Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	believe_v	faith_n	reason_n	5,276	5	5.9415	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A76707	The copy of the covenant of grace With a true discovery of several false pretenders to that eternal inheritance, and of the right heir thereunto. Together with such safe instructions as will inable him to clear his title, and to make it unquestionable. Exactly evidenced by many perspicuous and unconstrained testimonies of scripture. Penned, and published upon mature deliberation, and good advise. / By Robert Bidwel, a servant, and minister of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.	Bidwell, Robert.	1657 (1657)	Wing B2886; Thomason E2117_1; ESTC R212678	175,027	429

9 10 11. The second degree is knowledge when a mans judgement is so far convinced either by reason or by some powerfull argument that his knowledge is confirmed in the thing whereof he was formerly somewhat uncertain Rabbi saith Nichodemus we know that thou art a Teacher come from God for no man can do these miracles that thou doest except God be with him John 3. 2. The third is Assurance And this is when a man becometh confident in the thing that he thinks and knows in regard of the infallible authority of the Authour thereof Lord saith the Centurion I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof But speak the word onely and my servant shall be healed Math. 8. 8. And thus the Apostle Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering for he is faithfull that promised Hebr. 10. 23. By these three degrees this Assent amounteth to the nature of a general faith And as this general faith hath several degrees So there are likewise divers kindes of faith As first there is a miraculous faith or a faith inabling men to work miracles Verily I say unto you If ye have faith as a grain of Mustard-seed ye shall say unto this mountain remove hence to yonder place and it shall remove and nothing shall be unpossible unto you saith our Saviour to his Disciples Mat. 17. 20. Secondly there is the Doctrine of Faith Now the spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and Doctrines of Devils saith St. Paul 1 Tim. 4. 1. where the Doctrine of Faith is opposed to the Doctrine of Devils Thirdly there is an Historical faith King Agrippa believest thou the Prophets I know that thou believest saith the same Apostle Acts 26 27. Fourthly there is a Temporary faith Intimated unto us in the stony ground which for a while believe and in time of temptation fall away Luke 8. 13. But the most considerable is a justifying and a saving faith Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but by the faith of Jesus Christ even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might he justified by the faith of Christ saith St. Paul Gal. 2. 16. And thus the Saviour to the sinfull woman Thy faith hath saved thee go in peace Luke 7. ult The first two kinds of faith Namely the miraculous faith and the Doctrine of faith were common to the Reprobate as well as to the true believer For first we read that the miraculous faith was given to Judas the Traitour together with the rest of the Disciples Mat. 10. to the 9. An● secondly we finde that Himeneus and Alexander did sometimes incline to the Doctrine of faith But they put it away And therefore St. Paul delivered them to Satan 1 Tim. 1. 19 20. The third being the Historical Faith is not onely used or rather abused by the Reprobate but even by the Devils also Thou believest that there is one God thou doest well the Devils also believe and tremble saith St. James James 2. 19. The fourth kinde which is the Temporary faith is likewise proper to the Reprobate we read that Simon the Sorcerer whom we call Simon Magus believed and was baptized Acts 8. 13. Neverthelesse not long after Simon Peter tells him That he perceives him to be in the gaul of bitternesse and the bond of iniquity Acts 8. 23. But the fifth and last kinde which is the justifying and the saving faith is peculiar onely to the Children of God Ye are all the Children of God by faith in Jesus Christ Gal. 3. 26. For by this kind of faith we are inabled not onely by Assent to believe the Promises but also by consent to imbrace them According to that of the Apostle Heb. 11. 13. Now the want of knowledge and ability to distinguish rightly of these several kindes of faith presented unto us in the word of God under the general notion of faith is one main occasion of many dangerous errours now promoted amongst us For first the miraculous faith is unseasonable For albeit it was necessary in the infancy of the Gospel or at the first preaching or planting thereof to manifest that it was altogether of God To which purpose the Lord Christ in his first Commissions to the twelve Luke 9. 1 2. And likewise to the seventy Luke 10 9. did impower them to work miracles as well as to preach Yet in the greater perfection of the Gospel when the Saviour had sealed it with his bloud In his last Commission to his Disciples wherein he promiseth To be with them alway even unto the end of the World Math. 28. 19 20. He makes there no mention at all of Miracles But you will say There were many Miracles wrought after Christs Ascention True Yet I finde nothing to confirm me that they were wrought by any other then some or one of the former twelve or seventy or some such as the Lord was pleased to impower personally to that purpose as being the first and chief planters and propagatours of his Gospel For I do not read that he promised that power to succession This I argue to inform the ignorance of such of our Protestant profession as do say or think that they cannot attain to any measure of true faith For if we had will some say as much thereof as a grain of Mustard-seed we shoud be able to remove mountains But this is one great mistake arising from the misapprehension of the word faith Secondly the Doctrine of faith is declinable It may be both declined slighted and deserted A man may both fail in it and fall from it like those foolish Galatians whom St. Paul reproved for that very offence Gal. 3. to the 6. verse But though it may be declined slighted and deserted yet it cannot be wrested falsified or corrupted for so the very nature thereof is destroyed And instead of the Doctrine of faith it becometh the Doctrine of Devils Thirdly the Historical faith is corruptible It may be corrupted depraved and prophaned as it is oftentimes by such as endeavour to countenance or excuse their own abominations by the Histories of the Saints infirmities As their drunkennesse by Noahs ignorance or weaknesse Gen. 9. 21. Their Adultery by Davids over-sight 2 Sam. 11. Their Perjuries by Peters denial Matth. 26. 72. Their impenitence or procrastination by the good thiefs last hours successe Luke 23. 43. and the like Abusing such Scriptures as might serve to confirm their faith in the mercies of their Saviour by making them serviceable to Satan wresting them to their own destruction 2 Pet. 3. 16. Fourthly the Temporary faith is unfruitfull cowardly and contemptible For we read of many in great authority that believed on the Messias but they were frighted from their profession John 12. 42. And the reason is annexed For they loved the praise of men more then the praise of God verse 43. Now from the

