Selected quad for the lemma: life_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
life_n	believe_v	eternal_a	see_v	6,178	5	3.7252	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A69129	Conscience with the power and cases thereof Devided into V. bookes. Written by the godly and learned, William Ames, Doctor, and Professor of Divinity, in the famous University of Franeker in Friesland. Translated out of Latine into English, for more publique benefit.; De conscientia. Et ejus jure, vel casibus. English.	Ames, William, 1576-1633.	1639 (1639)	STC 552; ESTC S114737	107,148	176

this hope and certainty the first Question is whether a believer may be infallibly be assured of his salvation 1. Ans. There is not onely a possibility for the believer to come to this certainty but it is his duty also never to rest contented till he have obtained it Heb. 6. 11. 10. 22. Rom. 4. 21 8. 35 -39 For 2. First God hath confirmed this to every believer by promise by oath by earnest by seals Iohn 3. 16. Ier. 31. 40 41. Heb. 6. 17. Eph. 1. 14. Mark 16. 16. 3. Secondly Faith ought to receive all that which God hath thus confirmed Heb. 4. 2. 4. This certainty is perfected in us by three Acts 1. by an act of Faith properly so called whereby we rest upon God by Christ for the certaine obtaining of salvation 2 By an act 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of knowledge whereby we believing do understand that God hath certainly adjudged this salvation unto us 3. By an act of confidence or of hope whereby we certainly looke for this salvation which is thus adjudg'd to us and made ours But yet for all that the whole application is attributed to Faith because it dependeth first and chiefly on faith 5. Thirdly salvation and life eternall is contained in the object of Faith For we believe life everlasting 1 Peter 1. 3 4 5. 6. Fourthly true grace of the certainty of which we spake before is never separated from life eternall Heb. 6. 9. For the grace of justification is a more certaine cause of life and the grace of sanctification is a part of eternall life Iohn 17. 3. Gal. 2. 20. 7. Fifthly God the Father hath decreed to bring to eternal life all those that believe for Faith is a fruit of election Acts 2. 47. 13 48. 8. Sixthly Christ our Saviour d●…th perpetually intercede for the faithfull that they may be preserved from evill Iohn 17. 15. 9. Seventhly the holy Ghost doth direct and keepe the faithfull to life eternall Iohn 16. 16. Ez 36. 27. 10. Eighthly by the power of God and Christ the faithfull are preserved Iohn 10. 28 29. 1 Pet. 1. 5. And strengthned Eph. 3. 16. Col. 1. 10. Pil. 4. 1. The second Question by what motives a believer may be stirred up to seeke for this certainty of hope with all diligence 11. Ans. 1. God requires this Rom. 15 13. Col. 1 23. Heb. 6. 11. 10. 22. 1 Pet. 5 9. 12. Secondly this hope is as necessary for a believer in time of temptation as a helmet is for a Souldier and an anchor for a Ship Ep. 6. 17. 1 Thess. 5. 8. Heb. 6. 19. 13. Thirdly it brings with it freedome and strength and courage and constancy in every worke of the Lord Heb. 3. 6. 1 Cor. 15. 58. The reason is because the end and fruit of a mans worke doth allure and wh●…t him on to industry and constancy in working For although our salvation be not the chiefe and last end of our obedience yet it is the fruit of it and in that respect partaketh of the nature of an end Rom. 6. 22. So that it is not only lawfull but very expedient also for the helpe of our infirmity to set about the worke of piety with an eye upon the recompence of reward Iames 5. 7. Gal. 6 7 8 Heb. 12. 2. Ps. 19. 12. 14. Fourthly it is the end of the calling of the Faithfull whence also it is stil'd the hope of their calling Eph. 1. 18. 15. Fifthly this hope maketh not ashamed because it is never vaine neither doth it deceive Rom. 5. 4 5. Rom. 8. 24. 16. Sixthly it is hope by which a beleever is saved Romans 8. 24. The third Question is what a beleever ought to do for the obtaining and preserving of a lively hope 17. Ans. He ought 1. to preserve his Faith firme and lively For hope flowes from and depends upon Faith and that not only the being of Faith but the degree the measure and the sense of it Heb. 11. 1. 18. Secondly he ought with all care to keepe a good conscience for such a Conscience doth make much for the confirming of Faith and hope 1 Tim. 1. 19. 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. 