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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	ability_n	able_a	according_a	43	3	4.3899	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93799	A holy life here, the only way to eternal life hereafter. Or, A discourse grounded on these words, The weapons of our warfare, &c. 2. Cor. 10. 4. Wherein among other things set down in a following index this truth is especially asserted; namely, that a holy life, or the habitual observing of the laws of Christ, is indispensably necessary to salvation. Whereunto is added an Appendix, laying open the common neglect of the said laws among Christians, and vindicating such necessity of observing them from those general exceptions that are wont to be made against it. By R.S. B.D.	Stanwix, Richard, 1608-1656.	1652 (1652)	Wing S5252; Thomason E1276_1; ESTC R210586	123,869	304

to think basely of Christs example and doctrine p. 201. That revenge argues basenesse and the contrary meekness and goodnesse only true noblenesse of disposition p. 202. That those who use the former reasonings against their submitting to the power of godlinesse are self condemned in so doing and therefore the easier to be wrought upon by the former weapons p. 204. A HOLY LIFE HERE The only Way TO ETERNAL LIFE HEREAFTER 2. Cor. 10.4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds PErsons of great lustre and eminency for vertue have seldom had the hap to be looked upon at their appearing otherwise than with an ill eye from the world their very zeal to do it good by amending of it ordinarily awakens the malice thereof against them which as by other means so more especially by lies and slanders vented against such it uses to manifest Thus our Saviour a person of the most absolute and unparalleld Innocence Matth. 11.19 we finde traduced for a glutton and a wine-bibber and a friend of Publicans and sinners and thus not to insist longer on an Introduction He who was most like him for the dignity of his office and zeal and sincerity in the managing of it the great Apostle of the Gentiles is here reported to be but a kinde of hypocritical Zelot one that made more ostentation of power by his words and Epistles being absent then he could give any real evidence of being present one that after the manner of some worldly Polititians made use of terrifying threats like bruta fulmina making a crackling noise to fright the simpler and weaker sort when as he was destitute of any real ability to inflict what he threatned In brief it appears from the second and third verses going before that some false teachers among these Corinthians whom he had before sharply threatned 1. Cor. 4.21 and shaken his Apostolical Rod over represented him to them as a person that notwithstanding his pretence of the Spirit and singular divine power he had for punishing the contumacious walked according to the flesh and so made use of those weak artifices and weapons which the wisdom of that part was able to suggest and supply him with for retaining them in their obedience to his doctrine In answer and opposition to which He first plainly denies what they did boldly affirm or insinuate saying though we walk in the flesh yet we do not war after the flesh And then he more particularly sets down what the manner of his walking or managing of his office was in reference to them and others how free from carnal artifices and how much above all the force of the flesh for the efficacie of it here saying For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal c. In the handling of which words we shall consider these three things 1. The warfare belonging to Christians by showing that there is such a warfare and withall the nature of it and way of managing it 2. The weapons belonging to this warfare as they are described 1. Negatively that they are not carnal 2. Affirmatively that they are mighty through God c. 3. The strong holds that these weapons are effectual for pulling down what these holds are and how pulled down by the said weapons Sect. 1 Touching the first of these namely that there is a warfare c. it may appear hence Because our duty is exprest by such tearms as are proper to war as Fighting 1 Tim. 6.12 2 Tim. 4.7 Luke 3.24 Ephes 6.12 Jude 3. Fight the good fight c. and I have fought c. And striving Strive to enter c. And wrestling we wrestle not against flesh and blood c. And contending contend earnestly c. And it will further appear and withall the nature of this warfare by considering the resemblance and agreement it has with war properly so call'd which is the ground of this Metaphor There are several things belonging to Warre 1. Some as the ground or occasion of it namely enemies which oppose themselves so as either to deprive men of that whereof they are already possest or hinder them from that which they have a right to or desire to attain 2. Some as means to manage it aright so as the design of these enemies may not take effect but that by the use of these means they may overcome them and secure to themselves those things the said enemies labour to deprive and hinder them of Now for the enemies in war they are usually many but they may be all