Selected quad for the lemma: sin_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sin_n	adam_n	death_n	similitude_n	3,593	5	10.9079	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

this way though he will not have the soul to be in a saving state here yet saith there are three benefits such a soul hath He saith in that 118. page he saith first They that are thus made receivers of Christ are called out of the world to come out of that Heathenish state wherein men live as without Christ and without God in the world Truly this is a great benefit and surely whosoever is truly called out of the world is in a saving state to be called out of the worlds prophaneness hypocrisie will-worship formality called out of the worlds way in going about to establish their own righteousness and living to themselves and their lusts I think a soul that is thus called out of the world is in a happy condition whatsoever this Author saith for being by Christ called out of the world he shall not be condemned with the world and I am sure Christ John 15.19 makes a mans being of the world to be a natural man and his being not of the world to be a state of true Saintship such as the Disciples themselves had and so if we consider what it is to live without Christ to wit to live without the righteousness the spirit the grace the faith of Christ we may well say that a man that Christ hath truly called out of a state of living thus without him is in a saving state for it must needs follow that he being called out of a state of living with Christ he must needs now have Christ his righteousness his spirit his grace But the Author will grant us that a man may have Christ his righteousness and spirit and yet not be in a saving state For in the same 118. page he cometh to shew a second benefit which those receive from Christ that receive him in the first Covenant he saith Christ is made unto such righteousness in a way of justification and they are made the righteousness of God in him and that he affords such the benefit of his legal righteousness so that the Law hath nothing to say against such and page 119. he saith this justification the world hath in common with true Believers I think this opinion may call this Author father for I think he is the first that ever affirmed I mean one that went for a Christian that to be made the righteousness of God in Christ was not a saving state and truly we may say in this case as he said if I am bereaved I am bereaved if to be made the righteousness of God in Christ doth not save us eternally then we are bereaved indeed and are of all men most miserable and the generation of Gods children the most deceived that ever any were in the world but this Author must not think to carry it thus let us search the Scriptures Philip. 3.5.9 Paul counted all things but dross that he might win Christ and be found in him not having on him his own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith and doth any man think that this was not a saving state and 2 Cor. 5.21 He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him And is not this a certain and unfailing way to bring us to eternal life to be made the righteousness of God in him the Lord our righteousness hath God appointed any other way to justifie sinners and bring them to eternal life and glory then by being made the righteousness of God in him when God out of his rich grace maketh a poor sinner accepted in the beloved righteous in the righteousness of Christ what should hinder his salvation for ever who should lay any thing to such a souls charge to condemn him when God justifies him through Christs righteousness and the Author here confesses that the Law hath nothing to say against such when a soul can truly say by faith as Isaiah 45.24 Though I have sinned and come short of the glory of God yet Christ Jesus was made sin for me that I might be made the righteousness of God in him and surely in him have I righteousnesse life and strength that soul is in a saving state and shall never come into condemnation but is passed from death to life let all the devils in hell say what they will to the contrary and though these places that I have already named be sufficient to prove that which I am about yet I shall name another that is as full as we can desire Rom. 5.17 For if by one mans offence death reigned by one much more they that receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reigne in life by one Jesus Christ Let us mind this blessed Scripture so full of marrow and fatness to feed our soules If saith the Apostle by one mans offence death reigned by one that is if by the one man Adams offence or his one offence of eating the forbidden fruit death reigned thereby that is we were all brought to death and condemnation that his disobedience being imputed to us we were brought to such misery and condemnation much more they that receive abundance of grace the grace of God which bringeth salvation and of the gift of righteousness that is Christs righteousness to have that imputed to them they shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ that is as certainly as death and condemnation came upon us by Adams disobedience so certainly shall we have salvation and reign in life and glory for ever receiving the gift of Christs righteousness the second Adam and this is more explained in the 21. verse of that Chapter That as sin hath reigned unto death even so might grace reign thorough righteousness unto eternal life thorough Jesus Christ our Lord which plainly affirms this that as Adams sin brings eternal death and condemnation so the righteousnesse of Christ brings eternal life and salvation Let us see whether he be not as much mistaken in the third benefit by Christ that men may have and yet not be in a saving state Page 119. he saith The third benefit inseparably accompanying this kind of Christs giving himself by the first Covenant is that which we call sanctification 1 Cor. 1.30 consisting in a real and actual change of the heart which lyeth in our conformity to Christs legal righteousness That place 1 Cor. 1.30 saith Christ is made of God unto us sanctification and redemption unto us that is unto us that truly believe in him but he doth not say that he is made so to others what doth he mean by this real and actual change of the heart doth he mean that which is called a new heart and a new spirit Ezek. 36.26 if so he is out for that onely God giveth to those that are eternally saved and truly methinks that men instead of disputing that the natural man may be sanctified so as

