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A51261 An addition to the Clavis aurea with an enquiry upon what terms the salvation of man doth depend; whether entirely on faith or entirely on works, or whether entirely on grace or free-gift. By Thomas Moor, author of the Clavis aurea, living in St. Thomas's in Southwark.; Clavis aurea. Addition. Moor, Thomas, fl. 1695-1697. 1696 (1696) Wing M2608AA; ESTC R216354 26,490 32

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and not esteemed of in the sight of God but yet we cannot understand by this that our VVorks are to be so perfect that the Law must not be broken for then what would the Blood of Christ signify to us VVho is it that ever liv'd so holy but every Day breaks the Law tho against his Desire But more of this in another Place As to the Scripture which seems to plead for Perfection of good VVorks and Faith in this Life or no Salvation which is that Vbelievers Fearful and all Lyars shall have their Portion in the Lake Rom. 21. 8. points that such Perfection is given after this Life otherwise who shall be saved this will end the Confusion that is preach'd Thus I have given an uniting of the Scripture as to Faith and Works And for the better understanding this I proceed to the Definition of a justiing Faith But first let me tell you Perfection in good Works is taught to be in this Life and so the Error of the Galatians is on us who expected Justification by the Law for they say if we repent we shall be forgiven which I grant but that which is the Mistake and brings us under Bondage again is that they allow not Repentance sufficient without also a forsaking of the Sin repented of and Men not always finding it in their Power so to do fall into Despair So that we had need of a more comfortable Doctrine to encourage us in that which is good and to render us Satisfaction For I find from the Example of the Primitive Christians that sold their Estates and gave it to the Poor that Love draws more than Fear compels A Definition of a Justifying or Saving Faith A Justifying or Saving Faith consists in three parts 1. To believe that Christ suffered for Sin without doubting of it 2. To love him to that perfection of Love as not to fear but to be assured of our Salvation 3. To delight in good works tho we cannot be so perfect in them as to keep the whole Law of Moses or Moral Commands of Christ yet having this Faith Good Works would be as was in the Primitive Faith when they sold their Possessions and distributed to those that wanted far surpassing what is now practised So that believing without doubting assurance of Salvation and good Works make up one Faith for Justification And if one of these three parts be wanting the Faith is not Justifying and so by consequence nor Saving Whence all three parts put together make up such a Faith as we must have either in this World or the World to come or no Salvation Proofs of this Faith in every part of it 1. He that doubts whether Christ suffered or not doth not believe for he that doubteth is damned is he eats because he eateth not of Faith Rom. 14. 23. questioning the lawfulness or unlawfulness of the Meat he eats which shews that a doubting Faith is a damning Faith But in objection to this we say Christ healed the Man that said Lord I believe help my Vnbelief So he healed all that were diseased of their Bodies that came unto him whether Believers or Unbelievers yet without this Faith there 's no Salvation And as to his not quenching the smoaking Flax that 's in some for it 's certain that Israel in part are concluded in Unbelief born to die in Unbelief And indeed the Faith now in general is a doubting wavering seeking Faith and Books are now writ to prove the Scriptures the word of God there being so little credit given to them 2. The second part of this Faith is assurance of Salvation It is neither Circumcision nor Vncircumcision that availeth but Faith that works by love Gal. 5. 6. Hence 't is a Faith that works by love that is saving or available and this Faith which works by Love is not made perfect if Fear be not extinguished as 't is writ He that fears is not made perfect in love 1 John 4. 18. Now if 1 question whether God loves me so well as to save me I am in fear and where there is Fear there is Torment John 4. 