Selected quad for the lemma: sin_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sin_n	condemn_v	flesh_n	likeness_n	3,708	5	10.8945	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A33961	Defensative armour, against four of Sathan's most fiery darts viz. temptations to atheistical and blasphemous impressions and thoughts, self-murther, despair, and presumption : wherein is discoursed the nature of these temptations, the several tempters to these sins, the arguments ordinarily used by the tempters in the inforcing of them, and some proper advice is offered to those who are exercised with them / by J.C. D.D. ...	Collinges, John, 1623-1690.	1680 (1680)	Wing C5312; ESTC R12985	145,095	356

Terrors of Conscience because of its Guiltiness its former guilt of Sin let the Sin be what and of what Nature it will Oh let it remember that Christ was given for a Covenant for the People he was by his Father called in Righteousness and his Hand was held and he was kept and given for a Covenant of the People for a Light of the Gentles to open the blind Eyes to to bring the Prisoners from the Prison and them that sit in Darkness out of the Prison House Isaiah 42. 6 7. Let him remember that he is to say Isaiah 45. 24. Surely in the Lord I have Righteousness and Strength That if he had never committed those Sins which now so lie upon and load his Conscience yet he could never have stood before God in his own Works and in a legal Righteousness but what the Law could not do because it was weak through our Flesh that God himself hath done sending his Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh and for Sin condemning Sin in the Flesh that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us Rom. 8. 3. And let him consider that being he must be saved by Christ and stand before God as found in him not having his own Righteousness though his Nakedness hath been more than the Nakedness of some other Men yet that long white Robe is large enough to cover it for the Righteousness of Christ his Merits are of vast and infinite Vertue as the Schoolmen say of Gods Essence that it filleth Heaven and Earth and an infinite space beyond both So the Merits of Christ have expiated for the Sins of all that shall be saved and have an infinite Vertue beyond Therefore there is no reason for a Soul to concluds its Sins shall not be forgiven or its Horrors of Conscience for them never cease those cease of course upon the sense of pardon or a good hope through Grace It is but a Relique of Popery that tortureth Mens Consciences past cure I mean an Opinion lurking in us that we must our selves satisfie the Justice of God and that upon the price paid and satisfaction given by Christ pardon doth not proceed freely for all Sin and all Blasphemy to a Soul seeking for it by earnest Prayer true Sorrow for Sin and resolution against it and a true adherence to the Lord Jesus Christ 3. Again Study the Sureness of this Covenant It is a Covenant of Salt as well as a Covenant of Peace Gods Covenant with Day and Night shall sooner cease it containeth the sure Mercies of David It cannot fail God cannot suffer his Faithfulness to fail he cannot alter the thing that hath gone out of his Lips The failure of Covenants amongst Men is rooted in their Variableness and Mutability their want of Fore-sight and Knowledge of future Contingencies c. no such thing can be as to this Covenant He is the Lord that changeth not his Name is I am he had a perfect and certain Prospect and Fore-sight of all that could happen 4. Finally Meditate of it as a well ordered Covenant It is true The Covenant of Grace hath its Conditions to be fulfilled on our part Such as are the taking hold of it mentioned Is 56. 6. which cannot be without seeking the Lord while he may be found calling upon him while he is near the wicked Man forsaking his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and his returning to the Lord Isaiah 55. 6 7. and perseverance in the ways of God is another condition to be performed But as to those it is in this well ordered That there are Branches in the same Covenant wherein God hath promised 1. To work those Conditions in us that is we doing what in us lies by Vertue of that Common Grace which he denieth to none or by Vertue of those special Habits which he will please to work in us not to be wanting in those further Aids and Assistances of his Grace by which we shall be inabled to do whatsoever he hath required of us in order to the obtaining the promised end of our Hopes in the Salvation of our Souls 2. That that those Failings which we shall be guilty of through Humane Infirmity though they may cause us sorrow in the Flesh yet they shall not frustrate the Promise and Covenant of God he will yet heal our Backslidings and love us freely Now the Covenant of Grace being thus rightly understood and apprehended I would fain understand what room can possibly be left in a Sinner for Satan to fasten this fiery Dart with any effect upon the Soul I will suppose a Soul under the greatest Terror imaginable for Sins of the highest nature Why