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	heart_n	7,913	5	5.2011	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80141	A discourse of the true gospel blessedness in the New Covenant, or The distinction of the two Covenants, new and old, first and second. With the doing away of the first, and the establishment of the second, and likewise the mediatorship of Christ in the New Covenant, with some principles, duties, promises, and priviledges of the New Covenant. A useful companion for all saints at all times. / Written by Tho. Collier.	Collier, Thomas, fl. 1691.	1659 (1659)	Wing C5277; Thomason E1801_2; ESTC R35633	88,221	142

Testament For it was ministred then on life and death and was through mans weakness a ministration of death and not of life So that I understand all those expressions to relate to those heads or Particulars when the Scripture saith That the Law is abolished and done away that believers are dead to it delivered from it are not under it and that the Bond woman must be cast out with her son And yet believers are not without law to God but under the law to Christ yea and that under the moral law But as given from mount Sion ministred forth in the hand of Christ not in the hand of Moses for if we take it from Moses we must be Moses Disciples But if from Christ as given forth on the Gospel account then we are Christs Disciples indeed and receive it in power from Christ the minister and mediator to live to God according to it not for righteousness unto justification But Jesus Christ having fulfilled all its righteousness having born the curse for us It s a Rule of righteousness of conversation to the honour of him that hath done all for us in point of justification to eternal life And so it s become a law of love a royal law of liberty to all that are by faith in the new covenant and a law to which every believer is in bounden duty to Jesus Christ to own as his precious rule of life to honour him by as it is given forth by him in the Gospel and no otherwise Quest 6. Is not faith and repentance 〈◊〉 old covenant work if so does it not declare the covenants to be one and the same Answ There was faith and repentance annext to the old covenant but not that faith and repentance which is required in and wrought by the new covenant There was faith required to believe the truth of God in that covenant 2 Chron. 20. 20. Deut. 1. 32. Isa 7. 9. And secondly there was repentance also required and accepted in that ministration Isa 1. 16 17 18. Ezek. 18. 30. Repent and turn your selves from all your transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruine vers 31. Cast away from you all your iniquities whereby you have transgressed against me and make you a new heart and a new spirit for why will ye die O house of Israel Hence Ahabs repentance was accepted it being legal sutable to that covenant 1 Kings 21. 27 28 29. But neither this saith nor repentance was the new covenant faith or repentance but the old for there was the shadow in the old of every thing in the new as hath been already minded Now the difference between the Old and New Testament faith and repentance lieth principally in these two things 1. In the work 2. In the ends 1. In the work under the Old Testament was required faith and repentance but it did not work it This was the Language of the old Covenant If ye will not believe ye shall not be established Isa 7. 9. and this was the Old Testament call to repentance Repent and turn your selves make you a 〈◊〉 heart and a new spirit For why will ye die O house of Israel The new covenant requires faith and repentance and works it likewise 〈◊〉 hath been already proved writes the law of faith in the heart and this is the Language of the new covenant I will take away the stonie heart and give a heart of flesh and I will put my spirit in you and cause you to walk in my statutes Ezek. 36. 26 27. 2 As it differs in the work so also in the ends and that in two things 1. The old covenant faith was not their righteousness nor was it imputed to them as their righteousness but they were required to believe that they might do the covenant and that was their righteousness Deut. 6. 25. and this shall be your righteousness if ye observe and do all these commands the old covenant repentance was for the avoiding of destruction by the sword and cutting off out of the Land of Canaan Isa 1. 16 17 18 19 20. Ezek. 18. 32. Wherefore turn your selves and live ye The new covenant faith and repentance leads to Jesus who is our righteousness hence the new covenant righteousness is called the righteousness of faith Rom. 4. 13. and his faith is counted for righteousness Rom. 4 5. which was not in the old covenant but a righteousness of works not that faith doth justifie But 1. as its the work and all the work on mans part in order to justification and is likewise the gift of God Ephes 2. 8. And second as it believes the truth of God on the Gospel account as the eye and hand of the soul to eye and apply Jesus Christ crucified who is our justification and our life A second end of the old covenant faith repentance was that they thereby might have a life in the outward land the blessing of life in the land of Canaan as hath been already proved But the faith and repentance of the new covenant is in order to and receives an interest in eternal life John 5. 