Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	grace_n	holy_a	lord_n	14,167	5	3.6878	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34673	The covenant of Gods free grace most sweetly unfolded and comfortably applied to a disquieted soul from that text of 2 Sam. 23. Ver. 5. : also a doctrinall conclusion that there is in all such who are effectually called, in-dwelling spirituall gifs [sic] and graces wrought and created in them by the Holy Ghost / by that reverend and faithful minister of Gods word, Mr. John Cotton, Teacher of the Church at Boston in New-England ; whereunto is added, A profession of faith, made by the reverend divine, Mr. John Davenport, in New-England, at his admission into one of the Churches there.	Cotton, John, 1584-1652.; Davenport, John, 1597-1670. A profession of faith.	1645 (1645)	Wing C6424; ESTC R30971	35,301	46

have our eternall happinesse in the highest heavens Luke 12.32 Fear not little flocke it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you your inheritance Vse 1 First it may serve to prove a distempered passion of our spirits who cannot be perswaded Gods Covenant reacheth to us unlesse we prosper in the world wee should rather be men after Gods own heart as David See how David carried himself in the like case and condition he doth rest himself in Gods Covenant whether his house grow or grow not but we are of another spirit though wee know Gods Covenant is everlasting and sure yet unlesse our children be great ones and all may prosper in the world according to the desire of our hearts we think we have no favour in the Covenant of Gods grace alas all things are counted otherwise but as dry things like Manna which at length the children of Israel began to loath and hate As concerning the light afflictions which are but momentary herein wee should comfort our selves that God will temper all to our everlasting happinesse as in the issue thereof wee shall see This pride of nature was the sin of Human Est 5.13 all availed him nothing as long as Mordecai the Jew did not bow to him If other mens sheafs may not bow to ours then wee think all little worth besides but this is a grievous sin against God it argues a base estimation of the Covenant of Gods grace it is a sin to be reproved and rooted out Wee think because God doth not make our houses to grow and flourish that there is no contentment to be found in the Covenant of Grace This sin of pride was also in Hezekiah in shewing to the Babylonish men all his garments and precious Jewels Vse 2 Secondly we must learn to grow in the Covenant of Grace though we should never grow great nor rise high in this world nor in the things thereof we must rest satisfied in and by the Covenant of Gods grace If David think it sufficient so must we What though wee be neglected in the world and finde no contentment in outward things yet this may serve to quiet the hearts of Gods children that though they grow not much in the world yet having a part in the Covenant of Grace they need not to trouble themselves about any other thing that is wanting to them this condition is a happy condition Vse 3 Thirdly it may teach every righteous Housholder and Parent to take more care to leave a good covenant to their children and servants then any thing else If they have but this portion left to them they shall do well whether they grow and prosper in the things of this world or no God hath made a Covenant with the Parents and Housholders and it shall descend upon them so far as God doth order it Vse 4 Fourthly it may serve to help our faith in the desolations of the Churches abroad though they grow not but decay yet seeing God hath made a Covenant with their fathers and undertaken to do them good they will at length prove the better for it and God will make his Covenant good unto them all that God doth exercise them withall is that hee may do them good at length Gods Covenant being an everlasting Covenant their condition at last shall be a glorious condition Vse 5 Fifthly it may be usefull to all such who have part in the Covenant of God that undoubtedly at length it shall be well with them though God never make them nor theirs to grow in outward things yet they may rest upon the Covenant there is enough for them Rejoyce we then in this Covenant for it is an everlasting Covenant and let us make it our chiefest happinesse that wee have a part in it though wee and others seem not to our selves to grow yet wee shall grow so far as God sees it meet for us to grow although we for our parts perceive it not Isaiah 3.10 11. Say to the righteous it shall be well with them for they shall eat the fruit of their own doings but wo to the wicked for it shall be ill with them for the reward of his hands shall he given unto him It shall be ill with Rome and her adherents the Covenant of Works shall be required at their hands A Doctrinall Conclusion That there be in all such as are effectually called and united unto Christ in-dwelling spirituall