Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n
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A44217
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The Holy Ghost on the bench, other spirits at the bar: or The judgment of the Holy Spirit of God upon the spirits of the times. recorded in Holy Writ. / And reported by Richard Hollinworth ...
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Hollingworth, Richard, 1607-1656.
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1656
(1656)
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Wing H2494A; ESTC R29484
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37,097
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128
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spiritual wickednesses Eph. 6.12 the evil spirit his temptations are evil and to evil being a spirit of whoredoms an unclean spirit Hos 4.12 he tempteth to murther and lying Iohn 8.44 to Sacriledge Act. 5.2 Covetousness and Treason Ioh. 13.2 Object But this or that spirit moveth to good Duties to abhor pride in Apparel to renounce the world c. Answ Though the good Spirit of God doth never tempt to evil yet the evil spirit sometimes perswades to that which is good and so he transforms himself into an Angel of light and his Ministers as the Ministers of righteousness appearing and pleading for righteousness 2 Cor. 11.14 but Satan doth never move to good as it is good though by accident it may be materially good but as some sin or evil cleaves to it his main design is to promote evil and he moveth to good duties but obiter that he might more easily deceive and be less suspected the bait is good for the fish but the Fisher aimes at the catching and killing of the fish not at the feeding of them and therefore there is an hook in it so doth Satan in this case James 1.14 Quest How may I know when it is the evil spirit that moveth me to that which is good Answ 1. When we are moved to do holy Duties unsutable to good things in a bad manner without care or conscience viz. in pride as David numbred the people a thing in some cases lawful and necessary 1 Chron. 21.1 or in hypocrisie so the Pharasees fasted prayed and gave Almes Matth. 6. with oppinion of merit Gal. 5.2.4.5.8 or for a pretence for the covering of our wicked intentions Matth. 23.14.23 so Herod Matth. 2.7.8 So to Pray or Preach carelesly to come to the Lords Supper unpreparedly and unworthily 1 Cor. 11.27 for Satan knows that not only the plowing of the wicked is sin Prov. 21.4 But also their Praying Prophesying and their Service of God their Sacrifice to God is abhominable Prov. 28.9 and that a curse belongs to them that do the works of God negligently Jerem. 48.10 much more if they do it prophanely And Satan would have us by this means to go away with a curse instead of a blessing Secondly when we are moved to do good Extravagantly without call or commission so Corah and Dathan offered incense Numb 16. Such was Sauls sacrisicing Uzzah's staying the Ark though his intention was very good Uzzah's offering incense God is the God of order the evil Spirit causeth tumult disorder distraction confusion 1 Cor. 14.33 God hath appointed Orders in his Church first Apostles c. 1 Cor. 12.28 Eph. 4.11 His Canon is Let all things be done in order 1 Cor. 14.40 For the Church is an Army with Banners in Military Rank and File women are appointed to keep silence in the Churches and the Spirits of the Prophets are to be subject to the Prophets and every one ought to abide in his own Place and Calling 1 Cor. 7.20.24 And the Apostles pray a very needful and useful prayer that they may be delivered from absurd men or men out of their places 2 Thes 3.1 2. Thirdly When we are moved to do good unseasonably viz. when there are other Duties either in themselves greater or more incumbent on us at that time then that which we are moved to such isour considering our worldly occasions at other times lawful and fit upon the Lords Day Amos. 8.5 Isa 58.13 So private Duties and Exercises in time of Publique Ordinances for God loves the Gates of Sion the more Solemn and Publique Assemblies of his People more then all the private dwellings of Jacob Psal 87.2 So impertinent thoughts though otherwise holy and good which do hinder our praying hearing serving of God that we cannot pray or hear c. as we ought with all our might Eccles 9.10 so that expression of Peters love and affection to Jesus Christ was unseasonable and savoured more of man then of God of Satan then of a Saint Matth. 