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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
work_n	justify_v	law_n	moral_a	5,360	5	10.3036	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A65287	The Christian's charter shewing the priviledges of a believer by Thomas Watson.	Watson, Thomas, d. 1686.	1654 (1654)	Wing W1113; ESTC R27057	106,135	340

which as the Primum mobile or master-wheel carries the whole soul with it 4. The believer consents to have Christ pro termino interminabili never to part more he desires an uninterrupted communion with him he will part with life but not with Christ indeed death when it slips the knot between the soul and the body it ties it faster between the soul and Christ. 5. The Believer doth so consent to have Christ as he makes a deed of gift resigning up all the interest in himself to Christ he is willing to lose his own Name and sirname himselfe by the Name of Christ to lose his own will and be wholly at Christs dispose Ye are not your own he resigns up his love to Christ. In this sense the Spouse is said to be a spring shut up She hath love for Relations but the best of her love is kept for Christ The world hath the Milke of her love but Christ hath the Cream of it the choisest and purest of her love is a Spring shut up it is broached onely for Christ to drink This is the second Act of faith §. III. Opening the nature of Recumbency The third thing is Recumbency The soul having given its consent that the match should be made up and done it out of choice now it casts it selfe upon Christ as a man that casts himselfe upon the stream to swim it makes an holy adventure it clasps about Christ and saith My Lord my Jesus which is as it were the joyning of hands This Act of Recumbency is sometimes in Scripture call'd a coming to Christ sometimes a leaning upon Christ This is that faith which justifies Now concerning this faith I shall lay down two Rules 1. That faith justifies not as a formal cause but purely as an instrument viz. as it lays hold on Christ the blessed object and fetcheth in his fulnesse and in this sense it is call'd a precious faith the worth lies not in faith but in Christ on which it doth centre and terminate Faith in it selfe considered is not more excellent than other graces Take a piece of Wax and a piece of Gold of the same Magnitude the Wax is not valuable with the Gold but as this Wax hangs at the lavell of some Will by vertue of which a great Estate is confirmed and conveighed so it may be worth many hundred pounds So faith considered purely in it self doth challenge nothing more than other graces nay in some sense it is inferiour it being an empty hand But as this hand receives the precious Almes of Christs Merits and is an instrument or channell thorow which the blessed streams of life flow to us from him so it doth challenge a superiority above other graces Indeed some affirme that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very Act of believing without reference to the Merits of Christ justifies To which I shall say but this 1. Faith cannot justifie as it is an Act for it must have an object we cannot if we make good sense separate between the Act and the Object What is faith if it do not fix upon Christ but fancy It was not the people of Israels looking up that cured them but the fixing their eye upon the Brazen Serpent 2. Faith doth not justifie as it is a Grace This were to substitute faith in Christs roome it were to make a Christ of Faith Faith is a good Grace but a bad Christ. 3. Not as a Work which must needs be if as some affirme it be in lieu of obedience to the Moral Law Then we should be justified by Works contrary to that Ephes. 2.9 where the Apostle speaks expresly Not of works So that it is clear faith's excellency lies in the apprehending and applying the object Christ therefore in Scripture we are said to be justified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through faith as an Instrument deputed not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for faith as a formall cause The second Rule is that Faith doth not justifie as it doth exercise grace It cannot be denied but faith hath an influence upon the graces it is like a silver thred that runnes thorow a Chain of Pearl it puts strength and vivacity into all the vertues but it doth not justifie under this Notion Faith begets obedience By faith Abraham obeyed But Abraham was not justified as he obeyed but as he beleeved Faith works by love but it doth not justifie as it works by love For as the Sun shines by its brightnesse not by its heat though both are inseparably joyned so faith and love are tyed together by an indissoluble knot yet faith doth not justifie as it works by love but as it layes hold on Christ. Though faith be accompanied with all the graces yet in point of justification it is alone and hath nothing to do with any of the graces Hence that speech of Luther in the justification of a sinner Christ and faith are alone Tanquam sponsus spomsa in thalamo As the Bridegroom and Bride in the Bed-chamber Faith is never separated from the graces yet sometimes it is alone And thus I have shewn you the Essentials of faith §. IV. Shewing what are the fruits and products of faith I proceede to the Consequentials of faith There are many rare and supernatural fruits of faith 1. Faith is an heart-quickning grace it is the vitall Artery of the soul The just shall live by his faith Hab. 2.4 When we begin to believe we begin to live Faith grafts the soule into Christ as the cion into the stock and fetcheth all its sap and juyce from that blessed Vine Faith is the great quickner it quickens our graces and our duties 1. Faith quickens our graces the Spirit of God infuseth all the seeds and habits but faith is the fountain of all the acts of grace it is as the Spring in the Watch that moves the Wheels not a grace stirs till faith set it a work How doth love work By faith When I apprehend Christs love this doth pullize and draw up my love to him again How doth humility work By faith Faith humbles the soul it hath a double aspect it looks upon sin and a sight of sin humbles it looks upon Free-grace and a sight of mercy humbles How doth patience work By faith If I believe God is a wise God who knowes what is best for me and can deliver not onely from affliction but by affliction This spins out patience Thus faith is not only viva but vivifica it puts forth a divine Energy and operation into all the graces 2. Faith animates and quickens our duties What was the blood of Bulls and Goats to take away sin It was their faith in the Messiah that made their dead Sacrifices become living Services What are Ordinances but a dumb shew without the breathings of faith in them therefore in Scripture it is called the prayer of faith the hearing of faith and the obedience of