gifts of grace wrought and created in us by the Holy Ghost that is by the begetting whereof we are begotten and renewed to a spirituall life unto God and so become fit members of his Church The opening of the terms of this Doctrine BY gifts of Grace I mean holy qualities the same which Philosophers call vertuous habites or good dispositions whereby the faculties and affections of the soule which by corrupt nature are set upon a mans self and earthly things and cannot savour the things of God and so are said to be dead are hereby sanctified and lifted up to God and set upon him and heavenly things and so are said to be quickened and made alive to God Whence we are said to be begotten again to a lively hope 1 Pet. 1.3 and the faith of the righteous is opposed to the dead faith of vain men Jam. 2.20 These gifts we say are wrought or created by the Holy Ghost because they are the fruits or effects of the Spirit of God in us Gal. 5.22 23. wrought by his Almighty creating power out of nothing Col. 2.12 Ps 5 1.10 and thereby making us spirituall men 1 Cor. 2.15 And fit Instruments for Gods spirituall service 1 Pet. 2.5 and therefore every one of these gifts of grace whereby any faculty or affection of the soule is sanctified it is called the spirit of such a faculty or affection as the sanctified disposition of the mind is called The spirit of a sound minde 2 Tim. 1.7 The spirit of Faith is the gift of Faith 2 Cor. 4.13 The spirit of love or of the fear of the Lord are the gifts of holy love and fear sanctifying such affections 2 Tim. 1.7 Isai 11.2 Further we say these gifts of grace are in-dwelling and abiding in every child of God effectually called and united unto Christ in as much as they are neither mortified and extinguished in us as some would have it by our union with Christ for mortification is of corrupt lusts or of the body of sin in us Col. 3.5 Rom. 6.6 not of the gifts of grace neither are these gifts of grace transient and passing away as they would be if they were meer actions of the Spirit proceeding and passing from us Nor are they abiding in the Holy Ghost though he abideth in us because no created gifts or qualities abide in him whatsoever is in him is himself but they are preserved in us by the Holy Ghost as they were wrought by him and are also by him increased and perfected in us against the day of our dissolution

not the infinite and uncreated life of the Holy Ghost for the humane nature of Christ was not capable of the infinite attributes of the divine nature against which when Eutiches taught otherwise he was condemned for an Heretique in the generall Councell of Chalcedon The comparison must be stretched no further then Christ intended to shew the meer conjunction between Christ and us so far as that we derive and receive continuall nourishment and supply of all grace and fruitfulnesse thereof from him But not to imply the same individuall life in him and us as is in the root and branches head and members for root and branches make but one tree and head and members make but one person But wee are not the same person with Christ and therefore wee have life not the very self-same with his but conformable to his and fashioned after his Image the same with his in proportion and resemblance as is the Image of the seal and of the wax the same in proportion not the same in number And this must needs be so because the fathers before Christ had as truly the same spirituall life of Christ as wee the life of his divine nature neither of us have the life of his humane nature was not then in being and therefore they had only a proportion and resemblance of his life before his coming as wee have after his coming Reason 5 The fifth Reason is taken from the change of the heart in conversion It standeth thus If in conversion there be some thing anew created and begotten in us which was not created nor begotten before then there be new spirituall gifts of grace created and begotten in us For the substance of the soul and body is not anew-created and begotten it is the same it was before and the Holy Ghost cannot be said to be created or begotten in us at all but in conversion the Lord doth create a new heart in us Ps 51.10 and doth regenerate or renew a right spirit in us beside the Holy Ghost of which he saith in the next verse vers 11. Take not thy holy Spirit from mee The Holy Ghost cannot be said to be created or renewed for he is no creature nor was he ever old And in Ezek. 36.26 27. hee promiseth to put a new spirit within us vers 26. and withall promiseth to put his own Spirit within us vers 27. And his Spirit and our spirit are made two distinct witnesses Rom. 8.16 Reas 6 The sixth Reason is taken from the Law written in our hearts under the Covenant of Grace thus If there be a law written in our hearts under the new Covenant then either this is the Holy Ghost himself or spirituall gifts of grace wrought in our hearts by the Holy Ghost whereby we are fitted and enabled through his