24. and 6. 47. Thus the old and new covenants differ in their faith and repentance Hence it is that the Apostle saith Gal. 3. 23. before faith came we were kept under the law shut up unto the faith that should afterward be revealed And again the law is not of faith Gal. 3. 12. That is did not hold out justification by faith in Jesus as the new covenant doth And yet notwithstanding there was new covenant faith and repentance in those that were for eternal life even under the law though not of the law But as the new covenant was administred then in promises types and prophecies so there was a remnant then that had the faith of or in the new covenant Abraham longed to see the day of Christ and he saw it and rejoyced And the truth is that the old covenant never brought eternal life to any for if there had been a law given which could have given life then verily righteousness should have been by the law Gal. 3. 21. So that that which we are to understand in these Scriptures that the law is not of faith and before faith came c. is plain Faith was not come as now it is and that on three accounts 1. As the new covenant was darkly administred therefore was their faith very low and dark at the highest it must be on Christ to come ours is on Christ already come and the work done by him 2. It was mix'd with the old covenant and therefore attended with fear but we have not received the spirit of bondage to fear again Rom. 8. 13. 3. It was not brought forth into a ministration though darkly administred through the old covenant but now the ministration of the new covenant is the ministration of justification by faith in Christ onely and that without the law Rom. 4. 21. Quest 7. I ●here not an outward part

that from Mount Sinai as hath been already minded though differing in terms being both conditional viz. life promised on terms of doing Or secondly as it was renewed to Abraham in Circumcision Or Thirdly as it was given forth more at large from Mount Sinai to the body of Israel 2. And more especially in the matter of the old Govenant as it was conditional in the first second and third place It was conditional a Covenant of works with Promises to it on condition of being performed But the Covenant of the Gospel was absolute without condition on Gods part so that notwithstanding the terms or words might be the same yet it being absolute and without condition it differs in the very matter as for Instance suppose a man condition with a servant and promise him reward for his service and require the service he conditioned for but gives nothing to enable him to the performance of it not having promised but every way enables his son for service and then requires it of him This quite changes the matter of the Covenant the first saith do this and live the second gives life first and then saith do John 11. 26. He that liveth and believeth shall never die The first saith Make you a new heart and a new spirit for why will ye die Oh house of Israel Ezek. 18. 31. The second saith I will take away the heart of stone and I will give you a heart of flesh and I will put my spirit in you and cause you to walk in my statutes c. Ezek. 36. 26 27. This is the distinct language of the new Covenant from the old I will write my law in their heart and I will put my fear in them that they shall not depart away from me And in thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed In a word that was a Covenant that might be broken that was broken This is a Covenant that cannot nor shall not be broken This is the first difference in the matter of them The first commands to do but gives no power The second gives power in and with the command John 5. 25. The dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and live c. Hence it is that the first is called a voice of words Heb. 12. 19. The second is the power of God unto salvation Rom. 5. 16. The second difference between the two covenants was in the manner of administring and this difference lieth especially in these two things 1. In the manner of the giving 2. In the manner of the execution The first was given not onely as hath been minded with condition but also with a great deal of fear and dread Sounding of Trumpets burning of fire Blackness and Darkness and Tempest which made the people to tremble Exod. 19. 16. So dreadful was the giving of this covenant that Moses the mediator thereof said at the sight of it I exceedingly fear and quake Heb. 12. 21. thereby to present its nature a dreadful covenant hence it s called Deut. 33. 