Selected quad for the lemma: life_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
life_n	eat_v	flesh_n	meat_n	7,845	5	9.0841	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85302	Animadversions upon Sir Henry Vanes book, entituled The retired mans meditations. Examining his doctrine concerning Adam's fall, Christs person, and sufferings, justification, common and special grace; and many other things in his book. / By Martin Finch, preacher of the Gospel.	Finch, Martin, 1628?-1698.	1656 (1656)	Wing F941; Thomason E1670_2; ESTC R208407	75,370	163

into their hearts to be their Lord and Christ for then it would have been well with them for ever though this Author makes such a state but the first image and most unwarrantably calls such the devils subjects page 361. Page 151. He saith Those that come into this first image who yet he saith are not in a saving state have by Christ renewed in them the same pure nature for kind wherein man was at first created and in that state are fed and nourished up at Christs own Table eating his flesh and drinking his blood to the growing up into one living body with him Whatsoever this Author saith of the natural mans having the same pure nature for kind that was in Adam at first if we will believe the Scriptures they will tell us the contrary as Gen. 6.5 And God saw that the wickednesse of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of his heart was onely evil continually where then was the pure nature for kinde that man was at first created in and in the Psalms its said that God looked down from heaven and behold there was none righteous no not one and Jer. 17.9 The heart is deceitful above all things yea desperately wicked who can know it and Jer. 4.14 Wash thine heart from wickednesse that thou mayest be saved which plainly imports thus much that though there may be a great deal of outward reformation in the natural man yet the hearts of none are truly washed from wickednesse and purified but they shall be saved and 2 Pet. 2.14 the Apostle saith of the false teachers who yet no question made a fair shew that they had eyes full of adultery or of the Whore and could not cease to sin where was the same pure nature in kinde that was in Adam when they could not cease to sin but the Author saith further that these men are nourished up at Christs own Table eating his flesh and drinking his blood but he is sufficiently mistaken for what is it to be nourished up at Christs Table but to be nourished up in faith love holinesse and is the natural man thus nourished up what is this but to be nourished up to eternallife and whereas he saith they eat his flesh and drink his blood I answer then they must needes be saved if we will beleive Christs owne expresse words John 6.54 who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life for though this Author maketh nothing of eating Christs flesh and drinking his blood and maketh it but his first Image in which there is no salvation yet saith Christ in the 55. verse of that chap My flesh is meate indeed and my blood is drink indeed He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him and least we should beleive such doctrine as this Author bringeth that this is but the first Image or Covenant of works and falleth short of salvation to eate Christs flesh and drink his blood the Lord Jesus maketh a solemne asseveration to evince it he saith in 57. verse As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father so he that eateth me shall live by me Thus notably hath Christ confuted this Authors doctrine and left it upon record for a witness against him he saith further that by thus eating of Christs flesh and drinking his blood they grew up into one living body with him and yet by his doctrine in no saving state for all this so that men may be living members of Christ and yet never be saved strange doctrine indeed shall any that are one living body with Christ be damned the Apostle saith Ephe. 5.23 that Christ is the Saviour of the body and I think wee may believe him but he quoteth Luk. 13.25.26 How men shall plead they have eaten and drunk in Christs presence and he hath taught in their streetes but what is this to the purpose did all that sat at table with Christ in the daies of his flesh and eat and drink with him eat his flesh and drink his blood and were all those that heard him teach in their streets made one liveing body with him this would be as strange an inference from this place as those that conclude 7. Sacraments from the five loaves and 2. fishes and alas these were so far from being one living body with Christ that the next verse telleth us that Christ shall say to them I know not where you are and so far from having pure nature of the same kind with Adam that Christ shall say to them Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity What a slurre he casts upon the Godly and Churches of Christ Page 153. calling them the worldly church the incorporated body of visible Saints called out and separated from the world a very cleaver contradicition for if they be called out and separated from the world how are they a worldly church yea and he after confesses they have a manifest selfe-distinguishing proression not onely from all heathenish worship but from corrupt Christian professions and practises but then will I aske this Author how then are they a worldly Church Page 154. He saith that these are a true Church and as Revel 12.1 are cloathed with the Sun yea are the Nursery or womb of all the true Spirituall seede But if they be the true Church of Christ then they are in a saving state and then they are subject to Christ Eph. 5.24 Christ loveth them and hath given himselfe for them v. 25. and presents them to himselfe a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle or any such thing holy and without blemish sanctifies and cleanses them by the washing of the water through the word v. 25.29 and surely all this amounts to eternall salvation and to be cloathed with Christ the Son of righteousness Revel 12.1 wrapt up in these beames of light and life holdeth forth salvation fully and I pray how can these be the nursery and wombe of all the spirituall seede and yet not be the spirituall seede themselves he maketh these but flesh in their highest attainements and John 3.6 that which is born of the flesh is flesh and no better he maketh them but the Law and the Covenant of workes and doth he think the Law and its righteousness is the nursery and wombe of all the spirituall seed the Apostle will teach us another lesson Gal. 3.2 where he asketh the Galatians such a question received ye the spirit by the hearing of the Law or by the preaching faith was the Law or first Covenant the nursery or wombe which brought forth the Spirit in you surely no but the hearing of faith and so Gala. 4.23 he who was of the bond-woman was after the flesh but he that was of the freewas by promise the bondwoman and all that are her children are in bondage Now this Author counts this Church and this state that we are treating on to be but the bondwoman the Law and yet