19. Thirdly he ought diligently to observe the experiment which he hath had of Gods love towards him For experience causeth hope Rom. 5. 4. 20 Fourthly he ought oftentimes to set before his eyes the examples of those who have with happy successe placed their hope in God Iames 5. 10 11. 21. Fifthly he ought to be frequent in the exercises of piety Rom. 1●… 4. The fourth Question is what are the signes of a true and lively hope 22. Ans. 1. True hope is carried upon God onely who is therefore cal'd the God of hope Rom. 15. 1●… And the hope of Israel Ier. 14. 8. 23. Secondly it rests upon that free mercy of God which is manifested in justification and not upon any humane merits or strength nor upon any externall and common blessings of God Rom. 5. 1. 24. Thirdly it doth expect not only happinesse but sanctification also Gal. 5. 5. 25. Fourthly it is begotten and preserved by holy exercises Rom. 15. 4. 26. Fifthly it brings forth patience 1 Thess. 1. 3. 27. Sixthly it causeth spirituall joy Heb. 3. 6. 28. Seventhly it begetteth a constant care of holynesse 1 Iohn 3. 3. CHAP. 15. Of Consolation FRom Christian hope or confidence ariseth consolation which is a confirmation of the soule against the griefe and feare that doth oppresse it for it is not properly a rejoicing of the soule as some thinke but rather a repression or a mitigation o●… an allaying of griefe feare or sadnesse For that man is said to receive comfort and consolation when he hath in some sort put away griefe although joy be not yet come in the place or if his sadnesse and sorrow be at least in some sort mitigated and lessend For sometimes there may be a mixture of sorrow and consolation together Neither are men either perfectly well or perfectly ill when they begin to receive consolation Esa. 40. 1 2. Now concerning this consolation The first Question is whether a believer may attaine unto solid comfort against all kinds of evill 1. Ans. He may For 1. God the Father in respect of the faithfull is the God of all consolation comforting them in all afflictions 2 Cor. 1. 3 4. 2. Secondly Christ is the principle or fountaine by which the comfort of the faithfull doth flow 2 Cor. 1. 5. 3. Thirdly the holy Ghost is the comforter of all believers imparting unto them all consolation Iohn 14. 16. 26 15. 26. 16. 7. 13. 4. Fourthly the whole Scripture maketh for the consolation of the faithfull Rom. 15. 4. 5. Fifthly this consolation is made strong by the immutable counsell of God and by his strengthning of believers Heb. 6. 17 18. 6. Together with this consolation God doth joyne the confirmation of his grace which consists in a reparing of their

inclinations and dispositions from whence those actions flow Rom. 7. 15 16 17. 3. By that reflex act which is proper to man whereby he hath a power as it were to enter into and perceive what is in himselfe 1 Cor. 2. 11. 4. By a kind of spirituall sense Luke 24. 32. Rom. 7. 21. 28. 14. Quest. 4. what is it that hinders this knowledge Ans. 1. Wicked and prophane thoughts in many Psal. 14. 1. 2. 2. Presumption Apoc. 3. 17. Mat. 7. 21. 23. 3. The overcharging of the heart by the lusts of the flesh and care about the things of this life Luke 21. 34. 4. An evill Conscience Iohn 3. 20. 5. Spirituall sloth and idlenesse Esay●…4 ●…4 11 6. Ignorance Rom. 6. 11. CHAP. 2. Of the state of sinne 1. THe state of man since the fall of Adam is twofold A state of sinne and a state of grace Acts●…6 ●…6 18. ●… Iohn 3. 10. 14. 2. The state of sinne consists in the privation of spirituall life and happinesse From this estate therefore we are to fly as from death and the greatest evill Concerning this state of sin the first question is how a man may discerne whither he do still continue in it 3. Ans. The signes o●… arguments whereby this state may certainly be discern'd are in generall all those which are opposite to a state of grace and spirituall life For if a man be not in the one state he must necessarily be in the other 4. The first signe is a grosse ignorance of those things which belong to spirituall life Ep. 4. 18. for hereby men are strangers to the life of God The reason is because it is impossible that any man should please God without faith Heb. 11. 6. And for Faith it is impossible to be had without the knowledge of the will of God which comes by the preaching and hearing of the Word Rom. 10. 14. 5. The second signe is a perverse disposition of will wherby it is in subjection to the rule and dominion of sin Rom. 6. 