16.21 22 23. There is a time for all things mis-timing of our Duties doth turn them to sin Satan would make Gods ways to interfer and would have one duty to shoulder out another if he cannot hinder every duty he will hinder opus Diei the present duty but the good man brings forth fruit in due season Psal 1.3 and every thing is beautifull in its season Eccles 3.11 Fourthly When we are moved to do good things unmeasureably when a Christian especially a young Convert will be doing Satan will have him over do It was the duty of the incestuous person to be sorrowful 1 Cor. 5.2 but there was danger least Satan should swallow him up with over much sorrow 2 Cor. 2.10 It was a duty to keep the Sabbath but the Pharasees over-kept it Mat. 12.1 2. the Eutichae were to pray but they would be alway praying It is a duty for married persons to forbear the use of the marriage Bed for a time but not too long least Satan should tempt them for their inconstancy 1 Cor. 7.5 Then also are duties unmeasurable or at least unseasonable when they are prejudicial to our healths Hos 6.6 God will have mercy not sacrifice or do occasion us to neglect the duties of our particular callings or relations 2 Thes 3.11 We cannot indeed exceed in our love to God modus diligendi Deum est sine modo but we may exceed in external expressions of love or service and this excess is Satans policy that he might weary out the spirits of men ride them off their legs and beget both in them and others hard thoughts of Religion and draw them from this excess in holy performances to an utter neglect of them The second unquestionable Property of the Spirit of God is Truth 1 Ioh. 5.6 It is the Spirit of truth Ioh. 16.13 as Christ is Truth Ioh. 14.6 as goodness is a conformity to Gods Will so Truth is a conformity to his Understanding all truths below are but Copies of that Original and Eternal Truth that is above God always speaks truth and neverlies he cannot lye nor deceive or be deceived It is impossible for God to lye Heb. 6. This Spirit leads not only to the truth but into it into all truth But the evil spirit is a lyar Ioh. 8.44 a lying spirit 1 King 22.22 A seducing spirit speaking lies in hypocrisie 1 Tim. 4.1 2. As truth is the Son of God so lying is the Daughter of the Devil Satan lyed to the first Adam Gen. 3.5 and to the second Adam Luk. 4.6 and still he raises open outward scandalous lying reports of holy Ministers and other men or else inward false surmises and suspitions Object But this or that spirit doth speak truth viz. that we should repent fear the living God and that there are false Teachers and Seducers abroad of whom we must beware or the like therefore this is the good Spirit of God Answ Though it be true that what soever Spirit doth
an Enlivening Spirit Thirdly an Enlarging Spirit First He is a Spirit of Light enlightening the person discovering our needs necessities our dangers and duties our cases and cures he shews us our sins our selves and the means of our Salvation Ioh. 16.9 and consequently what we should pray for Secondly He is the Spirit of Life enlivening a man Rom. 8.2 When God made man he breathed into his Body the Breath of Life and when a man is converted the Spirit of Life is breathed into the soul as the body without the soul is dead so the soul without this Spirit of Life is dead also A man that marries an Inheretrix is Tenant by the Curtesie of England if he beget a Son which is born and cries it is much presumed that if there be life there will be crying The Spirit of grace is the Spirit of Supplication Zach. 12.10 Paul a new born Babe falls a crying Act. 9.11 without life there can be no crying Thirdly He is the Spirit of Liberty and not of Liberty only but of Adoption also enlarging the soul with faith and love to God Rom. 8.15 only Sons can call God father Christ in his Prayer called God Father six or seven times Ioh. 17. This Fatherhood is a good foundation of Faith and Prayer Christ taught us to call God our Father children cry Dad and Mam. I shall now come to those Acts of the Spirit that are nearer to and have more influence upon the Prayer Which are these First The Spirit of God doth invite excite us to pray as Satan suggests evil motions to hinder it so the Spirit of God suggests good motions Rev. 22.19 The Spirit saith venite oremus come let us pray Secondly The Spirit of God doth discover to us our present wants and needs that we which of our selves know not what to pray for may know what to pray for Rom. 8.26 Thirdly The Spirit brings to our remembrance the savory and suitable phrases and passages of holy Writ especially the precious Promises which are most pertinent are brought to our minds