Selected quad for the lemma: mind_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mind_n	law_n	member_n	wretched_a	1,364	5	10.8021	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61850	A treatise shewing the subordination of the will of man unto the will of God by that eminently godly, able, and faithfull minister of Christ, William Strong, lately of the Abbey at Westminster ; the greatest part printed with his own marginal quotations in his life time, and now published by Mr. Rowe, Master Manton, and Master Griffith.	Strong, William, d. 1654.	1657 (1657)	Wing S6008; ESTC R17435	173,191	368

man immediatly falls into sin And yet the taking away of the restraint is not the cause of his sinning but his own natural propension and inclination of Spirit thereunto The Lord doth by permission but remove the impediment take away the restraint As a man taking his hand from a glass it breaks not because he takes away his hand but from its own brittle nature so there is a Divina manutenentia which the Lord takes away As a man that doth loose an Anchor and lets a Ship drive into the Main when by the Wind and the Sea it s dashed against the Rocks thus the permission of God is but a removing of the restraints that are upon the spirits of men In sinfull and holy actions three things are to be distinguished 1. The action it self so the Lord doth concur unto both by a common Providence unto both the beings and the motions of the Creatures They must depend à primo motore For in him we live and move and have our being 2. There is also the quality of the action either good or evil And here is a different concurrence of God 1. To a gracious action the Lord concurs not only in the substance of it but in the goodness and rectitude of it For we have no sufficiency of our selves to think any thing as of our selves 2 Cor. 3.5 When we turn to him it is he turns us first when we make our selves a new heart it is he first gives us a new heart when we work with him he works our works in us and for us The Lord concurs to it with a gracious and efficacious will It depends more upon the act of God then upon the act of the creature But in the evil and obliquity of an action the Lord concurs by a permitting will only leaveing the creature to act according to its own rules and to walk after its own imaginations taking away the powerfull determination of grace and all the restraints that were before laid upon them Now the act is of God but the obliquity and the defect of the action is from the Creature only 3. There are the ends of the action and the Lord doth appoint them also Of good actions the end is his glory according to the intention of the Agent and of evil actions the end is his glory though it be praeter intentionem Agentis As an Artificer useth natural causes unto artificial ends as we see the Loadstone that naturally draws Iron how it is made use of in the Art of Navigation and we commonly use the natural enmity of a Dog or a Hawk to accomplish our end on some other of the creatures else unserviceable to us So doth the Lord over-rule the natural enmity of the creature and orders it unto his own ends the glory of his own Wisdom Power and Justice As we see in Nebuchadnezzar though he as an instrument in the hand of God intends no such thing he thinks not so Isa 10. And in these properly doth the nature of permission consist Now let us see the permitting will of God being conversant only about sin and that only the acts of the reasonable creature in what particulars it is exercised what it is that the Lord doth permit in them And they are these especially 1. God leaves remainders of sin in the best of his people This belongs unto his permitting will that though they be sanctified it is but in part He doth suffer sin to remain in them that if the best men say they have no sin they deceive themselves and the truth is not in them Sin dies a crucified death it hath only received its deaths wound and dies by degrees There is in the best a Law of the members as well as a Law of the minde which makes them cry out Vnclean undone wretched man that I am Non peccare in via praeceptum est in patria praemium It is in this life our Law and in the life to come it shall be our reward it is here our duty then our glory Peccatum in renascentibus remittitur in proficientibus minuitur in resurgentibus tollitur Aust 2. He suffers Satan both as a tempter and as an accuser and it is for these ends that he hath not yet his full torment He knows the time is not yet full come Art thou come to torment me before the time First The Lord suffers him as a Tempter this was a great part of the humiliation of Christ the King of Saints that he was not only made fin by God but he was tempted unto sin by the Devil And he suffered being tempted that he might be able to succour them that are tempted Heb. 2.18 All the Saints are there called those are tempted and tempted as we are Heb. 4.15 and the people of God had need of succour not only in their sufferings but especially in their temptations And there is no possbility for them to stand out against them without succour from Christ Sometimes Satan comes upon them by his own immediate injections which the Apostle calls fiery darts because they are apt to take shot as Granadoes and Wild fire into the Camp of an enemy So it is said Satan did move David to number the people 1 Chron. 