mistaking of these or any of these infirm kindes of faith instead of the true justifying and saving faith several errours have received their original especially that uncomfortable errour of the Saints falling from Grace received through the unsteadfastnesse of their faith But I dare be bold to affirm that such Apostates did never feel the force of an effectual faith of a justifying faith This is the gift of God Rom. 12. 3. And the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11. 29. I will not say but a man may fall grievously in it but he can never fall finally from it For the Lord hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13. 5. And truely I conceive this discovery to be very pertinent to our present purpose For faith being the onely condition to be performed by us in this Covenant of Grace It is very necessary that we be rightly instructed therein Least peradventure we either satisfie our selves with empty shadows instead of the true substance Or torment our selves with causelesse discomforts concerning the losse or uncertainty of that glorious inheritance which our gracious God by the purchase of Jesus Christ hath so long since estated upon a true and a lively faith according to this eternal Covenant We proceed now to consider why the Lord propoundeth faith for the Proviso or Condition of this Covenant of Grace First I conceive because he would have his gift received which would otherwise become fruitlesse and unprofitable He gave his onely begotten Son And were it not a world of pitie that such a precious gift should be neglected and not received applied and improved Well how are we to receive him Into our houses No but into our hearts By what instrument or means Verily by faith onely According to the Scriptures By faith Christ liveth in us Gal. 2. 20. And by faith Christ dwelleth in us in our hearts Eph. 3. 17. Questionlesse there is no relation between the Saviour and the souls of his Saints but what is contracted fixed and confirmed by his affection and their lively faith Secondly the Lord requireth faith That so this gift of his might be beneficial to the whole World in all places and at all times indifferently For were Christ to be received any other way then by faith All men could not have been capable of receiving him at all seasons Suppose he had come into the World in the day of the Creation and continued in the World till the day of dissolution Yet in regard of his passive Nature his humanity he could not have been received by any two persons in any two several places at one and the same time But wheresoever he abideth faith will instantly finde him out and lay hold upon him And therefore there is no cause now why any man should say in his heart who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring down Christ from above or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ from the dead The word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of faith which we preach saith St. Paul Rom. 10. 6 7 8. And this word of faith which we preach if truely believed and rightly applied will do both It will bring down Christ from above with the virtue of his Resurrection and Ascention And it will bring up Christ from beneath with the virtue of his death and passion It will do all things that may concern the Remission of our sins the justification of our persons and the salvation of our Souls by Jesus Christ our Lord. So then saith the same Apostle in the same Chapter faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God But I say have they not heard Yes verily their sound went into all the earth and their words unto the ends of the world Rom. 10. 17 18. And to that very purpose the Lord Jesus Christ after his Resurrection gives his Apostles this universal Commission Go ye saith he into all the world and preach the Gospel unto ev●ry Creature Well what is the tenour or substance of that Gospel He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved That is he that receiveth Christ by faith and manifesteth the same in his Profession shall be saved as Rom. 10. 10. he that believeth not shall be damned Marc. 16. 15 16. And as this Gospel this word of faith is universal so is it likewise everlasting And I saw another Angel fly in the midst of heaven having the everlasting Cospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth and to every nation and kindred and tongue and people saith St. John Rev. 14. 6. But why doth God require nothing else but faith We know there may be divers Provisoes in one and the same Conveyance or Covenant Truely faith by it self is enough provided that it be such a faith as apprehendeth Christ He that hath the Son hath life saith Saint John 1 John 5. 1. And it pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell saith St. Paul Col. 1. 19. Whatsoever had been required besides faith according to our apprehension either it must have proceeded from or reflected upon our own persons or performances And then it is more then probable that our corrupt nature would have mislead us to neglect this all-satisfying gift to repose our selves either wholly or partly upon our own deserts or abilities But faith comes empty-handed and by that means it takes the surer hold When a man gives liberally we say he is open-handed And truely he that will receive freely and hold firmly it is necessary that he be empty-handed Faith is very fitly called the hand of the Soul For as we use to receive an earthly gift from man by the hand so we must receive this heavenly treasure from God by faith And therefore the Evangelist in reference to this most blessed gift intimateth unto us that receiving and believing do signifie the same thing As many as received him saith he to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to soem that believe on his name John 1. 12. A place very well worthy of our consideration for the proof of this particular Verily this onely begotten Son of God is beyond all thought of exception the most satisfying solid and substantial gift the most compleat and weighty gift that either heaven or earth can possibly afford us And therefore whatsoever we have or seem to have of our own whether it be work or worthinesse suffering or satisfaction ability or possibility our faith must cast it wholly to the ground or otherwise we shall never receive the Lord Jesus Christ so as to make him our own for ever A second Reason which I conceive to be most proper in this case is this Because whatsoever had been required with or besides faith It would have been destructive of the very nature of this Covenant of Grace For if by grace then it is no more of works