leading to walk in the Law of God and to keep it But there is a Law written in our hearts under the new Covenant Jer. 31.33 and this Law is not the Holy Ghost himself for it is the effect and work of the Holy Ghost 2 Cor. 3.3 where it is said to be written by him now a Law or an Epistle written by any man cannot be the man himself that wrought it Reason 7 The seventh Reason is taken from the voluntary concourse of every child of God with the Holy Ghost in every spirituall work the Reason is framed thus If there be no spirituall gifts of grace in the soule united to Christ then in every good action the Holy Ghost acts immediately the naturall faculties and affections to supernaturall effects as suppose he then acteth immediately my naturall love to the supernaturall love of God But in every good action the Holy Ghost doth not act immediately the naturall faculties and affections to supernaturall effects Proof of this If the Holy Ghost in every good action do act immediately my naturall faculty or affection to a supernaturall effect then in every good action hee turns the course of my naturall faculty or affection against his proper and voluntary bent For my naturall faculty or affection hath no proper or voluntary bent to spirituall good effects but lusteth against them Rom. 8.5 Gal. 5.17 But the Holy Ghost in every good action doth not turn the course of my faculty and affection against their proper and voluntary bent For then we should not do good actions voluntarily and then they would be unwelcome and grievous to us contrary to 1 Joh. 5.3 and then we should lose our reward 1 Cor. 9.17 Object But God himself is said to be our gifts and graces and therefore they are nothing but his Spirit in us As God is said to be our confidence which is all one with faith Psal 65.5 So he is said to be our hope Jer. 14.8 Psal 71.5 our love our love it self 1 Joh. 4.16 Answ First God is said to be our confidence and hope because he is the object of our faith and hope and therefore wee are said to put our confidence or to believe on him 1 Pet. 2.6 Now if it were meant God is the very grace of faith or confidence which is in us then when we believe or put our confidence on God we should put God upon God which were absurd and if something were lacking in our faith as there is 1 Thes 3.10 then something were lacking in God And if it were meant that God is the grace of that hope which is in us then when David prayed he might not be ashamed of his hope hee meant that he might not be ashamed of his God God also may be said to be our confidence or hope because hee is the author and giver of these gifts to his people Psal 119.49 God is said to be our love because whatsoever is good in the creature is in God eminently and infinitely and so is God himself But if God were that grace of love which is said to abide in us 1 Cor. 13.13 then God were a fruit of the Spirit for that love which dwelleth in us is a fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 The Lord scatter our darknesse and lead us by his Spirit of light and truth into all truth through Christ A Profession of Faith made by the Reverend Divine Mr. John Davenport at his admission into one of the Churches of God in New-England viz. I believe with all my heart and confesse with my mouth 1. Concerning the Scriptures THat all Scripture is by divine inspiration or inbreathing of God by Scripture I mean the Books of the old Testament as Moses and the Prophets and of the new Testament and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works 1 Tim. 3.16 17. and that in all things which concern faith and obedience whether in Gods Worship or in the whole conversation of men it holdeth forth a most perfect rule wherunto nothing may be added nor from it may ought be

continually dwelling in them by his holy Spirit begetting and nourishing in them faith hope love repentance obedience with peace and joy unto immortality but on the contrary limiting using restraining the reprobates his enemies by his mighty power as seemeth good in his divine wisdome and justice to their seduction hardening and condemnation till his appearing in glory with his mighty Angels to judge both quick and dead where he will be and separate all his elect from them for ever punishing the wicked with everlasting perdition from his presence and joyning together the godly with himself in endlesse glory 12. Concerning his Kingdome 2. In speciall That in the mean time besides his absolute rule in the world Christ hath here on earth a spirituall Kingdome in his Church which hee hath purchased and redeemed to himself as a peculiar inheritance into the body whereof he doth by the power of his Word and Spirit gather his heople calling them through the Ministery of the Gospel out of the world and from Idolatry superstition and from all works of darknesse to fellowship with Jesus Christ and by him with the Father and the Holy Ghost and with his people making them a royall Priesthood an holy nation a