Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	call_v	life_n	word_n	7,065	5	4.3086	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96425	The doctrines of the Arminians & Pelagians truly stated and clearly answered: or, An examination and confutation of their ancient errors, which by the Church of Christ in former ages were justly abhorred, but of late under the names of Comfortable truths to be embraced are newly published. Concerning I. The universality of Gods free-grace in Christ to mankind. II. Concerning election. III. Redemption. IV. Conversion. V. Perserverance. Wherein the principal arguments brought to maintaine the orthodox faith are propounded, and the principal objections against them answered. / By Thomas Whitfield, minister of the gospel at Bugbrook in Northampton-shire. The Tares of Arminian heresie showed in former times (and by the help of prelatical influence then given to them increasing) and now growing up so much in these; I conceive this book wherein the author doth learnedly state and confute those opinions, is very worthy the publike light. Joseph Caryll.	Whitfield, Thomas, Minister of the Gospel.; Carly, Joseph, 1602-1673.	1651 (1651)	Wing W2006; Thomason E646_7; ESTC R208798	87,011	101

sheepherd If because they grow carelesse hee growes carelesse likewise and will not keep them how is hee a faithfull Sheepherd If he wants not will and care who dares say that he wants power to keep them Argument 4 From the neer conjunction the faithfull have with Christ he is the head of the Church which is his body Ephes 1.23 Every true believer is a living member of this body 1 Cor. 6.15 now Christ is a Saviour of his owne body Ephes 5.23 the body of Christ is not subject to corruption either in whole or in part as it was not possible that the naturall body of Christ should wholly perish or decay so it is not possible that the mysticall body of Christ or any part of it should wholly perish every member of this being animated and quickned by the same spirit wherewith the head is quickned as Christ being raised up from the dead dies no more Rom. 6.9 so it is with those who are quickned together with him ver 11. Argum. 5 From the intercession of Christ as he prayed for Peter that his faith might not faile so he doth for all those that are builded on the same rocke as Peter was He prayes not for the World but for those whom the Father had given him out of the world Joh. 17.9 and one thing which he prayes for among others is that while they are in the world they might be kept from evill ver 15. that they may bee one with him and his Father ver 21. that they may be with him where he is and see his glory ver 24. now Christ is heard in what he prayes for Iohn 11.42.43 therefore none that are given to him no true believer shall wholly fall away and perish Argum. 6 From the inhabitation of the Spirit it is said that the Spirit of God dwelleth in true believers 1 Cor. 3.16 now one principall worke of this Spirit is to guide and lead all the sons of God are led by the Spirit of God Rom. 8.14 this spirit leads into all truth Iohn 14.16 all truth needfull to salvation whether of faith or practice yea this spirit shall dwell and abide with them for ever Ioh. 14.16 therefore ever guide and lead them in the right way therefore they shall not totally and finally miscarry 2. He is called a seale and an earnest Ephes 1.13.14 because hee makes things sure to the faithfull as seals make the writing firme and sure all true believers are sealed by the spirit of promise an earnest makes the bargaine sure these have the spirit given to be the earnest of their inheritance Ephes 1.13.14 therefore they shall never fall so far as to lose their inheritance so that there is no place for that usuall shift that it is a seale and an earnest so long as men keep it for as was shewed it shall abide with them for ever and it seals men that is gives assurance not for a day or a week or some short time but to the day of redemption Ephes 4.30 it is a seale of our inheritance till the redemption of the purchased possession Ephesians 1.14 that is till we bee put in possession of that inheritance whereunto wee are redeemed Argum. 7 From the nature of faith this is such a grace as makes a true union with Christ by believing we receive him Iohn 1.12 by receiving him we come to partake of that life which is in him he that hath the Sonne hath life 1 Iohn 5.12 even that life which is in the Sonne namely eternall life ver 11. Hence it is said that he who beleeves in the Son hath everlasting life Ioh. 3. last he hath it already begun in him for he partakes of the same life which is in Christ therefore he shall never die he shall never be wholly deprived of this life for then this should not be everlasting life because it doth not last ever but comes to an end what is the difference betwixt our mortall and this immortall life if they both alike come to an end the life of Grace is an inchoation of the life of glory therefore shall never be wholly interrupted and broken off If a true believer should wholly fall away what should become of this life of Grace wherewith hee was quickned which is called everlasting life it cannot be moved into another subject no more then the same soule can bee removed into another man therfore when a man wholly falleth away this wholy ceaseth to be and so is not everlasting life when our Savior had said that he who believes hath everlasting life