Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
death_n body_n life_n resurrection_n 10,682 5 8.7967 4 true
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A33947 A second generall epistle to all the saints wherein is unfolded the covenant of grace, as its a law in the spirit, of light, liberty, righteousness, holinesse, power and glory : as likewise as it is a law of peace, love and edification : published for the good of those who love peace and holinesse / written by T. Collier. Collier, Thomas, fl. 1691. 1649 (1649) Wing C5297; ESTC R12986 48,646 138

There are 2 snippets containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

and yet pretend themselves to be the Sons of God but his servants you are to whom you obey whether it be of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousnesse Chap. V. Of the righteousnesse of the Law in the spirit AS this law in the spirit is a law of light and liberty so it is a righteous law that is a law working righteousnesse in those in whom it is making soules partakers of its own righteousnesse which is indeed the righteousnesse of God He was made sin for us that we might be made the righeeousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5. 21. Now the righteousnesse of this law may be produced unto these two heads 1. An internal righteousnesse as it hath relation to God 2. An external righteousnesse as it hath relation to men First As it hath relation to God and so it is a righteousnesse in the spirit this may be considered likewise under these two heads 1. As it is more external 2. As it is more internal First As it is more external yes spiritual and the righteousnesse of God too because prepared by the Father for sinners brought home and applyed by the spirit and this is the righteousnesse of God in relation to what he hath done for them in laying helpe upon one that is mighty in laying iniquity upon Christ and condemning it there that so through the apprehending and applying of the Fathers love in this great worke the guilt of sin might be taken out of the conscience through the soules apprehending the Father doing that in Christ for it which it selfe could not doe For what the law could not doe in that it was weake through the flesh God sending his owne Son in the likenesse of sinfull flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh Rom 8. 3. Herein the soule beholding and enjoying love from the Father sees it selfe now to be justified and that by grace from al things by which it could not be justified by the Law of Moses this is a more external righteousnesse because wrought for us without us yet the righteousnesse of God of the spirit because prepared by God eyed and applyed in the light and power of the spirit 2. That which I cal a more spiritual righteousnesse it is a righteousnesse wrought within us by this law of righteousnesse and this righteousnesse wrought for us without us though declared in us is but a precedent to this righteousnesse wrought within that so the righteousnesse of the law might be fulfilled in us who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit this is that mystery of Christ in you the hope of glory the forming of Christ within that is when the soule hath experience of the same spirit within as was and is in Christ working the soule into a spiritual conformity to Christ growing up in him til it come to the same fulnesse to the same perfection but both these I have in a measure unfolded in another Treatise and therefore passe it with the more brevity in this place onely I shal answer one Objection by the way and so passe to the second part of the righteousnesse of this law in the spirit Obj. Some wil be ready to say That they know no such thing as this law in the spirit justifying this externall forming of Christ they know Christ no other waies but as he dyed at Jerusalem and that this talk of Christ within seems to be a mystery if not a delusion for Christ dwels in his people no otherwise but by faith that is souls beleeving only what he hath done for them and that there is no other forming of Christ in them till the day of resurrection of their bodies from the grave Answ I answer first That its true this forming of Christ within is a mystery indeed the compleater of it will be the top and height of all mystery this is the mystery Christ in you the hope of glory that is the said spirit and power conforming souls to Christ in death resurrection and life and this is the more mysterious man of sinne the antichrist who denies Christ to be come in the flesh this mystery of Christ in you the hope of glory And although some may abuse this truth this mystery being deluded only with the notion of it yet let others take heed they abuse it not through ignorance 2. I answer that whereas the Scripture saith Christ dwels in the heart by faith It 's true but there is a twofold dwelling of Christ in the heart by faith the first is when the soul sees and believes what God in Christ hath done for it and secondly when the soul sees and beleeves that this Christ that is the same spirit that dwelt in Christ dwels in him as a law of light life and liberty in him seeing the law of the spirit of life that was in Christ Jesus freeing it from the law of sinne and death for the soul taught of God sees and beleeves both these to be a truth Christ for and Christ in the soul this we shall finde clearly held forth in Scripture not setting up the one in denying the other but you shall finde that the Scripture presents you with a death with Christ and resurrection with him Rom. 5. Phil. 3. 10. with a life with him John 14. 19. Because I live ye shall live also and in him by vertue of spirituall union vers 20. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you Note a word by the way at that day they shall know it At what day in that day when Christ reveals himself in them The world shall see me no more but ye shall see me It is not such a sight as the Apostles had of Christ when he was with them in the flesh it is not such a sight as the world had or at this day have of Christ for the world beleeves that Christ died for sinners yet they see him not now Saints see him first dying for them 2. They see him living in them and this assurance of Christ in them they receive by faith beleeving and knowing this to be a truth for faith and knowledge in this particular is but one thing We beleeve and know saith Peter that thou art the Christ the Sonne of the living God And thus Saints in whom this law of righteousnesse is manifest can in a measure say We beleeve and know that God hath revealed his Sonne not only to us but in us and thus Christ dwels in the heart by faith and there is no one truth of God more clearly revealed in Scripture more glorious in the spirits of Saints then this truth of Christ formed in them 2. I come now to the second part of the righteousnesse of this law in the spirit which is an external righteousnesse amongst men for this law in the spirit teacheth men to live soberly righteously and godly in the world God is a righteous God and this righteous law conforms