ordinarily compriz'd under one Head or General And for the means they are either such as are to be used before the fight and they may be compriz'd under that which is called the discipline of war whereby Souldiers are wont to be exercised and prepared before hand or else such as are especially used and of whom there is need in time of fighting And they are either such as a man is to have in him as namely a good eye and a good heart or upon him and about him as weapons Now in all these our Christian course has a true agreement with war 1. We have enemies multitudes and millions of them many infernal spirits many wicked men many naturall inbred lusts and desires the joynt designe of all whose enmity is to deprive us of Heaven that great Good which we all defire and professe to labour for either by keeping or turning us out of the way that leads thither And all these though so many and manifold in themselves yet they may be ranked under one General the great adversary of God and our Souls the Devil He is call'd the Prince of the Air Ephes 2.2 2 Cor. 4.4 and the God of this world that works in the hearts of the children of disobedience acting not only in them by getting his suggestions entertain'd to their own ruine but also by them by using them as his instruments for effecting or attempting the perdition of others Hereupon Peter was reproved by his Name because he was though unwittingly his instrument Matth. 16.22 23. in that counsel given by him to our Saviour Now that we may be the better able to resist and overcome him we have need to be acquainted with his nature and the course he takes to oppose us his nature so far as is pertinent to this matter is best set forth by the name of Satan or adversary whereby is signified one that is wholly bent to overthrow us This is his designe this the end that he aims at and that still while we are here in this world he is going about Now the wayes he takes to do this are represented to us by two other names of his 1. That of a Serpent or old Serpent which you know is a subtle creature 2. That of a Dragon and a Lion Revel 12.9.20 2. 1 Pet. 5.8 or roaring Lion both which are very cruel and

effectual for this end For the fuller manifestation of this I shall shew these three things 1. What is more particularly to be meant by this good heart 2. That as others heretofore have had it so there is a possibility and grounds for us still to expect it 3. What particular means are requir'd for obtaining it 1. Touching the first we are to take notice that it is not that which dwells naturally in any man but that which is supernatural and derived from God that is a divine power elevating a man as it were above himself whereby he is enabled with strength and courage actually to perform and undergo such things as cannot be done with meer humane strength namely to persist in the way of godlinesse and obedience to God notwithstanding all the difficulties and discouragements that the devil or the world shall cast into it as extraordinary vexations and reproaches and losse of goods or liberty or life it self This then which enables a man to this is not any thing in Nature this will be still favourable to it self and not willing to venture on those things which are contrary to it and tend to the destruction of it it is onely that which is called the finger of God Luk. 11.20 24.49 Col. 1.11 or power from on high or the might of his glorious power in brief it is onely the Spirit of God that is a divine power stampt or imprinted in the heart of man 2. Now for the second that there is truely such a power derivable to men may appear hence namely from the many several experiments Acts 4.31.5.41.16.24 that the world has had in this kinde especially from the examples of the Apostles and others in the primitive times The Apostles we finde at first while Christ was here on earth very fearful upon on the appearance of danger Peter denied and forswore his Master and they all forsook him and fled but immediately after they had received this power from on high they spake the word withall boldnesse being beaten they went away rejoycing Acts 4.29 Acts 5.41.16.25 being in the stocks they sang praises being encompassed with infirmities and reproaches and persecutions they took pleasure in them 1 Cor. 12.10 Phil. 4.13 and could do all things through Christ strengthning them that is by his Spirit And thus we finde that not only they but persons also of inferiour quality and condition did in effect the same things the Thessalonians suffered the like things 1 Thes 2.14 of their own Countrey-men as the Churches of Judea did of the Jews which sure were many bitter troubles and reproaches and yet they went on with that undauntedness in the practise of godliness 2 Thes 1.4 that the Apostle sayes we our selves glory in you in the Churches of God for your patience and faith in the tribulations and persecutions that you endure And to both these may be added the testimonies which the Church-Records afford both concerning these and other Christians immediately succeeding about their forwardnesse in most cheerfully undergoing most bitter and cruel deaths for the profession of the Gospel But it may perhaps