lest any should except that this life might fall from him and so he might perish he adds further that he shall not come into condemnation and gives this as a reason because he is passed from death to life Iohn 5.24 which reason were of no force if he might passe back again from life to death if everlasting life being begun in us should fall from us or we from it as we perish so the life perisheth besides by believing we eat of that living bread which came downe from heaven and whoever cateth of this bread shall not dye Joh. 6.50 our Saviour makes this the difference betwixt the Manna whereon the Israelites fed in the wildernesse and the Spirituall Manna those who had eaten of that dyed after they had eaten but whoever did eate of this should not dye ver 49 50. by beleeving we drinke of the well of the water of life and he that drinks of this should never thirst any more but it shall be a well of water springing up in him to everlasting life Joh 4.14 our Saviour likewise makes this to be the difference betwixt the living water that he would give them to drinke and common water that he who drinkes of this may thirst againe he may be as empty as ever but he that drinkes of that shall never thirst he shall never be so wholy empty of the grace of Christ as he was before he beleeved but as he is alwayes desiring and thirsting so he shall be alwayes filling he shall have a well of water spring up in him a new supply of grace dayly conveyed from Christ by the spirit Ioh. 7.37 Argum. 8 From the nature of the word which is called incorruptible seed 1 Pet. 1.21 therefore breeds an incorruptible life in those that are begotten and borne of it therefore such an one shall never dye Hence Saint Iohn saith that he who is borne of God sinneth not 1 Joh 3.9 this must needs be understood of a totall falling into sinne and comming under the power of it in such sort as he was before he was borne of God for he had said before that who saith he hath no sinne deceives himselfe This he proves by two reasons first from his spirituall birth and nativity he is borne of God and he that is once borne cannot be unborne again Secondly from the principall of life of which he was bred and borne the seed

remaines in him this seed is nothing else but the word of life made good to the soule by the spirit when the spirit puts a quickning power and vertue into the word then it comes to be that immortall seed which is the cause of new birth and he that is thus borne hath the seed remaining in him this principle of life in such sort as he shall never wholy fall into sin againe so fall as to become dead in sinnes and trespasses he can never be wholy dead that hath a principle of life alwayes remaining in him Hence it is called an engrafted word Jam. 1.21 because he that is begotten and borne anew hath this word so engrafted in him as it shall never wholy fall from him and so long as this remaines life remaines Argument 9 Whatsoever the Saints do in faith pray for according to the will of God it shall certainly be granted to them 1 Joh. 5.14 but Perseverance is a principall grace they pray for therefore this shall be granted unto them so as they shall never wholy fall Objections against the former Arguments Object 1 Against the second and third Argument it is objected that all promises in the Old Testament belonging to the Covenant of grace or which Christ hath made in the Gospell touching preservation and keeping of the faithfull are conditionall namely if they shall be carefull to do their duty if they shall watch and walke in feare if they be not willingly wanting to themselves Christ will not be wanting to them but if they be negligent and carelesse bold and presumptious in their course then they may miscarry and fall away Answ 1 If this be so what solid comfort and consolation can the Saints take in any of these precious promises whereby they are assured that they shall be kept by the mighty power of God unto salvation that they shall never fall that none shall take them out of Christs hands c. when as they knowe that they have a root of deficiency in themselves that they have that which will cause them to depart from the living God if they be not continually upheld If the promise of preservation depend upon our selves and the right ordering of our owne wills so that God will not faile to support us so long as we stand fast and cleave close to him but if we faile and let go our hold he will likewise faile and let go his hold suffering us to fall what true comfort I say can this yeeld us in the time of temptation that he hath promised to keep us what comfort had it beene to Peter when Christ promised that he would pray for him that his faith might not faile if it had been with this condition namely if Peter did not let go his hold of Christ then Christ would not let go his hold of him but if he did if he should forsake or deny him as afterwards it fell out then he must shift for himselfe for he would take no further care of him 2. If man continues to doe his duty what need is there of any such promises of supports for what is his duty but to watch and walke in feare to hold fast to Christ to keep himselfe in the wayes of obedience yea to continue and be constant in doing of these things now what is this but to persevere and what need God give man a promise that he will make him persevere when he doth this already that he will make him stand fast when he sees him stand fast for by this