Selected quad for the lemma: ground_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	divine_a	faith_n	reason_n	1,608	5	5.7687	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A47193	The universall free grace of the Gospell asserted, or, The light of the glorious Gospell of Jesus Christ, shining forth universally, and enlightning every man that coms [sic] into the world, and therby giving unto every man, a day of visitation wherin it is possible for him to be saved, which is glad tydings unto all people, being witnessed and testifyed unto, by us the people called in derision Quakers : and in opposition to all denyers of it, of one sort and another proved by many infallible arguments, in the evidence and demonstration of the spirit of truth, according to Scripture testimonies and sound reason : with the objections of any seeming weight against it, answered it, answered / by George Keith.	Keith, George, 1639?-1716.; Furly, Benjamin, 1636-1714.	1671 (1671)	Wing K228; ESTC R13258	128,214	140

doth comes to be cured thereby By the preaching of which universall principle we can reach unto the most Barbarous Nations unto their convincement and conversion this principle which is in them answering to the same in us as face unto face in a glass and so servs for a ground and foundation unto us wherby we may be and are incouraged to declare unto them the things pertaining to the faith of the Gospell even as the principle of Reason in men becomes a ground and foundation for a Master to instruct his Schollars in humane arts and sciences the proper object of Reason without which there would be no incouragement for Masters to take upon them to teach any body any thing For if there were no principle of humane Reason in the hearers to answer to and apprehend the things taught they might as well go teach the beasts of the field Just thus it is in this matter if there were no divine principle of faith in the unconverted and unbelieving to no purpose would it be to declare unto them the things of divine faith there being nothing in them that could answer to or were susceptible of them But this being opened above I shall proceed no further in it Yet though I say there is such a ground or foundation in all I must not be understood as if I said that this foundation were laid in all for the foundation cannot properly be said to be layd in any till it hath obtained its proper place in them Now this divine principle which indeed is the onely ground and foundation of divine faith and of all religion that is truly so though it be in all yet it hath not got its due and proper place in all But as I may say is in many or most displaced out of its place and order where it ought to be through the hearts being joined unto the contrary seed and principle which usurps the place and roome of this divine seed principle The work now of the true ministers of Christ is as his instruments through the influence of life and vertue from this divine principle in themselvs raised to reach unto the same in others that it may in them find and attain its due and proper place And this is as it were the laying of the foundation according to which Paul as a wise master builder said he had laid the foundation in the Corinthians which foundation to wit this universal principle was in them before but not layd in that proper due place that it ought to have had in them which he was in his ministry instrumentall to bring it to And indeed this is the great cause why this Noble seed remaineth as it were barren in so many people to wit because it is not permitted to have its due place in their hearts which is as requisit to its fructifying as it is necessary to every other Seed to be cast into its proper place as into its matrix out of which it cannot grow and come forth to the birth This divine Seed therefore requires the most inwards of the heart to cleave unto it in true love and that the contrary seed be expelled and then the seed of God will spring up and prosper bearing the most pretious fruits of vertue and knowledge by and through which the hearts of people will come in due time to receive every thing one after another that is of God according to the growth of this principle in them so that the hearers will as readily close joine with and assent unto the things declared as the speakers can utter or express them life answering unto life and light unto light in an excellent and wonderfull harmony And indeed this is the true and only method which should be used by Preachers for the bringing people in to the faith and acknowledgment of the Christian Religion First to inform them of this universall principle what it is and turne them towards it that they may observe its operation in them as it appeareth against the lusts of this world and for righteousness and temperance And so as wise builders to lay this true foundation in its proper place and as wise husbandmen and planters to place this divine Seed where it ought to be in order to its growth that it may spring up in them and the life power and vertue of God in it may be felt And this will naturally bring people to owne the Scriptures and things therin declared to owne Moses and the Prophets to own the dispensation of God to the Jews in that day and to own Christ in the flesh his miraculous birth his Doctrine miracles sufferings death resurrection and ascension together with the wonderfull end and designe of God therin to own the Evangelists and Apostles and the dispensation of life and glory through the spirituall and inward appearance of Christ among them in their day which was very powerfull and excellent and finally to own the same as it is now again revealed in this day after the Apostacy For this inward and universall principle beareth a most excellent concord and unity with all these and doth witness and answer unto them in most near and dear respects with kissings and embracings as it riseth or springeth up in any Vessell in the manifestation of its own life And thus men should be first turned towards this inward principle light word and seed of the Kingdom which being in them and they coming to feel it there they may the more readily be perswaded to own and believe it And as they come so to joine to it that it springs up in them in the light and glory thereof they will see and feel the Scriptures and the things therein declared to be of God and will tast relish and savour them in the life of this divine seed And this is good method and order in the preaching of the Gospell So that evident it is though it be ordinarily objected that the Quakers so called have no method that we have the best and only tru method in our words and writings as hath been declared first to turn people to the light that they may beleeve it which finding in them they can the more easily doe then to direct them to and inform them of the Scriptures and things therein declared which they cannot receive beleev or understand but in the divine light But to come to the Nations that have not nor do own the Scriptures and but few of the things therein declared and press them to beleev the Scriptures and own them as the words and oracles of God in the first place without first directing them to the great word and oracle of God in their own hearts in that to beleev and receiv them in which alone they can be truly and duly received is most contrary unto the tru method and order of the Gospell and against all tru method and order held in the knowledg of things naturall which always proceeds from the more known to

