Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	ghost_n	holy_a	sin_n	10,399	5	5.7485	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A81101	The Christian laver. Or, a discourse opening the nature of participation with, and demonstrating the necessity of purification by Christ By T. Cruso.	Cruso, Timothy, 1656?-1697.	1690 (1690)	Wing C7434; ESTC R225717	25,680	95

blessed in the end The Fourth and last thing proposed was the Application of the whole A double Use may be made of this point by infering such Truths and perswading to such Duties as naturally flow from it The first improvement we may make of this Doctrine VSE 1 is by way of lnformation as to several Truths resulting thence First From hence we may learn wherein the great evil and mischief of sin lyes It hath many bad effects even in this Life and with respect to the concerns of this Life but the worst of all is that it defiles the Soul This is that which fools make a mock at and which common sinners think most slightly of but this is that which is of the most fatal ruining consequence This is that which calls for such a valuable and effectual expiation this is that which calls for the pouring out of the soul of Christ in our stead and the pouring out of the spirit of Christ upon us The necessity of Christs washing every one that hath part with him is an undeniable convincing proof of the loathsome filthiness which is in sin Otherwise we might cry as the Disciples did when the Ointment was pour'd on their Masters head Mat. 26.8 To what purpose is this wast Why might not our Lord Jesus have spared this pains and cost and left us in the same condition wherein he found us Certainly he was at a vast expence and trouble to wash us in vain if fin had not greatly polluted and deprav'd us It would do well therefore if we remember'd this and laid it to heart that in every act of wickedness we make work for the fire of Hell or the bloud of God Consuming by the one or purging by the other must be the issue of it Secondly This plainly shews that the defiling effects of sin have extended to all mankind The Doctrine of Souls being washt by Christ does suppose that we are universally in a corrupt state If any man were born clean that man might have part with Christ though he were never washt We may easily infer from this necessary act of the second Adam what misery was brought upon us by the first The very Heathens were sensible and sometimes complain'd of the Souls being out of frame but they knew not distinctly what this disorder was nor how it must be remedyed If we had not lost the amiable purity which we were once becautified with and if there did not an heap of dirt appear in the place of that dissolved snew why should even the Saints of God who are brought out of a state of sin though afflicted with the remnants of sin cry out so often of their wretchedness And indeed if the same Scripture which gives us an account of our primitive Creation did not also report the means and manner of our fall it would not be credible that mankind could have so degenerated As there are the seeds of all distempers in our Bodies at the time of our birth so the principles of all manner of corruption in our hearts by nature No part is free from the infection but the Leprosie covers our whole skin Levit. 13.12 from the head to the foot wheresoever we look What Jesus Christ hath done for our Healing and Cleansing does lead us to the humble consideration of this General Plague Thirdly This teaches us the Insufficiency of the Legal Sacrifices and the reason of their Cessation He i.e. the Messiah shall cause the Sacrifice and Oblation to cease Christ by his Death took them away Dan. 9.27 because they could not take away sin They were weak and unprofitable insignificant and worthless in themselves only as they typified and represented the Blood of the Lamb which was to be actually slain in the fullness of time Heb. 9.13 What could the Blood of Bulls and Goats and the Ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean do more than purifie the flesh How could such carnal Ordinances have any vertue for the removing of Spiritual defilements God therefore impos'd them only for a time and when his Son had fulfilled the end of them he put an end to them Nay even while they were enjoyn'd and us'd the Imperfection of them was plainly intimated by their frequent repetition if they could have purg'd the Conscience from sin c. 10.2 they needed only to have been offered once Christ dyed but once and that once dying was enough he hath thereby perfected for ever them that are sanctified v. 4 And we read of this act of washing his Disciples feet but once once for all to shew that what the yearly and dayly Offerings under the Law could not do his one offering did The reason of their prescription and Observation in the Jewish Church so long was their being sigures of the Sacrifice of Christ the reason of their abrogation at last was their real invalidity and his full performance Fourthly This Discovers to us the falshood of the Doctrine of Penance in the Romish Church This Text is evidence enough that the Refuge of Humane Satisfactions which Sinners in their Communion fly to is indeed a Pefuge of Lyes If I wash thee not c. 't is proper to Christ and not possible to any Creature to wash a Soul from the smallest sin Men may inflict what they please upon themselves and use the utmost severities to their flesh but it will be no advantage to them in this case the greatest of voluntary sufferings avails nothing as to the purging of the least transgression the tormenting of our bodies can never put away the sin of our souls It must be puret blood than ours that makes us clean Poor deluded Creatures commonly increase their guilt by such practises but they cannot lessen it they whip and lance themselves it may be and think by that means to be rid of some of their pollution but this makes them rather greater sinners than they were before It is therefore a piece of folly and madness like his in the Gospel who being possest with an Vnclean spirit Mark 5.5 ran among the Mountains and Tombs crying and cutting himself with stones Fisthly We may gather from hence that the most sincere Evangelical Repentance makes no compensation to God for Sin The best Penitent in the World if his head were Waters and his eyes a fountain of tears would not be able to wash himself How can the largest floods of godly sorrow blot out iniquity from Gods book or remove the stain which is so deep in our own Consciences Suppose that we do bring forth fruits meet for Repentanee in a Life of new Obedience for the time to come what is this as to the expiating of sins that are past Obj. Yes perhaps some may say the Holy Ghost assures us Prov. 16.6 that By Mercy and Truth Iniqity quity is purged To this I anser 1. Ans We may very well understand those words to hold forth the Mercy and Truthof God

