Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	covenant_n	heart_n	new_a	6,959	5	6.8797	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A08318	The nevv Gospel, not the true Gospel. Or, A discovery of the life and death, doctrin, and doings of Mr. Iohn Traske, and the effects of all, in his followers Wherein a mysterie of iniquity is briefly disclosed, a seducer unmasked, and all warned to beware of imposters. As also a confutation of the uncomfortable error, of Mr. Boye, concerning the plague, out of Psal. 91. By Edvv. Norice.	Norris, Edward, 1584-1659.	1638 (1638)	STC 18645; ESTC S113242	39,058	60

in this time of visitation which hath sorrow enough in it selfe though it bee not furthered by mens errours Briefly then I answer If it doe appeare that the promises contained in that Psalme are not litterally to be understood but in a mysticall sense then that collection concerning the certain exemption of any from the danger of the Plague cannot be grounded on that Scripture but that the same is not litterally to be understood appeares by these reasons 1. Because the whole Psalme in a manner is metaphoricall wherein there is mention of the wings and feathers of the Almighty of his arrowes of the hands of Angels of the snare of the hunter of treading upon the Lion Dragon and Aspe Things not properly so to bee taken nor in that manner ever accomplished 2. Because the promises all along according to the letter cannot be so applyed nor expected as for instance That such as trust in God shall not dash their foot against a stone verse 12. The pestilence shall not come nigh them verse 7. no not neere their dwelling verse 10. They shall tread upon Lions Dragons and Serpents vers 13. They shall have advancement with long life and with honour verse 14 15 16. For then no true beleever in his going should at any time stumble or if so yet not at a stone as the Divell applyed it Mat. 4.6 The pestilence must not only not fasten upon their persons but not so much as come neere their dwellings * At the honse of Mr. Doctor Chetwind in Berckley before twenty witnesses as this foolish man once maintained in my hearing out of this Psalme Then might also a beleever by his faith tread upon Lions Dragons and Aspes or Adders without danger also it would then follow that the most faithfull people must live longest and be advanced in the world contrary to the Scriptures and all experience 3. Because it is said in the generall that no evill at all shall befall such ver 10. for so they must be exempted from all afflictions Amos 3.6 where they are termed evills although by the goodnesse of God they are turned into good to his people so that according to the letter they shall not at all be visited with any losses crosses or common sorrowes not with any mortall diseases or sicknesses as the Feaver Consumption or Pox not be hurt by any deadly weapons as swords and speares especially arrowes unlesse through want of faith Verse 5. so that every souldier who dieth in the field must bee concluded to want faith yea and every mans death must be a judgement for some particular finne and want of faith in a temporall promise aswell as in the case of the Plague which by his opinion must needs follow and so none at all shall be truly said to die in faith but through unbeleefe at least in respect of temporall promises 4. Because according to this interpretation the plague must be the punishment only of wicked men for so are the words with thine eyes shalt thou behold the reward of the wicked verse 8. and so all that die of the Plague must be condemned for wicked men even upon that evidence that they die of that disease which were a very wicked opinion to hold Hezekiah was sick and might have died of the Plague as he was told Isay 38.1 David demanded concerning them in his time these sheep what have they done 2 Sam. 24.17 he accounted them not greater sinners than others because they were so visited but more innocent in respect of that particular than himselfe many godly and faithfull people in all ages have been taken off with this visitation yea which is much to be observed some in our owne times Note men of note that have held the opinion of this Temporary have died of the same disease for a warning to all to beware how they tempt the Lord with their folly and this man in particular who proclaimed before many that if ever they heard The time and place aforesaid that he died of the plague they should report he wanted faith to expound the Psalme then according to the letter we see how many unavoidable errours it will bring forth Quest It may be demanded what then is the true sense and meaning of the came Answ The summe and substance of the Psal may be comprehended in this assertion following That such as the Lord will protect by his power The summe of Psal 91. shall not need to dread any evill whatsoever be it the snare of the hunter the wiles of Satan and his instruments both of them as fierce and