doctrine Gods promise reacheth no farther but to make a man stand while he continues to stand and no longer 3. What priviledges by these conditionall promises belong to true beleevers that are within the Covenant of grace more then to Pagans or Infidells and all that are without the Covenant for even these if they will turne to God lay fast hold on him cleave constantly to him may assure themselves that he will receive them graciously and for ever hold them fast while they continue to do this 4 One grace which God hath promised beleevers and which is concluded in the new Covenant as a speciall branch of it is Perseverance it selfe namely that he will put his feare into their hearts so as they shall never depart from him Jer. 32.40 now how can any thing be a condition of it selfe how can it stand with good sense that God should promise his people that upon condition they preserve his feare in their hearts so as they doe not depart from him he will put his feare into their hearts that they shall not depart from him Object 2 Against the third Argument it is further objected that Christ promiseth that the gates of hell shall not prevaile against them but he doth not promise that they shall never fall from grace for falling from grace ariseth from a defect in mans free-will but the prevailing of the gates of hell argues some defect in the rocke wheron the beleever is built Christ promiseth that none neither man nor devill shall take us out of his hands yet man may cast away himselfe for he may neglect or resist the continuation and confirmation of his building upon the rocke Answ 1 The promise that the gates of hell shall not prevaile is all one with the promise that there shall never be a totall defection for when ever a man wholy falls from grace the gates of hell prevaile against him because he comes under the power of Satan and eternall damnation 2. When ever Satan prevailes against a man by his temptations he doth it not by force and violence but by such enticements and allurements as wherein mans free-will doth alwayes concurre and beare a part thus he saith that he would perswade or entice Ahab to go up to Ramoth Gilead that he might fall 1 Kin. 22.21 the Apostle saith that our first Parents were beguiled by the serpent 2 Cor. 11.3 this was such a perswasion whereunto they willingly yeelded had they not beene willing to be deceived Satan could not have deceived them when Satan prevailed with Judas to betray his master Mat. 26. with Ananias and Saphira to lye to the Holy-Ghost Acts 5.3 they were not led to do these things by force and constraint but willingly and freely when he workes effectually in the children of disobedience Eph. 2.2 their owne wils do concurre with him in this worke therefore there is no opposition betwixt mans liberty and Satans working but a mutuall harmony there is not only an errour in the judgement but an evill motion in the will also when ever Satan by his temptation prevailes with men and Satan and mans will are concauses in bringing forth the same evill effect and in the greatest sins of all as in that of Apostacy mans will seldome works alone but so as it is irritated and assisted by Satan 3. If such as are built on the rocke may fall away and the sheep of Christ may perish this would argue a defect

this notorious untruth who sayes we have redemption by his bloud even the forgivenesse of sinne according to his rich grace Ephes 1.7 what is redemption by his bloud but paying the ransome what is forgivenesse of sinne but justification so when he makes Gods justifying of us and Christs dying for us to be unseparable companions It is God that justifieth who shall condemne it is Christ that is dead Rom. 8.33.34 2. Vnto the other part of the Argument namely that Justice cannot require a double payment of the same debt to let passe his oft begging of the question and tedious tautologies all that hee replies to purpose is this Object 1. That God punisheth his own children for whom there is no doubt but Christ hath made satisfaction Answ He cannot be ignorant that punishments mentioned in Scripture are of two sorts satisfactory and castigatory Of the first sort are such as Christ hath suffered for his people and which wicked men suffer in hell Of the second sort are such as God inflicts upon his own Children and causeth them to suffer not thereby to make satisfaction to his justice but to correct and chastise them for their faults and thereby bring them to amendment these being wholsome and healing medicines to cure their spirituall diseases Object 2. He objects that what God will require of others is a new debt namely sins against the Gospell covertly carrying it as if they were discharged of their old debt namely sinnes against the Law P. 101. Answ 1. But how can this stand with the perfection of Christs satisfaction if it reacheth only to some sinnes not to all or with the infinite vertue and efficacie of Christs bloud which cleanseth from all sinne with the fulnes of his redemption who gave himself to redeem us from all iniquity Tit. 2.14 shall unbeliefe shut men out from mercy and the benefit of Christs death How then hath God concluded or shut up all under unbeliefe that hee might have mercy on all both Jew and Gentile Rom. 11.32 Is not unbeliefe a fruit of the flesh a branch of the old man a principall member of the great body of sinne and was not Christ crucified that our old man might be crucified and the body of