should he destroy himself if there be hope in the God of Heaven concerning such Sinners If all Sin and Blasphemy whereby a Man shall Blaspheme may be forgiven him Is God a Righteous God that loveth Righteousness and can by no means clear the guilty Why yet should he do it if he hath provided the Soul a Righteousness whereby it may stand Righteous before God acquitted form all manner of Guilt and out of all danger of Condemnation What if it hath formerly been without Righteousness and be yet without Strength or Ability to any Act of Righteousness if the Righteousness wherein it must stand before God be not any personal Righteousness of its own but the Righteousness of Christ reckoned to it for Righteousness Is it tormented through fear of future Sinnings the prevailings of Temptations or its own Corruptions Yet why should the poor Creature run himself out of the World upon this fright when the Covenant of Grace is so well ordered as there is in it a sufficient Provision made for it both for Assistance against the prevailings and dominion of Sin to that degree as to ruin the Soul to Eternity and as to that degree of Guilt which every Soul through Ignorance Infirmity pure or mixt runs into for the healings of its Backslidings What is here left for a sinful Soul to do but to use the means of Grace to apply it self unto God by Fasting and Prayer to consider its ways and what in it lies to turn to the Lord to be sensible of its Sins and to trust in the Lords Mercies taking heed to it self that it sin no more presumptuously abstaining from all appearances of Evil studying to perfect Holiness in the fear of God and daily to renew its Repentance and Faith in Christ as it discerneth its Sins are renewing every day To what purpose doth a Soul under such gracious and hopeful Circumstances think of destroying it self and asserting its own Eternal Condemnation or at least making its Salvation very uncertain which it should rather design to make sure by an Holy Life and Conversation So that I say admit Horror of Conscience for Sin to be the Argument Satan makes use of to inforce this Temptation nothing can be more proper for a Soul exercised under the Temptation than to study understand

lay hold on make application of and improve the Covenant of Grace and often to repeat to it self that of St. Paul Rom. 8. 34 35. Who is he that condemneth Or what sin is that which can condemn me It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us who shall separate us from the Love of Christ But this is enough to have spoken upon this Argument CHAP. XII Further Directions Not keeping the Devils Counsel not deliberating or parlying with Satan Giving their Thoughts what lawful Diversions they can Whether they should shun Precipices coming near Wells or Ponds and keeping close to all Means of Grace whether more publick or Private 5. FIthly Let Christians under the Impetus of these Suggestions take heed of keeping the Devils Counsel or admitting any Parley or Deliberation with him about this point of hearkening to the Motion May it be the lot of any of our Souls at any time to come under such Impressions Oh let us never conceal them from our Faithful Ministers nor from our Christian Friends nor from our nearest Relations Not from the first and second because they are the Ordinance of God unto us to give us Spiritual Counsel and Assistance to shew us the unreasonableness of the Motion the danger of the Temptation it is their work to Pray with us and to Pray for us It is the work of the Minister to Interpret and Declare to us the Mind and Will of God A Brother a Spiritual Friend is born for an hour of Adversity The Temptation while discovered will press us harder and we shall the less know what to say to the Tempter and how to Resist our great Adversary nor should we conceal our selves from our nearest Relations for though they should not be so able as an Intelligent Godly Divine or Knowing Christians to fortify us with Reasons and Arguments yet they will be concerned to Watch us especially when they discern the Impressions more violent for sometimes Impressions of this nature are so violent and strong that they hurry poor Creatures to a present destroying of themselves and the Wicked Action is done in a Moment And again Christian If thou wouldest be able to stand against this Fiery Dart never admitt a Parly or Deliberation with the Tempter about it That Soul is in a great degree Conquered that is prevailed with to deliberate upon an Action so apparently contrary to the Revealed Will of God Get thee behind me Satan was Christs Answer to the Tempter Luke 4. 