be imagined that this courage and heart they had was of the same nature with those other things that were miraculous peculiar to those times as miracles tongues prophecies c. and therefore not now to be expected In answer to which I shall shew you that this is not so but that there may be still from the goodnesse of God expected the same Divine Spirit to carry men through all difficulties with some measure of cheerfulnes in the service of God There are several reasons to prove this 1. Some general promises of this Spirit considered with the grounds and reasons of them as 1. Luke 11. from verse the fifth to verse the thirteenth where it is said If you being evil know how to give good gifts to your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him 2. The reason whereby our Saviour here demonstrates that God will give the holy Spirit to them that ask him is no other but this constant and importunate prayers put up by such persons unto God as because of their faith and unfeigned study of piety may be accounted his children which sure agrees no less to these then to the primitive times 2. Christ sayes simply and indistinctly He that believes in me as the Scripture saith out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water John 7.37 John 7.37 which in the following verse is expounded of the Spirit where it is plain that Christ promiseth to believers and that as a reward of their faith the gift of the Spirit and therefore sure upon this ground it may be still sued for and expected by those that are truly such as well in these as in former times 3. Christ promiseth to them that love him that is that keep his words for so he himself there expoundeth this love to manifest himself unto them John 14.21 John 14.21 and afterward V. 23. that the Father will love them and both He and the Father will come and make their abode with them that is by the Spirit for that is the thing there treated on Seeing then that men in these times are capable of loving of Christ and of rendring obedience to his words according as they are expresly obliged thereunto it appears hence that the holy Spirit which is promised by way of reward to such persons may be expected by those that are such also in these times And to these testimonies may be added that opposition which is made recorded by all the Evangelists betwixt Johns baptizing with water and Christs baptizing with the Spirit whence it may be collected that as John did dip with water all his disciples that came to him and desired to be baptized of him so Christ doth endue with the holy Spirit his disciples desiring to be baptized of him and by ardent and incessant prayers begging so excellent a gift from him 2. It hath been still usuall with all Christians both in their publike and private devotions to pray for the holy Spirit that God would give it to them which sure if it had been a gift peculiar to the first times like as those other of miracles that are now ceased all Christians since even the most godly that have been might be accused of great errour and ignorance in asking that of God which they had no grounds to expect like as if one should now petition him to give him the power of doing miracles or speaking with tongues 3. The principal end for which the holy Spirit was given heretofore to men in the primitive times and the cause why it was given for that end hath place still in these times namely that men to whom it was given might assuredly come to the salvation promised in the Gospel by being fully confirmed in the belief of it and going on unweariedly in

the world blind and ignorant in divine matters til he opened their eyes and is it likely that an obscure Monke as he was and such others as were his Assistants should know better the minde of God or meaning of Scripture then so many learned Bishops and Doctours as opposed them and did not God show sufficiently his dislike and the world generally their contrary judgement and enmity against this religion when the first professours of it met every where with bonds and imprisonment and racking and burnings c. yea as the Jewes and Gentiles were the more hardned against the belief of Christs doctrine because it taught such a mean way so far from worldly pompe and pleasure to come to eternall happinesse and glory as by sufferings and afflictions is not accordingly their prejudice against ours the greater because we have none of those pompous ceremonies and ornaments which make so great a shew to a carnall eye to set it off and lastly that they may not come short in that which is worst of all hath it not been the practice of many of their agents to seek by lies and slanders to draw or deterre men from the profession of it by telling them in their Books that Luther confessed himself to have received what hee taught from the devil and by casting many foul and black aspersions upon him and others that were any way active instruments in carrying on this work against them Now in all this what do they truly do either for upholding their own or overthrowing our religion but what the ancient enemies of Christ did towards the retaining of their old superstition and keeping out the admission of his doctrine