Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
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A47618
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The saints encouragement in evil times: or Observations concerning the martyrs in generall with some memorable collections out of Foxes three volumes. Martin Luther. The covenant and promises. Living and dying by faith. By Edward Leigh Esquire.
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Leigh, Edward, 1602-1671.
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1648
(1648)
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Wing L1000; ESTC R222045
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66,492
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178
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least degree of saving faith will serve for justification sanctification adoption salvation but not for consolation Every blast of temptation overthrew the Disciples while they were weak beleevers they questioned the truth of all Christ therefore rebukes them for it and saith Why are your hearts troubled Paul when he could say I know whom I have beleeved though after he was told he should be whipt he said none of these things troubled him Thirdly He gets acquaintance with some things in the covenant of grace which may take off those objections that usually trouble beleevers which are four and these doe hinder Gods people from living by faith 1. They finde corruption in their hearts this should no way hinder their comfort if they hate it and strive against it 2. Temptations trouble them whereas Gods own people are liable to temptations of all sorts 3. Afflictions God breeds them up which are in covenant with him under divers and great afflictions 4. Desertions They finde not the working of Gods Spirit nor the assurance of his favour God many times leaves his best children to great and sad desertions Fourthly Thou must get sound acquaintance with the Promises of the Gospel else thou wilt be to seek in time of trouble Some generall Promises concern all estates we can be in all things shall work for good to them that fear God and no good thing shall be wanting to such 2. There are excellent promises in the Scripture for any condition imaginable Fiftly As the exigents or occasions require whether to bear afflictions or go through temptations act thy faith upon that Promise which sutes thy present need A good man having all taken from him and his wife desiring to know how he and his family would live he said he would now put his bond in suit Think on Gods power truth love and Christs interest in the Promises to incourage thy soul Sixtly As a Promise from God must be measured by faith so only by faith not by carnall sense or reason doe as Abrahaem did he never told his wife Sarah when he was to go cut his childes throat and offer him a sacrifice to God Seventhly Faith must be helped with a use of all other means which God hath appointed to attain the blessing 2 Sam. 7. later end Psal. 5. 3. Psal. 119. Deal well with thy servant according to thy word Faith made Noah to build him an Ark work belongs to us successe to God Eightly Resolve to wait the Lords leasure in all thy beleeving limit him not to the time or manner of delivering thee resolve God shall do it in his own time if thou hast an able good paymaster thou wilt be willing he should pay thee how and when he will He that beleeves will not make haste Ninthly Get thy will so far subdued to Gods will that his will may be thine as near as it is possible for poor sinners to attain it learn to say Gods will is the best will Rom. 12. 3. 4. Tenthly Study the life of holines let David be an example to thee he had great communion with God and knew how to improve a Promise Some think one ought to beleeve whatever corruptions he gives way to they say men are duty-mongers merit-mongers Others of Gods people are too much dejected with the remainders of their own corruption CHAP. VIII 2. Of dying in Faith QValis vita finis ita He that will die in faith must first of all live by faith and there is but one example in all the whole Bible of a man dying in faith that lived without faith viz. that thief upon the crosse To die by faith is when a man in the time of death doth with all his heart rely himself wholly on Gods speciall love and favour and mercy in Christ and as it is revealed in the word Religion is seen in its glory when one not only lives but dies in Christ Phil. 1. 21. For me to live is Christ and to die is gain And ver. 20. So now also Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or death If I live by preaching if I dy by suffering Dr Preston said a little before his death I have longâ— conversed with Christ in the world and though I change my place I shall not change my company Revel. 14. 13. Blessed are the dead which dy in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works doe follow them In the Lord that is say some for the Lord as Ephes. 4. 1. Which suffer death for Christ rather in the faith of Christ being incorporated into him {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} from henceforth as Rom. 8. 1. and 16 17. That constantly hold out in these times of persecution say some presently saith Dr Rainolds from the very time of their death they rest from their labours of their particular calling under afflictions from God and persecutions from men under sin temptations desertions And their works That is metonymically the rewards of their works as 2 Cor. 5. 26. Do follow them accompany or go with them the words well weighed sound so When a godly man dies he dies in the â—ord by vertue of his union with Christ when there is a dissolution of the soul and body the mysticall union is not dissolved as the personall union of Christ was not dissolved when he died Before I lay down directions how to die well and shew the benefits that come to the godly by death I will shew 1. The necessity or certainty of death and the misery of it to the wicked 2. Resolve some questions about death Of the first Death is a common condition appointed for every man first or last to undergo Heb. 9. 27. And as it is appointed unto men once to die but after this the judgement The Greek word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} translated It is appointed signifieth it lieth as a mans lot Once imploies two things 1. A certainty it shall once be 2. A singularity it will be but once 1 Samuel 26. 8. 1 King 2. 2. I go the way of all the earth saith David Job 30. 23. The grave is called the house appointed for all the living Eccles. 12. 5. Solomon calls the grave {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Bajith Gnolam domum saeculi the house of age We translate it long home where he must abide for a long time 1 Cor. 15. 26. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death that is death destroies all and after is destroied it self Psal. 89. 48. What man lives and shall not see death When we would affirm any thing to be infallibly true we say as sure as death A young man may die an old man must die It is an Hebrew proverb In Golgotha are to be seen sculs of all sizes that is death comes on the young as well as the old Omnes una manet
