Selected quad for the lemma: soul_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
soul_n	become_v	body_n	life_n	5,856	5	4.6957	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A78180	The regenerate mans growth in grace. Shewing, that regeneration of necessitie requireth augmentation in grace. With the motives to move us to grow, signes to know whether we have grown; the lets that hinder our growth; and helps to further our growth. / Preached at a sermon at Lancaster, upon a day of humiliation, by N.B. minister thereof.	Barnett, Nehemiah, b. 1614 or 15.	1646 (1646)	Wing B875; Thomason E1165_1; ESTC R210099	23,846	95

better to be unborne then to die without grace and he that growes not in grace never obtaines a blessing of God in this life nor let him looke to dwell with him in the life of glory Then grow in grace IN this Chapter our Apostle Peter seemes to have met with some in his time Coherence that doubted of the day of Judgement saying Where is the promise of his comming To vers 4. Therefore he produceth arguments to assure us of the certainty of Christs comming to Judgement To vers 8. Proclaiming the perdition of ungodly men at that day and therefore warnes us to hasten our repentance and that because the day of the Lord will come as a thiefe in the night vers 10. In which day we must looke for the heavens to be dissolved the elements consumed and the earth burned seeing we are in expectation of these things he exhorts to be diligent that we may be found of him in peace without spot and blamelesse vers 14. Now to prevent us from falling away he warnes us that we be not led by the errours of the wicked and so fall from our owne stedfastnesse vers 17. And to this end prescribes us a preservative from falling into Apostacy in these words But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to him be glory both now and for ever Let us first enquire 1 What is meant by grace here 2 What it is to grow in grace 3 Who is a subject fit for growth Of these in their order 1 Grace is either taken for the love and favour of God Grace is twofold either active or pasive whereby we are accepted of him in Christ and so it 's Active 2 Or for the gifts wrought in us by Gods spirit so it 's Passive The former is gratia acta grace begun The later is gratia aucta grace increased which is the grace here commended The several acceptations of grace in Scripture for brevities sake I omit but if it be the grace that hath reference to God it should note the grace of Election which St. Paul saith was according to his purpose and grace 2 Tim. 1.9 If it hath reference to us it implies the gifts of the Holy Spirit bestowed upon us by God in this sense See John 1.16 of his fulnesse we receive grace for grace Or that which hath reference to the future estate of glory in which sense See 1 Pet. 1.13 Now our Apostle looks not at the first acceptation of grace which is of Election because it is without life and cannot grow nor at the last because we cannot get to glory unlesse we have grown for the life of glory is past growth but it hath reference to the middle which is the gifts of the Spirit as renovation by his Spirit redemption by his Sonne in sending him out of his bosome to disclose his secrets unto us which are of two sorts 1. Such as have respect to the esse and bene esse of a Christian as those cardinall graces faith and repentance love and obedience 2. Such as have respect ad ornatum to the decking of a Christian as good wit memory and good invention questionlesse the Apostle meanes we should grow in all grace but especiall in the best 2. What it is to grow in grace As the body may grow in stature till it be taller So the soule may grow in grace till it become holier For there is a quickning life of the soule whereby it grows in goodnesse as well as there is a naturall life of the body whereby it growes in talnesse You know what it is for a childe to grow when his foode is well disgested his members thereby nourished his spirits augmented his strength increased and his whole proportion of body enlarged you 'le say that childe growes So it is with the soule when Gods word which is the soules foode is well disgested so that the soule thereby is nourished his desires more enlarged his affections more quickned the life of grace more augmented you may call this a growing Christian When his faith is more and more strengthned his charitie more and more enflamed When his conscience is more obedient and his obedience more conscionable When he labours for more holinesse here that he might have more happinesse hereafter and strives to get more grace that he might have more glory This is to grow in grace 3. Who is a subject fit for growth He must be such a one as is neither in the state of unregeneracy nor yet in the state of glory 1. Not an unregenerate man because he hath no spirituall life in him whereby he may be said to grow 2. Not a glorified man for he is come to the perfection of his growth and cannot be said to grow 3. It must be one in a middle estate A regenerate man such a one that hath shaken off his corruption Such a one as is ascending higher to some perfection increasing both the multitude and measure of his grace Such a one as is travelling in the way of glory yet not got to glory So that when the Apostle bids us grow in grace I conceive the subject fit for growth must be a regenerate man such as to whom Saint Paul writes Eph. 3.