his righteousnesse free justification without workes but they are ignorant of if not enemies unto the righteousnesse of this law in the spirit Although I question not but that many who are yet come no further may be precious and enjoy true comfort according to that measure received yet these two things are considerable First That many are likely to perish after come forth of Egypt in the wildernesse before they come into this land of Canaan this land of rest Secondly That those who truly know Christ without them to be their righteousnesse doe or shal likewise know Christ within them although at present through ignorance they deny it although its that which is or shal be their greatest glory but I say for a man onely to know Christ without him glorying in this without any experience of the life of Christ in him in being made conformable unto him this is a fleshly and deceivable law of righteousnesse Fifthly Others seeme as they say to come higher then al the rest into a way of righteousnesse although lowest of al for they looke not after morality nor legality nor Christ nor this righteous law in the spirit which is the substance and perfection of al but they have found a new law of righteousnesse or rather of unrighteousnesse that is the law of the flesh doe what they wil its al good justifiable righteous but to such I say Be not deceived God is not mocked For what you sowe you are like to reape For God is not as man that he should lie or as the son of man that he should repent Let God be righteous let God be true and all false and fleshly perswasions be a lye 2. The external unrighteousnesse of this deceivable law in the flesh may be considered either 1. Doing or acting things contrary to the true rule of righteousnesse thus either First In acting that so they may appeare unto men to be righteous like unto hypocrites and this satisfies if there can be such a visible walking as may silence men though hypocrisy deceit and unrighteousnesse lie hid and lurking within these are the whited Tombes Christ speakes of which appear beautiful before men when within they are full of dead mens bones Secondly Or else when men take liberty to appear outward to men as they list ful of al unrighteousnesse and yet thinke to be innocent righteous and cleare before God justifying themselves that they have good hearts and the like these are they the Lord reproves by the Prophet Will you steal murder commit adultery and sweare falsly and yet come and stand before God in his house thinking to be delivered saying They shall have peace though they walke after the stubbornesse of their own hearts c. Thirdly Others not onely making gaine to be their godlinesse but gaine to be their rule of righteousnesse to others and hence it comes to pass oft-times that they have a law of liberty within them to lie and cosen for advantage not knowing that righteous rule To doe as they would be done unto and this gain self-advantage is the great rule by which most in the world walk I wish I had not cause to say that its the rule of many who would be accounted more then ordinary Christians which occasions in the fourth place much oppression and fraudulency now there is a liberty to defraud oppress to doe any thing for advantage this is the unrighteousnes of this law in the flesh Chap. VII The law of true holinesse THis law in the spirit is likewise a law of holines and purity in whom it is this law of the Lord is pure purifying and purging soules God is a holy God and he works the spirits of his people into his own likenes hence it is the Apostle 2 Cor. 3. 18. saith That all we with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of God are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. The Spirit and glory of the Lord is a transforming Spirit and glory it never leaves those in whom its manifest until it change them into the very image and glory of the Father This law of holinesse as it works holinesse in the spirits of Saints may be considered under two heads likewise either more internall or more externall 1. More internally as it changes and reneweth the minde for this spirit begins to worke holinesse first within it reneweth the spirit of the minde it takes possession of the heart it doth not only say My sonne give me thy heart but it takes the heart and moulds it and forms it according to its own good pleasure it doth not onely say Be ye holy but it works holiness and saith likewise Thou shalt be holy hence it is called The holy the sanctifying Spirit not only in respect of its own purity but as it workes purity in the spirits of Saints Thus holinesse becomes the house of the Lord for ever every beleever every Saint is Gods house his temple his habitation in them hee dwels and that by way of union and spiritual communion and therefore holines becomes this house this habitation for ever Qu. What is holinesse Answ Holines in spirit it is when the inner man by the power and operation of the spirit is changed and renewed by which means the old man flesh is put off with his deeds and the new man is put on it is an inward change from flesh to spirit being made partaker of the divine nature of the nature of the holy God hence it comes to pass that the minde being thus renewed so earnestly presses after more perfection in this sanctity now the soul sees clearly what was the Fathers everlasting purpose concerning him to gather him up into the same perfection of purity and holiness with himselfe this indeed being the Saints perfection the Saints glory the putting off of al flesh the filth of the old man and to be cloathed in this holiness of the new And he that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as Christ is pure that soul hath no patern or perfection short of him who is their elder brother who is entered into the Sanctum Sanctorum the holy of holies the most holy place perfection it self and a way being opened for Saints to follow him Hence it is they with so much earnestness presse after not as if they had already attained or were already perfect but they press forward if by any meanes they might attain the resurrection from the dead that is a full deliverance from this body of death into the compleat and perfect glory and purity of the Father Thus this law in the spirit is a law of holiness of sanctification it doth not leave men carnal and fleshly and filthy no no the will of God is your sanctification and this he works where he manifests himself he truly effects in the mindes of his people which is his house what he did in the temple at Jerusalem he