Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	ghost_n	holy_a	inspire_v	2,844	5	10.2489	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86290	Historia quinqu-articularis: or, A declaration of the judgement of the Western Churches, and more particularly of the Church of England, in the five controverted points, reproched in these last times by the name of Arminianism. Collected in the way of an historicall narration, out of the publick acts and monuments, and most approved authors of those severall churches. By Peter Heylyn.	Heylyn, Peter, 1600-1662.	1660 (1660)	Wing H1721; Thomason E1020_1; Thomason E1020_2; Thomason E1020_3; Thomason E1020_4; ESTC R202407	247,220	357

enter into life keep the Commandments Which undoubtedly should be said in vaine unlesse there were some faculty or power left in man whereby he may by the help and grace of God if he will receive it when it is offered him understand his Commandments and freely consent unto and obey them which thing of the Catholick Fathers is called Free-will which if we will describe we may call it conveniently in all men A certain power of the Will joyned with Reason wherby a reasonable creature without constraint in things of Reason discerneth and willeth good and evil but it willeth not the good which is acceptable to God except it be holpen with Grace but that which is ill it willeth of it self And therefore other men define Free-will in this wise Free-will is a power and Reason of Will by which good is chosen by the assistance of Grace as evil is chosen without the assistance of the same Howbeit the state and condition of Free-will was otherwise in our first Parents before they sinned than it was either in them or their Posterity after they had sinned For our first Parents Adam and Eve untill they wounded and overthrew themselves by sinne had so in possession the said power of Free-will by the most liberal gift and grace of God their Maker that not only they might eschew all manner of sinne but also know God and love him and fulfill all things appertaining to their felicity and welfare For they were made righteous and to the image and similitude of God having power of Free-will as Chrysostome saith to obey or disobey so that by obedience they might live and by disobedience they should worthily deserve to die For the wise man affirmeth of them that the state of them was of this sort in the beginning saying thus God in the beginning did create man and left him in the hands of his own counsel he gave unto him his precepts and commandments saying If thou wilt keep these Commandments they shall preserve thee He hath set before thee fire and water put forth thine hands to whither thou wilt before man is life and death good and evil what him listeth that shall he have From this most happy estate our first Parents falling by disobedience most grievously hurted themselves and their posterity for besides many other evils that came by that transgression the high power of mans Reason and Freedome of will were wounded and corrupted and all men thereby brought into such blindnesse and infirmity that they cannot eschew sin except they be made free and illuminated by an especial grace that is say by a supernatural help and working of the holy Ghost which although the goodnesse of God offers to all men yet they only enjoy it which by their Free-will do accept and embrace the same Nor they also that be holpen by the said grace can accomplish and performe things that be for their wealth but with much labour and endeavour So great is in our nature the corruption of the first sinne and the heavy burden bearing us down to evil For truly albeit the light of Reason doth abide yet is it much darkned and with much difficulty doth discerne things that be inferiour and pertain to this present life but to understand and perceive things that be spiritual and pertain to that everlasting life it is of it self unable And so likewise there remains a certain freedome of the will in those things which do pertain unto the desires and works of this present life yet to performe spiritual and heavenly things Free-will of it self is unsufficient and therefore the power of mans Free-will being thus wounded and decayed hath need of a Physitian to heal it and one help to repaire it that it may receive light and strength whereby it may be so and have power to do those godly and spiritual things which before the fall of Adam it was able and might have done To this blindnesse and infirmity of mans nature proceeding of Original sinne the Prophet David hath regard when he desired his eyes to be lightened of Almighty God that he might consider the marvellous things that be in his Law And also the Prophet Jeremy saying Heal me O Lord and I shall be made whole Augustine also plainly declareth the same saying We conclude that Free-will is in man after his fall which thing who so denieth is not a Catholick man but in spiritual desires and works to please God it is so weak and feeble that it cannot either begin or performe them unlesse by the Grace and help of God it be prevented and holpen And hereby it appeareth that mans strength and Will in all things which be helpful to the soul and shall please God hath need of the graces of the holy Ghost by which such things be inspired to men and strength and constancy given to performe them if we do not wilfully refuse the said Grace offered to them And likewise as many things be in the Scripture which do shew Free-will to be in man so there be now fewer places in Scripture which declare the Grace of God to be so necessary that if by it Free-will be not prevented and holpen it neither can do nor will any thing good and godly of which sort be these Scriptures following Without me you can do nothing no man cometh to me except it be given him of my Father We be not sufficient of our selves as of our selves to think any good thing According unto which Scriptures and such other like it followeth That Free-will before it may will or think any godly thing must be holpen with the grace of Christ and by his Spirit be prevented and inspired that it may be able thereunto And being so made able may from thenceforth work together with grace and by the same sustained holpen and maintained may doth accomplish good works and avoid sinne and persevere also and encrease in grace It is true of the grace of God only that first we are inspired and moved to any good thing but to resist temptations and to persist in goodnesse and go forward it is both of the Grace of God and our Free-will and endeavour And finally after we have persevered unto the end to be crowned with glory therefore is the gift and mercy of God who of his bountiful goodnesse hath ordained that reward to be given after this life according to such good works as be done in this life by his Grace Therefore men ought with much diligence and gratitude of minde to consider and regard the inspiration wholsome motions of the holy Ghost and to embrace the Grace of God which is offered to them in Christ and moveth them ●o work good things And furthermore to go about by all means to shew themselves such as unto whom the Grace of God is not given in vaine And when they do settle that notwithstanding their diligence yet through their infirmity they be not able to do that they desire then