Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	body_n	dead_a	sin_n	7,124	5	5.2250	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41355	The marrow of modern divinity touching both the covenant of works, and the covenant of grace, with their use and end, both in the time of the Old Testament, and in the time of the New : wherein every one may cleerly see how far forth he bringeth the law into the case of justification, and so deserverh the name of legalist : and how far forth he rejecteth the law, in the case of sanctification, and so deserveth the name of Antinomist : with the middle path between them both, which by Iesus Christ leadeth to eternall life : in a dialogue, betwixt Evangelista, a minister of the Gospel, Nomista, a legalist, Antinomista, an Antinomian, and Neophytus, a young Christian / by the author, E.F. ; before the which there is prefixed the commendatory epistles of divers divines of great esteem in the citie of London ; whereunto is also added, the substance of a	Fisher, Edward, fl. 1627-1655.; Hamilton, Patrick, 1504?-1528. Patricks places.	1646 (1646)	Wing F997; ESTC R1839	130,516	286

from putting any confidence in our own works and doings and exhorted us by faith to lay hold upon the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ onely at the hearing whereof it pleased the Lord so to work upon mee that I plainly perceived that there was no need at all of my works and doings nor nothing else but only to believe in Jesus Christ indeed my heart did assent unto it immediately so that I went home with abundance of peace and joy in believing and gave thanks to the Lord for that he had set my soule at liberty from such a sore bondage as I had been under and I told all my acquaintance what a slavish life I had lived in being under the Law for if I did commit any sin I was presently troubled disquieted in my cōscience could have no peace til I had made humble confession thereof unto God craved pardon and forgivenes promised amendment but now I told them that whatsoever sins I did commit I was no whit troubled at them nor indeed am not to this day for I do verily believe that God for Christs sake hath freely and fully pardoned all my sins both past present and to come so that I am confident that what sin or sins soever I commit they shall never be layd to my charge being very well assured that I am so perfectly clothed with the robes of Christs righteousnesse that God can see no sin in me at all And therefore now I can rejoyce evermore in Christ as the Apostle exhorts mee and live merrily though I be never so vile or sinfull a creature and indeed I pitty them that are in the same slavish condition that I was in and would have them to believe as I have done that so they may rejoyce with mee in Christ And thus Sir you see I have declared unto you my condition and therefore I would intreat you to tell me what you think of me Evan. There is in this City at this day much talk about Antinomiaus and though I hope there be but few that doe justly deserve that title yet I pray give me leave to tell you that I feare mee I may say unto you in this case as it was once said unto Peter in another case Surely thou art one of them for thy speech bewrayeth thee And therefore to tell you truly I make some question whether you have truly believed in Christ for all your confidence And indeed I am the rather moved to question it by calling to minde that as I have heard your conversation is not such as becommeth the Gospell of Christ Ant. Why Sir do you think it is possible for a man to have such peace and joy in Christ as I have had and I thanke the Lord have still and not to have truly believed in Christ Evan. Yea indeed I think it is possible for doth not our Saviour tell us that those hearers whom hee resembles to the stony ground immediatly received the word with joy and yet had no root in themselves and so indeed were not true believers And doth not the Apostle give us to understand that as there is a forme of godlines without the power of godlinesse so there is a forme of faith without the power of faith And therefore he prayes that God would grant unto the Thessalonians the worke of faith with power And as the same Apostle gives us to understand there is a faith that is not fained so doubtlesse there is a faith that is fained And surely when our Saviour sayth Marke 4.26 27 28. The kingdome of God is as if a man should cast seed into the ground and sheuld sleepe and rise night and day and the seed should spring up and grow hee knoweth not how first the blade then the eare after that the full corn in the eare he giveth us to understand that true faith is produced by the secret power of God by little and little so that somtimes a true believer himselfe neither knows the time when nor the manner how it was wrought so that we may perceive that true faith is not ordinarily begun increased and finished all in a moment as it seems yours was but groweth by degrees according to that of the Apostle Rom. 1.17 The righteousnesse of God is revealed from faith to faith that is from one degree of faith to another from a weake faith to a