Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	deed_n	flesh_n	mortify_v	5,880	5	10.8136	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09950	The breast-plate of faith and love. A treatise, wherein the ground and exercise of faith and love, as they are set upon Christ their object, and as they are expressed in good workes, is explained. / Delivered in 18 sermons upon three severall texts, by the late faithfull and worthy minister of Iesus Christ, Iohn Preston, Dr. in Divinity, chaplaine in ordinary to his Maiesty, Master of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolnes Inne.	Preston, John, 1587-1628.; Sibbes, Richard, 1577-1635, ed.; Davenport, John, 1597-1670, ed.	1630 (1630)	STC 20208; ESTC S105956	328,230	606

seeth that hee doth much of the second Table and little of the first and the hypocrite againe doth much of the first and little of the second let them consider that faith enableth a man to haue respect to all Gods Commandements it workes a generall change And as this is true for the substance so it is also for degrees for if God accepts onely effectuall faith then so much efficacie and so much working as you finde in any man so much faith there is If there be no workes there is no faith if the workes be few the faith is a languishing faith if the workes be many the faith is great and strong That is the second Vse wee should make to learne to judge aright of our selues and others Thirdly if it be onely an effectuall faith which GOD accepteth then this justifieth our Doctrine against the Papists that say we teach that onely faith justifieth and require no good workes I say we teach that not a naked but an effectuall faith doth it So that all the difference betweene them and vs is this we agree both in this that workes are necessarily required to saluation that no man shall see GOD without them without purenesse of heart and integrity of life We say Except men mortifie the deedes of the body by the Spirit they shall dye and there is no condemnation to them that walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit That is there is a necessity put vpon men to walke after the Spirit in this we agree but here is the difference They say that faith and workes both are required to justifie we say that nothing is required but faith and that workes follow faith wee say faith indeed is working and produceth ●uch effects so that whereas they say faith and workes we say faith only but it must be an effectuall faith a working faith If they object that place of Iames wee are not justified by faith but by workes I answer that there is a double justification there is a justification of the person so was Abraham justified by faith as Paul expresseth it Rom. 4. But then there is a second justification a justification of the faith that Abraham had he justified his faith by his works he shewed that hee had not a dead faith a liuelesse faith a faith without workes but that he had a liuely effectuall faith for he added workes to his faith his workes wrought together with his faith So that if the question be Whether Abraham was an hypocrite his workes justified him that hee was none If the question be Whether Abraham was a sinner his faith justifieth him and shewes that he was made righteous through faith So there is a justification of the person and a justification of the faith of the person as when a man is said to justifie such an action or such a cause the meaning is not that he will make that just which was vnjust before but he will make it appeare to be just so Abraham was declared to haue a justifying faith by that power and efficacie it wrought in him in offering vp his sonne Againe it is objected out of that place that by workes faith is made perfect therefore it seemes that faith is nothing alone if workes bee not joyned with it I answer that when it is said that faith is made perfect by workes the meaning is that faith is made good by workes the perfection of faith is declared by workes As one that professeth that he hath an Art and that he is able to doe this and that if he doe the worke wherein his Art is shewed if he make any artificiall worke by that he maketh good his Art Or as when we say these Trees are good because they haue sappe in them they are not dead Trees Now the Tree is made perfect by the fruit so faith by workes is made perfect Not that workes put life into faith the sap must first be in the Tree and then it bringeth forth fruit so there must first be a life in faith and then it bringeth forth workes So that when we say that faith is made perfect by workes the meaning is that workes declare faith to be right as the fruit doth declare the Tree to haue sap Againe if it be objected as it is by them that workes and loue c. are to faith as the soule is to the body for as the body without the soule is dead so faith without workes is dead Hence