is you shall have as true an inâ—erest in all my attributes for your â—ood as they are mine for my glory â—y grace to pardon you my power â—o protect you my wisdome to diâ—ect you This is a comprehensive â—romise for God to be our * God it includes all Deus meus omnia said Luther The Covenant of grace is both Faedus amicitiae conjugale a Covenant of friendship and a conjugall Covenant Abraham was in covenant with God and God stiles him his friend also it is a conjugall league Hos. 2. 19 20. Secondly God promiseth his Spirit Ioel 2. 28. John 14. 16 26. and 15. 26. and 16. 7. Luke 24. 49. Act. 1. 4. an accomplishment of which promise we have Act. 2. 23. The Spirit is called Ephes. 1. 13. The holy Spirit of promise because this was the great promise which Christ from the Father hath made unto us the giving of the holy Ghost to work in us all the good which he requireth apply all the good wch he hath promised The giving of the Spirit is a great and excellent promise of the new Testament The great promise of the old Testament was the promise of Christ Gen. 3. 16. of the Messiah all the ceremoniall Law was but a typical enlargment of that promise Christ when he was to goe out of the world promised his Spirit 1. That in this last age of the world there might be a more full discovery of the great things of the Gospel the Spirit reveals truth and stablisheth us in the truth that Gods people might know more of himself and his Son and prie more into the mysteries of the Gospel 2. There are more glorious conquests to be made in this last age of the world all the great enemies of Jesus Christ are to be vanquished Ze. 4. 7. 2 Thess. 2. 9. the sharpest sufferings are reserved for these times therefore Christ hath provided the most sovereign cordials What undaunted courage what invincible patience what ravishing consolation had the martyrs in the flames God made good this promise to them in sending his Spirit We should put our bond in sute turn promises into praiers presse God with much importunity for more of the Spirit 3. God hath promised to give us his Son The whole Covenant of grace iâ— purchased founded sealed ratified in Christs bloud Mat. 26. 28. Heb. 9. 14 15. and 13. 20. It was Gods plot from all eternity to save man in such a way as should advance all his glorious Attributes his wisdome power justice mercy compassion wrath vengeance The Covenant of grace is the most free and gracious tender of Christ and all his rich purchases to all the lost and undone sons of Adam that shall believe in him All other particular promises found in the book of God receive their confirmation by the promise of Christ God promiseth sometimes to deliver from a particular affliction to assure them that that shall be kept he makes a promise of Christ Behold a virgin shall conceive There are three things in the promise of Christ to confirm all other promises 1. Because there may be made more objections against the Lords giving of Christ then against any other promise whatsoever in that the great provoked God must come to be a suter to his vassall Jehovah must lie in a virgins womb 2. More love and compassion is shewed in that one promise of Christ then in all other promises whatsoever 3. Because this is the mother promise 2 Cor. 1. 20. Some say The conditions of the Covenant of grace are repentance faith and new obedience Sincerity alone or Evangelicall perfection is the only absolute condition of the Covenant of grace Gen. 17. â— It is called an upright heart that is straight It is also called Integrity a body that wants no members a sound heart a pure or sincere heart a single heart a simple and honest heart Evangelicall perfection is a work of Gods Spirit whereby the whole inward man is applied to God and his waies without the mixture of strange intentions or affections 2. Sincerity of singlenesse purity perfection is the whole substance and mettall of all graces which God worketh in the soul it is not any one grace as patience meeknesse but the substance of every grace faith and love unfeigned Praier which comes not out of feigned lips we must worship God in spirit and in truth Ephes. 4. 34. 3. God and the Saints have ever judged of men by this Iudge me O Lord according to mine integrity 4. The promises are made to this Ps. 119. 1. Mat. 5. 8. Characters of sincerity As preparatory or a motive to the rest to be willing and desirous to have his heart thorowly tried and searched Joh. 3. 18 19 20. Psalm 139. There are three reall marks 1. It makes the work of grace universall 1. In regard of the subject therefore it is called a new creature 2. In respect of the object abstains from all sin and performs all duty 2. It is constant 3. It presseth on to have more till it be filled with God and his waies Phil. 3. 8 9 10 11. It is a matter of great concernment for a man rightly to understand the nature of the Covenant under which he is 2 Sam. 23. 3 4. Reasons 1. Because it is the covenant which God hath respect unto in all his dealings with you Psal. 105. 8. 111. 5. 2. Else we shall never be able to understand our own state 1 Cor. 11. 28. and 2 Cor. 12. 5. Galat. 4. 23 24 25. 3. Else we shall never be able to judge a right of any of our actions neither of Gods waies to us nor ours to him Gen. 4. 4. 4. Without knowledge of the nature of the Covenant we can never understand our own sinnes we are not only breakers of the Law but transgressors of the Covenant Hosea 6. 7. Deut. 29. 21. Lev. 26. 24 25. 5. According to our Covenant such is the Spirit by which we are acted and such is our law and practice one under the first covenant is acted by the spirit of bondage one under the second is acted by the Spirit of adoption 6. We cannot else understand our mercies or afflictions whether they come from Gods love or displeasure 7. Without this we cannot understand the riches of Gods grace in the second covenant 1. That he should enter into a covenant at mans creation 2. When man had broke that to enter into a new covenant 3. To finde out such a glorious way to abolish the first covenant 4. To make it with such a glorious Head Christ 5. That the promises of this covenant should be better then those of the first covenant 8. All our terrour or comfort comes from our covenant under which we are Heb. 6. 17. 1 Pet. 3. 9. Eph. 2. 2. We are under the covenant of grace 1. If we be in the second Adam if we be willing