stro●g faith from faith beginning to faith increasing towards perfection or from faith of adherence to faith of assurance but so was not yours and again true faith according to the measure of it produceth holinesse of life but it seems yours doth not so and therefore though you have had and have still much peace and joy yet that is no infallible signe that your faith is true for a man may have great raptures yea he may have great joy as if he were lift up into the third heaven and have a great and strong perswasion that his estate is good and yet be but an hypocrite for all that and therefore I beseech you in the words of the Apostle Examine your selfe whether you be in the faith prove your own selfe know you not your own selfe how that Jesus Christ is in you except you be a reprobate And if Christ bee in you the body is dead because of sin but the Spirit is life because of righteousnesse Ant. But Sir if my friend Nomista went wrong in seeking to be justified by the works of the Law then me thinks I should have gone right in seeking to be justified by faith and yet you speake as if wee had both gone wrong Evan. I remember Luther sayth that in his time if they taught in a Sermon that salvation consisted not in our works or life but in the gift of God some men took occasion thence to be slow to good works and to live a dishonest life and if they preached of a godly and honest life others did by and by furiously attempt to build ladders to heaven And moreover hee sayth that in the year 1525 there were some fantasticall spirits that stirred up the rusticall people to sedition saying that the freedome of the Gospel giveth liberty to all men from all manner of Laws and there were others that did attribute the force of justification to the Law Now sayth he both these sorts offend against the Law the one on the right hand who would be justified by the Law and the other on the left hand who would be clean delivered from the Law Now I suppose this saying of Luthers may bee fitly applyed to you two for it appears to me friend Antinomista that you have offended on the left hand in not walking according to the matter of the Law and it is evident to mee neighbour Nomista that you have offended on the right hand in seeking to be justified by your obedience to it Nom. But Sir if seeking of justification by the works

I Have perused this ensuing Dialogue and finde it tending to Peace and Holinesse the Authour endeavouring to reconcile and heale those unhappy Differences which have lately broken out a fresh amongst us about the Points therein handled and cleered For which cause I allow it to be Printed and recommend it to the Reader as a Discourse stored with many necessary and seasonable truths confirmed by Scripture and avowed by many approved Wtiters All composed in a familiar plain moderate style without bitternesse against or uncomely reflections upon others which Flyes have lately corrupted many bo●es of otherwise precious Ointment May 1 0 1645. Joseph Caryl THE MARROW OF Modern Divinity Touching both the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace with their use and end both in the time of the Old Testament and in the time of the New Wherein every one may cleerly see how far forth he bringeth the Law into the case of justification and so deserveth the name of Legalist And how far forth he rejecteth the Law in the case of Sanctification and so deserveth the name of Antinomist With the middle path between them both which by Iesus Christ leadeth to eternall life In a Dialogue betwixt EVANGELISTA a Minister of the Gospel NOMISTA a Legalist ANTINOMISTA an Antinomian And NEOPHYTUS a young Christian. The second Edition corrected amended and much enlarged By the Author E. Fisher Before the which there is prefixed the commenda●●●● Epistles of divers Divines of great esteem in the Citie of LONDON Whereunto is also added the substance of a most spirituall and Evangelicall Treatise called long since by the name of Patricks Places London Printed by R. Leybourn for Giles 〈◊〉 at the Black Spread-Eagle at the West end of Paris 16●6 TO THE HONOVRABLE Collonel John Downes ESQUIRE One of the Members of the Honourable House of Commons in Parliament Justice of Peace and one of the Deputy Lievtenants of the County of Sussex and Auditor to the Prince his Highnesse of the Dutchie of Cornwall E. F. wisheth the true knowledge of God in JESUS CHRIST Most Honoured SIR ALthough I doe observe that new Editions accompanied with new additions are somtimes published with new dedications yet so long as he who formerly owned the subject doth yet 〈◊〉 and hath the same affectiou● towards it I conceive there is no need of a new Patron but of a new Epistle Be pleased then most honoured Sir to give mee leave to tell you that your eminencie of place did somwhat induce me both now and before to make choise of you for its Patron but your endowments with grace did invite me to it God having bestowed upon you speciall spirituall blessings in heavenly things in Christ for it hath beene declared unto me by them that knew you when you were but a youth how Christ met with you then