and so by this means shew plainly not onely what spirit they are of even of the same Antichristian Spirit that then manifested it self but also what they would have done if they had lived in those dayes and that is upon the same grounds have rejected Christ and condemned and persecuted the Apostles and other primitive professours and publishers of the Gospel 2. There are others who though they sufficiently see and condemn the vanity and arrogance of the Papists in using these reasonings yet still in part by their own practice help to justifie them in so doing namely such as are not willing to think well of or indeed give themselves liberty so much as seriously to consider any opinion that is against the generall received doctrine of the Church or contradicts that which some ancient Fathers and Councels have heretofore held and therfore by the same course as the Papists do labour to suppresse them as by stifling their books or punishing and imprisoning the persons that are the broachers or holders of such opinions or by using some such like worldly policy and power to which persons I shall offer these considerations seriously to be thought on 1. Whether if it were just for Luther to oppose himself as it is plain he did against the professed judgement of all the Churches of the world upon this ground that he had discovered as he verily believed some truths of great concernment to Gods glory and mans salvation it may not be just in the like case for other particular Christians as he was to hold and publish some opinions that are directly contrary to what is and hath been generally believed But it may bee said that the Church now being reformed hath attained that perfection which before it wanted and therefore it cannot be so fit now as it might be then In answer to which I willingly grant that the Church hath attained a greater perfection but that this perfection is such as either to exempt it wholly from the power of erring or that the whole Church or some remarkable part of it such as is a Synod or Councel representing it should see more clearly alwayes in divine matters then some single Christian I as readily deny that which hath been done may be done Joh. 3.8 the spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bloweth where it listeth as our Saviour saith even the Spirit of truth sometimes yea many times wee may justly think if we consider besides the confidence in determining the policies and worldly interests that in Synods are often acted discovering that to the world by the means of one single person which it conceals from these and that doubtless as well to make it selfe the more obvious to be taken notice of in the weaknesse of the instrument as thereby to give a check to those affections which in Synods often bearing sway make them justly incapable of this honour 2. Whether it be not very reasonable to imagine considering that great heap of corruptions and errours which is acknowledged generally by all Protestants to have been setled in the Church when Luther first attempted a reformation and which had been the work of the spirit of Antichrist beginning to act in the Apostles dayes for many ages successively downwards 1 Joh. 4.3 to bring up to that height and perfection they were then at whether I say this being considered it be not reasonable to imagine that notwithstanding all that was discovered by him or his assistants of that time there may be some gross errours though not so directly and necessarily hinderances of salvation as some of those by them detected left still remaining behind which others by the assistance of the same spirit which they had may helpe to manifest to the world the reasonableness of which supposall may be inferr'd from these following grounds 1. That it seems not probable that the bottome of such a corruption which had been so long a gathering and was so deeply rooted should be all at once of a sudden or in one age fully discovered so long as the persons that were instruments of making this discovery though they are justly to be accounted men of eminent ability and proportionable piety yet are confest to be such as had no immediate revelation nor infallible assistance of the Spirit of God as the Apostles had 2. As in bodily distempers when a disease hath been long rooted and hath diffused its malignity through all the parts and humours of the body a through cure is neither possible nor safe on a sudden to be attempted lest such a remedy prove worse then the disease so in this case the Church of Christ having been then so deeply and universally affected with corruptious in a manner through all parts of Religion we may conceit that a through cure could not without endangering of its vitals on a sudden be attempted to have gone about to have purged out all at once and together where so many things were unsound might have given some occasion to thinke that there could be nothing good or sound remaining if this discovery had been then improved into such a full light it might considering the grosse darknesse men had so long lived in rather have blinded then helpt them in their spiritual eye-sight that is rather have made them Atheists then Reformists 3.

