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A88607 The hatred of Esau, and the love of Jacob unfoulded being a brief and plain exposition of the 9. chapter of Pauls epistle to the Romanes, being the heads of what was delivered in several discourses, both publick and private. By Samuel Loveday servant of the church of Christ. Loveday, Samuel, 1619-1677. 1650 (1650) Wing L3233; Thomason E1380_2; ESTC R209387 35,117 84

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The hatred OF ESAU And the Love of JACOB unfoulded being a Brief and plain Exposition of the 9. Chapter of Pauls Epistle to the Romanes being the heads of what was delivered in several discourses both Publick and private By Samuel Loveday Servant of the Church of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 4.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jud. 4. Qui reddet cuique secundum opera ejus Rom. 2.6 Credens baptizatus salvabitur at non credens Condemnabitur Marc. 16.16 Printed by John Clowes for Gieles Calvert at the 〈◊〉 Spread-hagle at the west-end of Pauls To the READER Courteous Reader IT hath been seated in the heart of man since the fall of Adam to put off the sin from himself and put it upon others yea upon God himself Although it is very strange that man can find none to Father his corruptions upon but upon him that is purity it self who as James speaks James the first and the thirteenth cannot be tempted with evil neither tempteth he any man The Woman that thou gavest me saith Adam Genesis the third and the twelfth gave me and I did eat man is very loath to lay the saddle upon the right horse as I may so say he is loath to take it upon himself the woman which thou gavest me Old Adam in these words laid a platform to all his sons to say as their Father said the want of strength from the cause he not being over-powered by thee he not being compelled by thee thy determination and appointing me is the cause that I am as I am it is because thou hast made me thus But let us a little consider what harm God did to Adam in giving him this woman could not Adam have made use of her to no other end nay did not God give him her to do her good and not hurt Proverbs the 31. and the 12. Thus I say misapplying and misapproving Gods dealings in Judgements or mercies that makes men losers here is Pharaohs heart hardned by God even by giving him deliverances if you take good notice of it it s not under the plagues but under the deliverances as you shall finde in the following discourse because man is so bad himself therefore he judgeth God to be like him as in the 50 Psalm the 21. to reap where he hath not strowed as Luke the 19 and 11. though indeed few men deal so hardly with their fellows but I pray consider the Judge of all the earth shall do right that is to render to every man according to his works Romanes the 2. and whatsoever he exhorteth man unto be assured he is not failing in himself Therefore read without prejudice and weigh things seriously and see if these things be so and see what wisdoms children speak those that are begotten by wisdom which is Jesus Christ for wisdom their Father is justified by them Luke 7. vers 35. and take good notice of the 29 vers of the same Chapter the Publicanes justified God being baptized with the baptisme of John Know this that God is most just and equal in his proceedings towards the sons of men my desire is that this labour of mine may be to thy profit whomsoever thou art and if thou reapest benefit let God have the praise The Epistle Dedicatory To his Honoured Father WILLIAM LOVEDAY DEar Father because this following discourse wants an Indulgent Reader therefore I thought good to present it first to your hands hoping you will readily pass by those failings which may appear therein and cloath them with your favourable construction and Fatherly love and look further then the shell even to the kernell and marrow of this business I shall not present it to you as a free gift but as my obliged duty as a small part of requital for your Incessant love I intreat you to consider seriously of the matter and not to undervalue it because of the meanness of the Author but know I pray you that Gods way and course in the dayes of the Gospel is to appear in weak means to advance his own glory that no flesh may glorie in his presence Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings he will perfect his praise and not onely so but he will lay low the wisdom of the World and the pride of men who stumble at Christ because he is so obscure in the World that they cannot see him neither will they stoop so low as to take notice of him but I hope better things of you therefore accept this small fruit from me and what benefit you receive I doubt not but you will be ready to give God the praise So fare-well A Brief exposition upon the ninth chap. of the Rom. I Say the truth in Christ I lie not my conscience bearing me witnesse in the holy Spirit Vers 