fell as Lyons Dragons and Aspes or the most noysome disease be it the plague or pestilence which destroyeth mightily See Calvin on the Psal or yet the sword and weapons of warre though never so sharp and deadly nor any other mischiefe from any other creature But if it please him to leave any of his servants to such an outward evill to be taken away by any of those means before mentioned then it is in mercy and disposed of for their good either to prove them or to prevent greater evills that are to come upon themselves and others 2 Chro. 34.28 or to chasten them so here that they may not be condemned for ever 1 Cor. 11.32 which is not therfore done because the Lord doth faile in his power providence or truth towards his owne but because he seeth it best for them at such a time in such a manner by such a means to be so visited by him None of the temporall promises being intended against but for the works of mercy to which they are all subordinate and not predominant the fulfilling of them in their kind being no certaine evidence of love nor the contrary of hatred to any Eccl. 9.1 upon which ground it may come to passe that any of the servants of God may be taken away as many have beene with the sword or with the pestilence and yet not through want of faith in the temporall promises much lesse because they are wicked and forsaken persons Which exposition agreeth First See Treatise on the fourth petition with the nature of all temporall promises concerning health wealth strength long life good successe and the like that are varied according to the will of God Secondly the condition of all the faithfull in outward matters of which it is testified by Salomon that all things come alike unto all and there is one event to him that feareth God and to him that feareth him not Eccles 9.2 confirmed by continuall experience Thirdly with the judgements of the learned in all times and of expositors upon this Psalme heare one of them Although God do sometimes permit the godly themselves to be infected and die of the plague or to perish by other dangers yet that is nothing against this testimony and promise because the promises of temporall good things have a silent exception annexed unlesse the Lord shall see it fit to doe otherwise for causes knowne to himselfe Piscator Fourthly The contrary what is it but an uncouth and uncomfortable errour savouring of much ignorance in the sense of the Scriptures putting conditionall promises for absolute and abusing the faith of the servants of God to their great discouragement To all that feare God then would I direct this admonition to look there be no plague in their hearts 1 Kings 8.38 no sinne unrepented off but to make their peace in heaven through Christ to walk faithfully in the way of God and to use all lawfull and good meanes for their preservation and then not to be servilly affraid of any creature no not of the pestilence it selfe which either shall not touch them or if it do yet not in wrath for destruction as others but to loose the soule out of the prison of the body with more speed and it may be ease than many other diseases would have done remembring that of the Apostle That neither life nor death neither principalities nor powers neither things present nor to come nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord Rom. 8.38 39. And for this peremptory dogmatizer who sends forth his immodest and ignorant dictates into all parts to discover his own shame if he were capable of admonition I would advise him to do And of publishing the errors and lies of Traske if it were he as his betters have done before him make certaine retractions of his errors and false doctrines call in his exorbitant and unruly excursions repent of his personall reproaches and slanders against his owne knowledge and conscience especially that blasphemous imputation of distemper on the holy prayer of our Lord Iesus Christ unworthy of a Christian together with his foule handling of the Apostle St. Paul in divers particulars as matters that will not only lie upon his name which already is little worth but upon his conscience which should be pretious to him And then before he print any more books intermeddle any further in Controversies or undertake such high points as the censure of all Churches transcending his capacity to labour to be better grounded in his Catechisme to be informed in the Articles of Christian Religion His ignorance is apparent in these things to understand the difference betweene the Law and the Gospell the nature of the new Covenant what an absolute and a conditionall promise is withall to labour for an humble heart the feare of God the spirit of truth and the power of grace to governe his affections and then he shall see that which now he doth not and be ashamed of what he now glorieth in bewailing those monuments of ignorance and folly hee hath published to the world which I heartily wish he may do or that all may beware what they receive for truth from one that hath so little in him It is an honour for a man to cease from strife but every foole will be medling Prov. 20.3 FINIS