8. When he Tempted him to Worship him He would not so much as once think upon the Motion 6. Sixthly Let Christians under these Assaults give their Thoughts as much lawful Diversion as they can I say lawful for we must take heed of casting out one Devil by another but there is lawful Diversions enough such are visitings of good People diligent Attendance upon our honest Labours in our Callings giving our selves any honest Imployment by our Exercise in which our Thoughts may be taken off from fixing upon the Impressions made upon them I have often seen it that Persons under these Circumstances have been very hardly perswaded to this but it is Men and Womens duty in these Cases in a thing which as this is is within their power and onely contrary to their humour to force themselves and if in this they be wanting it is a Presumptuous Sinning 7. Seventhly I know not what I should say to that piece of Advice which some give Souls under these Assaults Not to shun the sight or handling or coming near any Instruments or Means which they may make use of to destroy themselves as Knives Ropes Wells Precipices c. It is true it is good for us to go on in our ordinary way trusting in God and not fearing the Tempter but in an hour when the Impression is very strong upon the Tempted Soul Whether it be advisable or no I cannot tell for Christians thus Tempted to come too nigh Pricipices or Places of deep Waters or such Instruments as they may make a sudden use of to do himself or herself Evil at least not without a close and narrow Watch upon them for the truth is in the heat and violence of such Impressions Men and Women oft times have little use of their Reason As to this thing therefore I think Christians ought to Rule themselves by the Circumstances of the present hour and this cannot be fixt for a general Direction I will add but one thing more and with that shut up this Discourse 8. Let such Christians above all others keep close to the use of all Means of Grace whether more Publick or more Private The Means of Grace are the Word the Sacraments and Prayer The Word is to be Read and Heard We Read the pure Word of God without any thing of Mans Invention This hath been mightily Powerful The Story of Agustine I have told you of who under great Distress and Terrour of Conscience was Relieved by Obeying a Voice he thought he heard out of the adjoyning Room Tolle Lege Take up the Book and Read upon which he took up a Bible by him and Read what God Blessed to his Relief The Word Preached hath something of Mans Mixture but if faithfully opened and applied is Gods Ordinance for the Staying and Comforting of People The Minister is Gods Interpreter and he should be one of a Thousand I look upon it as the great Misery of Souls under these Temptations they can seldom be perswaded to Read or to hear the Word and verily where it is thus the Devil hath prevailed a great way I would that such Christians would seriously think what they do in neglecting Means of Grace in their power to use if they expect any help from God Nor would I have such a Christian neglect a Sacrament if he be one that hath formerly declared his Right These Temptations while yeilded to are our Misery not our Sin who knows whether God may not Bless the Sign and Seal of a Dying Crucified Christ for them to let them know there is no Reason they should Kill or Crucifie themselves But above all let them not omit Constant Fervent Prayer and that both Ordinarily and more Solemnly Great is the force of Prayer it calls in the help of the Almighty both for a Deliverance from the Tempter in his own time and for his Assistance and upholding the Soul while it pleaseth him to keep the Soul in this Spiritual Combate FINIS Concerning TEMPTATIONS TO Despair CHAP. I. The Text Gen. 4. 13. considered The Nature of Despair The Efficient Causes in Temptations to Despair Our own Lusts the Devil The Devil and our own Lusts working jointly c. OUr Translation Readeth the Text Gen. 4. 13. My Punishment is greater then I can bear In your larger Bibles you will find in the Margent it is Read Mine Iniquity is greater then that it

born again of Water and the Spirit he can never enter into the Kingdom of God they are the indisputable words of our Saviour John 3. 3. And St. Paul plainly saith that Neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new Creature Our Saviour saith He that believeth not is condemned already he shall never see Life c. The Apostle saith without Faith and Holiness no Man shall see the Lord No considering Man therefore can possibly raise up to himself any hopes of the Pardon of Sin or Eternal Life but he must satisfy himself that he is Regenerated that he doth Believe and that he doth so far Obey as God will accept it To this purpose nothing can serve the Devils turn so effectually as for the Soul to be deceived in the Notions of Faith and Holiness Nothing can be more the concernment of the Soul than to take care it be not deceived There have been several Notions of Faith that have striven for Mastery in the World 1. The first is the Popish Notion who make Faith to be the Souls Assent to the Proposition of the Word which may be without any Practical Obedience for many a Man assenteth to the truth of the Proposition which yet he alloweth not an influence upon his Life and indeed this is such a Faith as the Apostle tells us the Devils are possessed of They Believe and Tremble 2. The Second is their Notion who make Justifying Faith to be what our Saviour tells us it is John 1. 