Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	believe_v	faith_n	grace_n	8,077	5	5.8830	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A78215	The nevv birth: in which is brought forth the new creature. VVith a description of the true marks and characters thereof; which being manifested and declared, is the true and proper ground of visible communion, in which the sons or children of God are to receive and own one another as brethren, although they differ (for want of light) in some particular ordinances. Whereunto is annexed a briefe description of Antichrist, not only without men, but within them also. / By R.B. an unworthy servant of Iesus Christ, who desireth and prayeth for the unity of all saints.	Bartlet, Richard.	1654 (1654)	Wing B984; Thomason E1503_2; ESTC R208658	20,521	90

which the new man is created An. I answer first negatively What the Image of God is not That it is not the changing of him into the image of corruptible man and to birds and to four-footed beasts and creeping things Rom. 1.23 as some prophanely have done in drawing of the image or similitude of the Holy Ghost like to the picture of a Dove But secondly I answer affirmatively What the likenesse of the spirit of God is that by the image or likenesse of the spirit of God is to be understood those holy and blessed graces by which he is pleased to manifest himselfe in the holy word of God as namely righteousnesse holinesse * Gal. 5 22 2 9. love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meeknesse with many others that might be reckoned up which indeed are as it were the very nature of the spirit of God And those graces of the spirit aforesaid they are as the engravings of a signet or seale which being set home by the power of God upon a soule as a signet upon a seal of wax it stamps its owne image and begets its likenesse so that a soule receiveth grace for grace holinesse John 1.16 for holinesse love for love faith for faith and so of all the rest of the graces of the spirit And these holy and blessed graces they are called the fruits of the spirit in Gal. 5.22 23. That is to say the spirit of God is the good tree upon which they grow according to the saying of Christ a good tree bringeth forth good fruit Mat. 7.17 Gods spirit is the root from whence true faith or any other grace doth flow So that if any desire to know from whence true grace doth proceed whether it be love to God or love to his people or whether it be true faith by which any receive Christ and have the priviledge of being made the sons of God or whatsoever grace it be why it may be seen that it doth evidently appeare from the word of the Lord that it is the proceed and product of the spirit of God and cannot be expected from any other root for men doe not gather Grapes of thorns nor Figs of thistles no more can true faith Mat 7.16 or any other grace proceed from any thing whatsoever besides the spirit of God Thus I have given some hints of the new creature and as it were described the image and form of the new man which is begotten and born of God in the new birth And so I come to the third particular namely that true faith in the name of Jesus Christ True faith is a certein marke of the new Creature is an infallible Character both of the new birth and new creature And in the handling of this particular namely to shew the true character of son-ship or of the new birth I might make use of all the graces of the spirit which are begotten and born in a soule in this new birth but I only name faith or beleeving because it is only mentioned in the Text not but that I beleeve all other graces are included and doe accompany true faith wheresoever it is as shall be shewn in its due place But for the proofe of the thing in hand namely that true faith is a Character of son-ship and of the new Birth is plainly held forth in the words of the Text as may clearly appeare by proposing of this querie and that is this Querie By what marke or Character may we come to know a true sonne of God or one that is borne in the new birth why the Text giveth this answer that those that were made the sons of God were them that beleeved in his name so that wheresoever we find true faith in any man or woman we may be confident that man or woman is a child of God Secondly the Text tels us that true faith and beleeving is a certaine character of the new birth as appeares in these words them that beleeve in his name are those which were born of God And the Apostle Iohn doth fully confirm the truth of this in the first of John 5.1 Whosoever beleeveth that Iesus is the Christ is born of God whether it be male or female Col. 3.11 Gal. 3.26 compared with 28. Iew or Gentile bond or free high or low rich or poor And moreover this truth may be proved by this argument namely that the spirit of the Lord in this new Birth is the root and tree from whence faith springs and upon which it groweth as hath been already proved And Christ tels us in Luk. 6.44 that every tree is known by his fruit and that for this reason that a good tree cannot bring forth corrupt fruit neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit So in like manner the corrupt naturall birth cannot bring forth the spirituall new man nor the spirituall new birth bring forth the corrupt old man John 3.6 But that which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit So that wheresoever we find faith which is a spirituall grace it is a certaine character that there is the spirituall new birth from whence it springs Now having proved that true faith and beliefe on the name of Jesus Christ is a true mark and character of the sons of God and of the new Birth I might take occasion to shew what is to be understood by the name of Christ And secondly what it is to beleeve one his name But I shall not enlarge upon this but rather come to shew of what use the Doctrine as it hath been opened may be to all the people of God Only in a few words briefly to give you my understanding cocerning the same And What is to be understood by the name of Christ first by the name of Christ is to be understood whole Christ that is whatsoever he is in respect of his God-head or in respect of his Man-hood whatsoever he is in himselfe or whatsoever he is unto others is comprehended in his name And therefore in this Chapter out of which the Text is taken we shall find that he is called the word which name or title doth include his eternall power and Godhead as in the 1 verse In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God 2. It also includes his Manhood as in verse the 14. And the word was made flesh so that in short the name of Christ may be thus defined that he is what he is that is to say he is what he is in himselfe that he is what he is to his people that he is what he is to his enenemies And this we find to be the name of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the 3 of Exodus 14. (g) Or according to the Heb. I will be what I will be I am that I am which name Christ applyeth to himselfe in the 8