21.1 The word doth signifie to perswade by force of Argument and by a vehement and continual importunity to take no denial And herein properly doth the strength of a temptation lie in the strength of the Arguments and the reasonings of it and the importunity of it from day to day It s used in Deut. 13.6 if a man doth perswade and entice his friend secretly to other Gods gives him reasons and arguments to perswade him thereunto It s the same word that is used of Iezabel 1 Kin. 21.25 Whom Iezabel his wife stirred up She provoked him by earnest perswasions by continual importunities And sometimes he makes use of the Creatures and there is no creature that Satan will not make use of to withdraw from God and to draw to sin A Disciple a Friend a Wife God made her a rib Satan a dart 2. He permits him as an ac cuser for he is called the accuser of the brethren And as he doth move us against God in a way of sinning so he doth move God against us in a way of Judgment And therefore Zach. 3.1 It s said Satan stood at Ioshua's right hand to resist him Some say as an accuser the manner being to set the accusers on the right hand of the person accused Others take the right hand for the instrument of action and so it was effectually to hinder Ioshua in his work So Iob 2.3 the Lord faith Thou hast moved me against him without a cause the same word is there used of his moving God against Job as before he had moved David against God in the one as a tempter in the other as an accuser And there is as great fear of Satan in the one as in the other Now it is

the Spirit Gen. 9.27 The allurements of the Spirit Hos 2.14 The word in both places is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to perswade or intice or blandiendo decipere to deceive one by fair words It is used sometimes in a good sometimes in an evil sence Sometimes for the allurements of Satan in ways of temptation though he doth meet with the will of man wholly determined by a principle of evil as it is in all unregenerate men yet to act this will he hath his perswasions and enticements Job 31.27 If my heart hath been secretly enticed Besides the determination of a mans will to sin there are allurements of Satan which act this will with more chearfulness and delight So it is with the Spirit of Christ he hath his secret perswasions and allurements which facilitate the work of the will which is in a great measure determined to good before hand Cant. 6.12 Or ever I was aware my soul set me in the Chariots of my willing people For so much the word that we render Amminadib doth signifie when the heart is caught up and stoln away after Christ fully and freely we know not how This is a further way that the Lord useth to make his people willing in the day of his power 4. By giving a man an experimental taste of the comfort peace sweetness and security that is in holiness and the ways thereof Therefore we read in Scripture of spiritual senses of the Saints They are said to have their senses exercised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quid est isle sensus spiritualis est spiritualis rerum divinarum expe rientia qua in nobis ipsis per gratiam Dei sentimus gustamus in corde nostro bonitatem amorem Dei ex qua quam vera certaque sit tota divina sapientia experimur Zanch. in Philip. Heb. 5.14 And the Apostle prays Phil. 1.9 That they may abound in all knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in all sence Experience is nothing else but the bringing of things to sence and thereby tryng the truth and goodness of them Therefore what we have brought to sense we call an experiment Spiritual experience therefore is a bringing of things to a spiritual sense And this is a very glorious work of the Spirit thereby bringing on the will to chuse the things of God and to go out to them more abundantly in which it hath formerly found so much sweetness and contentment And though there be a taste that unregenerate men have let into the soul by the common works of the Spirit tasting the good Word of God and the powers of the world to come Heb. 6.4 Yet this taste is but of the good things that come by them not of the goodness that is in them Now there is nothing in the world doth carry the bent of the will towards an object with greater eagerness then this that it hath tasted and knows what is in it and that the man is not deceived It is so in the ways of sin an experimental taste of the sweetness of it doth draw out the heart and engage the will much more then the bare notion