Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	father_n	son_n	way_n	5,888	5	5.0772	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A64822	The new command renew'd, or, Love one another being an endeavour after the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, by several uniting principles, among which there are ten rules for a right understanding of scripture, very useful for these divided times / by Ralph Venning.	Venning, Ralph, 1621?-1674.	1652 (1652)	Wing V214; ESTC R3161	28,675	54

is with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant Psal 25.14 converse with them who converse with God The Saints have clearer apprehensions of the Scripture then other men and can give a better account of the mystery not so perhaps of the History then many a learned man can do the reason is apparent for the godly man though illiterate hath the Law in his heart and the truth in his inward parts The Bible is transcrib'd within him But the most learned man in the world if not a Saint hath it not in the experience though he have it in the expression Not beloved that I speak in dislike of learning and its use no I do confesse that next to the Lord Jesus Christ and Communion with God in him there is no portion whether riches honours or pleasures like unto it in my esteem This by the way now to our purpose Prov. 24.6 It is good therefore to consult with the Saints a conjunction of Counsellors will do well for in the multitude of them there is like to be safety Prov. 11.14 As to depend only on other mens judgement were to make as if the spirit had not come to thy self so to depend only on thy own judgement were to make as if the spirit of God had not come to others Thirdly Three other Rules Use such helps as God hath made useful to others for their right understanding of Scriptures Rules for the understanding of the Scripture Such as God hath made useful to me and many other Christians I shall set before you I speak as to wise men judge ye what I say The first Rule 1. The first Rule That the Father Son and Spirit as they are one so they agree in one 1 Joh. 5.7 8. they have but one designe The Father Son and Spirit are not like the gods of the heathen which indeed are not gods always quarrelling one with another clashing against and contradicting one another though they will many things their will is but one Therefore if you find in Scripture that the Sonnes designe in Redemption seems to be of larger extent then the Fathers in Election and the Spirits in Sanctification reconcile it by this rule for there is but one and the same object of the Fathers Election the Sons Redemption and the Spirits Sanctification to eternal life The second Rule 2. Second Rule Every particular is to be interpreted by the scope of the whole and that will free Scriptures from all seeming contradictions Paul saith Rom. 3.28 a man is justified by Faith without * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or apart from the deeds of the law but Iam. 2.24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified and not by faith only * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or alone Now here seems to be a contradiction but the scope of the Scripture will unty this knot as I understand thus By Faith alone we are justified but the Faith by which we are justified is not alone 'T is not as I conceive the work Faith nor the works of Faith but a working Faith whereby we are justified By Faith the Person is justified and by works the Faith is justified and thus beloved I hope you see clearly that there is not concordia discors a disagreeing agreement but discordia concors an agreeing disagreement between these two Scriptures One saith to this our purpose that to hang on any word or phrase in a Text and neglect the scope savours of an Hereticall disposition And Luther hath a sweet saying to this purpose Grammaticam decet Theologiae cedere quùm subjecta sunt verba rebus non res verbis vox meritò sensum sequatur litera spiritum The sense in short is this Words must give place to the matter and sense His reason is this because the matter is not for the words but the words for the matter And again Divinely Iste modus intelligendi aut interpretandi Scripturas diversa scil ex diversis locis decerpere est fallacissimus habenda igitur est tota Scriptura ante oculos contraria contrariis conferenda That way of understanding or interpreting Scriptures viz to gather diverse things from diverse places is most deceitfull the whole Scripture therefore is to be had before our eyes and contraries to be compared with contraries Friends I hope it will not be an offence to any to quote an Author for I believe 'T is as lawfull to consult with the experience of dead as of living Saints The third Rule 3. The place is not truly interpreted 3 Rule nor consequence well inferr'd the consequence whereof is an absurdity and speaks any thing to the disparagement of the God of grace or the grace of God as Luther Divine Luther Omnis Scriptura est pro Christo interpretenda ex gr Serva mandata scil in Christo quia fine Christo nihil potestis All Scripture is to be interpreted for Christ as keep the Commandements viz. in Christ for without him ye can do nothing And againe fully excellent and excellently full Si Adversarii urgent Scripturam contra Christans urgeamus Christum contra Scripturam If our adversaries urge Scripture against Christ let us urge Christ against Scripture If the interpretation of any Text draw such inferences after it as these viz. That God is unjust that God is mutable that God cannot do all things that Christ is not able of and by himselfe to save to the utmost that the Saints shall not be kept through Faith by the power of God to salvation I say if such inferences follow the interpretation of any Scripture 't is not truly interpreted for they cannot speak against the truth but for the truth The fourth Rule 4. 4 Rule Take heed of distinctions though there may be use of them yet for the most part the most part of distinctions arise from darkness and ignorance or from wilfulness Therefore take heed of them and admit not of any which are not well grounded on the Scripture Did we speak more punctually to all points and more distinctly there would be fewer distinctions It is a common thing with many men that cannot or will not Oh that there were not such as will not understand the truth to raise distinctions and evade that way When men know not what to say then like Sophisters they cry distinguish we must distinguish And then Materialiter and formaliter strictè and latè poore thread-bare tearmes are tossed up and downe like Tennis-Balls The fifth Rule 5. 5 Rule Parables and similitudes hold not in the particulars but in the whole not in every sentence but in the scope They runne not on all soure as we say they are of more use for Illustration then Demonstration And I believe there is not a truth held out in a parable but i'ts held forth also in some other place of Scripture which will be better to ground on being usually more cleare The sixth