18. So that it 's evident a Faith which works by Love is made perfect by a casting out of Fear which cannot be till there be an assurance of Salvation this being so clearly proved proves the first part of Faith to be true that doubting is not believing for who can be sure of his Salvation that doubts of Christ's Suffering 3. The third part of this Saving Faith is to delight in good Works tho we cannot be so perfect in them in this Life as to keep the whole Law of Moses and Moral Commands of Christ The Error that the foolish Galatians were under is the same as now 〈◊〉 which was that they sought Justification by being so 〈◊〉 good Works that they were able to keep the Law or 〈…〉 committing Sin as if we must first keep the Law 〈…〉 before we can have an Interest in Christ As 〈…〉 ●o absurd as to say they can live without 〈…〉 But Paul tells them he preached the Gospel to them 〈…〉 the Flesh and in the next Verse he calls this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Flesh which was Sin And in that 〈◊〉 so 〈…〉 they must have seen it because Paul 〈…〉 this his Temptation in the Flesh which the●efo●e must be a visible Sin or Temptation Gal. 4 13 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may go far and not be perfect 1 Cor. 13 'T is ●●●rity that is the tryal of a Christian's Faith and it never faileth The 〈◊〉 satisfaction of future Joys opens the Hearts of Men but Unbelievers hold it best to be sure of keeping what they have here for fear of not being recompenc'd hereafter But I would not have you mistake the Apostle when he saith Though I bestow all my 〈◊〉 to the Poor and have not Charity it profiteth me nothing ● Paul doth not say he that giveth his Goods to the Poor for Christ ● sake hath not Charity that cannot be but to give them in O●●●u●ation or Pride For Charity covereth a multitude of Sins 1 Pet. 4. 8 and true Charity sussereth long or is patient and is kind and e●vieth not ●●aunteth not it self is not puffed up and doth not unseemly beleave it self especially towards the Poor as if they were not his Fellow-Creatures Paul preach'd Sin unavoidable so that if he had found in himself that he could have avoided it altogether he could not have let his Experience and Doctrine so contradict each other for in Rom. 7. 21 he thus writes I find then a Law that when I would do good evil it present with me Again ver 18. to will is present with me but 〈◊〉 to perform that which is good I find not and much more in that Chapter to the same purpose And indeed the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit that we cannot do the things we would Gal. 5. 17. But i● objection to this we read Paul got the Victory 1 Cor. 15. ●7
but there he saith it was through Christ that God gave him the Victory ●●● Sin and Death that is in reference to another World otherwise we must conclude he never died here in the Flesh The Spirit of Christ moved in him to do that which was good yet he teaches that he had a 〈◊〉 Temptation in the Flesh and preach'd a Doctrine su●eable●●● 〈◊〉 and suppose he got the Victory over Sin how should the Jews over their Unbelief In John 3. it 's said He tha● obideth in Christ sinneth not And in John 1. 8. If we say we have no Sin we deceive our selves c. This is the same as Paul said ' T is no more I that do it but Sin that is in me he did commit Sin but not willingly with a desire to commit it But alas ●● those that have not a Beam in their Eyes may by reading what is commanded and how far short they come of it easily discern they cannot live one Day without committing one ●in or another Now let us see how far short Men come of the Works of those that had this Faith we find St. Paul work'd to maintain himself caring not to burden the Church 2 Thess 3. 8 9 and left it for an Example Where the Holy Ghost was evidently given that Comforter Joh. 16. 7. that sweetness of the Powers Above that gave them assurance of Salvation and ravished them with such Celestial transporting Joys without which we may be said to be in Hell that this World and all its Glory was as dung Phil. 3. 8. They sold their Possessions and distribute● 〈◊〉 their Brethren the Christians wanted and accounted nothing their own they possessed Acts 4. 