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Showing posts from December, 2016

Is There Just Sevenfold Grace by Spirit?

A Protestant Reformer explains why there is not just 7-fold, while looking at a prophecy of Jesus' birth/coming from Isaiah chapter eleven: The Prophet does not here enumerate all the gifts of the Holy Spirit, as some have thought. Out of this passage the Papists have foolishly and ignorantly drawn their sevenfold grace, and some of the ancients fell into a similar blunder. He enumerates only six kinds; but they have added a seventh out of their own head. But as one error commonly follows another, they have chosen to limit the gifts of  the Spirit  to the number seven, although in other parts of Scripture ( John 14:17 ;  2 Timothy 1:7 ) he receives numerous and lofty commendations drawn from the variety of the effects which he produces. Besides, it is very evident that it is through the kindness of Christ ( Galatians 5:22, 23 ) that we are partakers of other blessings than those which are here enumerated, of meekness, chastity, sobriety, truth, and holiness; for these proceed fro