they gather that faith is as the body and that loue and workes are as the soule therefore faith justifieth not but workes To this I answer They take the comparison amisse For the scope of it is this as a soulelesse body is nothing worth it is dead and no man regardeth it so is a workelesse faith The meaning is not that workes are as the soule and faith as the body but as a man when he lookes vpon a carkasse and seeth no life in it no pulse no motion no sence such a body is nothing worth so when we see a faith without motion that hath no pulses that hath no expression of life in it such a faith is of no worth But you will say if we be not justified by workes to what end are good workes required I answer there is end enough there are motiues enow Is not loue a ground strong enough to bring forth good workes When this objection was made to Paul Rom. 6. If Grace abound why may wee not sinne the more for Grace aboundeth as sinne aboundeth he might easily haue answered Except you doe good workes you cannot be saued but he saith How can we that are dead to sinne liue any longer therein That is when a man is once in CHRIST there will be such a change wrought in him that hee shall finde CHRIST killing sinne in him and hee shall be raised againe to newnesse of life insomuch that he must of necessity doe it there will be loue in his heart that will set him aworke that will constraine him therefore saith he are you not baptized into Christs death That is when a man is in CHRIST he is dead to sinne as CHRIST dyed for him so that though there be no such motiue as for a man to get Heauen by his workes yet vpon the taking of Christ there is a loue planted in the heart there is a change wrought in the heart so that there is an aptnesse in it to doe good workes so that now a man delighteth in the Law of God concerning his inward man he desires nothing more then to be employed in it it is his meate and drinke to doe the will of GOD. Is not this enough to moue vs Againe though good workes be not required for justification yet this may be a motiue GOD rewards vs he chastens and afflicts vs according to our workes 1 Pet. 1.15

Paul in Eph. 1. in all the former part of the Chapter to the 18. Verse hauing declared the great Mysterie of saluation he takes himselfe vpon the sudden and beginnes to thinke with himselfe though I shew you all this it is to no purpose if GOD send not the Spirit of reuelation c. Therefore hee lifts vp his heart to GOD beseeching him to giue them the Spirit of revelation to open the eyes of their vnderstanding that they might see the hope of their Calling and the riches of their inheritance with the Saints So should Ministers learne to doe to pray for the people that GOD would infuse and send his Spirit into their hearts that they may be able to perceiue these things effectually with a right apprehension to see the secrets of GOD in them you also should goe to GOD and beseech him to helpe you with his Spirit that so you may be able to apprehend these things and that they may be powerfull to worke the same thing for which we deliuer them to you and so wee haue shewed you these three things First what effectuall faith is namely in shewing you why it is called effectuall faith Secondly wherein the efficacie of faith consists and Thirdly how it is wrought Now last of all wee are to shew you the reason why GOD accepts no faith but that which is effectuall And there is good reason why no faith should be accepted of GOD but that which is effectuall First because otherwise it is not faith at all if it be not effectuall and if it be not faith it is no wonder that he doth not accept of it I say it is no more faith then a dead man is said to be a man you giue the name of a man to him yet he is not a man no more is faith that is not effectuall any faith it hath only the name of faith and there is no more in it but as dead Drugges which haue no efficacie in them or as dead Plants or dead Wine which is turned to Vinegar it ceaseth to be Wine it is no longer Wine but Vinegar so it may be said of ineffectuall faith it is not faith it hath the name and the shaddow of faith onely and therefore God accepts it not Againe GOD will saue none vnlesse they be reconciled to him and be such as loue him for that condition is euery where put in All things shall worke together for good to them that loue him and he hath prepared a Crowne for them that loue him Now if faith be not effectuall there will be no loue and if loue be necessarily required GOD cannot accept that faith that is ineffectuall Againe if GOD should accept of a faith that is ineffectuall the Deuils haue such a faith by which they apprehend the Word and a faith that brings forth effects for they feare and tremble but this is not the faith that purifieth the heart it is not an effectuall it is not a purging liuely faith Againe CHRIST receiues