1. The Apostle having in the former Chapters of this Epistle largely treated of the glorious and happy condition of those that were entered into the way of the Gospel in opposition to the Law calling it being in Christ as vers 1. Which being in Christ is to be in and under the Ordinances of the Gospel as Gal. 3. chap. vers 27. As many of you as are baptized into Christ have put on Christ In the two former verses it is called Faith in opposition to works The way of the Gospel is called Faith chap. 4. vers 19. My little children of whom I travel in birth untill Christ be formed in you which is till you worship according to the Gospel and not according to the Law as in the following verses So that being in Christ according to the first verse of the 8. chap. Is to walk in and under the Ordinances of the Gospel It is likewise called Spirit in opposition to flesh as this Epistle treateth of as also the Epistle to the Gal. chap. 4. vers 29. he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit that is he that was born of works or of the Law persecuted him that was born according to Faith The Apostle having I say again largely expounded and Amplified those two particulars viz. works and Faith in the seventh and eight chap. shewing in the latter end of the eight what cause he and the rest of Gospel-Saints believers in Christ had to Triumph in as vers 34. Nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ that is still in opposition to the Law for under the Law there were many separations from Christ as I may so call them upon which so many sacrifices were required to bring them together again but now Christ hath by that one Sacrifice of his for ever consecrated those that are sanctified Hebr. 10. vers 14. I would not here be mistaken as though men thus sanctified could not again be defiled for then I should contradict other Scriptures as the second of Peter the 2 chap. from the twentieth verse to the end and divers other Scriptures But thus under the Law let
a man do what he could to keep himself pure yet there would be defilements and so separations from God and Christ but now God doth not so require purity of men that is external purity that is to abstain from touching of dead bodies or the like but now onely wilfull sins make a separation betwixt God and man I mean those once truly joined unto him see Hebr. 10. vers 26. If we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remains no more sacrifice for sins The Apostle I say being thus very high in his expressions of his blessed condition with the rest of the Saints viz. believers in Christ as verse the first he now like an affectionate friend looks back upon the rest of his kindred after the flesh as it is the condition of a compassionate heart to look upon others as well as himself and to endeavour to bring others to the same enjoyment with himself this was Pauls condition as if he should say Am I and you who are in Christ thus happy glorious But stay have none lost that which we have found yes you my brethren the Jews have lost that which we have found therefore my joy is a little abated this he is now upon he doth not onely hug and embrace the thing found but withall he wisheth he could perswade the owners to take it of him again though he lose it see verse the third where the Apostle wishes himself accursed or separated from Christ for his brethren his kinsmen after the flesh Therefore the discourse that follows is to be looked upon as from a man deeply sensible of his friends losse which will cause him to comfort himself and them with this that the lost goods shall be returned Now I come to the words verse the 1. Vers 1. I say the truth in Christ I lie not my conscience also bearing me witnesse in the holy Spirit These words are a preface to that which follows the words themselves are an affirmation or I may say an oath where the Apostle doth affirm that he will speak nothing but truth in this following discourse and therefore according to the custome of men he swears himself being not required by any other We have in the words something to be understood or explained as what he means by saying the truth in Christ Secondly what he means by not lying or by a lie Thirdly what he means by Conscience Fourthly what he means by holy Spirit For the first to wit speaking the truth in Christ I understand he meaneth that he will not present that before them which is not which we call a lie but speak words in reference to Christ who is truth it self and speak them as the truth it self and speak them as the truth is in Jesus and so it being truth which he should speak it must center in Christ who is the truth it self But the second will more explain it what he means by a lie The Greeck word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is severally taken in the Scriptures sometimes it is taken for vanity or emptinesse in opposition to substance and fulnesse so God is said to be true and every man a liar Rom. 