32. and this was easy to them that had a saving Faith or assurance of Salvation whereby the Love of God was spread abroad in their Hearts but these are hard 〈◊〉 these Days Thus have I ended the Description of Saving Faith without which a Man cannot be saved so that if there were such a lo●● Place of Torment as a Hell-Fire after this Life who can by his Faith escape it But I have proved in my Clavis Aurea and will make it more plain here that Faith is given 〈◊〉 this Life and therein must rest our Satisfaction for little Signs of Faith are now and I pass by the miraculous Cures o● the Apostles and their raising the Dead as Signs of their Faith But if Covetousness Pride Envy c. be Signs of Faith we see enough rich Apparel and out-vying one another instead of searching out and visiting distressed Familes 'T is 〈…〉 themselves give good Examples in this kind 〈…〉 may be they will not let their right Hands know wha● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hands do An opening of some Obscure Places in the Clavis Aurea In Page 6 and 7. it 's prov'd that Blindness in part ●● happened ●o Israel till the Fulness of the Gentiles be came in Rom 11. 25. But to be more plain if this Unbelief was not ordained for them and to continue till the Fulness of the Gentiles were come in How came St. Paul to know this And such Unbelief could not be foreseen if Free-will was intended for these Men multitudes of them not being born The Fulness of the Gentiles is when the Jews are called evident from the Text viz Blindness in part is happened unto Israel till the Fulness of the Gentiles be come in The Fulness of the Gentiles also is when the Deliverer comes out of Sion to turn Iniquity from Jacob Rom. 11. 26. which Iniquity cannot be turned away but by Faith for as long as Unbelief remains upon them their Iniquity remains And so long as Jerusalem lies trodden under-foot the Fulness of the Gentiles are not come in as 't is writ Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles till the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled Luke 21. 24. From this then we must allow that multitudes of the Jews were ordained before they were born to die in Unbelief and amongst such multitudes the grossest Sins have been committed Yet the Scriptures tell us All Israel shall be saved they being Enemies also to the Gospel yet are elected and beloved Rom. 11. 25. 28. All the Reason then that the Jews are broken off through Unbelief can be no other as the Scripture tells you but that the Gentiles might be grafted in Rom. 11. 17. And so Sin and Unbelief is not the Original Cause that all are not Israel which are of Israel 't is only a Distinction between the Children of the Flesh and Children of the Promise As 't is writ the Children of the Flesh are not the Children of God but the Children of the Promise are accounted for the Seed Rom. 9. 8. The very Text it self tells you they are termed Israel though they are born to die in Unbelief in that it saith Blindness in part is happened unto Israel till the Fulness of the Gentiles be come in Rom. 11. 25. It 's but rational then that these unavoidable Vnbelievers should be saved and the Scripture agrees with it and besides Unbelief is a Cause of Sin as for want of a Saving Faith Men are covetous proud c. having only a form of Godlin●ss These Unbelievers and Sinners are notwithstanding termed Israel and the following Text saith All Israel shall be saved ver 26. So that the Children of the Promise must be all Men in the Spirit in their Glorified Estate tho they are the grossest Unbelievers and Sinners in the Flesh and this is very easy to believe since there is no Free-will in Faith and Unbelief is the Cause of gross Sins committed And in Sin there is not Free-will but some are made Vessels of Wrath as Judas to betray and some are made Vessels of Mercy as Paul who was created in Christ unto good Works which God before ordained be should walk in them Eph. 2. 10. And since such Examples are I would know the Reason why we must ascribe more Free-will to our Selves than the Jews Judas and Paul And why must not we draw a General Rule from these Particular Examples as well as Paul did from the Example of Pharoah's hardness of Heart Therefore saith Paul hath he Mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardens Rom. 9. 18. They being then such Unbelievers ordained to Unbelief and born to die in Unbelief yet are saved there can be no Hell Fire after this Life considering also that amongst such multitudes that die in Unbelief they have committed the grossest Sins But to proceed farther the Promise extends it self as 't is as reasonable to all Nations nay to all Families of the Earth we see Sin nor Unbelief being no more a hindrance to its Extension than the premeditated Lye of Jacob was to the receiving of the Blessing saying I am Esau thy first-born Gen. 27. The Promise is this Gen. 26. 4. I will multiply thy Seed as the Stars of Heaven c. and in thy Seed shall all Nations of the Earth be