none but them that deny themselues and are willing to take vp their crosse and to follow him that mortifie the deedes of the body by the Spirit Now an ineffectuall faith doth none of these and therefore that faith that saueth must bee a working faith or else these things should not be necessarily required Againe it was Christs end in comming into the world that he might destroy the workes of the Deuill and for this end hath the grace of God appeared that men should deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and for this end did hee giue himselfe to purifie to himselfe a people zealous of good workes He comes to be a King as well as a Sauiour to rule among his people to haue men obey him which could not be if faith were not effectuall if it did not purifie the heart and enable men to deny all worldly lusts and to liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world And last of all good workes are required of necessity as the way to saluation Eph. 2.10 We are Gods workmanship created in Iesus Christ vnto good workes which he hath ordained that we should walke in them Good workes are required of necessity GOD judgeth vs according to our workes Rom. 2. and at the last day the reward is pronounced according to that which men haue done When I was in prison you visited me when I was naked you cloathed me c. And if they be required of necessity then it is not a dead liuelesse workelesse faith but a powerfull energeticall faith a faith that is stirring and actiue a faith that is effectuall which GOD requires without which we cannot be saued We come now to make some Vse of what hath beene said First If GOD accept no faith but that which is effectuall it should teach vs not to be deceiued in a matter of so great moment It should teach vs to looke to our faith to consider whether it be a right faith or no. If a man haue Euidences vpon which his lands and whole estate dependeth if one should come and tell him that they were false Euidences it would affect him he would at the least be ready to looke and to examine them and yet these are matters of lesse moment If one be told that his Corne is blasted that all the Trees in his Orchard are dead that all his money is counterfeit a man would looke euen to these things a man would haue that which he hath to be sound and not counterfeit and shall not we then looke to the faith that we haue vpon which the saluation of our soules depends seeing God accepteth none vnlesse it be ●ound and seeing there is so much counterfeit faith in the world It should teach vs to looke about vs and consider what our faith is For as Iames saith faith without workes cannot saue vs. What auaileth it my Brethren if a man say he hath faith and hath not workes can his faith saue him So I say to euery man in such a case thou that thinkest thou hast faith if there be not workes too if it be not effectuall if it be not a liuely faith will such a faith saue thee If a man should come and say to one that brags of the Balsome or Drugges which he hath that are dead and haue lost their efficacie Will such a Balsome heale thee If a man haue a guilded Target made of paper a man may say to him Will that Target defend thee And so I say when a man hath a counterfeit faith Will such a faith as this saue thee It will not saue you you may please your selues in it as a man is pleased with a false dreame but when you are awaked you will finde that you are deceiued Learne therefore to consider of your faith to see if it be effectuall When the LORD proclaimed himselfe to be a mercifull God forgiuing iniquity

may be many delusions in this kinde many Hypocrites may haue great raptures they may haue great ioy as if they were lift vp into the third heauen they may haue a great and strong perswasion that their estate is good Satan is very apt to delude vs in this kinde to put a counterfeit vpon vs in stead of true faith Therefore wee will not content our selues with this but giue other markes that will not deceiue At this time you are to consider you that come to the Sacrament Is it not a maine thing to consider whether you haue faith or no What do you here else you haue nothing to doe with Christ you haue no interest in him and if you haue no interest in him what doe you with the Elements which represent his body and his blood And therefore you haue cause to attend to it First therfore if thou find such a worke in thy heart for if thou conclude that there is no such worke thou needest not examine further thou maist be sure that thou hast not faith but if thou haue such a worke if thou wouldst know whether it be really and truly or whether it be a fancie or delusion consider First if it be true it purifies the heart in Acts 15.9 saith the Apostle Peter there God hath put no difference betweene vs and them after that by faith hee had purified their hearts So in Acts 26.18 And thou