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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
work_n	dead_a	faith_n	lively_a	5,187	5	10.6802	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B03494	Great and precious promises; or, Some sermons concerning the promises, and the right application thereof whereunto are added some other concerning the usefulness of faith in advancing sanctification. As also, three more concerning the faith of assurance. / By Mr. Andrew Gray, late minister of the Gospel in Glasgow. All being revised since his death by some friends.	Gray, Andrew, 1633-1656.; Traill, Robert, 1642-1716.; Stirling, John, b. 1621?	1663 (1663)	Wing G1608A; ESTC R177624	115,304	218

that same counsel Peter gave his Master it biddeth you pity your self But if we could rightly interpret that language it would be this destroy your self for self indulgence and self love is that which will ruine you O what blessed attainments of God what blessed fruitions of Jesus Christ what advancement in mortification what conformity to God hath that idol of self indulgence obstructed and only not utterly ruined even in the best I think if once ye could set your foot upon that idol the rest should fall apace that is the general of all the forces of your lusts and it is as Saul the head higher then the rest of all your idols within you The fourth idol that faith will subdue is self righteousnesse this is a great thing we maintain we will never renounce our own righteousness and submit to the righteousness of Christ and the great ground of it is That there is this principle within us all we love to go to heaven through a Covenant of Works and we never desire to be much oblieged to any other we cannot submit our selves to the righteousnesse of Christ The fifth great idol that faith can subdue is that of pleasure the world and the contentments of it Pleasure is the great idol that many worship and adore there are some that love the gain of the world and there are others that love the pleasures of the world but faith hath a noble influence upon the 〈…〉 faith discovereth to a soul more 〈◊〉 pleasures more sweet delights nor 〈◊〉 found under the Sun Faith maketh a 〈◊〉 stian lose his state unto all things tha● here below Faith is that grace that ma●● us grow blind and not much to behold 〈◊〉 passing vanities those transient delights 〈◊〉 present evil world Our second conclusion is this Th●● Faith helpeth Sanctification so Sanctific●●●on helpeth Faith I will tell you three 〈◊〉 advantages Faith hath by the growth an● ercise of Sanctification 1. It is a nobl● dence of faith and maketh a Christian 〈◊〉 perswaded that he is settled upon the 〈◊〉 and that his interest in God is made sure 〈◊〉 ctification is that which will help a Ch●●●● an dayly to read his interest in God T●● clear from Jam. 2.18 I will shew the 〈◊〉 faith by my works where this is clearly 〈◊〉 den forth That a Christian much in the 〈◊〉 of Sanctification he can upon all times an extract of his Faith and as it were 〈◊〉 cover it and shew it to the world 2. S●●●●●fication maketh faith perfect accordin● that remarkable word Jam. 2.22 A● works was faith made perfect There is a 〈◊〉 perfection that redoundeth to faith th●● the exercise of the work of Sanctifica●●●● for not only is it thereby made manifes● receiveth such a shining luster and sp●●●● as that sometimes the eves of carnal m●●● even dazled to behold a Believer but i● receiveth strength and power Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the nature of there things that spend them●●●ves in bringing forth but on the contrary 〈◊〉 faith bring forth a hundred children I mean works of holinesse in one day it groweth stronger and this is further clear 2 Pet. 1.8 For if these things be in you and abound ye shal neither be barren nor unfruitful And from that other word Jam. 2. where it is said That faith without works is dead being alone If faith be alone it wants its spiritual life and vigour but if ye were much in the exercise of the work of Sanctification ye would no doubt attain to a noble and lively acting of that grace of Faith And lastly if a Christian be much in this work of Sanctification there will be a comfortable exercise of faith Sometimes Faith is exercised with much anxiety and sometimes with much doubting but faith and a pure conscience joyned together they make an excellent feast and maketh a Christian rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory Thirdly We may draw this conclusion If faith have influence upon the work of Sanctification and helpeth the producing of a noble conformity to God then I say there are many that their faith is a delusion and their hope shall be cut off as a spiders web There are some that have faith that have not Sanctification nor knows not what it is and shall not that faith unquestionably perish as a dream and evanish as the vision of the night and therefore if ye would testifie the reality of your faith then study more the work of Sanctification I shall but from Joh. 8.14 15. give you these eight properties of 〈◊〉 pocrites faith and hope which may 〈◊〉 you try and examine your self 1. 