and by sending his spirit into your heart first convinced you of sin as was manifest by those conflicts which your soule then had both with Satan and it selfe whilst you did not believe in Christ. Secondly of righteousnesse as was manifest by the peace and comfort which you afterwards had by believing that Christ was gon to the Father and appeared in his presence as your Advocate and surety that had undertaken for you Thirdly of judgement as hath been manifest ever since in that you have been carefull with the true godly man Psal. 112.5 to guide your affairs with judgement in walking according to the minde of Christ. I have not forgotten what desires you have expressed to know the true difference betwixt the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace and experimentally to be acquainted with the Doctrine of free grace the mysteries of Christ and the life of faith Witnesse not onely your highly approving of some heads of a Sermon which I once heard a godly Minister preach and repeated in your hearing of the life of Faith but also your earnest request to me to write them out faire and send them to you into the Countrey Yea witnesse your highly approving of this Dialogue when I first acquainted you with the Contents thereof incouraging me to expedite it to the Presse and you● kinde acceptance together with your cordiall thanks for my love manifested in dedicating it to your honoured name Sith then worthy Sir it hath pleased the Lord to enable me both to amend it and to enlarge it I hope your affections will also be inlarged towards the matter therein contained considering that it tends to the cleering of those forenamed truths and through the blessing of God may be a means to root them more deeply in your heart And truly Sir I am confident the more they grow flourish in any mans heart the more will all heart corruptions wither and decay Oh! Sir If the truth contained in this Dialogue were but as much in my heart as they are in my head I were a happie man for then should I bee more free from pride vain glory wrath anger self-love and love of the world then I am and then should I have more humility meeknesse and love both to God and man then I have oh then should I bee content with Christ alone and live above all the things in the world then should I experimentally know both how to abound and how to want and then shall I be fit for any condition nothing could come amisse unto me oh that the Lord would be pleased to write it in our hearts by his blessed Spirit And so most humbly beseeching you still to pardon my boldnesse and to vouchsafe to take it into your patronage and protection I humbly take my leave of you and remain Your obliged Servant to be commanded E. F. To all such humble hearted Readers as see any need to learn eyther to know themselves or GOD in CHRIST Loving Christians COnsider I pray you that as the first Adam did as a common person enter into covenant with God for all mankind and brake it whereby they became sinfull and guilty of everlasting death and damnation Even so Jesus Christ the second Adam did as a common person enter into covenant with God his Father for all the elect that is to say all those that have or shall believe on his name and for them kept it whereby they become righteous and heires of everlasting life and salvation And therfore it is our greatest wisdome and ought to be our greatest care and endeavour to come out and from the first Adam unto and into the second Adam that so wee may have life through his Name John 20.31 And yet alas there is no point in all practicall Divinity that wee are naturally so much averse and backward unto as unto this neyther doth Sathan strive to hinder us so much from doing any thing else as this And hence it is that we are all of us naturally apt to abide and continue in that sinfull and miserable estate that the first Adam plunged us into without eyther taking any notice

the Citie and wee shall die there and if we sit still here we die also n●w therefore come and let us fall into the hands of the Assyrians if they save us we shall live and if they kill us we shall but die even so say I in mine heart if I goe back to the covenant of works to seek justification thereby I shall die there and if I sit still and seek it no way I shall die also now therefore though I be somewhat fearfull yet am I resolved to go unto Christ and if I perish I perish Evan. Why now I tell you truly the match is made Christ is yours and you are his this day is salvation come to your house your soul I mean for what though you have not that power to come so fast unto Christ and to lay such firme hold on him as you desire yet comming with such a resolution to Christ to take him you need take no care for doing it you may be sure that Christ will enable you to do it for is it not said John 1.12 But as many as received him to them hee gave power to become the sonnes of God even to them that believe on his name O then I beseech you stand no longer disputing but be peremptory and resolute in your faith and in casting your selfe upon God in Christ for mercy and let the issue be what it will yet let me