shalt preach forgiuenesse of sinnes to those that are sanctified by faith So that this you must take as a sure rule If thy faith bee true it purifies thy heart it sanctifies thee And therefore you see faith and repentance are alwaies put together Repent and beleeue for they are neuer disjoyned If thou find the worke of repentāce be not wrought throughly soundly in thee if thou finde thy heart not purified if thou be not sanctified if there be not a sanctified disposition in thee be sure it is a delusion it is not faith or if faith be as you heard heretofore a taking of CHRIST not as a Sauiour onely but as a Priest and not as a Priest onely but as a King too it must needes be that there must be reall obedience or else it is not faith thou hast not taken him If there be nothing but a meere assent as the Papists affirme in another case For faith is a taking of Christ and a giuing of our selues to him againe so that there is a match there is a bargaine a Couenant betweene vs as hee saith in Heb. 8.8 I will make a New Couenant with them Now a Couenant hath two parts If GOD doe this for you you must doe somewhat on your part you must loue him and obey him As in a Marriage the Husband doth not onely take the Wife but the Wife also takes the Husband If faith bee such a thing as this there must needes be a generall reformation of the life or else it is certaine thou hast not taken him Therefore know that as there is a liuely hope so there is a liuely faith And when it is said to be a liuely faith it intimates that there is another that is a dead faith that is There is a kinde of beleeuing a kinde of taking Christ a kinde of giuing a mans selfe to him but yet marke it saith he it is such a one as breeds no life in thee Marke if thy faith be such a faith as hath brought Christ to dwell in thy heart so as the soule dwels in the body if it be such a dwelling in thy heart that there be life in thee for Christ when he dwels in vs he acts the soule as the soule acts the body As the body now when the soule is there is able to moue is able to stirre is able to doe any thing So the soule of a man it fals to the duties of godlinesse and new obedience to all good workes it is ready as the Apostle saith to euery good worke it is nimble and ready to goe about them you are aliue to righteousnesse Hath faith so brought Christ into thy heart that he liues in thee as he did in Paul that thou canst finde and say truely I am dead to sinne and liue to righteousnesse That thou hast mortified the deedes of the body by the Spirit that thou findest another life working in thee except thou canst finde this it is not true faith for true faith is such as brings Christ to dwell in thy heart and he dwels there when he reviues thy spirit as it is Isay 57.13.14 I dwell in the high Heauens and with him also that is of a contrite spirit to reviue the Spirit of the humble that is he neuer dwels but he giues life And if thou finde not such a life in thy selfe conclude that thy faith is not good And this you ought the more to marke because many thousands seeme to take CHRIST and to doe much and yet for all this they haue not life all the while Take two grafts it may be there is incision made in both both may be planted as you often see in Plants after they bee planted if you would know whether the grafting bee true or no if you come a while after and see one of the grafts dead and withered you say this grafting was not good or the stocke was not good somewhat was amisse and if you finde it to bud and that there be life in it then you say it was grafted indeed the grafting was good and right So when a man comes and takes CHRIST if thou see thou be grafted if thou find thy life to be the same if thou finde thou art no more able to pray nor no more able to doe any duty then thou wast before that thou liuest in thy lusts as much as euer thou didst thou hast not that new heart that new spirit and that new affection which the Scriptures speake of bee sure then that thou art not grafted for if thou wert grafted aright by faith for it is that which grafteth there would bee life When as the graft is taken out of the former Tree it beares no more that fruit but it liues and beares another fruite Therefore consider if this be so or no and that is the reason of that answer of Philip to the Eunuch in the 8. of the Acts Vers. 37. The Eunuch professed to beleeue and would haue beene baptized Saith Philip thou mayest if thou beleeue with all thine heart Thou mayest thinke it is nothing but it is a resoluing from time to time to giue vp thy selfe to be Christs seruant to take his yoake to weare his Liuery and his Badge Now Baptisme is but a seale to confirme and testifie this to thy selfe and to the World that thou hast giuen thy selfe to CHRIST saith Philip take heede to thy selfe if it bee a false taking thou maist not haue him but if thou