Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	bear_v	enter_v	kingdom_n	5,396	5	6.1932	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86420	Fourteen queries and ten absurdities about the extent of Christ's death, the power of the creatures, the justice of God in condemning some, and saving others, presented by a free-willer to the Church of Christ at Newcastle, and answered by Paul Hobson a member of the said Church. In which answer is discovered, the extent of Christs death, the nature and truth of election, the condition of the creature both before and after conversion, &c. Published in tenderness of love for the good of all, especially for the Churches of Christ.	Hobson, Paul.	1655 (1655)	Wing H2273; Thomason E1492_4; ESTC R208520	40,720	127

are his Now having discovered what troubles me and what makes me so unwilling to mention these truths but with discovering also wherein men do abuse them I shall now say no more but come to the proof of this seventh Particular and for the proof of that minde these Particulars 1. The whole Testimony of Scripture 2. The nature of the Work 3. The Titles that are given by God and Christ to the Work 4. The nature of every Creature before this is wrought Which four things will sufficiently prove that this work of faith is not gained by improving nature before conversion or a work before conversion that nature is capable of but is singly the work of God not in a general sense as a works ate but in a peculiar and a Gospel sense First the Testimony of Scripture to make good this truth is very full and clear see 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can be know them because they are spiritually discerned Which fully declares that the receiving or entertaining through faith the truths of the Spirit of God is a work which nature or natural men before conversion are not capable of it nor able to perform it but it is a special work of the Spirit of God John 3.3 5. Verily except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God And in v. 5. he saith Except a man be born of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Where you see the 2. special employments of faith to wit 1. The seeing or viewing the glory of Gods Kingdom 2. The entering of the Kingdom Both which are to be done through faith CHRIST doth here affirm it is a work impossible for a natural man to do or any thing in nature to perform before conversion or the new birth which appears in Paul Phil. 3.6 which work is singularly Gods by his Spirit according to his own good will and pleasure which CHRIST affirms in vers 8. of the said Chapter Jer. 31.18 19. Turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God Surely after I was turned I repented and after I was instructed I smote upon my thigh and I was ashamed Ephraim's experience doth testifie this that repentance smiting and being ashamed followeth turning and that turning and instructing in this Gospel sense in the act of conversion is Gods singular work Jer. 13.23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil The comparison declares that it is impossible for unconverted man that lives in sin to do good as good that is to say to do any Gospel work Besides these testimonies which are sufficient I desire you further to minde these Scriptures Phil. 2.13 For it is God that works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure So it is singular Gods work produced by his good pleasure Suitable to that is Prov. 16. 1. Jer. 10.23 Lam. 5.21 Now as for the second which is what the nature of the work is before I speak of the nature of faith give me leave to speak a word or two of the new birth or conversion which of necessity must be wrought before any work or employment of faith can appear and the truth is my dear Friend if we cannot witness the new birth we are not in a capacity to inform one another of the things of God for till then we are but natural and not fit for such an employment 1 Cor. 2.14 Now this work of conversion and new birth I shall present it to you thus it is by the glorious and powerfull appearance or discovery of the glory of God in CHRIST which doth so seize upon the soul and convincingly conquers the soul that the soul in the discoveries of that light is so killed and made silent and confounded in the sense of his own unsuitableness to God and undonness without CHRIST that the heart is presently made to loath and abominate it self and whatsoever was wrought or done before CHRIST came and is so restlesly carried out for CHRIST that the soul cannot rest till it doth enjoy him that is till he can see a propriety in him or enjoy him as his own which is alone done through believing Now faith is a supernatural light and life set up in the soul by Gods causing the creature to assent to and close with the authority of Gods truth and tenders ●n CHRIST upon which direct act reflection followeth which is the applying of CHRIST as his own from the truth of Gods tender which is from his peculiar love which love the heart is made sensible of in that appearance Now dear Friend do but consider this small description of the work of conversion and faith and see if any thing in nature before the new birth is wrought is capable of or able to perform such a work do but pick out some Particulars of it as 1. This appearance of God doth and will kill make silent and confound or conquer whatsoever is in the soul before Christ comes Jer. 31.18 19. Rom. 7.9 Zach. 2.13 Acts 2.37 2. The creature is so overcome with a sight of this light that he can no longer love but loath himself Job 50.3 4 5. chap. 42.5 6. Isai 5.6 Phil. 3.8 3. It is made able to go out of it self and give way for and assent to the authority and truth of Gods tenders John 3.33 chap. ●2 38 Rom. 4.18 19 20.2 Thess 1.10 4. It can finde no rest in its self nor whatsoever self did before or can do but soly waits upon and attends the authority of this discovery Acts 2.37 ch 16.30 Cant. 5.6 8. Psalm 63.1 Matth. 11.12 5. It 's made able to apply that is to say to own a propriety and to bring home that to its self as its own which is as high as Heaven and far above what nature can either reach or attain unto according to these Scriptures Heb. 11. 1 8 10 13. John 8.56 1 Cor. 2.9 10. Now I beseech you consider what hath been said and you will see that the nature of this truth as we faid before is too high for any improvement of nature to attain to before the new birth Thirdly consider the Titles that are given by God and CHRIST to the work I mean to the work of Regeneration in which faith is comprehended or included it is called a new birth John 3.3 5. Except a man be born again he cannot see or he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Now dear Friend consider what it is to be born and minde that a spiritual birth transcends a natural if you can truly witness this you will see and must acknowledg this truth 1. That it is impossible by any improvement of Nature to be performed before the work of grace is wrought 2. It is called spiritual 1 Cor. 2.14 Now