evill But his practise in this is as if a man rejecting all directions for his way in a journey should give this for his reason that the principle of motion must be in himselfe Charitas continet in sese implicite observationem impletionem omnium Dei mandatorum Ames l. 2. c. 7. medull and not in such outward directions so doth this man but therein it is marvellous what a difference he makes betweene love and the law as if they were two contraries or at least not of the same kind when the Scriptures acknowledge them to be but one and the same love being the very summe and substance of the whole Law Matth. 22.40 Gal. 5.14 But there is yet a more dangerous and suspitious passage following where he stands to maintaine that love hath no rules because God is love who being infinite is not to be limited by any law as if there were no odds betweene the Deity it selfe and a created quality in the hearts of men of which wee speak which Assertion of his therefore savours strongly of Familisme who blasphemously say H N. In his Evangelium Regni that God is manned and man is Godded with such like making no difference betweene the essentiall attributes of the Almighty and the workes and effects of his Spirit in men so this man will admit no rules for love in us because God is unlimitted but to proceed 5. ASSERTION The new covenant hath no condition at all faith is not the condition of the Gospels promises but only a qualification in us Explication TO all this he saith nothing but that the condition required is freely promised in the new Covenant it selfe to be given so leaving all the rest to stand as it did which is as much as if he had said nothing at all for the question was never whence the power came to performe the condition of the covenant but whether there be any at all required to make us partakers of the same which by his words he utterly denyeth excluding saith by name to beany condition of the Gospells promises Fide justificamur instrumentaliter Vrs pag. 343. or any instrument laying hold on Christ but only a qualification By which very ground he hath utterly ungrounded and overthrown the maine foundation of our justification by faith in Christ the condition of the covenant of grace in regard of us and of all the Gospels promises a most pernitious and pestilent opinion directly against the truth of the Gospell Novum soedus non antecedentem sed subsequentem conditionem requirit Ames and the doctrin received in the Churches of Christ and sufficient if there were none other to discover him to be a Seducer and his doctrine not to be the truth but a new Gospell of his owne devising for the promises of the Gospell of Christ pertain only to beleevers and that by reason of their faith in him as appears by Mark. 16.16 Ioh. 3.36 Rom. 10.9 Heb. 3.14 Heb. 4.23 c. else might Infidels and all sorts of wretched and ungodly persons claime right unto all the priviledges of the Gospell and benefits of the new Covenant as farre as the faithfull themselves and that so continuing it followes 6. ASSERTION The Gospel was in mans nature before the fall Explication THis assertion only he disclaimes as none of his no not in any sense throwing thereupon his wonted filth into the face of him that objects it to him and yet immediately after he confesseth some such words in a letter but in another sense which sense he doth not yet declare to cleare himselfe withall as no doubt the witty man would have done had he knowne how But it seemes hee had forgotten how he confessed the words to me himselfe at the conference to this purpose that in potentiâ it was there that is that mans nature was capable of it when it should be revealed a deep speculation and of as worthy consequence as true for if he understand it of nature corrupted the Scriptures testifie that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the naturall man comprehendeth not the things of the spirit speaking of the Gospell 1 Cor. 2.14 untill hee bee enlightned by the spirit of God But the mystery of the matter it seemes is that he would pursue the Law to the utmost even into Paradise it selfe and chase it out of the heart of Adam as that which never had any lawfull being any where so bitter was this Antinomian against the holy Law of God a fearefull mind but to proceed 7. ASSERTION Faith is not to be tryed by any fruits or effects but only by the perswasion it selfe Explication THis he confesseth to be his owne and explaineth himselfe in this manner that fruits and effects do not infallibly demonstrateth faith to any mans owne soule but faith only demonstrates them to be the fruits and effects that attend it selfe for how can any know that faith hath such fruits and effects but by the word and how can we know the word is truth but by faith only thus he wherein there is need