integrity and unweariedness in the service of Christ or lastly those quite contrary characters whereby especially in that Epistle to the Romans he describes a truly regenerate person will I think be enforced to grant that which good expositors Origines Chrysosto Theodor. Oecumenius Ambrosius Erasmus Bucerus Musculus both antient and modern declare to be their opinion herein namely that the Apostle in that Chapter doth as is not unusuall with him elsewhere viz. Rom. 3.7 1 Cor. 6.12.10.23.27.30 131.2 Gal. 20.18 personate another in himself that is speaks of a person that is supposed to be yet under the Law and to whom the grace of Christ shining forth in the promises of the Gospell is not known nor hath had any influence upon him shewing by instancing in himself the miserable condition of such a person and consequently must grant that those notes or affections which he there ascribes to the said person cannot belong to the Apostle as he was then being a regenerate person nor to any other that truly are so And this thing and so that perfection we here intend as necessary to salvation will better appear by observing the direct contrary notes to those set down in that Chapter as belonging to the person there described whereby a person truly regenerate is by the same Apostle elsewhere set forth to us Such are these that this person is one that hath crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 whereas the former is one in whom sin works all manner of concupiscence Rom. 7.8 This person is one in whom the body of sin that is sin it self is destroyed so that he is dead to sin and sin doth no longer live or reign in him Rom. 6.2.6.11.12.14 but the former is one in whom sin so lives that it kils him subjects him to death Rom. 7.9.10.11 Lastly this person is one that is no longer in the flesh Rom. 7.5 that is freed from sin Rom. 6.18.22 that walks not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.1.4 that by the Spirit mortifies the deeds of the flesh Rom. 8.13 and that is free from the Law of sin and also of death Rom. 8.2 but the former is one that is carnall sold under sin Rom. 7.14 that does not that good that he would but the evill that he would not v. 19. that is in captivity to the Law of sin v. 23. that is deteined by the body of death that is by death it self from which as one in misery he desires to be freed v. 24. All which being either formall or vertuall contradiction cannot agree to the same person at the same time and consequently imply that the temper of that person described in that chapter and made up of those qualities and conditions there assigned is not possibly reconcilable to that other constitution of a regenerate person marked by those properties elsewhere extant which wee have expressed no those doe truly manifest the state of this person to bee such as wee conceive to be necessary to bring any to the kingdome of heaven and that is a state of freedome from all habits and courses of sin 1. Joh. 4.3.9 c. 5.18 and an answerable habituall walking in the commandement of God and this St. John further confirms when he ascribes this great privilege and perfection to such a person saying that hee is such a one that sins not nor can sin 2. Though I think this perfection as I have expressed it to bee both a possible and necessary condition in this case yet I am not so far a Chatherist as to think that he cannot be a Christian that is not every way perfect or that commits the least offence against the precepts of Christ neither do I conceive either the former notes of a regenerate person or that which hath been last alleged out of St. John to imply that the said person is so righteous as never in the least thing to sin or offend but onely that he hath not as I have before expressed the habit of any sin and that he does not live in a course of sin but ordinarily and for the greatest part abstains from and avoids the committing of it and this I conceive may sufficiently appear by these following considerations 1. That mens actions are esteemed and so men themselves denominated from the greater part of them thus wee call him a sober person and temperate in the use of meat and drink who ordinarily or for the most part avoids all excesse in in this kind though sometimes it may happen that contrary to his constant wont and purpose he transgresse a just measure therein and thus also wee call him a liberall man who usually proportionably to his ability and as prudence shall direct gives of his own though sometimes it may fall out that in some thing he may not be liberall but may omit there to give where it is fit and there is truly need of it and so answeably he is to be esteemed and so is called in scripture a righteous person who doth righteousness as St. John saith that is who ordinarily practiseth and is really addicted to works of righteousness prescribed in the word though sometimes through common frailtie or inadvertency hee may do something that is not truly righteous or agreeable to the said rule 2. Because the word sin in the new testament is ordinarily wont and used to signifie not any one single act of sinning but either some grievous offence namely such as may argue the person guilty thereof to be involved in others not light crimes and which cannot consist with the fear of God in the same person or more and iterated acts of sinning as may appear from these places Luke 15.18 Ioh. 9.2.3 Rom. 6.15.2 Cor. 12.21.13.2 Heb. 3.17 3. Because those places of scripture which are used to set forth the state of unregenerate and regenerate persons are such as denote an habit or custome thus the former are said to walk and live after the flesh Rom. 8.1.13 and to live in sin Rom. 6.2 and to commit sin 1. Jo. 3.8 and the latter to walk and live after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 and to live godlily 2. Tim. 3.12 and to live according to God 1. Pet. 4. v. 6. as the word live notes our manner or course of living so the word walk answerably notes the accustomed actions of our life for as a way is often trod in so that which wee often and usually do is called our way and accordingly the Apostle exhorts us that wee should not suffer sin to reign in us nor yield our members to it as weapons of unrighteousness Rom. 6.12.13 by which forms of speech he requires that wee should bee exempted from the reign and dominion of sin but not simply from every act of it It is true according to the sense of Moses his law the single act of any one sin subjects a man to the curse but according to the law of liberty that is the Gospel of Christ not every