〈◊〉 hope and their faith is but an act of 〈◊〉 yea there is not such an act of foolish● under heaven as a hypocrites hope 〈◊〉 cause it is but a castle in the aire and writing to himself a charter on the sa●● so that word ye have rendered whose 〈◊〉 shall be cut off is in the Original whose 〈◊〉 shall be cut off shewing this that they b● without a foundation and so their faith 〈◊〉 be most unsure and uncertain 2. 〈◊〉 thing they hope for shall at last loath the● O hypocrites ye hope for enjoyment Christ but be perswaded of it Christ s●● eternally loath you and ye shall eterna● loath Ohrist that is clear in that same w●●● Whose hope shall be cut off or as the w● may be read Whose hope shall loath the● the thing he hoped for shall loath him 〈◊〉 Christ shall say Depart I know you 〈◊〉 3. And though ye have now much des●●● and pleasure in the actings of your presu● tuous hope yet at the last ye shall loath 〈◊〉 hope The word will carry that not 〈◊〉 the thing ye hoped for shall loath you 〈◊〉 ye likewise shall loath your hope The 〈◊〉 is coming that ye shall cry forth curse● the day that ever I believed that I sho● get heaven 3. It shall at last be the 〈◊〉 ter of his vexation from that word w●● hope shall be cut off or as the word ma●● rendered whose hope shall vex him O 〈◊〉 the hypocrites shall meet with that anx●●● 〈◊〉 dreadfull disappointment one day they ●●all then put their hand on their head being 〈◊〉 shamed because of their confidence 4. He 〈◊〉 studieth by all means to keep his hope though it be but false therefore have ye that word in the 15. verse he holdeth it fast or as the word is he keepeth it with hand and arm with all his strength he keepeth his hope so that if Christ would come from heaven and say man thou art a hypocrite and thy hope shall be cut off they would say I will keep my hope Sir and maintain it and that is an evidence your hope is not built upon the foundation I love never a faith that in this side of time is unchangeable and never knoweth what it is to have ups nor downs 5. It is built alwayes upon a wrong foundation which is imported in that word He

GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES OR Some Sermons concerning the Promises and the right application thereof Whereunto are added some other concerning the usefulness of Faith in advancing Sanctification As also three more concerning the Faith of Assurance By Mr. ANDREW GRAY late Minister of the Gospel in Glasgow All being revised since his death by some friends The third Impression carefully corrected and amended 2 Cor. 7.1 Having therefore these promises dearly beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the fear of God Edinburgh Printed by a 〈…〉 Stationers Anno Dom. 〈…〉 To the Reader Christian Reader ALthough upon some considerations these following Sermons have been keeped back till now and have waited the vacan●y of the Presse from other things yet was it at first intended the connexion of the purposes so requiring ●at they should have come forth assoon as some ●her of this precious Author which we did ●●merly publish And therefore in the Pre●●●ce which we then prefixed we did relate to ●●th and gave the Reader such advertise●●nts as we conceived necessary concerning ●e one as well as the other So that we have ●●hing to do at present but to put this little ●●●ece into thy hands commending it to thy se●us thoughts and the Lords blessing upon ●n Neither shall we use many words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 purpose Only we find some help 〈…〉 ●o thee in three most weighty and 〈…〉 ●●ts of Christian Religion 1. 