3. chap. vers 4. And so Christ was said to be full of grace and truth John the 1. chap. vers 4. And so God will be worshipped in Spirit and truth John the 4. vers 24. But this lie is in opposition to truth and so Idols are called a lie in opposition to this substance Jesus Christ see Esai 44. vers 20. Speaking of Idols he saith is not there a lie in my right hand and so the Devill is called a liar because be perswades men to that which is not as at the first he did to Eve Genes 3. chap. vers 4. Therefore the Apostle exhorts the Ephesians and so consequently all believers in Gospel-order to put away lying see Ephes 4. vers 25. Thirdly for that word conscience the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which hath affinity with the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth knowledge and understanding with the mind and regard with the affections as Genes 48. vers 19. the words of Jacob I know well my Son I know well Exod. 1. vers the 8. Who knew not Joseph that is he did not know him so as to regard him so Eccles 2. vers 19. Psalm 49.11 Where the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here rendred conscience is rendred an inward thought see likewise Luke 3. vers 27. Math. 7. vers 23. Where the Lord is said not to know the workers of iniquity that is not to know them so as to regard them with his inward affections so that now the Apostle will speak nothing but what he knows very well and is affected with Fourthly what he means by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the holy spirit by which we are to understand sometimes that visible discovery of cloven tongues Acts 2.3 sometimes a Dove as Matth. 3. vers 16. sometimes for the word of Christ as John the 3. vers 5. Compared with 1. Pet. 2. vers 2. Where you may see that that which is called Spirit in the one place is called word in another see Rom. 8. vers 16. The Spirit of God beares witnesse with our Spirits that we are the Sons of God to wit the word this is that Spirit which being received and believed quickneth see Psalm 119. vers 50. Where David saith thy word hath quickned me Compare this with the 6. of John and the 63. Which will make it appear plainly that the word is that quickning Spirit so Christ saith in the conclusion of the verse The words that I speak they are Spirit and life and so our bodies are said to be a habitation for God by his Spirit Eph. 2. vers 22. compared with Colos 3. vers 16. Let the word of Christ dwell richly in you and to this add 1. John 2. vers 24. Let that therefore abide in you which you have heard from the beginning which if it do ye shall continue in the Father and in the Son to this add John 15. vers 7. If ye abide in me and my words abide in you ye shall ask what you will and it shall be done unto you this is that Spirit or anointing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Christhood which makes us on with God as we have the mind of Christ or Spirit of Christ see 1. Cor. 2. vers 16. That is as we have the word of Christ I speak the more of this because men in these late dayes speak much of a Spirit and yet lay low the words of Christ which are Spirit and life but take notice this is that Spirit that doth cleanse comfort exhort and lead into truth yea and make the man of God perfect and wise unto salvation see 2. Tim. 3. vers 15.17 The word Spirit if we take it as it is taken for the quintessence or abstract of God as it may be so
called for it brings us thus to consider of God God at the first was to us an incomprehensible being therefore Moses could not deal with God as he was to be looked upon but desires God to speak in a way more suitable to him which was by giving them Laws to walk by which God did for him and the rest see Exod. 20. Yet notwithstanding this speaking of God was too hard to be understood that is what his intent was in those sacrifices and ceremonies wherein he was darkly seen this was the first degree of Gods condescension to man to be abstracted as I may so say and here was spirit abstracted from God that so by a little man might understand and taste what this vaste incomprehensible being was but this was not all but God therefore is pleased further to be abstracted that is to send Christ who is more expresly his image now this Spirit comes to be more strong and gives a nearer discovery what this incomprehensible being is but this is not all neither but this Image or Abstract or Spirit must yet again be distilled through the Limbick or Stil of sufferings and death it selfe to bring forth yet a more exact Spirit this is intimated by John 7.39 thus I have brought you down to the word of Christ or Mind of Christ which is the best discovery of God and truest taste of him that hath been yet made known unto the sons of men This is that Spirit spoken of by Christ John 14.26 Iohn 16.13 Chap. 17.8 which some tasted deeply of after Christs ascension as Acts 2. ver 3. and all taste of who taste of the Word of God