and contemplation could do As Plutarch reports of the Gauls when they had once tasted the sweet Wine of Italy they were never satisfied till they had conquered Vini olei liquaminis exportatio lege Imperiali interdicta est ne Barbari gustu illecti promptiùs invaderent fines Romanorum Leg. 1. Cod. quae res exportari non debeant and possessed that Land where such excellent Vines grew And for that cause the Lord sent searchers before into the Land of Canaan that the people tasting the precious fruits of that good Land of which they had such clear and manifold promises they might be the more encouraged and quickned at the command of God to enter what hardships or oppositions soever they met withall in that enterprize The Historian therefore hath observed of the Inhabitants of Chyna Exteri in loca regni interiora non admittuntur Boterus in Catalogo Imperiorum tantum in oris maritimis conceditur commericum They admitted none to Trade in the heart of the Kingdom but onely upon their Borders and in maritine Towns least the goodness and riches of their Land being discovered should stir up in the Neighbour Nations a desire to invade them It is therefore generally made by Interpreters an impolitike vain-glory in Hezekiah to shew his Treasures unto the Embassadors of the King of Babylon 2 King 20.12.13 thereby to inflame their desires to become Masters and Owners both of his Land and of his Treasures which shortly after they did Whosoever he be whose heart doth rise against the Law of God and whose will doth not submit thereunto look up unto the Spirit of Christ for the putting forth of these acts upon the soul For the more or less the Spirit doth exercise these the more or less is the will brought into a conformity unto the will of Christ And this is the main ground of the differing degrees of Grace in the Saints which doth consist in a conformity of our will unto the will of God Quest Quest 2. It may be further said that there remains corruption in the best men and that in the will as well as in any of the other faculties The Law of the members comes forth from the will as well as the law of the minde A godly man finds in himself a twofold will that he cannot do the things he would Gal. 5.17 Godly men may sin presumptuously therefore David prays against it Psal 19.13 The word in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies à superbis so that presumptuous sins are made up of two things 1. They are sins against knowledge in which the will is engaged 't is sinning wilfully not ignorantly 2. When the Law of God opposes a man in this way of sinning and his heart doth rise against it through pride and contempt of the Authority of God And the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 keep back notes a proness thereunto in the best men if if they be not restrained by Grace They may sin with deliberation consent delight How then should a man know whether he doth sin with the whole consent of will How should a man discern that there is Grace in the will when there are constant risings and oppositions against the will of God How should a man be able to say my whole heart is not in it though I sleep yet my heart wakes how should a man be able to discern Grace in the will even then when there are the strongest actings of the will for sin Answ Answ It is true while we live here there will be a mixture of corruption in the will as well as in any other faculty For Grace and sin are mixed in the same soul as wine and water in the same cup there is no part of it perfect wine or perfect water Hereafter indeed the will

a Covenant the consent of the Creature is necessarily included Burg. vin dic legis p 121. The terms of the Covenant are offered to him and subjected to his choyce Neither dare I embrace that Doctrine that Adams consent was not necessary unto the first Covenant because he was bound to accept what God did require for he was bound freely to consent to the terms of the Covenant as he was bound freely to obey the precepts of the Law but yet his consent did constitute a Covenant between God and him which else had remained a Law only That God did indent with Adam as a publike person the word is clear and that Adam knew upon what terms he stood or else he was ignorant of the nature of his Covenant which were dangerous to affirm and so did neither know the necessity of his obedience nor the danger of his fall Now when the soul doth chuse the will of God as best and best for him herein doth his subjection to the commanding will of God further consist 3. Intentio est in aliud tendere inde pertinet ad id quod movet ad finem est ergo actus voluntatis Aquin. 1. 2ae q 19. a. 7. Intent●o electio sunt idem motus fed in 〈◊〉 distinguuntur quod intentio primò sertur in finem deinde in media electio vero primò attingit medium deinde finem Medina 1. 