Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	death_n	jesus_n	law_n	7,515	5	5.3912	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86586	An exercitation concerning the nature of forgivenesse of sin. Very necessary (as the author humbly conceiveth) to a right informaion [sic], and well grounded decision of sundry controversal points in divinity now depending. Directly intended as an antidote for preventing the danger of antinomian doctrine. And consequently subservient for promoting the true faith of Christ and fear of God, in a godly righteous, and sober life. / By Thomas Hotchkis, Master of Arts of C.C.C.C. and minister of Gods word at Stanton by Highworth in the county of Wilts. To which is prefixed Mr. Richard Baxters preface.	Hotchkis, Thomas.; Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691.	1654 (1654)	Wing H2891; Thomason E1518_1; Thomason E1632_1; ESTC R208563	133,342	405

there also acknowledged that albeit we are adopted and regenerated so soone as we are believers neverthelesse the time of our Adoption and regeneration is not in some sense afore the day of judgment because afore that time they shall not be compleated in soul and body nor the benefits of them as to the whole man fully enjoyed as appeares Rom. 8.23 Matth. 19.26 2. The reinvestment or restauration of a sinner into the love and favour of God being as was aforesaid the positive part of pardon who will say to the contrary but that a sinner may grow in the love and favour of God and that the Saints now triumphant in heaven are more in Gods favour or do enjoy more of his love and favour then they were or did being sinners militant here on earth Yea Christ himself though no sinner is said to grow in the favour of God Luke 2.52 Quest. 2. How farre forth or in what sense may it be said that a sinner doth receive a present pardon immediately upon the confession of his sinnes Answ Though this question be a different question from the former and hath more difficulty in it neverthelesse a due consideration of the premises touching the quiddity or true nature of forgiveness of sinne will enable us to make an unerring answer as I suppose thereunto and unto the said question Therefore I reply That a sinner in or upon the confession of his sinnes doth instantly enjoy the pardon of his sins three wayes or in a threefold sense or for as much as doth amount to these three things 1. The sinner is immediately discharged delivered or disobliged from that Wrath to come as is the Apostles phrase 1 Thes 1.10 or from being actually bound over to eternal damnation or the condemning power of sin is taken away or in the phrase of the Prophet Micah chap. 7.19 subdued As sin hath a commanding power over the sinner enslaving him to its service so likewise it hath a condemning power upon the sinner which power is immediately taken away so soon as sin is in a Scripture sense way or manner confessed Having mentioned these two powers of sin let me crave leave to interpose this one thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by the by viz That when we read in the writings of Saint Paul or in any other Scripture concerning the reign and dominion of sin we must have a special regard to the Context if we will rightly interpret the true meaning of the Holy Ghost concerning which of these two powers of sin he speaketh for I am half minded that some Texts of Scripture are commonly interpreted one way when upon a more through consideration wee shall find reason rather to interpret them another especially that in Rom. 6.14 Sin shall not have dominion over you which is commonly interpreted concerning the cōmanding power of sin I think is intended by the Apostle concerning the damning power thereof that power or strength which hee elsewhere saith sin hath by the Law i. e. the commination of the Law by vertue whereof sin doth damn or condemn the sinner 1 Cor. 15.56 and for victory over which sa●d damning power or strength of sin the Apostle doth blesse God in the following verse saying But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory th●ough our Lord Jesus Christ Sure I am of these three things 1. That when God doth pardon sin hee is said to subdue it Mic. 7.19 2. That sin hath never got a full conquest or its full victory over the sinner or that sin doth never reign in its full power and strength over the sinner till it hath brought the sinner into the pit of Hell or hath actually damned him or in the Apostles phrase Rom. 5.28 doth reigne unto death 3. That Gods not suffering sin in respect of its damning power to reign over the Saints is a very fit proper and prevalent Argument to perswade them not to suffer sin in respect of its commanding power to reign over them Freedom from both these powers of sin or from sin with respect to both these powers it being stiled with respect to its commanding power over us the Law of sin and with respect to its damning power over us the Law of Death the Apostle doth mention in one place Rom. 8.2 The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus i.e. the living or quickning Spirit of Jesus Christ hath made me free from the law of sin and * Those who by the Law of Death do here understand the Law of Works do not vary as I suppose from the interpretation which I have here given seeing that sin hath its condemning power from or by vertue of the Law of Works deah i. e. from sin which doth as a Law command condemn This last particular being considered doth make me boldly yet humbly to offer this as a rule viz. That when God doth exhort us not to suffer sin to have dominion over us then and there we are to understand the commanding power of sin but when he promiseth on his part that sin shall not have dominion over us then and there we are to understand the condemning power of sin the former being mans duty is fit matter for a command the latter being Gods mercy is fit matter for a Promise Yet let me add these two things in the way of Caution 1. I do acknowledge that the usual interpretation of Rom. 6.14 which I do for the Reasons aforesaid dissent from is a mis-interpretation if indeed such of no dangerous consequence because these two powers of sin like Hypocrates his twins do decay and flourish do live and dye and revive together I mean if or whensoever the one doth revive the other doth revive also Now in such cases I think it my duty however to offer what strength of reason or Scripture I have for my owne sense and apprehension neverthelesse not much or stifly to contend with any man of a contrary mind but rather in the spirit of meeknesse to suffer every man to abound in his owne sense according to the analogy or proportion of faith from which those do not vary who do understand grace to performe duty and the successeful exercise of it to be promised also 2. Albeit in my Exposition of Rom. 6.14 I seeme to have taken off the edge of one weapon or rather to have endeavoured the wresting of one weapon out of the hands of our Divines in their contest with the Arminians about the Apostacy of the Saints neverthelesse I have done no prejudice as I think to the Doctrine of Perseverance as commonly taught and received by our Divines for I deny not but that there is as much promised in other Scriptures as doth amount unto or accord with that usual Interpretation of Rom. 6.14 which I do professedly dissent from But to returne See Mr. Burges of Justification p. 137. As soon as sin is committed there doth accrue unto God a moral right or power as a