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being rooted and grounded in love Now the Apostles injunction being cleared hence this proposition may be raised That Regeneration requires an augmentation of grace The Proposition Or more briefly A Regenerate man must needs be a growing man A Christian newly Regenerate is like a child newly borne that desires to sucke the breasts of his mother and receives that wholesome nourishment that thereby he may increase in strength and stature therefore Saint Peter wisheth us as new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that we may grow thereby 1 Pet. 2.2 And the Prophet David Psal 92.13 14. Tels us that the trees that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God They shall still bring forth fruit in old age and shall be fat and flourishing Where there is no fruit to be found there is no growth to be expected and there is no Symptome of a Christian growth without fruits The tree is for the fruit and but for the fruit there had beene no tree When there is no hope of fruit we cut it downe and make it serve for fewell Men doe delight to plant trees in their orchards for delight as for shade in hot summer seasons But God delights to see no such trees in his Orchard such that beare nothing but greene leaves or glorious blossomes I meane such as satisfie themselves with Hypocriticall shewes and fruitlesse formallities But if we be growing trees we be fruitfull let us shew our Faith by our fruits and let the grapes of piety clusters of equity and fruitfull branches of sobriety testifie eternally internally externally to God to our own conscience

and prove a good preservative against prodigality of time Yea the knowledge of this mis-pent time will make us runne more swifter in our spirituall race towards heaven This spirituall examination 3 Moti will administer wonderfull consolation to that Christian that shall finde by this search that he is a growing Branch in Gods Orchard for thereby he shall bee assured that he is partaker of the spirituall juice of the true Olive tree By this growth he may be assured that he hath this spirituall life of Regeneration which assurance comes with comfort to the soule like the Angel to the shepheard the comfort is that he may be assured he is the Sonne of God which comfortable words whispered in the eares of a dejected soule were enough to make him leape for joy this is comfort that will make him caper this is comfort that makes the rough waies to Heaven seeme pleasant this comfort revives the heart of Gods children after they have beene tossed with afflictions There is no tongue able to expresse the inestimable sweetnesse of that consolation that is comunicated to a Christian by a sensible feeling of a growth of grace it is that sweet stream of pleasure which comming from the bankes of Heaven waters by secret passages the hearts of the godly I l'e appeale to the Regenerate whether they can finde any comfort like to this The Children of God are not able to conseale this comfort that call to their brethren saying come and I l'e tell you what God hath done for my soule In the examination by it selfe we shall discover to every one these signes whether they have grown or no. I may perceive a childe hath growne Signe 1 when he hath a stronger disgestion milke is for Babes but if he can disgest other meates that are stronger it argues that he hath growne So a Christian may be discerned to have grown when he can disgest stronger points of Reprehensions and Exhortations When he can brook the threatning of the law as well as the promise of the Gospel When he can disgest harsh Doctrines which are terrifying to the flesh as well as pleasing promises which are refreshing to the soule In a word When he can disgest rigorous precepts for the reformation of his life as well as sweet sentences for the Salvation of life This man hath a good disgestion which is a signe he is grown in grace past a child he will quickly become a tall Christian a strong man This is the first signe to discover your growth Secondly Signe 2 We all can diserne a child to have growne by his garments when they are grown too short for him that they will not cover his nakednesse you will conclude he hath grown So when the Spirit of God shall discover our corruption that thereby we doe discerne the garments of our righteousnesse too short to cover our wickednesse to hide our spirituall nakednesse Then we might conclude we have grown When Gods spirit discovers unto us our impiety and shewes us our spirituall poverty and uncovers our wretchednesse and makes naked our unrighteousnesse so that we see the garments of