faith dead things have no beauty in them it is faith that quickens and beautifies 2. Faith is an heart-purifying grace Having purified their hearts by faith Acts 15.9 Faith is a Virgin-grace of a pure and heavenly nature Faith is in the soule as lightning in the Air which purgeth as fire in the Metals which refines as Physick in the Body which works out the disease Faith works out pride self-love hypocrisie it consecrates the heart That which was before the Devils Thorow-fare is now made Gods Enclosure 1 Tim. 3.9 Holding the mystery of faith in a pure conscience Faith is an heavenly plant which will not grow in an impure soile Faith doth not only justifie but sanctifie as it hath one work in heaven so it hath another work in the heart He that before was under the power of some hereditary corruption as soone as faith is wrought there is a sacred vertue coming from Christ for the enervating and weakening that sin the waters are abated The woman that did but touch the hemme of Christs Garment felt vertue coming out of him The touch of faith hath an healing power Faith casts the Devil out of the Castle of the heart though still he keeps the Out-works Satan hath a party in a Beleever but there 's a Duel fought every day and faith will never give over till as a Prince it prevails This is the faith of Gods Elect Thou that say'st thou believest hath thy faith removed the Mountain of sin and cast it into the Sea What a beleever and a drunkard a beleever and a swearer a beleever and an Apostate for shame either leave thy sins or leave thy profession Faith and the love of sin can no more stand together then two contraries in the same part of the Subject gradu intensivo as light and darknesse Faith is an heart-pacifying grace Peace is the daughter of faith Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God Faith is the Dove that brings an Olive-branch of peace in its mouth Faith presents God reconciled and that gives peace What is it makes Heaven but the smile of God Faith puts the soul into Christ and there 's peace Iohn 16. ult That in me ye may have peace When the Conscience is in a Fever and burns as hell faith opens the Orifice in Christs sides and sucks in his blood which hath a cooling and pacifying vertue in it Faith gives us peace in Trouble nay out of Trouble 1. It gives Peace in Trouble Faith is an heart-pacifying because an heart-securing grace When Noah was in the Ark he did not fear the Deluge he could sing in the Ark. Faith shuts a beleever into the Ark Christ Lead me to the Rock which is higher than I was Davids prayer Faith plants the soul upon this Rock The West-Indians built their Palaces upon the tops of hills in the Flood the waters covered the hills but a beleever is built higher Isa. 33.16 His place of defence shall be the munition of Rocks but a man may starve upon a Rock therefore it follows Bread shall be given him c. Faith builds a Christian upon the power wisdome faithfulnesse of God This is the munition of Rocks and it feeds him with the hidden Manna of Gods love here is bread given him The way to be safe in evil times is to get faith this ushers in peace and it is such a peace as doth garrison the heart Phil. 4.7 The peace of God shall keep your heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It shall keep it as in a Tower or Garrison 2. Faith gathers peace out of trouble joy out of sorrow glory out of reproach This is the key to Samsons Riddle Out of the eater came meat this explaines that Paradox Can a man gather Grapes of Thorns or Figs of Thistles Yes of Trials and Persecutions faith gathers joy and peace here are Figs of Thistles How were the Martyrs ravished in the Flames The Apostles were whipt in prison but it was with Sweet Briar O how sweet is that peace which faith Breeds it is a Plant of the Heavenly Paradise it is a Christians Festival it is his Musick it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Chrysostome speaks the anticipation of Heaven 4. Faith is an heart-strengthening grace a beleever is heart of oke he is strong to resist tentations to bear afflictions to foil Corruptions he gives check to them though not full mate An unbeliever is like Reuben unstable as water he shall not excell A state of infidelity is a state of impotency A Beleever is as Ioseph who though the Archers shot at him his bowe abode in strength If a Christian be to do any thing he consults with faith this is the sinew which if it be cut all his strength goes from him When he is call'd out to suffering he harnesseth himself with Faith he puts on this coat of maile Faith layes in suffering strength furnisheth the soul with suffering Promises musters together suffering graces propounds suffering rewards But how comes Faith to be so strong Answ. 1. Because it is a piece of Gods Armour it is a shield he puts into our hand Eph. 6.16 Above all taking the shield of Faith a shield will serve for a brest-plate a sword if need be an helmet it defends the head it guards the vitals such a shield is Faith 2. Faith brings the strength of Christ into the soul Phil. 4.13 I can do all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through Christ that strengthens me The strength of faith lies out of it self it grafts upon another stock When it would have wisdome it consults with Christ whose Name is wonderful Counsellour when it would have strength it goes to Christ who is call'd the Lion of the Tribe of Iudah Christ is a Christians Armory Faith is the key that unlocks it Faith hangs upon the lock of Christ all its strength lyes here cut it off from this lock and it is weaker then any other grace Christ may be compared to that tower of David on which there hang a thousand bucklers all shields of mighty men The faith of all the Elect these shields hang upon Christ. Faith is an Heroicall grace the Crown of Martyrdom is set upon the head of faith By faith they quenched the violence of the fire the fire overcame their bodies but their faith overcamr the flame 5. Faith is a life-fructifying grace it is fruitfull Iulian upbraiding the Christians said that their Motto was Only beleeve and the Papists call us solifidians Indeed when faith is alone and views all the rare beauties in Christ then faith sets a low value and esteem upon works but when faith goes abroad in the world good works are the handmaids that wait on this Queen Though we place faith in the highest Orb in matter of Justification yet good works are in conjunction with it in matter of Sanctification 'T is no wrong to good works to give faith the