of an other explanation to expound this such are the mazes of this mans mysteries for first the question is concerning justifying faith whether it hath any fruits or effects to be known by the answer is given out of an historicall faith in beleeving the truth of the Scriptures the former concernes particular assurance of faith and grace the later only the generall testimony of the word concerning such things wherein there is great difference for many are perswaded of the truth of the Scriptures that have no assurance at all of their own salvation yea the very Devills beleeve and tremble Jam. 2.19 the one is not by grace but by the evidence of truth which they cannot withstand the other is by a speciall work of the holy spirit but here in this reason of his is layd a false supposition for a ground viz. that as by a bare perswasion we beleeve the contents of the Scriptures to be true so by a bare perswasion we are assured of the truenesse of our faith and our owne salvation Vide Bucan de Scripturâ p. 4. Whereas there are many strong and sufficient arguments and grounds to prove the truth of the holy Scriptures besides a bare perswasion or conceit so likewise are there many evidences and signes of faith in true beleevers whereby it may bee knowne and not by a bare perswasion only For albeit we grant a certain reflect act of saving faith in the true beleever whereby he is oftentimes fully perswaded of his standing in the state of grace yet withall we affirme that this perswasion is not * See righteous mans assurance by Mr. Rogers fully of this point pag. 17.18 c. alone but hath certaine effects and concommitants proper to it selfe wherby it may be knowne and distinguished or discerned from a groundlesse presumption and bare conceit else may the most carnall persons yea the vilest men perswade themselves as

often they do of the favour of God and salvation to come when there is no such matter belonging to them such was the perswasion of those Iewes that boasted themselves not only to be the seed of Abraham but the children of God when as our Saviour told them plainly That was lying let these beware then they were the children of the divell and proves it by their fruits Ioh. 8.44 by which fruits also it may be discerned in others for which cause also the Holy Ghost referres us to examination and tryall Examine your selves whether ye be in the faith prove your owne selves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Cor. 13.5 alluding as it were to the touchstone and scales or to the symptomes of health and sicknesse in the body which needed not at all if a bare perswasion were enough being directed against such a supine and overly confidence as also is that of St. James in proving or shewing faith by workes Iam. 2.26 How dangerous a doctrin then hath this man broached in the Church by teaching men to rest only upon a bare perswasion of their beleeving without any further search or tryall withall taxing and bitterly censuring those Ministers that in their teaching urge and require any signes fruits or effects of faith and grace in all that professe themselves to be beleevers as he doth in this manner and in these very termes They tell them viz. the people that they must take heed they be not deceived for many are deceived with false faith for true and therefore they must look it be of the right * This is deridingly spoken kind and if it be then they tell them that these and these signes will follow a change of the life uprightnesse of heart and universall obedience to the commandements of God and such like else their faith is but a fancy c. pag. 29. It seemes then he was such a beleever himselfe Now what kind of faith according to this censure doth this man teach his disciples to relie upon but according to his owne words that without either change of life uprightnesse of heart or conscience of obedience to the will of God they may perswade themselves they are true beleevers and in the assured way of life and salvation which doctrine if it be not most opposite to the Gospel of Christ and most pernitious to the soules of men what is are there any carnall wretched people that will not easily swallow down this poyson surely if ever there were any Impostors in the Church this was one but let all beware how they follow him yet he goes on 8. ASSERTION Faith is the only signe of salvation Explication THis he thus explaineth that faith is the only infallible evidence to a beleevers own soule of his salvatiō which is all hee saith to it and that not very true for St. Iohn makes love an infallible signe and evidence to a mans own soule of salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren 1 Ioh. 3.14 which place was noted in the margin but he would not touch it and S. Paul makes the sanctification of the spirit and beleefe of the truth infallible evidences of election and salvation 2. Thes 2.13 but these things are utterly against his Gospell and profession both