12. The reason is because those who do yeild themselves servants to obey sin are in a state of slavery to sin unto death Rom. 6 16. 6 Now the signes of raiging sinne are first if a man do not seriously and in good earnest make opposition against the lusts of sinne but rather yeild up himselfe unto them Rom. 6. 13. Secondly I●… in delibr●…ate counsell either profit or pleasure be preferred by him and prevaile more with 〈◊〉 then either honesty and piety Phil. 3. 19. Thirdly if the committing of sinne stir him up rather to pleasure then griefe Pro. 2. 14. Fourthly if he take delight in the company of the wicked Ps. 50. 18. 2 Cor. 6. 14. 7. The third signe whereby it may be discerned whether a man be in the state of sinne is the disposition of will whereby a man opposeth himselfe to the will of God Rom. 8. 7. 8. The signes of this perverse disposition are 1. To reject the knowledge of Gods wayes Iob. 21. 14 15. 16. 2. To hate correction and instruction Psal. 50 17. 3. To contemne the threatnings and judgements of God Psalme 36. 1. 2. Dent. 29. 19. 9. The fourth signe is perversnesse of the affections wherby men turne away from God and wholy cleave and adhere to worldly things 1 Iohn 2. 15. 10. The aversnesse of a man from God is wont to be seene 1. By his alination from the Word of God especially when it is preacht to him powerfully 2 Tim. 4 3. 4. 2. By a neglect of prayer and other parts of Gods worship Psal. 14. 3. 4. Psa. 79. 6. Ier. 10. 25. 3. By an alienation from the servants of God Pro. 29. 27. 1. Iohn 3. 10. 11. The signes of a man cleaving to and as it were drownd in the things of this world are 1. If he imploy his chiefest care and diligence about these things Mat. 6. 25. 31. 32. The reason is given Verse 21. 24. for where your treasure is there will your heart be also 2. If he be ready rather to forsake God and his righteousnesse then these worldly things Mat. 37. 38. 3. If he do in his heart judge those men to be happy which have an abundance of these worldly goods Pro. 11 28. 18. 11. 12. The fifth signe is the corruption of a mans life or of the works of life Rom. 8. 13. This corruption of life doth not consist in those sins which even the godly sometimes through infirmity fall into but in a continued course and tenour of sinning It is called in Scriptures the way of sinne Psal. 1. 1. A working of iniquity Mat. 7. 23. A walking in sinne Psal. 1. 1. Pro. 1. 15. A walking after sinne Jer. 9. 14. And a custome in sinne Jer. 13. 23. These works of the flesh are manifest by themselves Gal. 5. 19. 13. The sixt and the most desperate signe is obstinancy in evill whereby a man shuts and stops up the way to all amendment Esay 6. 9. 10. Ier. 6. 10. CHAP. 3. Of deferring or putting off ones Conversion QUest The second question is whether a man may safely rest for any time in a state of sinne especially if he purpose with himselfe to reforme and amend his life afterward 1. Answer it is not lawfull to make the least delay at all in our conversion unto God The reasons are 1. Because God requires this for the present Psal. 95. 7. Heb. 4. 7. And seing sinne is a debt and an injury done to God it is manifest that repentance for the same ought not unlesse God consent and like of it to be defer'd for one moment As soone therefore as God shall require us to correct our lives and to be converted so soone ought this duty to be perform'd besides this no subject can keepe and receive atheise and murderer or a publike enemy against the will of the magistrate but he shall be guilty of a hainous crime Now sinne is a theife a murderer and an enemy to Gods glory Whosoever therefore shall keepe and nourish sinne against Gods Will although he determine to do it but for a certaine time he thereupon doth bring upon himselfe a very grievous guilt 2. Because all delay of Repentance increaseth hardnesse of heart Heb. 4. 7. It doth produce a custome of sinning and makes the worke of repentance to be harder and harder Ie. 13. 23. The reason is because thereby evill habits are more strengthen'd and confirm'd the understanding becomes darker Ep. 4. 18. The will growes more obdurat and addicted to sinne Heb. 4. 7. All the faculties are more bound and tied as it were with chaines and knots Acts 8. 23. A yong plant is more easily pluckt up then that which hath taken deepe roote A nayle the o●…tner it is beaten with a hammer the more firmly it is fastned and the more hardly drawne out 3. Because continuance in sinne doth increase the number of sinnes our guilt and the wrath of God Psal.