sinne might bee destroyed Romans 16.6 2. If Christ hath freed all men from their sins against the Law how then come they to be judged by the Law Rom. 2.12 how are they said to be under the Law Rom. 6.14 why are wee bidden so to speak and so to do as those who shall be judged by the Law Iam. 2.12 which can be no other Law then the same which hee spoke of in the vers before which saith a man must not commit adultery must not kill neither doth that hinder because he cals it a law of liberty for so it is to all that are in Christ that are led by his free spirit for so saith the Psalmist I shall walk at liberty for I seek thy precepts Psal 119.45 I shall runne the way of thy Commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart ver 32. The Commandements of God are not grievous to those that love him and obey out of love 1 Ioh. 5.3 Therfore notwithstanding all that Tho. More hath said still the Argument remains firme for if Christ hath payed the Ransome for all and thereby made satisfaction and perfect satisfaction then divine justice requires that it should be accepted If perfect satisfaction be made and accepted then perfect justice cannot require another satisfaction and so a double payment of the same debt namely that a poore sinner should suffer for ever in hell to satisfie divine justice for those sins which Christ already suffered for upon the Crosse and by his sufferings hath made perfect satisfaction such as hath been accepted If it be said that the sinner suffers himself because he will not apply Christs suffering and satisfaction to this it may be answered that if Christ loved him so far as to suffer and make satisfaction for him he will take order that application shall be made for Christ is a perfect Saviour and will not suffer the fruit of his suffering to be lost nor have the effect of them to mans arbitrement Object 4 Against the Argument drawn from Christs intercession that for whom Christ would not vouchsafe to pray he would not vouchsafe to die now he saith plainly that he did not pray for the world but for those whom the Father had given him Iohn 17.9 Tho. More objects many things and takes great pains to find out evasions wherby he may avoid the force of this Argument amongst which three only are to the purpose 1. Hee tels us that by the World here which our Saviour would not pray for is not meant the wicked ungodly world but all the Elect in the World which were yet uncalled p. 110. 2. That Christ doth not say he will not pray for the World but onely that he doth not pray speaking of the present time 3. That the word not is not so exclusive as to signifie not at all but not so much not in such manner so privily and chiefly for these as the other p. 111. Answ For answer here we may take notice that Tho. More grants that the word World may sometime be taken for the better part namely the Elect at least for a part of them which elsewhere he seemes not willing to grant but that the World cannot bee so taken here appears 1. Because our Saviour here opposeth the World to those whom the Father had given him out of the World now those whom the Father had given were all Elect as appears ver 2. all those to whom he should give eternall life Therefore he doth not oppose the Elect to the Elect one part of the Elect to another but all the Elect to the wicked World for which he would not pray 2. The manifestation of his Name ver 6. is the same with effectuall calling and giving of some to him by the Father is made the ground and cause of this manifestation and so in order of nature goes before it Hence our Saviour saith that he manifesteth himselfe to those whom the Father hath given him when had he given them namely before he manifested himself to them for the word is in the praeterperfect tense and speaks of a thing already past and done besides in the words following he shews plainly the same thing Thine they were saith he and thou gavest them me How were they Gods but by Election and by Election he gave them to his Sonne appointing them to obtaine salvation by Iesus Christ 1 Thes 5.9 So that giving here is not effectuall calling but that which goes before it as the ground and cause of it namely Election according to that of the Apostle whom he hath predestinated those also he hath called Rom. 8.30 3. Our Saviour mentions this praying as a choice priviledge belonging only to the Elect and as to the Elect only so to all

belongs to the sheep of Christ as sheep as such who are given to Christ of the Father and therfore to these only The faculty of laughter belongs to Socrates but not to him primarily but to man therefore it belongs to other men as well as Socrates yet to man only and no other creature To conclude how could Christ commend the excellency of his love to his sheepe to his owne whom the Father had given him to his Spouse the Church that he gave himselfe for these if he dad done the same thing for others for goats for strangers for those that neither are nor ever shall be members of the Church Objections of the Arminians whereby they endeavour to maintaine that Christ hath obtained salvation for all Object 1 God so loved the World that he gave his Sonne John 3.16 Christ saith that he gave his flesh for the life of the World Joh. 6. Sol. By the World is meant no more then men living in the World God loved men living in the World and Christ gave his flesh for men that live in the World but hence it follows not that hee gave