2. a fierie Law or a law of fire But the new covenant from Mount Sion was and is administred in all sweetness and love It preacheth forth grace and peace there is never a word of dread and darkness in it but to those that reject it Hence it is so ordinarily called the Gospel That is Glad tidings or good tidings of good things Tidings of Peace and Rcconciliation tidings of Pardon and Remission of sins in a word tidings of Grace and Glory this is the manner of the ministry of the new covenant 2 In the manner of execution and that in its power 1. the Law as hath been minded commanded obedience while it continued but gave no power to obey but this in its ministration begets life love and obedience it accomplisheth the birth from above it begets to a lively hope c. for it is the ministration of the Spirit There is never a soul actually in this covenant but by the virtue of it self Hence it is that persons come not visibly into it by natural generation as into the old but by regeneration and the work of the holy spirit Believe it friends this is a great Gospel truth that whosoever cannot set seal unto it will one day know that they are strangers to it notwithstanding the great cheats and deceits that are in the world about this matter Some carrying on the covenant in way of generation and others suppose they come to it of their own will both will find it first or last that they are no further then the first covenant that of Nature and short of that of Grace 2. That executed the curse wrath and vengeance on the Transgressors of it but this mercy and forgiveness healing of back-slidings the voice of the first was Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the Book of the Law to do them But the voice of the second is if they sin I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and remember their sins no more If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous and if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins c. This is a covenant in which justice and faithfulness is ingaged to forgive the sins of those that are in it In a word that covenant in its administration brought first to duty and from thence some few even a remnant were brought to Christ This brings first to Christ and Grace and then to duty 3. They differ in the righteousness The righteousness of that covenant was a righteousness of works to be done by them If you observe and do these things this shall be your righteousness Deut. 6. 25. No longer work no longer righteous the righteousness of the law speaketh on this wise The man that doth them shall even live in them Rom. 10. 5. But the righteousness of this covenant is the righteousness of faith even the righteousness of Jesus Christ which comes on all that believe this is the name by which he shall be called The Lord our righteousness Jer. 23. 6. and in him shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory Isa 45. 25. For by him viz. Jesus Christ all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses Acts 13. 39. Note believers in this covenant are justified from that which the Law of Moses could not justifie from What is that from sin the law could not justifie from sin That could curse and condemn for sin but could not justifie from sin but this covenant justifieth from sin because the blood of this covenant taketh away sin and that out of the conscience as well as out of the conversation so that in a word as the righteousness of that covenant was a righteousness of works and so was their own righteousness so saith the Apostle Phil. 3. 9. Not having mine

20. A covenant of peace Ezek. 37. 26. a Holy covenant Luke 1. 72. This covenant we shall consider 1. as it lay in promises so it was from the beginning Gen. 3. 15. the Lord speaking of the enmity that he would put between the seed of the woman and the seed of the Serpent said It shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel In these few words is held forth the suffering of Christ and his conquest over the serpent and his seed the substance of the covenant of grace This covenant we finde again renewed in promise to Abraham Gen. 12. 3. In thee shall all the Families of the earth be blessed chap. 22. 18. and in thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed This seed to whom the promises were made was Christ Gal. 5. 16. And this is the covenant the Apostle saith God made with Abraham in Christ Gal. 3. 17. which the Law could not disanul where you may note by the way that this covenant is mentioned by the Apostle as distinct from the law that was another covenant yet such a one as could not disanual this Again this covenant we have in promise Jer. 31. 31. 32 33. Heb. 8. 8 9. I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and I will be their God c. And chap. 32. 40. I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart away from me In sum This is the Covenant of Grace that God now owns his people in a Covenant of Grace and Peace in Jesus the blessing of Abraham writing the Law of faith love and the fear of his name in their souls by his singer the holy spirit interesting them in grace here and assurance of glory hereafter by vertue of which they are made willing faithfully to live to him here and patiently to wait for the glory that shall be revealed And in this covenant are none of God owned but the true seed viz. Christ and such as are in him Gal. 3. 29. If you are Christs then are you Abrahams seed and heirs according to the promise And this covenant as it s written in the hearts of believers without which in the Gospel account they are none of his so is it written in the scriptures of truth by the same spirit and the spirit in believers works them and guides them to the truth of God in scripture for by this means viz. the scripture it is all first received and afterwards by degrees increased so that it s none of the spirit of Christ that leads a way from and besides the law of Christ in Scripture so that the law written in the heart guides to the law of Christ in scripture and makes souls willing to walk according thereunto Isay 8. 