the likeness of the first Adams now naturall then Spirituall now earthly then Heavenly so that this place is nothing to his purpose but speakes of the difference betweene the believer here and in glory Page 59. He saith that God gave Adam a sight of the higher state that he should have come up to and forbad him to fix his eye upon things seene there being a reserve of unseen things as an induring substance to be imparted and communicated to him on the seventh day but he saith page 60. and in many other places that through an inordinate cove●ing and desire in him to keep in the state wherein he was and rejecting of that higher state Adam provoked God and fell and so also he saith Page 75. That the Angells that fell it was because they refused to go into this higher state 1. The Scripture noe where saith that God offered Adam a higher state but only that the devill told him of a higher Gen. 3.5 that if they would eate of the forbidden fruit they should be as Gods 2. I do not a little marvel that the Author should write that God was pleased to forbid Adam to fix his eye where he was but before the seventh day to tell him there was a higher state on that day to be propounded to him doth the Scripture say any such thing how doth the Author come to know this that God should say thus and thus to Adam when the Scripture makes no mention of any such thing let us be wise to sobriety and not above what is written And thirdly where doth the Scripture say that Adam had such an inordinate desire to keepe in that state where he was but rather shewes us the contrary that he would lose and forfeit that blessed state and sell it at so cheap a rate as for to but eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evill Yea fourthly that the refusing of the higher Image and state was the cause of the fall of the Angells is without booke too as well as the rest and it s very probable that their pride in teaching after a higher life and state was the cause of their fall and so 1 Timothy 3.6 and other places seems to make pride the sin and condemnation of the Angells that kept not their first estate and are delivered into chaines of darkness but I shall rather confesse my owne ignorance in such things then be wise above divine revelation knowing that such secret things belong to God and revealed things such as God is pleased to make known to us in his word to us and to our children And though the Author hath told us already that Adam was offered this higher life union with Christ in his Heavenly appearances before his fall and would not except of it yet page 78. He tells us that in all likelihood Adam and Eve were saved and brought to that higher state after the fall and they refused it out of ignorance before It is likely that Adam and Eve were saved through faith in Christ the Scripture seemeth to hold forth so much in that the Lord did after the fall so declare Christ to them Gen. 3.15 and whether their cloathing v. 21. did not hold forth their cloathing with the righteousness of Christ I am not certaine in doubtfull things we must speake doubtfully but this I am sure of that the Scripture speakes not of his coming into that state which the Author cals the higher Image but Page 333. the Author makes the refusing Christ in his second appearance or the higher Image to be the sin against the holy Ghost and elsewhere sheweth that he meanes it of a wilfull and knowing refusall of that higher state now I say that if God did so forewarne Adam that he should not refuse the higher state that he would propound to him on the seventh day and gave him a sight what it was as we but now questioned the Author for affirming the Author by his principles would make it very probable if not plain that Adam commited the sin against the holy Ghost because then he had such a vast knowledge and insight into things and upon such a cleare knowledge of the excellency of such a state would yet refuse it seemeth to have been a very wilfull act but in that Page 333. he saith that Adam refused it ignorantly and the devill maliciously but if it be true what the Author saith Page 59. that God before the seventh day gave him a sight and prospect of that higher state it could not be done in such ignorance CHAP. II. Concerning the Person of Christ his Bloody Sacrifice and Sufferings to reconcile us to God THe knowledge of Christ and him crucified being so excellent and necessary that blessed Paul counted all things but loss and dung in comparison of it let us set our hearts to know him his person his offices his usefulnesse preciousnesse what he is what he hath done and suffered for us poore sinners Who all like sheep have gone astray and turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all and by his stripes we are healed He is both God and man in one person the brightnesse of the Fathers glory the expresse Image of his substance he is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sospitatoe that Saviour that doth deliver from all evill and is the Author of eternall salvation he is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that propitiation for our sins expiates our sinnes attones God and makes him propitious to sinners he is the blessed and eternall son of God that came into the world to save sinners and to reconcile them to God by the blood of his crosse that was made sin for us who himself knew no sin that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Let us see then what this Author saith of his person and death but first let me tell the reader that I will not follow the Authors way in speaking over and over the same things in variety of words as concerning the person of Christ and his being first in one Image and then in another he goeth over with that distinction of the three Images or states where Christ comes forth twelve times in the first fourty pages and afterwards so often that I left counting but as neere as I can I shall at once examine his doctrine concerning the person of Christ save that I will forbeare a curious prying into that incomprehensible mystery of the blessed Trinity but rather leaving him to delight himselfe in his owne notions about it I shall cry out O the Depths of that Mystery and confesse that the knowledg of that great mystery is too wonderfull for me it is so deep that I cannot search it out and should as well as others but more darken that mystery by my words neither would I please the itching desire of any reader by shewing my selfe wise above what is written as Calvin treating upon such great

