Selected quad for the lemma: work_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
work_n	condition_n	faith_n	justification_n	7,535	5	9.7068	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93368	Soule-reviving influences of the sun of righteousnesse, or Some bright beames of light and love, sparkling from Christ upon the darke and drooping hearts of sin-weakend and clouded believers, even while we are in this solitary wildernesse, not yet arrived at the land of spirituall Canaan; but taking a turne in the darke and dampe valley of the shadow of death. With several evangelicall and heart-winning incouragements to the life of faith in the Sonne of God, notwithstanding our manifold weaknesses and hainous provocations; yea to the keeping up of the same comfort, hope confidence, and joy in him in the sadest straights, of the sorest darknesse.	Smith, John, of Badgworth.	1654 (1654)	Wing S4091A; Thomason E1485_1; ESTC R208761	97,631	237

whereby they are led forth to weigh their state of grace only in the scale of mortification of sinne as it is commonly taken for dying to particular Acts and in so doing they unavoidably come short of that comfortable perswasion as to the eternal condition of their soules which others who place their assurance in Christ and his free promise do enjoy because sinne hath a stronger side in us then the Spirit and for that the spiritual condition in this life consists more in being justified from sin then cleansed from it and our blessednesse more in having the curse of sin removed then the corruption our justification being more glorious then our sanctification and our forgivenesse of sinne is farre more glorious then our cleansing from sinne for the just shall live by his faith which is not a life by sense and sanctification only but a life by believing for life in another in Christ and thereupon our life is said to be hid with Christ in God and Christ is called our life When Christ who is our life c. I speake now to the weak and wounded believers for sinne not to the carnal and unregenerate in sinne God will have Christ to be our life and our all that our all that man may be nothing And as the light of the Sun damps the fire and extinguishes its light as not enduring any light but it selfe so when Christ the Sun of Righteousnesse arises in a poor soul out-goes all fire and candle light yea and sparke light of its own kindling wherewithal the soule had compassed it selfe about it leaves not one spark remaining to walke in or for the heart to derive comfort from Saith such a soule what if all the fire which I have heretofore kindled and compassed my selfe about withall be extinguished and annihilated Christ is infinitely a better light heate and comfort and sparkles with the brightest lustre when alone 2. From ignorance of the ends that God many times proposes unto himselfe in suffering corruption to be strong in his deare children God hath in wisdome and much love left sinne in his to abase them in their own eyes and to keepe them humble in the sense of their transgressions and that we may know what we are and our strength and that our God might thereby exercise in us the fruits and graces of his own spirit faith for pardon wisdome watchfulness self-denial meekness ●umility c. and that we might love Christ the more in that all our sins are pardoned which graces had we no sin left in us we should not have such occasion to exercise as also that he might inure us to live upon him by faith that we might long to be in heaven where we shal enioy perfect freedome from all sin and that we seeing our selves to stand in such need of Christ to manifest unto our consciences our pardon thereof and to heale us might love and prize him the more and depend upon him for strength against sin and live upon his fulnesse and that the power of Christ might the more palpably appeare in the miraculous preservation of a little sparke of grace in the midst of the ocean of our corruptions and that the power of his grace in subduing of our so strong and so many corruptions might be made manifest Saith Paul I glory in my infirmities not simply as they are sins but in that the power and goodnesse of God is the more seene both in pardoning and healing of them if there were not evil it could not be knowne what is good justice and mercy had not been knowne And when thou sinnest against the Lord Jesus albeit he will tell thee of thy fault in thy conscience to humble and abase thee in thine own eyes yet he still remembers the grace that is in thee The sinning Church in Sardis hath but a few good names among many bad and Christ records them thou hast a few names even in Sardis c. And falling Philadelphia hath but a little strength and yet Christ eyes it and blazons it Thou hast a little strength and hast kept my words and hast not denyed my name Because thou hast kep● the word of my patience I will also keepe thee from the houre of temptation which shal come upon all the world to try them that dwel upon the earth Christ will not forget thy weake grace though mixed with strong corruptions he turns all his childrens sins to their good he makes Samsons riddle a truth in believers souls Out of the Eater there comes forth meat and out of the strong sweetness Christ makes the devouring corruption in believers to become meate for their faith to feed upon while he is killing of one sin he gives ground to believe the ruin of another and he brings forth sweetnesse out of their strong sins in making his grace to superabound where sin did but abound The Lord Jesus kindles the Spouses love even by her coldnesse doth he not cause her sleeping while he knocked to end in a healthfull fit of love-sicknesse when shee awaked 3. From their ignorance or forgetfulness that they are in all their dealings with God to draw neare and come unto him as having put on Christ and sonship first and not as sinners and unrighteous A believer is to consider himselfe thus in Christ in the first place and to put on the relation of Sonship and righteousnesse and to look at or consider sinnes no otherwise in himselfe then as debts paid and cancelled by the blood of Christ and never to conceive himselfe and Christ as two but endeavour clearly and constantly to see that whatsoever good there is in Christ is his owne as if it were in his owne person and by this all bondage fears and doubtings are removed and his spirit is free For the Son hath made him free indeed And now he comes in the Spirit of Adoption and calls God Father And here begins all faith hope confidence love liberty when as others dare not believe themselves in such a condition til upon termes of humiliation sorrow for sinne and works of righteousness they have as they think a reasonable price or satisfaction to come with and then begin to believe hope and be confident And thus in way of compounding and bargaining with God deal with him at all occasions but such submit not to the righteousnesse of God and the free gift of Justification by grace and give not glory to God we must either have all in Choist or nothing in him hearken what the spirit saith of every true believer she is black but comly he is clothed with the white robes of Christs purity and holiness and therefore comly in the sight of God though in himselfe in the glass of the Law reason and sense he appears black yet in Christ