therefore he medles not with them 9. ASSERTION The new Creature is only faith in Christ Explication HIs explanation is that the new Creature is only the true beleever in Christ as if the subject and the habit the beleever and his faith were all one and the very same thing by such explanations a man may say any thing which I wish his disciples to observe that they may see what gudgions they swallow from this new Apollo with his riddles 10. ASSERTION Regeneration is not to bee tryed by any other fruits effects or signes but only by faith wherin it consisteth Explication HErein he quarrells first at the citing of the words as his Gospel grounds next that they are changed from wherby it is attained to wherein it consists which are nothing else but shifts and cavills for the words are expressed under his owne hand and agree with his former Assertion that the new creature is only faith in Christ and that faith is not to be tryed by signes or effects which is the substance of what he here delivereth and in his explanation he thus dischargeth himselfe that Regeneration hath no infallible tryall for a mans owne assurance but only by the truth of his faith this is his meaning and this not very sound for is not every saving grace every effectuall work of the holy spirit 1 Iohn 4.7 Gal. 5.22 23 24. every fruit of sanctification proceeding from the word and spirit converting the heart a signe of regeneration aswell as faith and wherby the tryall may be made aswell as by it instance was given in the grace of love but he would not see it especially seeing he will admit no signes nor effects in the tryall of faith but the bare perswasion for after this way if a man be strongly perswaded that he is regenerate though there be no signes fruits or effects to shew it yet he must rest upon the perswasion that it is so howsoever because he is so perswaded but why is he so perswaded he cannot tell neither is he to inquire after it either in respect of his faith or his regeneration by this way Ministers might save all their labour in teaching the people and only bid them beleeve they are in Christ and then they are regenerate all under one but make no tryall of either of them that 's needlesse their perswasion is sufficient for both How unlike is this Seducers doctrin yea how contrary to the Doctrine and Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ wherein are so many exhortations to duties so many cautions and pressing admonitions to search and try Mat. 6.1 Mat. 7.13 Rom. 8.9 2 Cor. 13.5 Heb. 3.12 Heb. 12.15 Rev. 3.23 to prove and examine our affections and actions our faith and our fruits yea our very persons and spirits lest we deceive our selves with false imaginations of our own or the illusions of our common enemy the rest of his discourse is answered in the seventh Assertion then to proceed 11. ASSERTION Sanctification is not by the spirit in our selves but only in Christ shewed in acts and not in the habits of grace Explication THis whole assertion he acknowledgeth to be his own without any exception wherein according to his words he denyeth sanctification by the spirit of God and all habits of grace but in what mysticall sense and in what construction his explanation will declare which is thus Sanctification is not in our selves that is in the flesh but only as we are in union with Christ and by the spirit only as we understand it of its operations by mortification or quickning these our mortall bodies yet not so in us

as mingled with uncleannesse but as distinct absolutely from the flesh as being an other nature yea a participation of the Divine nature 2 Pet. 1.3.4 which though it make up one person yet is none at all of the old man nor of the old creation but it is that new Creation that new heart and that spirit of God which is bestowed upon us Ezek. 11.19 which yeeldeth no new habits in the flesh as if that were changed or renewed but is subsisting of it selfe that it is of power to manifest it selfe by acts of quickning and reviving and enabling this mortall flesh as the life of Iesus in it c. neither is it the sanctified person that hath any habit of grace in his flesh but the Lord Jesus dwelling in him doth put forth the bright beames of his glory in such vertues as do best fit the time and place in which he lives Rom. 8.9 2 Cor. 1.8 9. Here is his mysterie tending as much to the edification of the people as if he had read to them a Lecture of Arabick or cast dust in their eyes to make them see for first he denies sanctification to be by the spirit in ourselves then he grants it to be in our selves but not in the flesh then it is by the spirit as we understand it of his operations yet there are no new habits in the flesh as if that were changed at all but then that it doth quicken our mortall bodies and yet not as joyned with the flesh but absolutely distinct by it selfe it sendeth forth Acts as the life of Iesus in it wherin he utterly denyeth regeneration