Law they thus argue 1. Becaus the Apostle saith by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified To which I say By Law there is understood the Law of the first covenant which came by Moses and its true no Justification is by that Law whether it be understood of Moses his outward ministration or of the same ministration of Moses in the spirit wher the Law is writ but in tables of stone till the Seed be raised by which the Law is fulfilled But in divers of these Gentiles the Seed was raised which is that Divine Nature or Birth by which they did the things contained in the Law and so were justified by him who gave them power to fulfill it which if it had not beene there could have beene no Iustification 2. They argue that Paul saith he has proved all both Iewes and Gentiles to be under sin and therfore they could not be justified Answer That is all those both Jewes and Gentiles who did not seek righteousnes in Christ the true light and life inwardly manifested but sought it in other things as the Jewes in their outward performances and the Gentiles in their naturall wisdome Nor can our adversaries deny but that divers Jewes were justified even then and in all ages before there were among the Iewes who were the true Saints and Children of God and sought after righteousnes in the True Principle where it was to be found but its true they were but few in respect of them who had confidence in the flesh and fleshly performances Now if these words of Paul aforesaid that hee had proved all to be under sin hinder not but that some Iewes were justified neither doe they hinder but that some Gentiles were justified also 3. They argue there can be no Iustification without faith in Christ. But these Gentiles had not faith in Christ. Therfore c. Answ. I deny the second proposition for if they did cleave unto and beleeve in the light they beleeved in Christ for hee is the light nor is the outward name that which saves but the inward nature vertue and power signified theirby which was made manifest in them and thus is Christ even that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which may or must be knowne of God for Christ is only that which may or is to be knowne of him becaus no man knoweth the Father but as the Son reveals him and no man can know more of the Father then hee makes knowne unto them If any object that formerly I understood that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be the Gospell and now I understand it of Christ and say how doe these hang together Is Christ the Gospell I answer The Gospell is either taken objectively or declaratively i. e. either as that Divine Principle which is both the object of what is declared and also the spring from which it floweth or as the living declaration therof issuing from that spring And so Christ is the Gospell objectively or that which is declared of by the Gospell and is its object and spring and thus the Apostle saith the Gospell is the power of God unto salvation Inasmuch then as the Divine Power is manifest unto any for Salvation wee doe justly say there is the Gospell preached for that Power doth declare it selfe both in words and works where it is kindly received to be glad tydings which Evangile signifieth and to be the Word of God which Gospell an old Saxone word doth signifie in that language Argument 5. Erom Romans 5. vers 18. IN this Chapter the Apostle doth hold forth a parallell in divers particulars betwixt the first Adam and Iesus Christ the second Adam of whom the first Adam was a figure as it is said vers 14. which parallell doth not run in Relation unto the things which are come upon us through both for they are contrary but in Relation unto the Persons upon which the things are come viz. That as universally as the first Adam hath brought a disadvantage and losse upon all the Children of men so universally hath Christ the second Adam brought a free gift upon them wherby it is possible for them to recover all that they lost in or by Adam and be delivered from any and all the evills which accompanied that losse But as the first Adam brought on the evill upon men by his disobedience on the contrary Christ the second Adam hath brought on the good and free gift of God upon us by his obedience And this is clearly proposed and affirmed in this 18. vers Therfore as by the offence of one said hee Iudgement came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousnes of one the free gift came upon all men unto Iustification of life Where note that the word Iudgement is not in the Greek nor any word for it but there is something understood as neither the free gift in this vers But it is manifest the free gift is to be understood as is clear from vers 15. 16. Now what can be more evident for this truth then these words which are as plaine and full a Testimony as any can be desired for this which wee plead for And yet our Adversaries betake themselves to their old corrupt glosse to get an evasion affirming that by ALL in the latter part of the verse is understood not Singula Generum but Genera Singulorum i. e. not all particulars but some of all sorts To which I answer This sheweth their prejudice against the truth who passe from the sence which the words plainly import and seek out another sence to the words not from any necessity but becaus it pleaseth not their corrupt judgement Now what is above said upon the words all and every in the first Argument might suffice here but I shall ad somewhat more which the very place it selfe here adduced giveth an occasion for affording us very good ground to refuse this their corrupt glosse For beside that the word ALL being understood by themselvs in the first part of the verse Universally for all particulars is a good Reason to evince that it should be so understood in the latter part there being no Cogent Reason to the contrary This following consideration doth evidently prove that the second All must be understood as Universally as the first becaus otherwise the Parallell could not hold and the Apostles words would be impertinent as if hee had said as by the offence of one somwhat is come upon all men to condemnation So by the Righteousnes of one somwhat viz. the free gift is come not upon all men nor upon the most of men but upon the fewest unto Iustification of life who cannot but see that this cannot be the sence of the Apostles words for that it quite destroyes the Parallell which is made in Relation to the persons who as they suffered a losse Universally by the first Adam so by the second the grace or gift of God is come upon them wherby they may recover