Christ and he in them they live in Christ their life is hid with Christ in God when Christ who is our life shal appear then shal we also appeare with him in glory and be found in him not having our owne righteousnesse c. And also in the meane time God ever lookes upon his as they are in his Son and not simply as they are in themselves For that which I doe I allow not for what I would that do I not but what I hate that doe I. Now if I doe that I would not it is no more I that doe it but sin that dwelleth in me with the mind I my self serve the law of God but with the flesh the law of sinne sin doth the evil the flesh lusteth He knoweth our frame and remembers that we are but dust God looks upon his as they are justified or in covenant with himselfe and they are pure in his sight as the uprightnesse of Christ can make them though impure and vile in their own eyes that there might be worke for faith And indeed were they not in such a perfect righteousnesse they could not be beloved of him who chargeth the Angels with folly and is of purer eyes then to behold iniquitie or to love a sinner as a sinner 4. Reason Because a believers happines depends not upon his owne doing but upon Christ who is of God made unto him righeeousness sanctification c. VVho hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace c. If a believers faith faile yet God remaines faithful when he cannot apprehend God yet he is then comprehended of God Our sanctification hath nothing to doe with our justification or salvation so as to be the least cause of it but the effect of it sanctification admits of degrees but justification neither of rules nor degrees being abundantly more glorious then sanctification and hath not any dependencie upon our apprehending or receiving it In a word our justification is quite out of self and consists in the imputation of the righteousnes of Christ unto us which righteousnes is inherent in him who sits at the right hand of God far above the reach and spheare of sinnes acttivity and is therefore gloriously perfect and compleate though thy actual righteousnes be but as menstruous raggs and often failes thee yet consider * thou hast the righteousnes of Christ Surely shall one say in the Lord have I righteousnesse and strength their righteousnesse is of me saith the Lord and this righteousnesse as it is ours by imputation so it is perfect and endureth for ever and is the foundation of all blessednesse therefore rest satisfied with Christs righteonsnesse and add nothing to it let thy heart say with David I will make mention of thy righteousnesse even of thine only And waite upon him in faith prayer and patience who hath promised that He will be as the dew unto Israel and that he shal grow as the lilly and cast forth his fruits as Lebanon 5. Reason Because Christ and all true believers are one they are but one body one spirit flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone what union is like unto this What union so full real intire wonderful glorious spiritual eternal and infinite poore believers by vertue of their marriage unto and union with their husband and head the Lord Jesus have in him perfectly kept the whole law of God perfectly satisfied every demand that the Law can make and though they be not in themselves yet in Christ they are just and the Law of God can never come upon them nor the sergeant the Devil arrest them for one penny or farthing the weake believers may say with Paul the righteousnesse of the Law is fulfilled in us and we are dead to the Law that is we are as free from the Law as a man that is dead when a man is dead the Law goes no further upon him in this sense it is further said that believers are delivered from the Law and freed from the Law and hence it is that our salvation is put upon the accompt of the righteousnesse of God and believers are acquitted from their sins and justified as wel in the court of Gods justice as in the court of his mercie Were our faith in Christ as full strong and real as our union with him wee should ingrosse and possesse all that is in heaven and nothing on earth could trouble us yea the losse of our all on earth if its all were ours could not have any uncomly influence upon us 6. Reason Because the state of a believer in Christ as considered in him is a state of perfection he is cleane from all sinne by the blood of Christ they are removed from us thou hast cast all my sinnes behind thy back As farre as the East is from the West so farre hath he removed our transgressions from us Seventy weeks are determined upon the people and upon the holy City to finish the transgressions and to make an end of sinnes and to make reconciliation for iniquitie and to bring in an everlasting righteousnesse * which shall certainly be accomplished c. Hereupon the soul begins to exult in God I wil greatly rejoyce in the Lord. My soul shall be joyful in my God for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation he hath covered mee with the robe of righteousnesse c. We are compleate in Christ as Christ is so are we in this world c. Thy sins are all laid upon Christ and he is Jehovah our Righteousnesse his righteousnesse is ours And hereupon saith God Thou art all faire my love there is no spot in thee The perfection of Christs righteonsnesse is held forth unto us and doth ever remain before us that we might at all times suck the brests of its consolation rejoyce in it and be thankful for it there is enough to refresh and abundantly to satisfie all the Lords children to the dayes of eternity There is not any sin that a believer can commit ought to be a ground for his questioning of the love of God unto him nor ought he to cast away his confidence in God for any thing he doth or can befall him I omit here to mention such reasons of the point as might be deduced from the Covenant of grace and the nature of the same having written upon that subject in the former part of this Treatise Four things from whence it is that the children of God have not their comfort hope joy confidence c. the same at all times 1. From living by sense I say from a sensual practice of consulting with flesh and blood which cannot discern spiritual things and is condemned of God