sanctification or any change of nature at all in the sanctified person who only is sanctified by the presence of Christ in him which hee calls his union with Christ but not by any reall work of the spirit in any faculty of the soule nor by any change at all wrought in the heart but it remaines as carnall and sensuall as it was before the spirits entrance a strange and monstrous peece of doctrin See the contrary in Mark 9.49 Iohn 3.8 Rom. 8.9 1 Cor. 6.11 1 Pet. 1.2 1 Thes 5.23 denying the very Articles of our Christian faith and one of the chiefest priviledges of a true Christian which is to be regenerate by the spirit of God affirming a man to bee sanctified without any grace or goodnesse but even as he was borne in puris naturalibus and in that state to have Christ living in him a pestilent and blasphemous opinion And that the Reader may see this to be his positive doctrin deliberately set down I think meet to lay before his eyes a short tract of this point made by him of purpose as it seemes to doctrinate his disciples withall wherin the marrow of this Seducers divinity is disclosed and it is this that followeth It s a thing to be considered what the new creature is A treatise of the old man and the new that new man that seed of God which is borne of the spirit it is not any renovation of the old man that which is borne of the flesh the fallen man for that 's from beneath this from above that 's from the earth this from heaven a new creation of nothing as in the creation of the world so that the inward or new man differ as much from the outward or old as the godly nature of Christ doth differ from his manly nature and both these natures together make but one person as in him this is the reason that he which is borne of God sinneth not nor can sin Note for it is a partaking of the godly nature and such are as perfect as ever they shall be although not in manifestation and yet the old man is as imperfect as ever it was for the new creature is not the mutation or change of the understanding from darknesse to light for then there should no darknesse remaine Sound reasoning à nen perfecto ad nihil nor a change of the will from crooked to streight for then should no perversenesse remaine nor any ordering of the same affections for so all disorder were put away nor yet a change of the memory for so were the memory without defect for this understanding will affections memory and the rest are gifts from heaven and must of necessity be perfect without any defect or superfluity for our first generation as borne of parents is totally fallen and cannot be recovered here but our regeneration is wholly perfect and can never be corrupted or sinne againe for take it in the parts what is repentance or faith or love or joy or any of the rest are they not the gifts of God and are not Gods gifts all perfect and without blemish But are they so in us These being distinct in our minds as the divine and humane natures of Christ in that one person we shall not impute * Yet David said I have sinned Psal 51. our sinnes to our selves nor yet our good so confusedly as in times past the flesh or old man shall have no glory of any good is done nor the spirit or new man any shame of the evill or sinne that the flesh commits it will nt only enable us to know our owne estates but the holy Scriptures and we shall see the vanity The best writers with vanity and folly in a ground of faith and folly of the most if not all writers who put all the work upon the change wrought in this flesh which can never bee changed So strange a piece of stuffe as I think need no further opening or confuting to them that have understanding but for such as are blinded with partiality I would propose but these few Quaeres to consider off and resolve by Scripture 1. Whether the Divine and humane natures of Christ be fit instances in this case seeing his divine nature contained the fulnesse of the God-head and his humane nature was perfect and without spot of sin Col. 2.9 1 Pet. 1.19 especially propounding it as he doth without exception or difference of nature or persons between him and us as if the case were in manner one and the resemblance in all things equall which may open a gap to many blasphemous errors about the union and the natures themselves 2. Whether the creation of the world of nothing be a resemblance in all things sutable as he also makes it to the work of regeneration seeing there was no praeexistent matter at all to work upon but the very substances were created here is matter praeexistent as the understanding will and affections only new qualities are created in them from what they had before by which meanes the same faculties are made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the weapons of righteousnesse to God Rom. 6.13 that were before only the weapons of unrighteousnesse to sinne and then are not the faculties themselves for substance sent new from heaven as he dreameth but only the old