Heb. 6.4 and receive the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ Indeed there are some that with those in the Acts 19. ver 2. who have not received the holy Spirit since they believed that is they have not been transformed into the same image of life and power See Luke 24 49. compared with 2 Cor. 3.8 But we all beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit or Power of the Lord. But are such as Timothy speaks of 2 Tim. 3.5 who have a form of godlinesse but deny the power This shews the Power of the Word or Spirit that it is of a transforming nature this is attributed to the Gospel Rom. 1.16 It is the Power of God to salvation to every one that believeth This is that Spirit or Power that Stephen was qualified withall See Acts 7. he was full of the holy Spirit 1 Thes 1.5 Our Gospell came not unto you in word only but also in power and in the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 4.20 The Kingdom of God is not in word only but also in power This is that Spirit or Power which the Lord hath promised and which we are to expect and pray for according to that in Luke 11.13 compared with Judges 16.28 where Sampson prayeth for strength which in the former Chapter 14. verse he cals the Spirit of the Lord. Likewise see and consider Micah 3.8 This I say is that Spirit which we are to taste God by to know God by and to comprehend God by namely his Word and he that hath this Spirit dwelling or abiding in him walketh as Christ walked pleasing to God and profitable to men So then thus I will speak that which I am deeply affected with and shall be substantiall and true not in word only but in power So much for the explication of the first verse Verse 2. That I have great heavinesse and continual sorrowing of heart This is part of that which he affirms in the former words There are three gradations or degrees used by the Apostle to set it forth as first heavinesse Secondly sorrow and that continually We shall a little consider what he means by heavinesse and sorrow and what difference there is between them the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth heavinesse which causeth sleep as Luke 22.45 Christ cometh to his disciples and findeth them asleep with heavinesse the Latin word aegritudo is taken for griefe passion or sorrow of mind and sometime sicknesse of body as in 1 Pet. 2.19 the reading these Scriptures following will informe you what manner of heavinesse it was Iohn 16.6.22 it is there taken for sorrow 2 Cor. 2.10 it is there taken for griefe Phil. 2.27 there the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken for sorrow again but the second word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is deep as the Latine word cruciatus which implies torment pain affliction a crosse and to be nailed upon a crosse Luke 16.24 It is further taken for the travel of a woman as 1 Thes 5.3 where the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred travell so likewise Gal. 4.19 it is taken for the sorrows of death as in Acts 2.24 where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used so that by these places here cited it appears to be very great sorrow even to pain and travell nay to be crucified for his friends the Iews Oh then I might a little presse this upon you is it so with you that professe yourselves to be of Pauls spirit are you grieved even to death even to crucifying for your friends according to the flesh because they are in darknesse and do not enjoy the light of the Gospel which you do I fear we may all put our hands upon our mouths and accuse our selves of neglect of our duty in this particular Pauls condition was like Christs indeed he walked as Christ walked his soul was sorrowfull even unto death even so was Pauls He who thought it no robbery to be equall with God yet made himselfe of no reputation Phil. 2.6 7 8. and was excluded from the glory which he was before invested with and was accursed from God which separation makes him cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Mat. 27.46 even so Paul wisheth himself accursed or separated from Christ for the Iews such was his love towards them as you shall hear more at large when we come to the 3. v. Now if we were in this condition oh what means would we use what industry vvould vve use to be delivered as the same Apostle expresses to the Gal. 4.19 My little children of whom I travel in birth until Christ be formed in you and do but look back upon Pauls Epistles vvhat means he useth from this travel as his earnest prayers to God for them chap. 10. ver 1. so vvould vve if vve vvere as Paul how vvould vve pray in their behalfe vvho are in darknesse and not only so but he useth means as in the 11. of the Romans ver 14. he there magnified his office before the Gentiles to see if he by any means could provoke the Jews to emulation that thereby he might save some of them he useth all means possible to bring them in again to what they lost and the