rids the soule of all its distempers doubts feares and discouragements we may not separate the Spirit from faith nor faith from the Spirit nor Christ from both 5. By faith in Christ thou shalt be kept in perfect peace it will sweetly and transcendently refresh the soule thou shalt keep him in perfect peace because he trusts in thee Being justified by faith we have peace with God by faith we apprehend Christ our Justification the fruit of which is joy and peace 6. By unbelief we adde sinne unto sinne in the highest nature if we believe not what God saith we accuse God of speaking falsely he that believeth not hath made God a lyer It is impossible for God to lye the strength of Israel cannot lye nor can it be any dishonour to God or danger to thy selfe to hope in his mercy and believe in him The eye of the Lord is upon them that hope in his mercy 7. As bad as thou canst be have been received unto mercy Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation When thou layest in thy blood it was a time of love He justifies the ungodly While we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us have hope therefore feare not but believe the Lord will command his loving kindnesse in the day time and in the night his song shall be with thee hope thou in God 8. Unbeliefe streightens thy heart stops thy mouth and hinders thy thankfulnesse and praysing of God thou shalt be dumb because thou believest not 9. Unlesse we believe we can never glorifie God Abraham staggered not at the promise of God through unbeliefe but was strong in faith giving glory to God 10. Our naked cleaving to God in his free promise shall carry down all our distempers at once and drowne them in it as in a Sea the promises will answer all thy doubts and feares whatsoever and fill our soules with peace in believing 11. By our unbeliefe wee oppose riches of grace and love yea that love that could love enmity it selfe and reconcile those unto God that are enmity against him There is but looking up to Christ Jesus and salvation is in thy soule and believing with thy heart and thou art saved thou wert saved by Christ before but now in thy selfe Jesus Christ and forgivenesse of sins in his name and redemption through his blood is the first and only thing held forth in the Gospel to sinners the other mysterie of Righteousnesse is revealed to believers forgivenesse of sins is first taught that they may believe and the other glorious mysteries are taught that they may know what they believe they are first to see Gods love and afterwards his glory Jesus Christ crucified is the best story for sinners and Jesus Christ exalted for Saints and therefore it is that in all the Apostles Sermons the story of blood and redemtion was first preached and when they did believe that then they wrote Epistles and Revelations of greater things unto them so as they spake of Christ only to make them beleeve and wrote to them of him when they did beleeve Salvation is not made any puzzling work in the Gospel it is plainly easily and simply revealed Jesus Christ was crucified for sinners this is salvation and this work of salvation is past and finished sins are blotted out sinners are justified by him that rose for their justification now that which we must do to be saved is to believe in the Lord Jesus Jesus Christ and the promise is annexed thou shalt be saved All that is to be done in the work of salvation is to believe that there is such a worke and that Christ dyed for thee among all those other sinners he dyed for This is the commandment that ye believe on his Son Jesus Christ that is that ye be perswaded of such a thing that Christ was crucified for sins and for your sins and we are called on to believe because they only that can believe are justified by him all that believe are justified so that salvation is not a business of our working and doing it was done by Christ with the Father Sin Satan and hel were all triumphed over by Christ himself openly for us and all our worke is no worke of salvation but in salvation in the salvation we have by Christ We receive all not doing any thing that we may receive more but doing because we receive so much and because we are saved therefore we work not that we may be saved and yet we are to worke as much as if we were to be saved by what we doe because so much is done already for us and to our hands as if we were to receive it for what we did our selves this is short work believe and be saved and yet this is the only gospel work and way Christ tels ye in few words and his Apostles in as few As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the wildernesse so must the Son of man be lifted up that whosoever believes on him should have eternal life Saith Saint Paul say not in thy heart who shall ascend into heaven that is to bring Christ from above or who shall descend into into the deepe that is to bring Christ from the dead but what saith it the word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart the word of faith which we preach if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved The work is already done but then thou shalt see that it is done There are five grounds why salvation is so soone done 1. Because it was done before by Christ but not believed on before by thee til now 2. Because it is the Gospel way of dispensation to assure and passe over salvation in Christ to any that will believe it 3. There needs no more on our sides to work or warrant salvation to us but to be perswaded that Christ Jesus died for us because Christ hath suffered and God is satisfied now suffering and satisfaction is that great worke of salvation 4. Because they and they only are justified who can believe Righteousnesse is revealed from faith to faith all that believe are justified 5. That it may be by grace and not of works being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus How God begets faith in an unbeliever We are commanded to believe and faith is the gift of God and the Spirit of Christ without which we can do nothing enlightens our understandings and worketh faith in us and hereupon our believing is said to be the work of God and the Spirit having set up a divine light in our understandings we being before altogether darknesse bowes our hearts to believe and indeede without