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	soul_n	whole_a	13,673	5	5.8632	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A53700	Gospel grounds and evidences of the faith of God's elect shewing : I. The nature of true saving faith, in securing of the spiritual comfort of believers in this life, is of the highest importance, II. The way wherein true faith doth evidence it self in the soul and consciences of believers, unto their supportment and comfort, under all their conflicts with sin, in all their tryals and temptations, III. Faith will evidence it self, by a diligent, constant endeavour to keep it self and all grace in due exercise, in all ordinances of divine worship, private and publick, IV. A peculiar way whereby true faith will evidence it self, by bringing the soul into a state of repentance / by John Owen ...	Owen, John, 1616-1683.	1695 (1695)	Wing O759; ESTC R9544	55,512	98

They still discern what is evil and sinful and know what is the Judgment of God concerning such things but yet the Love of sin and Custom in sinning do so far prevail in them as to contemn both their own Light and Gods Judgment so as to delight in what is contrary unto them These the Apostle describes Eph. 4. 19. Being past feeling all sense of Convictions they give themselves over nnto Lasciviousness to work all Uncleanness with greediness such as the World is filled withall at this Day THIS is not that Approbation of Obedience which we enquire after It is in some measure in the worst of Men nor hath it any likeness unto that Duty of Faith which we treat of as will immediately appear 2. THERE is a farther Knowledge of Good and Evil by the Law and this is also accompanied with a Judgment acquiting or condemning For the Law hath the same judging Power and Authority over Men that their own Consciences have namely the Authority of God himself The Law is to sinners as the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil it opens their Eyes to see the Nature of what they have done For by the Law is the Knowledge of sin Rom. 3. 20. and so is the Knowledge of Duty also for it is the adequate Rule of all Duty There is I say a Knowledge and Conviction of Duty and Sin communicated unto Men by the Law and those far more clear and distinct than what is or can be found in Men from the meer Light of Nature for it extends to more Instances that being generally lost where it is alone as unto many important Duties and Sins And it declareth the Nature of every sin and duty far more clearly than Natural Light of it self can do AND this Knowledge of good and evil by the Law may be so improved in the Minds of Men as to press them unto a Performance of all known Duties and an Abstinence from all known sins with a Judgment on them all But yet herein doth not consist that Approbation of Holiness and Obedience which Faith will produce For 1. AS unto Approbation or Condemnation of Good or Evil That which is by the Law is particular or hath Respect unto particular Duties and Sins according as Occasion doth present them and extends not unto the whole Law absolutely and all that is required in it I do not not say it is always partial There is a Legal Sincerity that may have respect unto all known Duties and Sins though it be very rare Hardly shall we find a Person meerly under the Power of the Law who doth not evidence an Indulgence unto some Sin and a Neglect of some Duties But such a thing there may be it was in Paul in his Phariseisme He was touching the Righteousness which is in the Law blameless Phil. 3. 6. He allowed not himself in any known sin nor in the Neglect of any known Duty nor could others charge him with any Defect therein he was blameless But where this is still this Approbation or Condemnation is particular that is they do respect particular Duties and Sins as they do occurr there is not a respect in them unto the whole Righteousness and Holiness of the Law as we shall see wherefore a man may approve of every Duty in its season as it is offered unto him or when at any time he thinks of it by an Act of his fixed Judgment and so on the contrary as unto sin and yet come short of that Approbation of Holiness and Righteousness which we enquire after 2. IT is not accompanied with a Love of the things themselves that are good as they are so and an Hatred of the contrary For the Persons in whom it is do not cannot delight in the Law of God in the inward Man as Rom. 7. 22. so as to approve of it and all that is contained in it cleaving to them with Love and Delight They may have a Love for this or that Duty and an Hatred of the contrary but it is on various Considerations suited unto their Convictions and Circumstances but it is not on the Account of its formal Nature as good or evil Wherefore 3. NO Man without the Light of saving Faith can constantly and universally approve of the Revelation of the Will of God as unto our Holiness and Obedience TO make this evident which is the Foundation of our present Discovery of the acting of saving Faith we must consider 1. What it is that is to be approved 2. What this Approbation is or wherein it doth consist 1. THAT which is to be approved is the Holiness and Obedience which God requireth in us our Natures and Actions and accepts from us or accepts in us It is not particular Duties as they occur unto us taken alone and by themselves but the universal Correspondence of our Natures and Actions unto the Will of God The Scripture giveth us various Descriptions of it because of the Variety of Graces and gracious Operations which concurr therein We may here mention some of its principal Concerns having handled the Nature of it at large elsewhere For it may be considered 1. As unto its Foundation Spring and Causes and this is the universal Renovation of our Natures unto the Image of God Eph. 4. 24. or the Change of our whole Souls in all their Faculties and Powers into his Likeness whereby we become new Creatures or the Workmanship of God created in Jesus Christ unto good Works 2 Cor. 5. 17. Eph. 2. 10. Wherein we are originally and formally sanctified throughout in our whole Spirit Soul and Body 1 Thes. 5. 23. It is the whole Law of God written in our Hearts transforming them into the Image of the divine Holiness represented therein And this next unto the Blood of Christ and his Righteousness is the principal Spring of Peace Rest and Complacency in and unto the Souls of Believers It is their Joy and Satisfaction to find themselves restored unto a Likeness and Conformity unto God as we shall see farther immediately And where there is not some gracious Sense and Experience hereof there is nothing but Disorder and Confusion in the Soul Nothing can give it a sweet Composure a Satisfaction in it self a Complacency with what it is but a spiritual sense of this Renovation of the Image of God in it 2. IT may be considered as unto its permanent Principle in the Mind and Affection and this because of its near Relation unto Christ its Conjunction with him and Derivation from him is sometimes said to be Christ himself hence we live yet not so much we as Christ liveth in us Gal. 2. 20. For without him we can do nothing Joh. 15. 5. For he is our Life Col. 3. 4. As it resides in Believers it is a permanent principle of spiritual Life Light Love and Power acting in the whole Soul and all the Faculties of the mind enabling them to cleave unto God with purpose of Heart and to live