12. A Receiving of the Lord Jesus Christ a closing an hearty closing with him as offered in the Gospel hoping trusting in him and him alone for Salvation No Soul can possibly do this that doth not first Assent to the Proposition of the Gospel and agree to what that Revealeth concerning Christ both as to his Person and as to his willingness to Save But it is possible that a Soul may Assent to those Propositions and yet not Receive Christ upon the Terms he propoundeth This Receiving Christ and Trusting in him as their Saviour they say necessarily draws on Holiness and Obedience though Faith and Love are two things for the rational Nature of Man will not suffer him to hope or trust in another for any kindness which he hath promised upon Terms without the fulfilling of those Terms upon which it is promised but this they say may be without any certain Assurance of the Souls Acceptation which a man cannot have until he be Justified 3. A Third is the Notion of them who make it a full Assurance of the Love of God but yet such a one as obligeth the Soul to all manner of Duty and this seems to have been the Notion of some Eminent Divines upon our first Reformation but is rejected by latter Divines as it being not possible that that should be an Instrument in our Justification which it is not possible that any Soul should have till it be Justified besides that many a Pious Devout Soul hath not arrived at this 4. Others make it to be a confident Perswasion that Christ died for them whether they find themselves obliged to Live to him yea or no. 5. Others make it to be a Practical Assent to the Gospel The danger of a Souls Presuming is from the first and the fourth of these principally If Men and Women think they do Believe because they do agree to the Proposition of the Gospel they may easily run away with a vain Imagination that all the Promises of the Gospel are their Portion when indeed not one of them belongs to them because this Believing is not that Believing which the Scriptures make necessary to Salvation for the evidence of which suffer me to offer these few things to your Consideration 1. Because this Assent may be without any Holiness or Conformity to the Will of God Murtherers Traytors Thieves do agree to the Proposition of Humane Laws though they prodigiously violate them There may be an Assent of the Understanding to a Proposition to which Mens Lusts and Passions suffer them not to live up to but we know that without Holiness none can see God and therefore this cannot be that Believing to which the Promises of seeing God and living with him are annexed 2. Because as I said before the Devils thus Believe yea I believe better than the most of Men do For our Assent to a Doctrine according to the workings of our Reasonable Natures is more or less according to our Evidence of it Now the Devils have seen the Propositions of the Gospel That Christ is the Eternal Son of God That he was made Man and died for our Sins These are Propositions which the Devils having been in the World ever since the Creation must needs see in a better Light than any Man can do who onely seeth the truth of them by the light of Reason or the Revelation of Scripture not imprinted upon his Soul by the Demonstration of the Spirit Revealing perticularly to the Soul what is generally Revealed in the Word 3. Thirdly Consider That every where in Scripture A Person the Person of Christ is made the object of that Faith to which the Promises of Life are made It is made a believing in Christ on his Name a Receiving of him a comeing to him Now a Proposition not a Person is the object of Assent We indeed sometimes say We Assent to such or such a Person But the meaning is we agree to such a Proposition which he hath delivered by word of Mouth or by Writing The Object of Justifying Faith the Scripture makes to be the Person of the Mediator I therefore begg of you to take heed that you deceive not your Souls by this Notion of Faith And take as much heed of their wild Notion who make Faith to be nothing else but an assumed confidence that Christ died for them let them live as they list This separateth Faith and Holiness without which no man shall see the Lord and is indeed nothing better in it self than a most bold and unwarrantable presumption exclusive of that fear and trembling with which we are commanded to work out our Salvation Their Notion is far better who make Faith to be a practical Assent but still I pray observe the Act of the Soul is made to be Assent and the Object of Assent can be no other than a Proposition and for my own part I cannot think this the Act of that Faith that Justifieth for the Object of that Act as I said before is in Scripture constantly made the Mediator himself not a meer Proposition I am afraid of this Notion as calculated to justle Christ out of the place of a Mediator wherein God hath set him which was not onely to treat with his Father about the Terms of Mans Salvation but to stand as the middle Person between God and Man to merit Salvation for us by his Active and Passive Obedience by a gracious Act of God to be reckoned to us upon