ALthough I dissent from that opinion which this discourse at least intimates That the infants of beleevers are not capable of Baptisme yet I approve that moderation which is therein earnestly perswaded in reference to communion in the worship of God with all those who give a faire evidence of their spirituall son-ship or New Birth and so of their union with Christ in the spirit though in the sence of this Author as yet unbaptized Ioseph Caryl The tenth of the 12 month 1653. THE NEVV BIRTH In which is brought forth the NEW CREATVRE VVith a description of the true Marks and Characters thereof which being manifested and declared is the true and proper ground of visible Communion in which the sons or children of God are to receive and own one another as brethren although they differ for want of Light in some particular ORDINANCES As many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God Rom. 8.14 Sirs ye are brethren why doe ye wrong one another Act. 7.26 Whereunto Is annexed a briefe description of Antichrist not only without men but within them also Little children even now are there many Antichrists 1 Io. 2.18 By R.B. An unworthy servant of Iesus Christ who desireth and prayeth for the unity of all Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I pray thee let no strife be between me and thee for we be brethren Gen. 13.8 London Printed by W. H. for L. Blairlock and are to be sould at Temple Bar and by John Hancock in Popes head Alley 1654 To all true beleeving soules who are begotten and born of God through the spirit Rich Bartlet wisheth grace mercy and peace to be multiplied c. BEloved brethren for so I presume to call you because we are the children of one father although we may differ in our apprehensions concerning some particular Ordinances To you I dedicate this little book for this end that there may be no strife between me and you because we are brethren Now forasmuch as it is so pleasant a thing for * Ps 133.1 brethren to live together in unity my endeavour is to regaine those that are otherwise minded and for those that are like minded (a) namely to live in unity to * Eph. 4.3 keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace and upon that account I have published this little book to shew the true grounds of brotherhood which is the being children of one father adopted by the same spirit heires of the same promise joynt heires with the same Christ And also by way of caution I have laboured to perswade al true beleeving souls that they take heed that they reject not any of the children of their Father because peradventure some have not attained to the like measure of knowledge with themselves but rather to receive them and labour with all meeknesse to instruct them in those truths which they are not enlightned in That to the weake those that are strong may become as weak that they may gaine the weak and not to keep at distance from any gracious soule because they know not so much as others nor cannot declare so much as others But to love owne and receive them because they are born of God as well as others for although many a precious soule may bring forth but 30 fold yet seeing it is good seed and sowne in good and honest hearts let them not be despised by those that bring forth an 100 fold for we shall find that among the sons of God some babes some young men some fathers some aged in the holy understanding some newly entred therein yet all children So that where we find the good seed sowne in the good and honest heart bringing forth good fruit though in some more and some lesse we should love and own them For this we find to be the example of Christ not to break the bruised reed nor to quench the smoaking flax but to have much respect to the lambs and little ones that beleeve in him which spirit may be upon and in us all is the prayer of the unworthy servant of Christ and also yours for Christs sake Rich. Bartlet London this sixth day of the 12 month 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vulg Feb. 13. in the year 1653. To the Reader REader if thou beest one of the new creation and a subject of that Kingdome that consists of righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Ghost I hope thou wilt accept of my smal mite cast into thy hand for although it is but small yet I hope it is good seed and I doe assure thee it is not in the least intended by me to be the seeds of contention but that which tends to peace and unity and to this end I have sown it and dispersed it abroad hoping by the blessing of God when it fals upon good honest hearts it will bring forth good fruit and although it may not bring forth an hundred fold yet if it bring forth but thirty fold I shall rejoyce and think my labour well spent But if thou beest one that is in the strife and contention smiting thy fellow servants either because they know more then thou or because they know not so much as thou then my prayer is that the spirit of the Lord Jesus may meet with thee and turne thee out of that way lest in thy persisting therein the Lord should come upon thee before thou art aware and find thy feet * Or to hate thy brother without a cause Mat. 5.22 swift to shed blood because the way of peace thou hast not known and shall deale with thee according to what he hath threatned in Mat. 24.51 But I shall leave what I have written to the Lords disposing and thy consideration R. B. THE NEVV BIRTH c. John 1.12 13. But as many as received him to them gave he power or (a) Hoc jus priviledge to become or (b) Fieri to be made the sons of God even to them that beleeve on his Name Which were borne not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God THE Evangelist St Iohn having in the beginning of this Chapter declared the Eternall power and Godhead of the Lord Jesus Christ as verse 1 2 3. he afterwards commeth to treat concerning his manhood as verse 14. compared with the 11. in the 14 verse we shall find that the word which was in the beginning with God and was God was made flesh and came and dwelt amongst us and therefore in the 11 verse it is said he came unto his own but his own received him not He came unto his own that is to the Iewes his owne peculiar people he came to his owne Nation the place which he had chose for to set up his name and therefore the word is in the Neuter Gender (c) Ad sua venit But his owne received him not that is his own people of that