tell you to your comfort that such a resolution shall never go to hell nay I will say more if any soule have a roome in Heaven such a soul shall for God cannot finde in his heart to damne such a one I might then with as much true confidence say unto you as John Careless said unto John Bradford Hearken ô ye Heavens and thou ô earth give eare and beare me witnesse at the great day that I do here faithfully and truly the Lords message unto his deare servant and singularly beloved John Bradford saying John Bradford thou man so specially beloved of God I doe pronounce and testifie unto thee in the word and name of the Lord Jehovah that all thy sins whatsoever they be though never so many grievous or great be fully and freely pardoned released and forgiven thee by the mercy of God in Jesus Christ thy onely Lord and sweet Saviour in whom thou dost undoubtedly believe as truly as the Lord liveth he will not have thee die the death but hath verily purposed determined and decreed that thou shalt live with him for ever Neo. O Sir If I have as good warrant to apply this saying to my self as Mr. Bradford had to apply it to himself I am a happy man Evan. I tell you from Christ and under the hand of his spirit that your person is accepted your sins are done away and you shall be saved and if an Angell from Heaven should tell you otherwise let him be accursed therefore you may without doubt conclude that you are a happy man For by means of this your matching with Christ you are become one with him and one in him you dwell in him and he in you Hee is your welbeloved and you are his so that the mariage union betwixt Christ and you is more then a bare notion or apprehension of your mind for it is a spirituall reall union it is an union betwixt the nature of Christ God and man and you it is a knitting and closing not onely of your apprehension with a Saviour but also of your soule with a Saviour whence it must needs follow that you cannot be damned except Christ be damned with you neyther can Christ be saved except you be saved with him And as by means of corporall marriage all things become common betwixt man and wife even so by means of this spirituall marriage all things become common betwixt Christ and you for when Christ hath married his spouse unto himselfe hee passeth over all his estate unto her so that whatsoever Christ is or hath you may boldly challenge as your own He is made unto you of God wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption and surely by vertue of this neer union it is that as Christ is called the Lord our righteousnesse Jer. 23.6 so is the Church called the Lord our righteousnesse Jer. 35.16 You may by vertue of this union confidently take unto your selfe as your own Christ watching abstinence travails prayers persecution slanders his tears his sweat his bloud and all that ever he did and suffered in three and thirty years with his Passion Death Resurrection and Ascention for they are all yours and as Christ passeth over all his estate unto his spouse so doth he require that shee should passe over all unto him wherefore you being now married unto Christ you must give all that you have of your own unto him and truly you have nothing of your own but sin and therefore you must give him that say thou unto Christ without fear I give to thee my dear husband my unbelief my mistrust my pride my arrogancie my ambition my wrath my anger my envie my covetousnesse my evill thoughts affections and desires I make a bundle of these and all my other offences and give them unto thee thus was Christ made sin for us which knew no sin that wee might be made the righteousnesse of God in him now then saith Luther let us compare these things together and we shall finde inestimable treasure Christ is full of all grace life and saving health and the soule is fraught full of all sin death and damnation but let faith come betwixt these two and it shall come to passe that Christ shall bee loaden with sin death and hell and unto the soule shall be imputed grace life and salvation who then saith he is able to value the royalty of this marriage accordingly who is able to comprehend the glorious riches of this grace where this rich and righteous husband Christ doth take unto wife this poore and wicked harlot redeeming her from all evils and garnishing her with all his own jewels so that you as the same Luther saith through the assurednesse of your faith in Christ your husband are delivered from all sins made safe from death guarded from hell and endowed with the everlasting righteousnesse life and saving health of your husband Christ and therefore you are now under the covenant of grace and freed from the Law as it is the covenant of works for as M. ball truly saith at one and the same time a man cannot be under the covenant of works and the covenant of grace Neo. Sir I doe not yet well know how to conceive of this freedome from the Law as it is the covenant of works and therefore I pray you make it as plain to me as you can Evan. For the true and cleer understanding of this point you are to consider that when Jesus Christ the second Adam had in the