people set at liberty to shew forth the vertues of him that hath called them out of darkness into his marvellous light and uniteth them together as members of one body in his faith love and holy order unto all generall and mutuall duties and instructs and governs them by those instruments and ordinances which he himself hath prescribed in his word for the edification of his body the Church 13. Concerning the Application of Redemption That the Holy Ghost is sent by the Father and the Son to make application of Redemption only to those whom the Father hath by his eternall Decree given to Christ and for whom Christ maketh intercession to his Father and whom the Father accepts in Christ unto fellowship of the everlasting Covenant of his free Grace having called them out of the world to fellowship with Jesus Christ by the Gospel made effectually to that end by the mighty power and operation of the Holy Ghost Which grace of effectuall calling is thus dispensed to a poor lost sinner awakened and humbled by the Law through the effectuall working of the spirit of bondage judging himself worthy to be destroyed for his sins and seeing himself utterly destitute of all help or hope of himself The Lord in the preaching of the Gospel by the powerfull work of the Holy Ghost revealeth the fulnesse and all-sufficiencie of that grace and salvation which is laid up in Jesus Christ as the only sutable good to him that hee also enableth him spiritually and savingly to apprehend Jesus Christ as given him of the Father And the same Spirit having thus enlightened him doth leave a supernaturall vertue and impression of Gods love upon the soul whereby the soul is drawn to close with Christ and with that grace of God in him so entirely that there is now nothing between Christ and the soul but it willingly parts with all things that hinder his enjoying of Christ and by this effectuall calling all that are brought to Christ are 1. justified that is absolved from sin and death and accounted righteous unto life for and through Christ apprehended received and relied upon by faith 2. They are adopted that is accepted for Christs sake to the dignity of Gods children They are also 3. sanctified that is really changed by degrees from the impurity of sin to the purity of Gods Image and lastly they are glorified that is changed from the misery or punishment of sin unto everlasting happinesse which begins in the inward sense of Gods love to them in Christ whence they have hope of glory boldnesse in accesse to God certainty of salvation peace joy unspeakable and it endeth in their full perfection in soul and body 14. Concerning a particular instituted Church and the Priviledges thereof That it is a company of faithfull and holy people or persons called out of the world to fellowship with Jesus Christ and united in one Congregation to him as members to their head and one with another by a holy covenant for mutuall fellowship in all such wayes of holy worship of God and of edification of one towards another as God himself hath required in his Word of every Church of Christ and the members thereof 15. Concerning the manner of gathering a Church That it is the duty of all Christians having renounced all false wayes of Idolatrous Antichristian and superstitious worship and of sin and the world as to instruct and govern their own families according to God so to joyn willingly together in Christian communion and orderly covenant and by free confession of the faith and profession of their subjection to the Gospel of Christ to unite themselves unto peculiar and visible Congregations wherein as members of one body whereof Christ is the head they are to worship God according to his Word To this Church he hath given royall priviledges as the holy Oracles the Promises the Seals of the Covenant his presence love protection and blessing in a speciall manner here all that acknowledge him to be their Prophet Priest and King are to be inrolled amongst his houshold servants and to present their bodies and soules and gifts and solemn services for a spirituall sacrifice acceptable to God by Jesus Christ Being thus united they to whom God hath given gifts to interpret the Scriptures being approved by the Church and appointed thereunto may and ought to teach publikely the Word of God by prophecying according to the proportion of faith for edification exhortation and comfort of the Church till such time as men may be had fit for such office or offices as Christ hath appointed to the publike Ministery of his Church and then they are upon due triall to proceed to the choyce and ordination of those officers according to God and then the officers are to dispense the seals of the Covenant viz. Baptisme to the seed of the faithfull in their Infancy and to others not yet baptized when by profession of their faith they are added to the Church And all of the Church that are of yeers and are able to examine themselves must communicate also in the Lords Supper in both