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

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

a little 2 John 9. Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God but he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ hath both the father and the son No man hath the sons Kingdom in his heart but he hath the fathers Kingdom there ton if Christ be the souls husband the soul will acknowledge God that is Christs father to be his father Christs God to be his God the spirit of this son being sent into our hearts makes us willingly and gladly call God Abba father Ga. 4.6 and so we are taught Jo. 5.23 That we should honour the son even as we honour the father and he that honoureth not the son honoureth not the father and what more plain to our purpose then what Christ said to his Disciples Mat. 10.40 He that receiveth you receiveth me and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me which shews us that whosoever receiveth Christ receiveth the father which sent him there is no such thing as a mans receiving of Christs kingdom into his heart in opposition to the fathers Kingdom no man can come to Christ and have his Kingdom set up in his heart except the father which hath sent him draw him Joh. 6.44 And this is the will of the father that sent Christ that whosoever seeth the son and believeth in him should have everlasting life this sheweth us that the father and Christ have one will the same will design Kingdom in the Saints it s the father that setteth up Christs Kingdom in the heart for saith Christ no man commeth unto me except it were given him of the father Jo. 6.65 and so Jo. 8.9 Ye neither know me nor my father if ye had known me ye should have known my father also see how they go together and so Christ telleth us John 1479. He that hath seen me hath seen the father also I might quote twenty Scriptures more to shew the Authors mistake in this particular which is not without danger for here would scare and affright poor souls that they set up Christs Kingdom in their hearts in opposition to the fathers but we see that where any soul receiveth Christ he receiveth the father that sent him Page 326. He saith that the Disciples could cast out those Divels that dwell and acted in hearts unswept and ungarnished but they could not cast out that sort of Divels Mat. 17.14 to 22. which delight to rest in swept cleansed and garnished consciences No question but the Divel hath the strongest hold in those who have been swept and garnished as it is said Mat. 12.43 44. where the Divel is said to walk thorow the dry places seeking rest and finding none by those dry places may be meant the true believers that are baptised with the holy Ghost and with fire and that had the spirit of judgement and of burning this maketh them dry places and though the Divel doth in some particular temptations prevail upon these believers yet the Lord recovers them again that he can find no rest there but those that have only had common grace and enlightnings and so are like houses swept and garnished though the Divel seem to have left such men yet they will find at last a repossessing and their latter end to be worse then their beginning but what manner of Divels were these that are spoken of in this 17. Mat. that they delighted only they were so cleanly to dwell in swept and garnished consciences he that was there possessed it s said v. 15. was lunaticke and have all such men swept and garnished consciences what ground is there for the Author to gather this from hence no question but the Divels delight to dwell in a man that is in the height of profaness and impiety and where they cannot keep men such but they are pricked at the heart and convinced of sin and reform and yet are ignorant of Gods righteousness and go about to establish their own righteousness they are very well content to dwell in such hearts and the reason why they could not cast out the Divel out of the lunaticke person was because of their unbelief Christ saith and this unbelief was not such unbelief as men are condemned for the not receiving of Christ but the faith of miracles is that which is here spoken of I hope that every one that hath true saving faith in Christ cannot cure the lonatick but if they had exercised this faith here spoken of they might have cured the lunaticke person The Apostles had the faith of miracles but they did not alwaies act it not at this time and to overthrow this notion of the Authors we find Luke 9.1 That the disciples had power and authority over all Devils Page 333. He makes the sinning against Christ in his second appearance to be the sin against the Holy Ghost The Author leaves out nothing that might appall and agash the poor soul that won't close with his notions of a higher image and life and here telleth us this is the sin against the Holy Ghost a grievous sin indeed that shall never be forgiven in this world nor in the world to come we have seen before that the Author makes Christ in his second appearance to be namely Christ shining forth in the glory and naked similitude of God but where doth the Scripture make this the sin against the holy Ghost the sin against the holy Ghost is an opposing of Christ and the truth knowingly wilfully and out of meer malice that it is not the pleasure or profit that men find in their wayes that makes them oppose and set themselves against Christ and his wayes but meerly hatred and malice against Christ and this is called the sinne against the holy Ghost because that the person thus sinning hath been so clearly and fully convinced and enlightned by the holy Ghost to the contrary of what he is resolved thus to do unto death this sin against the holy Ghost is not only a falling in the way for so a Saint may fall but a falling away from Christ and the truth and not every falling away from Christ and the truth neither but such a falling away from Christ the truth that is wilful and meerly of malice and hatred to the truth and Christ Jesus and so if a man fall from Christ and leave him in this manner as hath been said whether it be Christ in his first or second appearance as the Author distinguisheth it maketh him guilty of the sinne against the holy Ghost I hasten towards a conclusion lest I should quite tire my selfe and the Reader with these things but I cannot passe over what our Author saith Page 269. Where expounding Rev. 17. where it is said the whore sitteth upon many waters and with her the Kings of the earth have committed fornication he expounds it thus That by the Kings of the earth is meant men in the honour and dignitie of the first Adam's purity and principles that they