Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	acknowledge_v	let_v	zion_n	19	3	9.6277	4	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

man may dye without any experience of it or acknowledg there is any such thing and yet be saved then I hope the Authors principles will teach him to be charitable to us and not unsaint us though we will not acknowledg his higher Image but alas this is only to claw a little with Professors for Page 207. He telleth us that after a man is brought into the first Image unless he yet further abide the trial of fire which is to passe upon him by the spirit of judgment and burning of Christs second appearance he will not long abide in Sion but make God swear in his wrath that he shall never enter into his rest let any intelligent Reader judge how these two places of his book agree together And yet he tells us Page 213. His doctrine is so far from straituing or lesning the number of those that are saved that it discovers how they may be h●d out of the observation of visible professors among those they exclude as Heathens and so may seem to be men in the flesh but live according to God in the spirit whilst yet they themselves may be either without law or so zealous of the law as to fly in the face of Paul himself for witnessing a higher light then they have yet experience of or can bear We shall not dispute with this Author whither any are offectually called and saved among the heathen who have not the Gospel preached to them we will not limit the holy one of Israel who hath mercy on whom he will have mercy but this we know that faith ordinarily comes by hearing and hearing the word of God preached for it follows how shall they hear without a Preacher Rom. 10. but however this is certain that if they be heathens before effectual calling they are not left so but are justified and sanctified in Christ Jesus and have the faith of Gods elect and they will not fly in the face of Paul himself for witnessing a higher life then the first covenant no but Paul and such as bring glad tidings as the Gospel or new covenant is their very feet will be beautiful to them that a man should have his faith and life in the covenant of grace and fly in the face of Paul for witnessing such a state to be the true state is a contradiction But stall this Authors doctrine if he mean as he saith will force him not to unsaint us though to use his own words we should n● in his face for talking of his higher Image which is not more then to fly in Paul face which yet the Author saith a man may do and yet be in the higher Image this is a strange Image indeed that doth so con●radict it self And so he saith Page 298. That he doth not deny but many Saints of God may have dyed without the experience or acknowledgment of this higher Image And yet he makes this higher Image to be faith and the new covenant and Gospel but surely that man that doth not acknowledg that the new Covenant Gospel is the onely way of life and salvation and that they only that believe on Christ shall be saved surely they are not yet Believers Thus we have taken a short view of this Authors higher Image and setting aside some obscure expressions of glorification his higher Image is lower then his first Image as may easily appear by what hath been spoken of that before and this is the way of men to take us off where we are but where to fix us next there they are to seek but only the Author tells us it s a higher Image and the glory of the father so the beholding God barefaced and there is spiritual senses but how it is so he leaveth us where he found us and speaks very little of the higher Image through the book And that we may not leave this Chapter in the Authors dark notions about faith and regeneration a few words upon that point least the weak should stagger And here we must take notice that the holy Ghost in Scripture sets out regeneration by divers expressions some of which we shall briefly explain For the most part Regeneration in the new Testament is called faith and believing and that is the receiving of Christ and reliance upon him alone for righteousnesse and salvation this faith works by love Gal. 5.16 purifies the heart Act. 15.9 bringeth spiritual peace and comfort 1 Pet. 1.8 giveth us accesse with confidence to the father Eph. 3.12 Sometimes Regeneration is called the new ●●eature as 2 Cor. 5 17. if any man be in Christ he is a new creature and that phrase shewes us what a great change is wrought in the soule at Conversion old things passe away and all things become new not only a new head but a new heart a new life for justification a new life for sanctification new light new comforts new defires new affections new ends new aims new strength Sometimes Regeneration is called a new birth as 1 John 3.5 a being born of water and of the spirit to shew us how the Spirit doth sanctifie and purifie the soule at conversion as it is written 1 Cor. 6.11 Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God Sometimes Regeneration is called our being in Christ as Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus the believer is in Christ a member in his body a branch in this vine he is in Christ cloathed and wrapt and folded up in the robes of his righteousnesse Sometimes Regeneration is set out by Christs being in us as 2 Cor. 13.5 Know ye not that Christ is in you except ye be reprobates And John 17.23 I in them and thou in me the true believer liveth in Christ and Christ in him Christs being in us shewes his acting quickning strengthening and sanctifying of us and so it is said Rom. 8.18 If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin and the spirit is life because of righteousnesse Sometimes regeneration is set out by being under grace as Rom. 8.14 to shew that the true believer doth not seek life in works of righteousnesse which he hath done but freely by grace through the redemption which is in Jesus Christ Again regeneration is set out by our being called into the fellowship of Jesus Christ our Lord. So 1 Cor. 1.9 God is faithfull by whom ye are called into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. This shews that the true believer is called into fellowship with Jesus Christ in the Fathers love that the Father loveth them as he hath loved him John 17.23 and the true believer is called into fellowship with Jesus Christ in the annovnting of the Spirit though yet Christ is annointed with that oyle of gladness above his fellows Heb. 1. and the true believer is called into fellowship with Jesus Christ