himselfe for every man living in the world for the World is ofttimes put not for the whole world but for a part only as when it is said this is the condemnation of the world that light came into the world and men loved darknesse Iohn 3.19 and that the World hated Christs disciples as they had done him Joh. 15.18 19. Object But the World is never taken for the elect only Answ Though usually the World be put for the greater part which is the worst part yet somtimes it is taken for the better part as when our Saviour saith That he was that bread of God which came down from heaven to give life to the World Iohn 6.36 Christ gives not life to all but only to his sheep Ioh. 10. to the faithfull or elect the Apostle speaking of the Jews saith that their fall was the riches of the World Rom. 11.12 he hath subjected the World to come not to Angels but to Christ Heb. 2.5 God was in Christ reconciling the World to himselfe not imputing to them their sinnes 2 Corinth 5.19 now some men have their sinnes imputed to them yea all but true believers Col. 1.6 Object But the world in this place cannot be taken for the elect 1. Because the World is here distinguished into two parts namely believers ver 17. and unbelievers ver 19. unlesse we shall say that the elect loved darknesse more then light 2. Because if it be taken for the elect that God so loved the elect that whosoever of them do believe should have everlasting life what then shall become of those of the elect who do not believe Answ 1. The world is not here distributed into divers parts but only the word world is taken in divers senses In the 16 and 17 verses being taken for the better sort in the 19 verse being taken for the worser sort of men living in the world as it is not unusual in scripture for the same word to be taken in divers senses and that sometimes in the same place 1 Joh. 2.7.8 where Saint John saith I write not unto you a new Commandement againe I write unto you a new Commandement Neither is it here imployed that there are two sorts of elect some that did believe and have everlasting life and others not for the word whosoever is not here distributive but collective 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every believer So that in the first word our Saviour shewes what kind of persons men were when God gave his Sonne for them namely like the rest of the World in the second how they must be qualified when he bestowes everlasting life upon them they must bee believers 3. The World is here taken neither universally for every man nor particularly for some men but in a common sense for men living in the world as hath been shewed so that in regard of divers parts it may be said both to be loved and hated saved and condemned as the same people Israel are said to be enemies concerning the Gospell but to be beloved as concerning Election Object 2 He is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours alone but for the sins of the whole world 1 Ioh. 2.2 Answ The Apostle doth not here oppose himselfe and the rest of believers to every particular man living in the world but the Jews to the Gentiles or those who did already believe to those who should believe in all parts of the world So likewise Heb. 2.9 where it is said that Christ tasted death for all men it is understood of all the sons of God that were dispersed throughout all parts of the world as it appears in the next ver where it is said God brought many children to glory The Jews thought that the Messias was promised to be a Saviour only to them for overthrowing of this conceit the Apostle tels them that Christ tasted death for all men for all the sons of God throughout the world 2. This is such a propitiation as is joyned with intercession for Saint Iohn had said before we have an advocate with the Father even Jesus Christ the just and then adds he is a propitiation for our sins therefore this belongs not to all but only to believers Object 3 1 Tim. 2.6 Christ gave himself a ransome for all men Answ The world all is here to bee taken not distributively for every particular man but collectively for all sorts states and conditions of men whether high low rich poore learned or unlearned and the like for some of whom Christ gave himselfe a ransome as appears by the former words ver 1.2 where the Apostle had exhorted that prayers and supplications should be made for all men for Kings and those who were in authority For the word all in Scripture is ofttimes put not for every particular person or thing of which it is spoken but for some of these so Matt. 9.35 it is that Christ healed omnem morbum all or every disease that is every kind of disease and Luk. 12.42 ye tythe mint and rue and omne olus all herbs that is every kind of herbe Acts 10.12 Peter is said to have seene omnia quadrupedia terrae all the foure-footed beasts of the earth that is some of all sorts Luk. 3.6 All flesh shall see the salvation of God Ioel 2.28 Zach. 10.11 I will powre my Spirit upon all flesh that is upon some of all sorts of men so in many other places as Esay 40.5 Psal 2.8 Prov. 8.31 Esay 2.2 Object 4 1 Tim. 4.10 Christ is said to be the Saviour of all men especially of those that beleeve Answ The word Saviour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there signifies a preserver as well as a Saviour so it is said he preserveth or saveth both man and beast Psal 136.6 Psal 145.15.16 Object 5 2 Peter 2.1 St. Peter speaks of some who denied the Lord