it Now how can they be glad tydings to any except through a speciall and immediat revelation but from this ground that they are so to all If it be replyed it may to some be knowne through their effectuall calling the Lord secretly persuading them by the secret operation and influence of his Spirit to apply the grace of the Gospell ontwardly held forth To this I answer How shall they in what manner can they be assured of the efficacy of their calling and that their beleef of it is not a meer presumption and groundless imagination for this again must either be knowne by its having an objective evidence of its owne or from the evidence of the Scripture If the first that I affirm to be as it indeed is immediat Revelation exparte objects Which thing these men utterly deny in this age For that secret operation influence or impression of Gods Spirit they will allow to be onely subjective and not objective Which therefore I may justly call as they understand it a blind impulse or impression From whence consequently they cannot infer the certainty of the Gospels belonging to them If they say the evidence is from the Scripture Then certainly it must be from the Scriptures holding forth the Gospell universally to all as glad tydings and so by consequence to them Because there is no Scripture that holds any such thing forth particularly as to them more then to others For as is already shewed that it is held forth as glad tydings to some gives no man firm ground to conclude it so to him as one of those some But waving now this principle of theirs that immediat revelation is ceased through most true it is that there is at this day immediat revelation and that no man can truly apply the Gospell to himself but by immediate revelation yet this Argument is of great weight and force As for example First it cannot be denyed that the truth of the universall being knowne and beleeved is a great and comfortable confirmation to the strengthening of mens faith in the particular application For if the Gospell hold forth good will unto all then certainly unto me So Secondly As I can savingly beleev the Gospell no other way but as held forth unto me by immediat revelation So by this immediat revelation it is not any singular or particular principle that is thus held forth unto me but that which is the universall the common salvation Viz the Light the word the seed which I sind revealed and made manifest in me reproving sin in heart word and deed and secretly drawing me from it unto righteousness which principle is revealed in me to be the grace of the Gospell not I say as any particular principle given unto me and not unto others but as that which is universally given and works so to speak universally answering every where to me in others and to others in me And so it is both outwardly preached and inwardly manifested to be that universall principle which is the grace of the Gospell Through closing with which peace with the Lord is obtained And because it is an universall principle and is so inwardly revealed therefore is my heart the more persuaded to close with it especially at first or in my first entrance For coming to hear that that which secretly reprovs for sin and appears against it in every conscience is the very grace of the Gospell and finding the same thing revealed in my particular this is an occasion or ground for me to beleev it Wheras if the principle were not universall and that there were two principles reproving and convincing of sin the one universal not saving the other particular and saving I might have much reason to question whether what I have be the saving and speciall principle or no. Thus I say The principle being in the first place declared so to speak as an universall thing it is a great help unto the poor soule at its entrance to facilitate its belief Of which thing I have had experience in my own particular who witnessed it revealed in me as universall and so closed with it not that I durst say that there was any speciall principle revealed or given to me For such was the darkness confusion and inclearness that was over my mind that I could not have distinguished it but yet I manifestly felt in my heart that which reproved all sin and weighted me for it working as fire against it But this I knew to be nothing but what was common to others For the same that made me know it in my self made me know and feel it in others And now this universall thing being by Gods faithfull messengers preached unto me as the very grace of the Gospell and the very saving Light of Iesus Christ. O! how glad tydings was it to my soule which closed with the truth thereof by the secret operation of Gods holy Spirit And truly in that day I must needs say that the greatest most manifest and clear prop or ground of my faith that was visible unto my mind that I had in my heart what was saving was even because I found in me that little universall common despised thing the least of all seeds which is at this day more precious unto my soule and more excellent then all the mountains of prey seing that was held forth to be the saving grace wich was universall which I found in mee answering to it in others yea when it was the least of all seeds in me it did wonderfully answer to its self in others in whom it was grown up to be the greatest of all herbs full of heavenly fruit and vertue and while it was yet burthened and oppressed and imprisoned in me it answered to the same the same I say for nature and kind in others where it was in Dominion and perfect liberty over all that oppressed it whereby I was exceedingly reached strengthened and confirmed to beleeve that it was of a saving nature conceiving a blessed hope that it would in due time be raised in me into the same Dominion victory and liberty that I felt it to be in in them which now in a measure I do witness all glory and praise be unto the Lord for ever So I say feeling that universal Principle in me and being perswaded of the Lord that it was universally saving I was thereby helped to beleeve that it was saving in me And indeed that immediate revelation by which faith at first is usually or commonly wrought in the heart is not so much given in a distinct form of words particularly saying this or that thing to the soule as in a manifestation of the divine power and vertu of Gods Spirit in that little seed which the heart is made to feel secretly working in it as sire soap and water as an hammer and two edged sword as a magnet or Load stone drawing the heart to it self And thus is faith at first wrought by the word of God speaking forth