Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	aaron_n	bring_v	rod_n	69	3	9.6959	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66073	Characters of a sincere heart and the comforts thereof collected out of the Word of God by Hen. Wilkinson.	Wilkinson, Henry, 1616-1690.	1674 (1674)	Wing W2229; ESTC R27587	61,872	145

as in the presence of God to his own Soul saving Is my heart sincere and upright towards God There are many needless Questions propounded which gender strife and it were better that they had been buried in silence altogether but here is the Question worthy of our studying and stating viz. Whether our hearts stand sincere towards God As for all those whose hearts are without guile as Nathanael's was John 1. 47. who have truth in the inward parts as God requires Psal 37. 6. who are men after God's own heart as David was whose hearts are perfect with God as Hezekiah Asa and Jehosaphat were these notwithstanding infirmities incident to human nature shall find the comfort and benefit of their uprightness and sincerity in their lives and in their deaths and after death to all eternity Sincere-hearted Christians receive Sincere persons receive comfort in their lives comfort in their lives Although God's dear Children meet with variety of sore and grievous afflictions in this present World and encounter with many tentations and great troubles and vexations insomuch as they are the very Butt and Mark against which their implacable Enemies shoot their keenest and sharpest Arrows poisoned and destructive yet notwithstanding all their sufferings a good od a good Cause and a good Conscience will carry them chearfully through all their troubles and abundantly quiet and support their spirits And the least glimpse of God's reconciled countenance in Christ will infinitely compensate for all the frowns and fury of implacable Adversaries inward comforts will make amends for outward troubles A good Conscience like Ahimaaz will bring good tidings or like a Halcyon as is said appears in a storm as an emblem of a calm approaching Or a good Conscience may resemble Noah's Dove which brought an Olive-leaf in her mouth in token that the waters were abated As Aaron's Rod swallowed up all the Rods of the Magicians so a pacified Conscience by the consolations of God's spirit will swallow up all manner of troubles and vexations whatsoever A sincere heart and the answer of a good conscience and the apprehension of God's reconciled countenance in the face of Christ will compose and quiet our spirits and becalm and make them sedate and settle all manner of fluctuating and tumultuating thoughts To this purpose I 'le cite an excellent passage of St. Augustine * Tumultuosis varietatibus dilaniantur cogitationes meae intimae viscera animae meae donet in te coajinam purgatus li●uidus g●e amoris tui Aug. conf l. c. 29. My thoughts saith he are torn in pieces with variety of tumults even my inward bowels are torn in pieces until I make haste to be purged and and melted with the fire of thy love One only word spoken by Christ suddenly becalm'd a rough and tempestuous Sea for when the Disciples were afraid Matth. 8. 26. Christ arose and rebuked the Winds and the Sea and there was a great calm And amidst variety of storms and tempests even such winds which blow fiercer than that called Euroclydon Acts 27. 17. Christ can make all still and so can he amidst the greatest inward and sharpest storms of Christians when they are at their wits end and know not what to do Christ I say can speak a word of peace unto their Souls saying Son or Daughter be of good comfort all thy sins are forgiven thee Upon the hearing of such a gracious word there will follow a marvelous tranquility and serenity upon the spirit Sect. 2 It cannot be denied though it ought to be bewailed but the best of Saints here on earth have their spots and failings for they are encompassed in this World with a body of sin and corruption yet they are sensible of and mourn for their spots and failings for they are their sorrow and their heavy burthen They do not willingly allow themselves in any sin nor willingly depart from any command Sin in a Child of God is a torment to him like a broken leg or a broken tooth it 's matter of dolour and anguish to him Sin in a Child of God is like Garbidge thrown into a running stream it is still running and purging away of all manner of filth and impurity But sin in an unregenerate man is like Garbidge thrown into a standing pond there it abides and sends forth a loathsome and stinking savour However all those whose hearts are upright with God make it their continual employment to search their hearts and to wash and cleanse them hereupon after searching of their hearts they learn to know them better and they know more evil by themselves than all the World can tell them of hence follows heart-compunction sighing and mourning And being thus apprehensive of their own impotency and unworthiness and forlorn condition they make haste to Christ and implore his gracious assistance and beseech him to cleanse them and make them white in his Bloud Wherefore as often as that inveterate enemy Satan and all malicious and ungodly men the Devils instruments prefer large Bills of Accusations and false Indictments against the Saints they make their appeal to the righteous Judge of Heaven and Earth who alwaies judgeth righteously The Apostle makes an expostulation and gives an answer thereunto every way satisfactory Rom. 8. 33 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect it is God that justifieth The most bitter Accusations and most violent Persecutions of them all are altogether insignificant and of no effect force or vertue against any of those whom God justifies for Gods justification and discharge will fully acquit and exonerate us and save us harmless and indemnified against all the demands charges suggestions and libels made against us by the worst of Enemies For it follows in the next words Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us The frequent and serious meditation of these things abundantly support and comfort the godly in their Pilgrimage on Earth Albeit the best of Gods children meet with conflicts and antipathies and are excercised in combats against the Flesh the Devil and the World those spiritual Enemies of their Salvation yet through the strength of Christ they shall return with Trophies of Victory and by experience they shall find the flesh to be weaker and weaker and the spirit stronger as it was said of the houses of David and Saul this grew weaker and weaker and the other grew stronger and stronger But whilst we are in this World we must never cast down our weapons but still continue fighting against sin we must not expect to rest from our labours till we are dead Let 's then with all diligence and fidelity manage our spiritual warfare and in all things labour to approve our hearts sincere to God and we shall at length conclude with the Apostle Rom. 8 37. Nay in all these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things