〈…〉 lively exercise of faith thou may apply t●● great and precious Promises 2. How by fai●● thou may advance the work of Sanctification And 3. How thy faith may grow up unto ass●rance Of all which we may truely say that 〈◊〉 thing can more seasonably take up the thought nor bring more advantage to the souls of t● Lords people in these times O how neces●ary is it in such troublsome day● to learn how through Faith and Patience w●● may inherit the P●omises and now wh● our strong corruption hath in a manner nece●tate the wise Physician to mix unto us so bit● a cup and give so strong a potion in what fainting and swouning condition must we be by the two immutable things in which i● impossible for God to lie we receive not a● the strong consolation Again when profanity and ungodlin●●● hath so abounded in these Nations t● from the top of the head to the sole of 〈◊〉 foot there is no soundnesse but wound and bruises and putrifying sores A● when the corruptions of the Time like the s● of Zerviah are grown too strong even the Davids who are amongst us What sho● we study with more earnestnesse then to 〈◊〉 ●●●rifie our hearts by faith and by hav● these promises to cleanse our selves 〈◊〉 all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit ●●fecting holinesse in the fear of the Lo●● 3. When the Lord hath remo●ed us so far f● peace that the souls of many have even fo● prosperity and the multiplied changes revolutions in our dayes hath so clearly demonstrate the instability of all sublunary glory and so convincingly taught us that this is not our rest Vndoubtedly it is time to look for ● city that hath foundations and to give all diligence to make our calling and election ●ure The subject then is usefull As to the manner of handling it It is true much accuracy and neatnesse is not to be expected in any work of this nature being only the hasty gleanings of a Church Writer And as to livelinesse and power though it be as easie to draw a picture with the heat and motion of a living man as to Write or Print ●hese lively motions of the Spirit which do often accompany the Lords Messengers in Preaching and in an eminent measure were also let out upon this blessed Author yet we suppose thou will find the matter most seriously and feellingly spoken unto as from a heart which believed and therefore spake Yea both conceptions and expressions savouring much of an exercised spirit not only much taken up in communion with God within it self but even thirsting also and panting for the salvation of others nay in some measure travelling in birth till Christ might be formed in them Oh that more of this holy zeal and fervency might accompany this great measure of light and knowledge in the mysteries of the Gospe● that the Lord hath graciously bestowed both 〈◊〉 Pastors and People in this generation th● once again we might see as in the dayes of John Biptist the Kingdome of Heave● suffering violence and the violent taking by force And that the blessed Spirit by same gracious operations may so warm 〈◊〉 inlarge thy soul in the use of this and all ot●● means for thy eternal Salvation is and sh●● he the sincere desires of Thy servants fo● Christs sake Robert Traill John Stirling Great and precious Promises SERMON I. 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust MAy we not truely say that if ever the Christians who live in those dayes shall be advanced to stand within the holy place and ●hall inherit everlasting life all these are ●ow before his Throne may lay aside their ●arps and give us leave to sing Will it not ●e a mysterie suppose ye unto heavenly ●noch that spent so much of his time in com●union and fellowship with God w●●●e shall behold such Christians within 〈…〉 ●●erlasting rest that have spent so 〈…〉 ●heir time in corresponding with 〈…〉 it not be a mysterie unto believing Abraha● when he shall behold such misbelievers su● disputers of the promises of God advan●● to reign with Christ Will it not be a ●●stery unto wrestling Jacob when he sh●● behold these Christians once crowned w●● immortall glory that did so little know w●● it was as Princes to wrestle with God 〈◊〉 they did prevail Will it not be a wond● to patient Job when he shall behold su●● impatient Christians as we have been en●●ing into that blessed place of repose W● it not be a mystery unto holy David wh● he shall behold such unmortified Christi●● entering within that City into which 〈◊〉 unclean thing doth enter Will it not b● mystery unto tender Josiah to behold s● Christians as we are that have our hea● dying as a stone within us entering i● Heaven Will it not be a mysterie unto 〈◊〉 right Nathaniel to behold such hypoc●●call Christians as the most part of us are ●●tering within the holy place and to 〈◊〉 those that have been cloathed with hypo●sie and guile now c●oathed with the r●● of immortal Glory And will it not 〈◊〉 mysterie unto self denied Paul when shall behold so proud and selfish Christian enter into Heaven Give me leave to this go where we will we shall be m● lesse and singular for if we shall go 〈◊〉 eternity of pain we shall be the gr●● 〈◊〉 unto the