20. This is the covenant that gives grace and peace faith and love strength and perseverance even blessedness comes in with this covenant both as to grace and glory This is the everlasting Covenant that is by blood by vertue of which poor Prisoners are delivered out of the pit wherein was no water Zach. 9. 11. The second particular I minded was Why they are called first and second old and new covenants Answ 1. Because they are distinct covenants as hath been proved 2. Because the old covenant as it relates to matter of work in the ministration of it was first we leave things as in the eternal counsel of God there being no first or last there in respect of time but as it s brought forth to us so its first and second first and last old and new now the first or old covenant was first promulgated after the creation to Adam in Paradice before his fall In the day thou eatest thou shalt die Here was the first covenant wherein was no discovery of Christ and grace but do and live transgress and die And although the old covenant in Scripture is taken from Mount Sinai yet here is the beginning of the work And it was there added because of transgression that sin might appear out of measure sinfull Gal. 3. 19. Rom. 7. 13. chap. 5. 20. The law entred that the offence might abound c. viz. The offence that came in by the breach of that covenant in Paradice See vers 13. 17 18. Yet secondly as it was given from Mount Sinai as a ministration so it was first or the old covenant the other lay full in promises and virtually was in being yet not given forth as a ministration nor could it be till the death of the testator so that on this account that from Sinai was the old and first and this from Mount Sion the perfection of beauty the new and second even the new covenant of everlasting love peace and life as the old and natural man was first so the old covenant sutable to that estate was first and as the spiritual man is second so is the spiritual covenant second so then that was not first which was spiritual but that which was natural and afterward that which was spiritual 1 Cor. 15. 46. So that the first covenant had relation to the old estate of man and gathered in the natural seed the second to the new estate of man in Christ and gathers in onely the spiritual seed Here is a mystery too high for the carnal heart the old and natural man blessed are those that are truly interested in this grace Oh the heighth and depth of the unsearchable wisdom of God how are his judgements unsearchable and his wayes past finding out Well I hope you will remember this that the old man and the old covenant was first and the new covenant and the new man is second and the carnal seed were in the first and the spiritual seed are in the second 3. What is or wherein lieth the difference between the first and second covenant Answ 1. Negatively not as hath been and is commonly understood by many good men onely in the administration so making the old and the new to be one and the same covenant by reason of which a cloud of darkness hath been cast upon the Gospel and covenant of grace by reason of which many precious souls have laid short of the consolation of the Gospel Covenant and have erred from the rules thereof But the difference between the two Covenants lieth mainly in these ten things 1. In the matter of them 2. In the manner of Administring 3. In the Righteousness 4. In the seed 5. In the Mediator 6. In the Promises 7. In the ministry and Priesthood 8. In the Tabernacle and Ordinance 9. In the ends 10. In that the one is the type the other the substance 1. In the matter as hath been minded already and this difference lieth either first in the matter as it was first given to Adam in Paradice wich was one and the same in nature with

bondage but of the covenant from Mount Sion which is free which is the mother of us all Let it be therefore your work by faith and hope and meditation about the grace and glory of this covenant to suck the sweetness and feed on the marrow and fatness that is freely from the father given to you in Jesus I am perswaded nay I am very much assured that the Lords poor people very often go without the comfort of the Covenant of the grace of the Gospel for want of feeding their souls thereon there is bread enough in the fathers house but there wants a will or skill to feed thereon Either want of sight of its worth or an appetite to it or else a supposition of unfitness and unworthyness occasions many a soul truly interested in the grace of the Covenant to lye short of a right improvement of their interest there and so lose the comfort and sweetness they might otherwise enjoy Here is a ground for and matter of consolation in all conditions and under all temptations be it sins and infirmities there is grace in the covenant to pardon If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness If it be sence of weakness and fear of holding out to the end here is all the Attributes of God himself engaged for thy support the Promise is in Christ thou shalt be blessed See the great and Precious Promises of the new covenant to this purpose Jer. 32. 