be feared is too much like the case of the Pharisees in Mark 7.5 VVho were offended at the Disciples of Christ for eating of meat with unwasnen hands for which Christ sharply reproves them in the 6 verse not but that it was lawful to wash before they eat But this was their evill in that they went about to limit and bind the Disciples by a tradition of men which God never bound them to VVhy so I could wish that it could not be truly said of some in these dayes in another case As namely those that by no means wil admit of any persons into communion fellowship with them though never so holy and precious before they are baptized not but that it is lawfull for persons to be baptized before But to limit and bind up persons though never so gracious from communion till they are baptized is a tradition of men So that as the Pharisees would bind the Disciples from eating till they had baptized their hands So those persons in like manner doe bind up or keep off many of the Disciples of Christ from walking in those Ordinances of Christ * viz with them which they are inlightned in untill they are baptized But saith Christ full well ye reject the command of God that yee may keep your owne tradition I could heartily wish it could not truly be said of some in those dayes that they reject the command of God namely in refusing to own and receive precious soules upon the manifestation of faith that they may keep their own tradition that is to limit persons that they must of necessity be baptized before they are owned and received into fellowship and communion VVhich limitation I find no where in all the whole Scripture But it may be objected and said Ob. that baptisme is the first Ordinance to be practised next after faith and therefore the Scripture saith beleeve and be baptized To this I answer in the first place 1 Ans It is true the Scripture saith beleeve and be baptized but the Scripture doth not say that a person that beleeveth must not practise any Ordinance between faith and baptisme for if it should be so understood then a person must not pray nor heare nor read after beleeving till he be baptized But secondly I answer that in my understanding 2 Ans that is the first Ordinance to me which I know first and whatsoever Ordinance the Lord is pleased by his spirit to inlighten a soule first in why in the practice of that Ordinance that soule ought to walk according to what he hath received and not to neglect his duty in what he doth know and is perswaded of because he doth not know all for in my understanding it is a very dangerous principle that because a soule doth not know every thing he must therefore practice nothing But for further answering of objections of this kind I shall refer the Reader to the Storehouse published by Mr Iesse as aforesaid Thus having finished the 3 Use which was by way of reproofe I shall in the 4 place add a few words by way of comfort and consolation and shall draw to a conclusion Vse If this be so that true faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is an infallible character of the new birth and of son-ship and also if that those that are sons are heires of God and joynt-heires with Christ as hath been made appeare although it may be that many are not enlightned in some particular Ordinances yet to every such beleeving soule this Doctrine speaks comfort that although it may be many of the children of your father will not owne you to be their brethren yet God doth own you to be his children and will give you an inheritance amongst them that are sanctified * Acts 20.32 26.18 And now I shall lay down a word of caution because I would not be mistaken in what I have written and shall for this present conclude And the caution is this That as I desire to love and owne all those that feare the Lord and beleeve on his name although they may not be enlightned in every duty they ought to performe yet that they would take heed that they neglect no duty that they are enlightned in for as it is a sin of hypocrisie in any person to practise that outwardly as a duty to Christ which he is not perswaded of in his heart to be his duty So it is a great sin of slighting the Lord and his commands when a person shall neglect the practise of any duty that the Lord hath enlightned him in Therefore walke according to what yee have attained and in Gods due time he will reveal more A briefe description of Antichrist HAving shewed you the new birth and the marks and characters thereof I shall now lay downe a brief description of Antichrist which is much cryed downe in pretence by many in our dayes and for the better laying of him open to publick view I shall give you some hints of the signification of his name And for so doing I shall take the word in pieces and shew you what it properly imports First I shall shew what the preposition anti signifieth And secondly what Christ signifieth 1. The preposition anti it signifieth for or in stead of as in Mat. 2.22 and secondly it signifieth contrary to or an adversary against 2. Christ signifieth anointed and answered to the Hebrew word (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Messiah as John 1.41 So that the word being put together and taken according to the first interpretation of the preposition anti it signifieth for or in the room and stead of Christ and according to this signification Antichrist is that which is set up in the room and stead of Christ and upon this account he is called the man of sinne who opposeth and exalteth himselfe above all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God 2 Thes 2.3 4. So that whatsoever is set up in the room or in stead of Jesus Christ whether it be within us or without us whether it be that which is good in it self or whether it be that which is bad in it selfe if set up in the room of Christ it is Antichrist 1. If it be that which is bad in it selfe set up in the room or stead of Christ it is without dispute Antichrist 2. But secondly if it be that which is lawfull and good in it selfe set up in the room of Christ it is also Antichrist We have a cleare emblem of this in the Brasen Serpent which was crected and made by Moses Num. 21.8 9. And was broken to pieces by Hezekiah as in 2 Kin. 18.4 Now concerning this Brasen Serpent there is observable these particulars 1. That it was ordained and appointed by God to be set up 2. It was of singular use to heale and save alive those that were bitten by