the lie to speak to the lowest and then I am sure the highest understand me whereas should I if at least I were able speak to the highest I should be to the lowest as a Barbarian In short I rather choose to speak shortly though but five words which may be to edifying then to use ten thousand which when men heare or reade they know not I had thought to have collected the several heads and have set them before you by themselves but the whole book being but little will soon be run and read over and therefore I shall spare you the labour of Reading my self of writing and the Printer of Printing Thus my beloved friends having given you a foresight of what I have done why and how and hoping that these things which are cast in by the way are not cast away I shall say no more but pray that it may come unto you with a fulnesse of blessing and be instrumental to unite your hearts in love which will satisfie the desire and fulfil the joy of him who can joy in nothing but in being the Servant of Christ Ralph Venning THE NEW COMMAND RENEWED OR Love one another PART I. GOds one and only design is by the words of his mouth and the works of his hands to bring forth his own * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 1.27 Image in all times and dispensations and that is onenesse When he created man he made him the likenesse and image of himself one yea though he created Male and Female Gen. 2.24 yet were they not two but one flesh When this Image was defaced and man continued not in his uprightnesse that is in his simplicity and onenesse that which God aimed at in the restauration of man was the reparation of his image onenesse that God and man might be one againe Yea that in Christ all things in Heaven and Earth which were fallen out with and fallen away from man Ephes 1.10 upon his falling away from God might be gathered together into one Yea all the dispensations and dispensators which God hath left in the world are to disappear and be no more when once the Saints come in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 4.13 or more emphatically into the unity of the faith That is as I with submission conceive when the Jewes and Gentiles the fulnesse of them shall be called in and come to the knowledge or rather the acknowledgement of the Sonne of God unto a perfect man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 re●d 〈◊〉 Cor. 16.18 〈◊〉 He without us is not made perfect or the man at age and the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Christ I mean mystical is not yet a perfect man at age is not yet in fulnesse nor be till all his Members both Jews and Gentiles are brought forth Now when these shall be brought into the unity of faith which is the acknowledgement of the Son of God c. then is Gods design of onenesse accomplisht Now to the effecting hereof God hath promised to bestow on his people one heart Ezek. 11.19 Ezek. 11.19 which is not only in relation to their being new-born and so being one with God but as the Jews went with one heart to Jerusalem that they might build the Temple so in relation to this design of the Unity of Faith God will knit together the hearts of his people Isay 60.8 that they shall flie together like Doves to the windows yea and ere they are aware I believe they will finde their souls made like the Chariots of Amminadab Cant. 6.12 or a willing people In a word the top consummation of all the happinesse which Christ prays for his is John 17.21 that they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us Indeed the glory of all our hereafter glory will be an onenesse of communion with the Father Son Spirit and one another in God who is one in all and all in one But seeing that as yet there seemes to be a breach not only between the Jews and Gentiles but between them who have attained to the knowledge and acknowledgement of the Son of God I shall endeavour to bring the Saints to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace Ephes 3.4 c. for there is but one body one spirit one hope one Lord one faith one Baptism one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all Now that we may walk together in one way it is requisite that we be of one heart and that which conduceth most thereunto is that we be of one mind for the more unity there is in judgement the more there 's like to be in affection because likenesse produceth liking and the more onenesse there is in affection the more there will be in practise and conversation the more union there is the more communion there will be and the better the lesse union there is in judgement and affection the lesse and worse will our Communion be And seeing we can hardly live together unlesse we love together or as the Prophet saith Amos 3.3 Seeing we cannot walk together unlesse we be agreed I shall as God inables me lay down some principles which if read as written without prejudice and partiality will not a little provoke and conduce to union and agreement The first Principle 1. That we may meet to agree together 1 Principle let us agree to meet together and that 's meet for saith the Prophet how can two walk together unlesse they * Meetings are meet things meet and come together so I would read that which we read unlesse they * Be agreed agree together meetings are the Poarch or entry into agreements And me thinks Christians should not be much intreated to treat together surely 't is to be feared that they are loth to agree who are loth to meet about an agreement Ob. Object Hindrance of meeting But what makes the Saints so backward to meet about an agreement Ans Answ These three things 1. Self-Conceit 2. Pride of heart 3. Satans policie 1. 1 Self-conceit A self-conceit that each of them is in the right every man hath a good opinion of his own opinion Matthew 26.26 Every man puts it off from himself and instead of saying as did the Disciples when Christ told them one of you shall betray me Master is it I most are ready to say Master 't is not I. Having exhorted to love Romans 12.10 He adds verse 16. Be not wise in your own conceits Most men instead of confessing their blindnesse aske like the scornfull Pharisee are we blinde so loth are men to suspect their own defects It was just so in the time of the division between the Roman and Grecian Churches each justified themselvs and neither would acknowledge themselves to be in the error But