righteousnesse too short for us then we fly to the righteousnesse of Christ Jesus who hath garments fit for all Gods Saints but none can be partaker of it but by the union which he hath with Christ Jesus his diety being the fountaine from whence all grace and Salvation doth flow and his humanity being the Conduit by which all the waters of Gods grace be conveyed to us from him as from a Fountaine wee have strength from him we have life from him and by the vertue of this Vine we grow more and more in grace This is the second signe Thirdly Signe 3 We may know a child to have growne when we finde him more serviceable to us when for his strength he is able to performe some service for us So if we are growne in grace we are able to performe more acceptable service to God we are more active in his service as long as we are in our Minority we are but Pidlers in his service we can do nothing to any purpose nothing worthy-praise nothing worth acceptance but when we are grown to some strength we are more serviceable in the Church of God to strengthen weake Christians to raise up them that are fallen to comfort those that are afflicted by our exhortation supplications when we can cry Abba father when we are able to put up petitions to the Court of Heaven that are prevalent both for our selves and others when our faith is growne stronger then when we were first converted when our love is growne from a few friends to the love of many when our patience growes meeker our humility lower for humility is best when it is lowest when you shall finde it with Iob in the dust there it growes both in favour of God and man This is the third signe Fourthly Signe 4 When a childe is able to beare a burden it argues that hee is growne So when a Christian is better able to beare the burden of affliction and crosses it argues that he is growne in grace Before we were converted the least wrong molested us now we can beare a loade of injuries once words would provoke us once wee accounted sufferings torments afflictions punishments now wee account them preferments when persecution for Christs sake and the Gospell is held our honour and dignity Ipsamque Crucem Coronam And the Crosse a Crowne Then wee may conclude wee are growne in grace 1. Was not Paul grown to be a strong Christian that could say Who could separate us from the love of Christ Rom. 8.38 neither tribulation nor anguish nor persecution shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus and what Saint Paul promised he performed for all this he was able to beare for though the sword separated his head from his shoulders yet it was not able to separate him from his head Christ Jesus 2. Was not Job growne to be a strong Christian that he could beare such a burden of affliction they were such as if heaven and earth had conspired to over-load him yet he was growne able to beare them and resolved though the Lord would kill him he would put his trust in him Job 13.5 3. Is it not manifest that David was growne to be a strong Christian that he could bear such a heavy burden of persecution though he was a man after Gods owne heart yet here he was but as a Pelican in the wildernesse his afflictions were such that he went still with weeping eyes while he lived in this valley of teares These strong Christians knew there was no Crowne without crosses no reigning without suffering though Aegritudo carneni vulnerat sed mentem curat Afflictions wound the flesh but cure the spirit Grow then in grace that we may be able to beare the burden of affliction Of exhortation Vse 3 to exhort all to approve

come we covenant with God to deale with our sinnes as our sinnes dealt with our Saviour they crucified him and put him to death So wee should crucifie and put them to death but if we doe neglect this forget our covenant following our former sinnes returning like a dogge to his vomit again we proclaime our selves perjur'd persons I have read a story to this purpose that when the Pagan beheld Christians receiving the Sacrament and beheld with what reverence and with what devotion they demeaned themselves in that holy businesse he was inquisitive what that action meant and being answered by one of them that after God had emptied their hearts of pride envy coveteousnesse contention c. He did now enter in himselfe with a purpose to dwell there Then he was silent for the present but following them home and observing them that were communicants for two daies and when he saw them fall to quarrell one with another to uncleanesse and drunkennesse he past this censure upon them with exclamation I confesse your Religion may be good your devotion good your profession good but your hospitality is starke nought are you so unhospitable that you would not suffer your God to dwell two daies in your hearts in these words Apud quos ne Deus quidem biduo comorari permittitur This is the shame of Christians this is the disparagement of grace and these are the lets that hinder our growth We will prescribe you now some helpes to further your growth Help 1 