2ae q. 12 a. 4. Psal 17.3 Acts 11.23 Intentio The intention of will The Law being consented to as good and chosen as best for us then the aym and the bent of the will is to walk in all things according to this Rule It is that which he intends in his whole course Paul proves the goodness of his conscience by this Heb. 13.18 That he was willing in all things to live honestly This was the constant intention and bent of his will and when the Saints do otherwise it is praeter intentionem for they are stedfastly purposed to keep his Precepts and with full purpose of heart they cleave to God when they fall they are overtaken Gal. 6.1 It is by way of surprize as that which they intended not I do that which I would not Rom. 7.19 Therefore the regenerate part which is born of God doth not sin It may be over-born by the flesh and led Captive but it consents not to it The bent and intention of the will is against it all the while Daven in col 1 10. Sufficit quod praecesserit illa intentio in habitu retineatur licet in singulis actibus non cogitetur c. Some of our Divines do distinguish between an habitual and an actual intention and they say though there cannot be always an actual intention of God and his glory yet there must be always an habitual a constant purpose of obeying God and submitting to his Law in every thing for the power of Grace cannot stand with a purpose of sinning 4. Imperium Homo non agit ex necessitate naturae sed liberè sc modò rationali hoc est modo imperii Ad imperium requiritur dictamen ultimum intellectus practici stante efficaciâ imperii voluntas liberè movetur Cumel de volunt p. 50. The power and the command of the will The will is the leading faculty it hath a strang ruling power over the man it commands all the faculties of the soul Imperio politico all the members of the body Imperio despotico It commands the understanding to search the memory to retain the affections which are as it were the ebbings and flowings of the will to go out towards those objects the will is set upon If the will move towards any object the eye looks the hand works the feet haste towards it with all manner of readiness and unweariedness because the will commands it We have all known how powerful the commands of the will were and how unwearied in ways of sin Mich. 7.7 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad malum manus 〈◊〉 reddun sc apta● peritas 〈◊〉 Merde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. when we did evil with both hands earnestly fulfilling the wills of the flesh and of the mind Therefore Rom. 7.5 Sin is compared to a Husband and the Soul to a Wife because the will of sin is the law of the soul And as it is in sin so t is in Grace also Grace being the Law of the mind Rom. 7.23 And the end of the Law is Obedience Now though Grace be in the whole soul yet the Commanding power of it is chiefly in the will For Grace doth act in the soul according to the nature of every faculty In the understanding searching into the will of God as the Rule of Duty in the memory laying up the Commandments as the greatest treasure I have hid thy Law in my heart In the affections also the soul goes out to it Oh how do I love thy Law thy precepts are my delight I hope in thy word I have rejoyced in thy Testimonies more then in all riches But the commanding power over all these comes from the will therefore the Law of the minde is mainly seated in that faculty which commands the man Now when this imperium of the will is exercised over the whole man for the Law of God bringeth all into subjection thereunto as the Rule of Duty then is mans will brought into a perfect and compleat subjection unto the will of God Vse If the power of godliness doth mainly consist in the subjection of our will to the commanding will of God This serves as an Exhortation mainly to place your Religion therein Godliness consists not in reasoning and Disputing but in willing and doing when there is much inquiry what the will of God is with a resolution of will not to do it that the Lord hates as they did in Jeremiah 42.5 6. The Lord be a true and a faithful witness between us say they to the Prophet If we do not according to all things for the which the Lord thy God shall send thee to us whether it be good or whether it be evil we will obey the voyce of the Lord our God and yet after so solemn calling God to witness upon their souls they say Jer. 44.16 The word that thou hast spoken unto to us in the name of the Lord we will not hearken to it but we will certainly do whatsoever goeth out of our own mouth To enquire what the will of God is as a Rule of Duty to no other end but with the greater obstinacy to oppose it and neglect it is the greater abomination and the Lord abhors it To enforce this Exhortation of subjecting our wils to the commanding will of God we may take these considerations 1. Consider The Commands of God are the highest testification of the soveraignty of God The Lord hath an absolute soveraignty over the Creatures He is the only Potentate King of Kings and Lord of Lords