have wrought 5 If because God hath promised to Believers that they shall persevere in his grace and love they therefore are to live above all fear of the curse and the threatnings of the Word why are they not by a like reason to live above all Scriptures and all Ordinances above all exhortations to persevere and above all such admonitions against Apostasie which S. Peter himself doth give unto such who were truly sanctified and had received a like precious faith with himself saying 2 Pet. 3.17 18. Ye therefore Beloved seeing ye know these things and what those things were among others see 2 Pet. 2. beg and latt viz. the fearful end and doom of all Apostates beware lest ye also being led away with the errour of the wicked fall from your own stedfastnesse But grow in Grace There be many things which Saint Peter writes to the Saints in that Epistle for which the Antinomians would charge us should we say the same things to the Saints as legal Preachers but I doubt not but that Saint Peter himself having been a backslider having received that Item from Christ Thou being converted strengthen thy brethren was mindful of that very counsel of Christ given to him by writing in such sort as he doth in his Epistles in order to the strengthening and perseverance of his brethren the believing Jewes and to their effectual preservation from Apostasie by what temptations soever The great Error of the Antinomians in things of this nature is That they separate the meanes from the end Christ from duty and duty from Christ the Spirit from the Word and the Word from the Spirit Obj. 7. One end of the Redemption of Believers from the curse of the Law and from all enemies is that they should serve God without fear as is plainly and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 asserted Luke 1.74 In untying the knot of this Objection I shall decline two Answers 1 I will not dispute or argue whether the Greek Adverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being the first word in the verse ought to be referred to the word Serve or to the word Delivered Theophylact joyning it with the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deliverd and interpreting it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. Sine ullo nostro periculo Christus enim saith he quiescentibus nobis crucifixus est I will speak nothing to argue the probability of the said reference and interpretation Christ having delivered or redeemed us without any fear or danger on our parts sustained but I shall take the words according as they stand in our owne Translation and as they are commonly interpreted by our moderne Divines 2. I will decline the usual distinction of fear into filial and servile Yet this I will do 1. Not because I do disaprove the said distinction 2. Nor because I think it not applicable or useful in the present case and for my present purpose but because I am well assured that the difference betwixt these two sorts of fears is much mistaken by very many for whereas it is commonly thought and taught that filial and servile fear do differ in their material object or have different objects the object of filial fear being God in the notion of a loving Father or God and his goodnesse and no otherwise and the object of servile fear being as they say God as a Judge or God and his vengeance I must crave leave in this place to give in my opinion to the contrary and to assert That these two fears do differ not in the object matter or thing feared but in the manner of fearing for the material object even of godly and filial fear is God a consuming fire or the eternal vengeance of God as well as of servile fear as is to me past all doubt or contradiction most evident by those two Scriptures before cited Heb. 12.28 29. and Luke 12.4 5. A godly man or a child of God as wel as a wicked man or an enemy of God is to fear hel and damnation as was before plainly and plentifully proved and therefore hell and damnation must needs be the object as well of filial as of servile fear One main difference betwixt these two fears I do therefore conceive to be in the manner how those dreadful objects are feared they being in a different manner feared by a son and by a slave by a godly and by a wicked man The Answer then which I will give to that place of Scripture shall be by distinguishing concerning a twofold fear I mean twofold in respect of the manner of fearing as followeth A man may fear hell and damnation two wayes 1. As that which he is actually for present obliged to suffer or as that which he knowes will betide him rebus sic stantibus in his present state and condition or in those wayes wherein hitherunto he hath walked and still doth walk in 2 A man may fear hell and damnation as that from the suffering whereof albeit for the present he be discharged as being in the state of grace which neverthelesse he may and shall suffer if he abide not in his present state of Grace or continue not in that way of holinesse wherein he is going The former kind of fear I may not unfitly stile a positive fear and the latter suppositive the one being absolutely exercised or exerted the other conditionally The former indeed is that kind of fear which we commonly call servile and it is the fruit or effect of the spirit of bondage spoken of by Saint Paul as that which the sons of God are delivered from Rom. 8.15 and Heb. 2 14 15. None but the slaves of Satan and the Divels bondmen are in such sort to fear hell and damnation The meaning then of that in Luke 1.79 is That Christ hath delivered us from this positive fear of evil or the fearing of evil in this positive manner it being the scope of Zachary in that his Song to intimate that Christ is indeed an Horn of salvation ver 69. i. e. a strong and mighty Saviour horn being frequently put for strength and effectual defence Psal 18.2 and consequently that the redeemed ones of Christ whom he hath redeemed from the service of sin to the service of himselfe need not in his service or so long as they do continue in ways of his service to fear any enemy whatsoever What Beza notes upon the place is note-worthy Batach or Betach signifying Spem securitatem cum Lamed adverbiascit significans tutò securè confidenter Psal 4.9 Gen 34.25 See S●bindler 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he is the same with the Hebrew Tabetach used Lev 25.18 and 26 5 which is there rendred in safety or with the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used Ephes 3.12 and there rendred With confidence so that to serve God without fear is no more then with faith boldness or confidence to build upon the Power Promise Goodnesse Truth Faithfulnesse and the like Attributes of God for