Cartwr in locum So the same Expressions must be understood not only in several other places but in the same Book Mercy and Truth shall be to them that devise good c. 14.22 And therefore it seems to be meant only of Gods Mercy in promising and his Truth in performing his free Grace in Christ and faithfulness to his own word The scope of that whole verse appears in this short Paraphrase upon it God out of his meer benignity agreeable to his standing Revelation does purge the sins of Men that they for the future being restrain'd by an holy fear may not return to them 2. If we should understand it of Mercy and Truth in us the sence of it amounts to no more than this that True Faith working by Love is the means of purifying the heart through the blood of Christ It purges Sin not by it s its own power but the efficacy of its Object our Lord Jesus Our Faith hath an alloy of Unbelief and our Repentings a mixture of Sin which require apurgation for themselves Sixthly Another Inference from the main Doctrine may be that the washing of Water in Baptism is no sufficient security that we shall partake with Christ He shall baptize you says his forerunner with the Holy Ghost and with Fire Mat. 3.11 Multitudes come under that Ordinance who know not what this means and yet without this our participation with Christ is impossible I cannot but conclude that the wide door of Baptismal Regeneration hath let in vast numbers of Souls to Hell Men being taught to elieve that when they are Baptized they are certainly Regenerate and born again they rest contented and look no further The Apostle Peter tells us plainly how Baptism saves 1 Pet. 3.21 not as it is the putting away of the filth of the flesh but as it is attended with an holy restipulation or the answer of a good Conscience towards God It is not the outward administration of the Element of Water but inward operation of the Spirit and application of Jesus Christ which makes a sinner clean What do we think of that woful Impostor Simon Magus After he was baptized he yet remained in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of Iniquity Acts 8.13 with 23. The same may be perceived and pronounc'd of thousands besides upon as notorious grounds as it was of him Why should this Sacrament be more constantly and infallibly accompanied with cleansing Grace than that other Institution of the Supper which Hypocrites many times partake of and the Devil enters into them afterwards with greater force Seventhly It is easie to collect from hence that Jesus Christ is not meerly the Pattern of our Purification but also the Author It is very true that He is the Pattern of it therefore we are called to purifie our selves 1 John 3.3 even as he is pure but this is not the whole truth nor the principal part The entire Mystery is set forth in those words of the Apostle 1 Pet. 2.21 He suffered for us leaving us an Example c. Indeed Christ in suffering left us an Example but his great end was to suffer for us i.e. in our room and stead as our Substitute and Surety as one that represented us suffering that which was due to us and which if he had not we must have born our selves I condemn none for magnifying the Example of Christ but I must declare an abhorrence of and enter a caution against that Socinian fallacy and cheat which would subvert the Gospel under this pretence Christ does not does not wash us by being a Pattern of absolute purity in himself but by the applying of his merit to us and the workings of his Grace in us The benefit of his Example would be utterly lost and come to nothing if his doing no sin and dying for sin were not accepted by God as the just and valuable price of our Redemption Eighthly This warrants us to infer that those Churches which come up to the highest degree of Reformation are the most likely to share in the glory of the latter dayes These Days are in a special and peculiar manner called Christ's Times 1 Tim. 6.15 Then his Kingdom will be most eminently set up and he shall take to himself his great Power and Reign subduing all that make opposition to him The question now it who shall partake with him to this kind of Heaven upon Earth Whom will the King of Saints delight to honour in those times which will be so glorious I think I may very safely Answer Those that are counted the filth of the World but in truth are most purged from it Rev. 3.4 Thou hast a few names ever i● Sardis says Christ to that Church or the Church in that period which hav not defiled their Garments and they shall walk with me in white for they are worthy Walking with Christ in white does note a prosperous and flourishing State as on the contrary a sad and doleful State is often signified by covering with blackness and clothing in Sackcloth and they who have taken care to keep their garments unspotted are the persons whom Christ will reckon worthy of Communion with himself in this State Who are the Hundred and forty four thousand that stand with the Lamb upon Mount Sion c 14.1 but such as are not defiled with Women v. 4 i.e. have had nothing to do with the Mother of Harlots and such as are without fault i.e. have not partaken of Babylons sins Some of the terms of reproach in this Generation will become Characters of honourable distinction and marks of renown when Christ comes in his expected Kingdom for his Measures and Methods of Advancement will not be as Mens are When the Lord dwells in Sion Joel 3. ult our Reformations must be carried on to an higher pitch and he will cleanse what he hath not yet cleansed Isa 4.3 4. He that remaineth then in Jerusalem shall with more reason be called holy because the remainder of our silth will be washt away The Second Improvement of this Point VSE 2 may be by way of Exhortation to those Duties which should be learnt from it First Labour to be deeply sensible of your defiled Natures and Lives Till we are brought to a serious acknowledgment of this we are not fit to be washt tho' we need it If we confess our sins 1 John 1.9 he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness The faithfulness of God does not bind him to cleanse us from that which we will not confess David bewails his secret faults as well as those that were known and open and prays for cleansing from them Psal 19.12 He who is pure in his own eyes shall continue filthy still Till we come to see our own Leprous Faces and thereupon to loathour selves there is no hope of our being clean Methinks that Challenge which God put to