preaching the Gospel was appointed for that end yet it pleased the Lord to appear as far in the one of those Ordinances as in the other of them in that day Acts 10.46 But if there be any ground to expect those gifts that are more than ordinary in the use of any means or duties incumbant upon us it may rather be expected from Believing Repentance or Baptism than from Laying on of Hands Mark 16.17 18. Acts 2.38 Q. In what other cases is this Ordinance appointed A. In the setting apart Church Officers to their Ministry for the further assistance of the Holy Spirit to supply them with help for the discharge of their great work Acts 6.6 1 Tim. 4.14 as likewise for healing the sick Mark 16.18 Acts 28.8 9. Q. But is it not appointed for Children likewise that they may receive a blessing from Christ A. I cannot say there is any appointment by way of command for it to them if our Lords example Mat. 19.13 14 15. Mark 10.13 14 15 16. be not a sufficient warrant to his Ministers to bless in his Name as his Ministers of old did Deut. 10.8 Numb 6.23 to 27. There is no other warrant that I know of I shall therefore leave it to consideration Q. But is there not an Ordinance of Annointing appointed for the sick Members of the Church A. Yea and the manner directed and precious Promises annexed to the upright and faithful performance of that duty Jam. 5.14 15 16. Q. What is the right manner of receiving the Lords Supper A. The worst of men do acknowledge that the persons receiving must be qualified with Faith and Repentance thankfulness to God and charity to men I need not prove that Let not such men as confess that rise up in judgement against us But what I shall say is to the time which is plainly signified to be at night after our own supper is lovingly eaten together and therefore are they reprehended that are their own supper before their poor brethren came to eat with them 1 Cor. 11.21 22 23 24 25. and are commanded