in notions and opinions as others do in other opinions but we use to count it great uncharitableness to charge all of a judgement with that which some being of that judgement do hold but if all of that judgement were of this mind the Author should be of it for he holdeth universal redemption yet I hope he doth not rest there nor own or reject others as they hold or hold not with him in that point but the Author misrepresents others judgements as well as the udgement of those that are for general redemption Page 199. He tells us those that differ from those that are for general redemption do evidently contradict and deny unto them most clear certain and undeniable truths and all that which they say concerning conditional reprobation freewil falling away and the like as relating to the children of the first Covenant will find that from the Scriptures which will justifie it The Author is very confident and profuse in his accusation of the Anti-Arminians and too highly exalts their opinions that are for universal redemption as if they were the very Gospel calling their opinions most clear certain and undeniable truths but what are their opinions that are most clear and undeniable truths why he saith their opinions of conditional reprobation freewil falling away and the like as relating to the children of the first covenant Let us hear their opinions and first of conditional reprobation The Arminiuns opinion is that there is no absolute and irrevocable but only conditional decree of predestination to damnation or salvation and that the number of the elect and reprobate is not so certain but that is may be diminished or augmented and that the primary cause of the decree of reprobation not of its execution is the praeconsideration and praevision of sin and not the meer will and pleasure of God And is their opinion such a plain and most undeniable truth their doctrine is such that notwithstanding Gods decrees either to life or death there might either none have been saved or none damned And according to their doctrine the grace of election is made voyd for if it were not Gods free will and pleasure that was the primary cause of the reprobates reprobation and non-election but works foreseen then consequently it was not Gods free will and pleasure that was the cause of the elects election but their works foreseen and then fare well that discriminating grace and love of God from all eternity neverthelesse we still make sin the cause of damnation but Gods free pleasure the cause of Gods non-electing and passing men by in his eternal counsels resolving to leave them in their sins and to condemnation for their sins Concerning free will the Arminians hold that there is a sufficient universal grace derived upon all men by which they may believe and be saved if they will And is this most clear and evident in the Scripture no the contrary is evident in the Scripture Isa 53.1 John 6.44 45. John 12.38 39 40. Page 205. He saith that the flesh of Christ may be received and eaten either worthily or unworthily men not distinguishing between Christs living body and his crucified body The Author if he had pleased might in this case have considered of the old distinction of the Martyrs of eating and receiving panem demini and panem dominum of that which is the sign and sacrament and the thing it self no man but the true believer eats of the bread of life the Lord Jesus for hic edere est credere by eating is meant believing but he saith they do not distinguish between Christs living body and crucified body Alas the same body of Jesus Christ that was crucified is a living body for it was impossible for that holy one to see corruption and it is not the meer body of Jesus Christ considered as living or crucified that saveth us as Christ telleth us in that case it is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing Page 225. He saith Abraham was justified before God by that faith wrought out in Christ his head The Scripture telleth us that by Christs obedience we are made righteous and that we are justified by his blood but no where that we are justified by the faith that is wrought out in Christ we are justified by his righteousness imputed to us not by the faith that Christ had the Author seemeth all along to have many wide mistakes about the righteousness by which we are justified when the Scripture telleth us we are justified by the faith of Christ the meaning is that we are justified by Christ believed in not that we are justified by the faith which he had And so he saith in the same 225. page that faith considered as abiding in Christ and not in us is that which properly just●fieth the believer But Christ though in some sense he had faith that is to say he trusted in the father that he would carry him through the work of bearing our sins and that he would so accept of his bearing the chastisement of our peace that he would deliver us from going down to the pit because of the ransome that he paid and believed that he should see his seed that the pleasure of the Lord should prosper in his hands yet he had not such faith as in Scripture is called saving and justifying faith for he was no sinner that he received another for his righteousnes The Author leaving the simplicity of the Gospel runs in vain and unscriptural notions in those things Page 291. He saith that Christs Disciples were called the children of the bride-chamber and yet then had no higher knowledg of him then in his fle shly glory and perfection The place he m●aneth is Matth. 9.15 which holdeth forth no such thing but what a forrowing there should be in the Disciples when they were deprived of Christs bodily presence but that was not a depriving of them of that which the Author calleth the first Image but ●●vay what fleshly glory and perfection was 〈◊〉 Christ that the Disciples should know Christ only in that Alas he had no fleshly glory and perfection his visage was marred more then any of the sons of men Isa 52. never was so glorious a person so obscured as he was insomuch that the people said is not this the Carpenters son his fleshly glory and perfection was so little that those which looked only at that could see no form nor comeliness in him wherefore they should desire him let the Author have better thoughts of the Disciples then that they followed Christ and left all for him only for his fleshly glory and perfection no they saw him with better eyes they saw him to be Jehovah their righteousness the only begotten son of God full of grace and truth Page 300. He maketh this the great sin of those in the first Image that they set up the sons Kingdom in their hearts in competition with and opposition to the fathers View the Scriptures