kindes viz. Bread and Wine 16. Concerning the Sacraments That they are in the ordinance of God signs and seals of Gods everlasting Covenant with us representing and offering to all receivers but exhibiting only to true believers the Lord Jesus Christ and all his benefits unto righteousnesse sanctification and eternall life through faith in his name to the Glory and praise of God 17. Concerning the power of every Church That Christ hath given the power of chusing Officers and of receiving in or calling of any member to the whole body together of every Church and not to any one member apart or to more members sequestred from the whole or to any other Congregation to do it for them yet so as every Church ought to use the best help they can hereunto and the most meet member they have to pronounce the same in their publike Assemblies if they want Officers And to this censure and judgement of Christ duly and orderly dispensed every member of the Congregation yea and officer also how exellent or learned soever he be is subject Yet ought not the Church without great care and advice to proceed against such publike persons 18. Concerning the Communion of Churches That although particular Churches be distinct and severall Independent bodies every one as a city compact within it self without subordination under or dependence upon any other but Jesus Christ yet are all Churches to walk by one and the same rule and by all means convenient to have the counsell and help one of another when need requireth as members of one body in the common faith under Christ their only Head 19. Concerning Church-officers That Christ when hee ascended up on high gave gifts unto men and disposed of them in severall functions and for publike ordinary ministery he gave Pastors Teachers Elders Deacons helpers for the instruction government and service of his Church to the worlds end and that none may usurp or execute a Ministery in the Church but such as are rightly called by the Church whereof they stand Ministers and being so called they ought to give all diligence to fulfill their Ministery and to be found faithfull and unblamable in all things And that this ministery is alike given to every Church of Christ with like and equall power and commission to have and enjoy the same as God offereth fit men and means and the same rules are given to all for the election and execution thereof in all places which rules lawes it is not lawfull for those Ministers or for the Church wittingly to neglect or transgresse in any part And those Ministers thus chosen and executing their office faithfully every Church is bound to have them in singular love for their works sake to reverence them according to the dignity of their office which they execute and to provide for them that they be not entangled with the cares of this life according to the Law of Christ And this to do not as in way of courtesie or mercy but out of duty to them in the Lord and having hope in God that the resurrection shall be of the just and of the unjust of the just to the resurrection of life and of the unjust to the resurrection of condemnation 20. Concerning giving every man his due That unto all men is to be given whatsoever is due to them in regard of their office place gifts wages estate and condition endeavouring our selves to have alwayes a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men FINIS

when we shall be presented blamelesse without spot or wrincle before the presence of his glory Reasons of the point Reason 1 The first Reason is taken from the expresse testimony of Scripture speaking of the gifts of the Holy Ghost as being in us and fruitfull in us 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7 8. Adde moreover saith hee to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godlinesse and to godliness brotherly kindnesse and to brotherly kindnesse love For if these things be in you and abound they make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ From whence the Reason is concluded thus Faith Vertue Knowledge Temperance Patience Godlinesse Brotherly-kindnesse Love they are all in us and make us fruitfull in Christ The Text is plain but all these are neither the Holy Ghost himself for then one Holy Ghost should be added to another or one part of the Holy Ghost should be added to another Nor are they the actions of the Holy Ghost proceeding from us for these things are in us and abounding in us and consequently abiding in us and they cause us to bring forth actions meet for Christian profession For they are said to make us fruitfull in the knowledge of Christ vers 8. Therefore they are the gifts of grace abiding in us Reason 2 The second Reason is taken from such places of Scripture as put an expresse difference between the Holy Ghost and his gifts in us and the exercise of these gifts by us In 2 Tim. 1.6 Stirre up saith Paul to Timothy the gift of God which is in thee and vers 14. that good Treasure or thing which was committed to thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us where there is a plain difference between the gift of God and the stirring up of that gift which is the exercise of it and the Holy Ghost which helped him to keep it and to use it Object But hee speaketh of ministeriall gifts not of gifts accompanying salvation He speaketh of both Answ for in the verse next before vers 5. hee putteth Timothy in minde of the unfeigned faith which saith hee is in thee and which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois and in thy mother Eunices and now in thee also Whence the Reason is plain If unfeigned faith and other such like gifts of God dwelt in Timothy and in his mother and in his grand-mother then there be gifts of grace accompanying salvation that dwell in such as are effectually called But the former is plain out of the Text therefore so is the latter In 2 Cor. 6.6 the Apostle saith He with the other Apostles approved themselves as the Ministers of Christ by purenesse by knowledge by long-suffering by kindnesse by the Holy Ghost by love unfeigned Object But by these Paul and the rest approved themselves as the Ministers of Christ and therefore hee speaketh of ministeriall gifts not of gifts accompanying salvation The inference is naught Answ for a man cannot approve himself as a Minister of Christ by ministeriall gifts without such gifts as do accompany salvation and therefore the Apostle doth plainly instance not only in ministeriall gifts but such also as do accompany salvation as purenesse long-suffering love unfeigned In 1 Cor. 12.4 The Apostle saith there be deversities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of gifts of grace which he distinguisheth from operations vers 6. Object But hee speaketh of ministeriall gifts not of gifts accompanying salvation Hee speaketh not only of ministeriall gifts but of all gifts of grace by which we are knit to Christ and one to another as head and members of one body and in respect of which The eye cannot say to the hand I have no need of thee nor the head to the feet I have no need of you vers 21. Reason 3 The third Reason is taken from the estate of the person united to Christ which being united is not a naturall but a spirituall man The Reason standeth thus If there be no spirituall gifts of grace wrought and created in the soul then Christ is united by the Spirit of God to the naturall man For without spiritual gifts there is nothing but nature in us to which Christ by his Spirit is united But Christ is not united by the spirit to the naturall man Proof of this 1 Cor. 2.14 The naturall man doth not receive the things of God nor of the Spirit of God and therefore doth not receive Christ united to him Object A man is not a naturall man but a spirituall man when the Spirit of God dwelleth in him True Answ because the Spirit of God where he dwelleth worketh gifts of spirituall grace but if he should not the soul would be still naturall as the Temple of Solomon was still a materiall Temple not a spirituall Temple as wee are 1 Pet. 2.5 though God dwelt in it because hee wrought not gifts of spirituall grace in the Temple whereby it might live unto God In all union the things united are distinct from the bond by which they are united Christ is one thing the soul is another the Spirit of God that uniteth them is distinct from both Now take the Spirit of God as a distinct thing from the soul and what is the soul but a naturall soule And so Christ by his Spirit being united to the naturall soul is united to the naturall man Reas 4 The fourth Reason is taken from the nature and kinde of that life which the members of Christ do live thus If the members of Christs body be living members and living stones then they live either by some gifts of spirituall grace created in them or else they live the uncreated life of the Holy Ghost communicated to them But they do not live the uncreated life of the Holy Ghost communicated to them therefore they live by the gifts of spirituall grace created in them The former Proposition or major is plain because the dis-junction is immediate there is no middle way can be given but either wee ●●st live a created life by some gifts of spirituall grace created in us or else we must live the uncreated life of the Holy Ghost communicated to us The latter Proposition or minor is as plain for no creature if being finite can live an increated life which is infinite but we are creatures and finite and the life of the Holy God is increated and infinite therefore wee cannot live his life Object The life of head and members root and branches is the same First Answ the life of Christs humane nature is not the infinite and uncreated life of the Holy Ghost which may serve for another proofe of the latter Proposition that wee do not live the uncreated life of the Holy Ghost communicated to us For we cannot live an higher or greater spirituall life then the humane nature of Christ lived But the humane nature of Christ lived