and without those Joys we may be said to be in Hell or under Darkness or Unbelief without assurance of Salvation full of fear in which is Torment John 4. 18. When I say all Israel shall be saved because it is said all are not Israel which are of Israel they say the word All then signifies some I answer then that some are that part of Israel that dye in Unbelief that are saved because those Israel to whom Blindness in part is happened to till the Fullness of the Gentiles be come in are Enemies to the Gospel yet are they elected and beloved Rom. 11. from Ver. 25. to Ver. 33. And in the next place it would be inconsistent with the Wisdom Honour Justice and mercy of God first to conclude or blind a People that had a Zeal to him and to determine them so to be before they are born and then to torment them to all Eternity Body and Soul after this Life for what they could in no wise avoid Some when I say as in Rom. 11. 32. God hath concluded them in Unbelief that he might have mercy on them say that the word Concluded here signifies God Concludes they are Unbelievers I answer But God Concluded them or Israel in the 25th Ver. which is the Sense foregoing to 32 Ver. in Unbelief till the Fulness of the Gentiles be come in whereby they are Concluded or ordain'd before they are born to dye in Unbelief therefore this mercy in the 32 Ver. is to be given them in another Life Neither can God give Free-will in Faith which is at the same time to act two Contraries for at the same time he gives Faith he cannot at the same time permit Unbelief to the same Person And at the same time that he permits Unbelief he cannot give Faith So the words Concluded them in Vnbelief must signify God blinded them and would not permit them to believe especially if we consider from unbeliving Israel that dye in Unbelief and cannot obtain Faith that not only Faith but also the endeavouring for it must be given of God And they that had a Zeal to God could not have Faith when he was found of the Gentiles that Fought him not Thus have you the true Doctrine of Predestination but I find it hath been much sought after and long expected as the Jews did the M●ssiah but could not receive him and do you think you may not be as much mistaken about Elias when he shall come And say there are many false prophets and you do not know who may be the right but let them be true or false you 'l use them both alike And what Judea suffer'd for so doing the Scripture informs you But what saith our Saviour a Prophet is not esteemed in his own Country The Person of Christ was contemptible insomuch they call'd h●m Fellow as for this Fellow we know not from whence he is so the Person of Paul was Contemptible as others said And indeed the hard usage of Paul making him both to Hunger and Thrist and to be Naked added much to the Contempt of his Person And the same undoubtedly Elias must expect when he comes from those who can neither believe him nor discourse him Which is a sign to know a Spiritual Man or Prophet by And if you are still so weak to think the Learned can answer me and cannot defend their own works it would be great Stupidity indeed and 't will be in vain for me to perswade such who make not their Reason but their Unbelief an Argument against me Omissions and Erratas in the Clavis Aurea Pag. 7. L. 34. blot out so P. 8. L. 31. before altho and at the end of the word Jacoh make Parenthesis thus P. 10. L. 6. add in the margent with a Pencil Since Unbelievers are saved there 's no Hell Fire after this Life And amongst such multitudes that dye in Unbelief some have Committed the Grossest Sins And there 's no Free-will in Faith on which depends Mans Salvation P. 13. L. 5. for Loaves r. Tares Between lin 18. and lin 19. add It 's said Matth. 11. It shall be more tolerable for Sodom at the Day of Judgment whose Misery is then over at that Day of Judgment than for Chorazin which shortly was to be destroyed for Unbelief with Jerusalem and Judea And whereas it is said in James 3. The Tongue is a Fire and set on fire of Hell Observe it 's said No Man can tame it whereby it's unruliness is an Infirmity and is set a raging or on fire in Hell or by this World's Infirmities as Passion Covetousness Pride c. P. 15. l. 28. for Grrves read Graves In the Mystery of Iniquity P. 24. L. 9. between the words Crucifixion and Objection r. and it must be in a Crucified Christ since the Lamb was Slain from the Foundation of the World Rev. 13. 8. which was before Adam was Created THis Book may be had at Thomas Moor's a Barber living in St. Thomas's in Southwark near the Sign of the Harrow