and memories by this Spirit of Promise Ioh. 14.26 Eph. 1.13 Promises and Prayers are like figure 6. and of 9. the very same figure only the Promises like the figure of 9. do bend downward and Prayers like the figure of 6. do point upward Fourthly He excites corroborates and strengthens the graces of prayer faith hope and love c. That they lye not as sparks under the ashes he fills the Sails of the soul with a fair wind and carries it with a full sail Heb. 10.12 as Satan filled the heart of Ananias and Saphira to lye so he fills the hearts of the Saints to cry Our hearts saith one are dead and dull and lye like a Log in a Ditch and though we toil and tug with them we cannot lift them up but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he enlivens our graces and raises up our souls Rom. 8.26 Fiftly He enlargeth our affections in prayer with sighs and groans that cannot be uttered in words or phrases as one who is so sore burden'd oppressed and grieved that he cannot express it Rom. 8 26. Sixtly It teacheth us to take care and make conscience that now especially in Prayer we offend not in our tongue Psal 39.1 It restrains that petulancy and extravagancy of words and wit great swelling words of vanity vain bablings idle repetitions c. and so far as the Spirit doth assist us in our words he teacheth us to pray in the words of truth and soberness CHAP. VI. Shewing the difference between the Spirit of Grace and Supplication and the common gift of Prayer THe help of the Spirit of God is not in all alike some have only a common gift of Prayer such are as canting Beggers which by use and custome have got an artificial trade of begging such were the cunning women in Iewry and the like in Ireland that have Lachrimas venales Tears to sell and others have a special gift or grace of Prayer and though even the common gift be from the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12.3 Yet I shall crave leave thus to distinguish these works by calling the first of them the gift of Prayer and the second I shall call as Zachary calls it Zach. 12.10 The Spirit of Prayer And thus they differ First Hypocrites may have the gift of Prayer as well as the gift of Prophecying Mat. 7.22 so had Iudas but only the Saints have the Spirit of Prayer Rom. 8.26 27. Secondly Possibly all Saints have not the gift of Prayer or skill to conceive and compose a Prayer suitable to their several occasions as Children or Babes in Christ but all Saints have the Spirit of Prayer Rom. 8.15 Thirdly The gift of Prayer is only exercised in vocal Prayer and that in conceived Prayer too but the Spirit of Prayer may be found in silent Ejaculations as in Nehemiah Ch. 2.4 and Hannah whose words were not heard and Eli supposed she had been drunk but she was full of the Spirit of God as they were Act. 2. Yea though a word be not uttered Ex. 14. 15. the heart hath a tongue that God can hear Jesus Christ prayed the same words thrice though he had not the Spirit by measure and he exercised the Spirit of Prayer as much or more the last time then the first So we may sing Davids Psalms in the spirit 2 Chron. 29.30 Hence it also follows that Tyrants may rob us of the exercise of the gift of Prayer but not of the Spirit of Prayer the tongue of the Spirit cannot be cut out when a man cannot speak the Spirit may pray Fourthly They that have the gift of Prayer they have apt expressions outward enlargements they court God and complement with him profess more then is true and promise more then they mind to perform they draw nigh to God with their mouth Matth. 15.8 But they that have the Spirit of Prayer have sometimes yea at all times when their Spirit is lively deep impressions upon their heart devout affections soul inlargements sighs and groans of the soul are the life and soul of Prayer sighs and sobs grieving and groaning are good Rhetorick in the Closet between God and us their affections are too big for their expressions Rom. 8.26 27. words are but the outside of Prayer Fiftly The gift of Prayer is only or chiefly of use when we joyn with others the Spirit of Prayer is of as much use when we are alone Sixtly The gift of Prayer is apt to puff men up with pride because he can pray better then others it makes men censorious and contemptuous of others saying or thinking at least I am not as this Publican Luk. 18.11 or stand by thy self I am more holy then thou Isa 65.5 But the Spirit of Prayer doth shew men so much of their own wants and weaknesses that they are ashamed of themselves that they are humble mean in their own eyes and prefer others before themselves the one is