The first is Praier and I may well begin with it for it is a speciall helpe to all graces it is that Clavis Coeli which opens the treasure-house of Gods graces it is that Nuncius Dei that fetcheth grace to the soule Prayer procures it a being in us and like the former and latter raine makes it grow in us if thou wouldest grow continually take the Apostles advice and pray continually 1 Thes 5.17 this course Monica Saint Austines mother tooke she went twice a day to the Church and kneeling down upon her knees poured forth many teares from her eyes not begging gold or silver of God but that hee would be pleas'd to poure his grace upon her sonne and convert him to the true faith and thus must we doe otherwise in vaine may we expect that blessing of grace for which we doe not so much as begge if thou lack grace aske of of God Jam. 1.5 that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth none and it shall be given him Dare vult deus S. Aug sed non dat nisi petenti ne det non capienti God is willing to give but he will not give but to him that askes least he offer his blessing to him that is not willing to receive it it is a generall rule Petite et dabitur vobis aske and have without asking no having Help 2 The second is a good desire which is the spirituall appetite of the soule that man-childe that hath a good appetite or stomacke is like to prove a growing childe So it is with the regenerate man finding his wants and emptinesse of grace hath a continuall desire of more grace and labours to increase that which he hath received he considers with himselfe how farre short he comes of what he might have obtained and what others have obtained or if the best of us shall compare our selves with those of Gods servants who are mentioned in holy Scripture for our imitation we shall finde our selves come so short of them that we may doubt of our selves whether we have any grace at all How short are we of Moses for meeknesse how farre short doe we come of Nehemiah in zeale for Gods worship how short of Job in patience in the time of his affliction and thus comparing our selves with Gods Saints we shall finde we come so short of them that it will stirre up our desires and whet our appetites it makes us presse harder towards the mark And study what course to take that we may fill up those vertues that are wanting in us that we might increase those Talents that God hath bestowed upon us that wee might get more graines of grace unto that little which we have received and when the Lord shall perceive our desires to be thus sharpned it will be a good argument to move the Lord to bestow more grace upon us for he loves to feede the hungry and give drinke to the thirstie Boetius saith Quod unicuique viro bono incerto est quaedam cupiditas boni That in every good man there is a fervent desire of more good and what good can any man desire rather then grace Non dormientibus sed vigilantibus It falls not to the sluggards share but those that are desirers of it Therefore he that desires not grace deserves not glory Help 3 As good diet is a good helpe to further the growth of the body so is the good word of God that spirituall foode a good helpe to further the growth of the soule The best foode is Christ that bread of life that water of life that word of life nay life it selfe If you remaine in me saith our Saviour yee shall bring forth much fruit This word is offered unto us in the Word and Sacrament for what sinne soever the Word discovereth to us we must run to Christ for strength to overcome it what obedience the Word commands we must fly to Christ for power to perform it what affliction soever we are burdened with we must hasten to Christ and seek to be reconciled to God in and through him so that come crosses come tribulation or persecution yet our hungry soules shall fully feede on Christ that true bread of life Ignatius As Ignatius Bish of Antioch Saint Peters successour who was by the King of Assyria commanded to be torne in peeces by wilde beasts and being led to the place of torment uttered this golden sentence Nihil moror visibiium nec invisibilium modo Jesum Christum acquiram I care neither for things visible nor yet for things invisible onely this is my care that I may attaine Jesus Christ and with him everlasting Salvation And when the Beasts were let loose upon him these were his last words as saith Saint Hierome I am Gods corne and the teeth of these wilde Beasts must grind me to peeces that I may bee pure bread and sine manchet for Jesus Christs table in heaven The Saints of God did so hunger after Christ the spirituall food that before they would loose that they would loose life it selfe they did not care what course fare their bodies were fed with so that Christ the food of their soules might not be taken away they did not care how their bodies were us'd so that God would spare their soules and he that feeds on this living bread which came downe from Heaven cannot chuse but grow Out of this strong Judges 14.14 came sweetnesse The Lion of Juda yeelds