saith too that Christ himselfe is made their head and covering as to their justification they are made righteous not in themselves but in another even through the Mediatorship of the man Christ Jesus as their Head in whose natural righteousnesse and perfection they stand blamelesse before God Here is Christs righteousnesse imputed for justification and Christs righteousnesse imparted for our sanctification and yet the Author would make us believe all this is not a saving state but I wis the writing of Gods Laws in our hearts is a peculiar benefit of the new Covenant of grace Jer. 31. but he maketh it to be given as a benefit by the renewal of the old Covenant again by Christ and ô how dishonorable is this to Christ the Lord of life that men may have him for their head and covering for their justification and yet not be in a saving state but what saith the Scripture Rom. 8.30 Those whom the Lord justifieth them he also glorifies then which what can be plainer to prove that such as are justified by Christ are in a saving state for the text tells us such shall be glorified let this Author say what he will to the contrary that this is but the first image and Christ in the flesh the sure word of the Gospel tells us that those whom the Lord justifies shall certainly be glorified brought to heaven inherit eternal life and whereas he saith Christ is made their covering for justification then I say they must needs be in a sure and saving state Psal 32.12 Blessed is the man whose iniquities are pardoned and whose sinnes are covered by the robes of Christs righteousnesse such can never come into condemnation God seeth no iniquity in such with a judicial eye to take vengeance and damn them for it for Christ covereth their sins in that respect that in that sense God seeth no iniquity in Jacob nor no transgression in Israel but only seeth the sins of such with the eye of a Father which is well for them to reclaim them better them and heal their backslidings as Isaiah 57.18 We see the Author makes no bones of counting Christs righteousnesse invalid for justification and yet sufficiently contradicting himself saith that this righteousnesse of Christs makes us to stand blamelesse before God but then are not such in a saving state if we be blamelesse by Christ before God then I may ask this Author as Rom. 8.33.34 who shall lay any thing to their charge who shall condemne them seeing God Justifies them and the Author confesses they stand blamelesse before him Page 193. He saith these are represented in Pauls owne person Rom 7. as having that workmanship set up in their hearts and mindes which stands in an exact conformity to the Law or image of Christs natural righteousness but in the next page he saith they find by experience no good thing dwelling in their flesh that is abiding and of a continual residence with them being in such a wavering condition that whilest with their minde they serve the Law of God they are ready with their flesh to serve the Law of sin and the good they would doe that they doe not and the evill which they would not doe that they doe But stay first the Author is mistaken in this that he thinketh the true saints that shall inherit eternall life are not represented by Pauls own person that which is there said in that 7. of Rom. was true of Paul and then surely as true of other saints and this Author goeth about here to make Paul but in the first image for Paul saith all that of himself and the Author thinketh this was but the first image and calls this a being under the Law alas he that mindes the 9.10.11 verses of that Chap. will see that Paul and the persons represented in him were of from the Law for life for he saith the Law ●●ew him he found that to be but death well but why must this be but a man in the first image and out of a saving state why the Author saith that these have no good thing dwelling in their flesh that is faith he abiding and of a continuall residence with them but hold a little that is not the meaning of it for in us that is in our flesh is nothing spiritually good not only that there is nothing that doth abide and continue but there is nothing at all good in us by nature in me that is in my flesh that is as I am naturall and as considered without the grace and spirit of God so I have no good thing dwelling in me and so it is with every saint of God that they may all say as he said Horreo quicquid de meo est I abhominate what is of my self or with Paul in me that is in my flesh dwells no good thing I have no good in me no good thoughts desires inclinations but as God worketh in me to will and to doe of his owne good pleasure but I pray let the Author shew us any thing to the contrary but that a man in his higher image may not have cause to say and confesse as much that in them that is in their flesh dwells no good thing in a word there doth not onely no good thing abide and continue in our hearts by nature but it was never there to be found but we are transgressors from the wombe Well he saith further as v. 25. that whilest with their minde they serve the law of God they are ready with their flesh to serve the law of sin and I pray who is not so Paul there saith it was so with him and we are content to acknowledge it is so with us though the Author for it say we are but in the first Image we confesse we are fle●h and spirit and the flesh in us rebelleth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and while we with our minds and hearts desire to serve the law of God and doe his will the flesh in us draweth another way this enemy in our owne bosomes the flesh and law of our members is often too hard for us and brings us into captivity this is our burthen our gall and wormwood in this world and makes us cry out often with Paul ver 24. O wretched man that we are and with Isaiah we are uncleane we are uncleane and yet for all this we know that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin and the spirit of Christ will sanctifie us wholly and cast all our sinnes into the depths of the Sea and the time will come when we shall sin no more and all things in us shall be made subject to Christ though we see not yet all things made subject unto Christ yet having faith in Christ the work is doing and we shall be purified one day even as he is pure and our sanctification shall be as compleat and perfect hereafter as our justification is here the remainders of corruption are

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