40. Isay 40. 28 29 31. 41. 10. 43. 1 2. Heb. 13 5. These with many more are the Promises of the new Covenant If it be reproach and persecution for the name of Christ or poverty or any affliction whatsoever here is Peace and spiritual content and assured Promises of the kingdom and the glory in the end If so be that we suffer with him that we may also be glorified together with him Rom. 8. 17. For those light afflictions which are but for a moment will work for us a far more exceeding eternal weight of glory while we look not at things that are seen but at things that are not seen c. And that your souls may live upon the goodness of God in this covenant of grace let it be your care to make much of the Scripture in which the Covenant is stated and held forth And acquaint your selves with the Promises of the covenant which are all but branches thereof and they are suitable to all estates and will afford assured comfort to thy soul if rightly and sutably applied And in the Promises of the Covenant if saith be rightly set on work thou wilt gather in all the Attributes of God for thy comfort goodness and love in engaging himself and interesting thee in such a Covenant Power wisdom faithfulness and justice in performing Oh here is a stable a sure Covenant Saints may draw stable and sure consolation to their own souls herein yet notwithstanding they may say with David although my house be not so with God yet he hath made with me a sure Covenant 2 Sam. 23. 5. although I am weak and frail and in my flesh dwelletb no good thing and I have cause to loath my self in mine own eyes yet God hath made with me or rather with Christ for me a sure Covenant Quest But some may say here is ground of strong consolation indeed for those that are interested in it and have a right unto it but how may I know that I have a right to this covenant that I may improve it to my comfort Answ Notwithstanding that God and Christ hath an interest in persons and that by virtue of this Covenant before they believe yet we cannot claim any interest or right before and without faith Therefore we may truly say as the Prophet Psal 41. 11. By this I know thou favourest me because mine enemies triumph not over me So I say we come to know our interest the incovenant by the work he hath wrought in us therefore hath the Lord wrought the work of faith and hope in God through Jesus Christ and this attended with self loathing and a sence of spiritual poverty and adhering to and depending upon the rich grace of God in Christ crucified and this attended with a true desire and endevour of living to God and answering of his goodness I say if this law of God be thus written by the Spirit in your hearts you may comfortably conclude your interest in the covenant For I say you must come to conclude your interest in the covenant from the work of the Spirit in you that answers the terms of the Covenant and holds harmony to what God hath promised in the covenant I say not that this work within is the ground of our being in the covenant nor the cause nor the ground of our faith but a demonstration of our interest there all is grounded upon the free and everlasting love of God in Christ Use 2. But I shall proceed to a second word of Application to the Saints interested in this covenant And that is a word of exhortation to be faithful to God in living the life of the new covenant and performing the duties thereof not onely to rejoyce in the sweetness and comfort of the covenant but likewise to be as willing to be found faithful in performing the duties of the Covenant for we are to know that God hath annexed duties to the covenant and doth as positively require and expect the performance thereof in the life of the covenant as he hath and doth work his people into a capacity thereof Therefore remember this that Gods goodness and absoluteness in the covenant no whit diminisheth the Saints duty but rather supporteth and engageth thereunto In this place I shall not come to state the particular duties but refer it till afterwards onely some general heads in which all particulars are included 1 Then to live the life of the covenant is to live the life of faith and hope in God by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1. 21. Heb. 10 38. now the just shall live by faith c. now that is on this side the possession of the kingdom and the glory The just shall live by faith that is in the Promises of God that relate to the kingdom and in the power strength and faithfulness of God in the covenant of his grace by which his people are preserved and kept untill that day 1 Pet. 1. 5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation c. note that the Saints are kept by the Power of God unto salvation but it is through faith that is through their living by faith in his faithful word Hence it is that the Apostle saith Rom. 1. 16. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth The Gospel is the Covenant made sure and effecting its work but it is through