Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
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A25478
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A supplement to The Morning-exercise at Cripple-Gate, or, Several more cases of conscience practically resolved by sundry ministers; Morning-exercise at Cripplegate. Supplement.
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Annesley, Samuel, 1620?-1696.
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1676
(1676)
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Wing A3240; ESTC R13100
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974,140
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814
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and use than many do conceive When it is against Edification it is not acceptable to God One would think Christ had broken his own Law of Discipline when he did familiarly eat with Publicans and Sinners And yet that very Act of his is one of those which he justifieth by the aforesaid Rule I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice Mat. 9.11 12 13. Learn this Lesson of preferring Mercy before Sacrifice if ever you will glorifie God The right manner of Worshipping God is of great moment to the Honour of him and of our Religion before the World That we give no false descriptions of God or dishonourable attributes That we teach no dishonourable Doctrine as his especially of his own Will and Counsels and of his Government Laws and Judgment That we neither take down the Glory of the Gospel Mysteries by reducing them to the rank of Common Providence nor yet be deceived by Satan or his Ministers as the promoters of Light and Righteousness 2 Cor. 11.15 to abuse and dishonour them by over-doing That we seek not to glorifie God by our lyes or by our own mistaken Interpretations or inventions God must be Worshipped as a Spirit in Spirit and Truth and not with Popish toyes and fopperies which make others think that our Religion is but like a Poppet-Play and ludicrous device to keep the People in Servitude to the Priests by a blind Devotion God must be Worshipped Rationally and with all holy wisdom and not with Childish shadows and trifles nor with slovenly and imprudent words which tend to breed in the hearers derision or contempt Neither the cantings or scenical Actions or affected Repetitions of the Papists nor the rude disorderly incongruous Expressions of unskilful men are fit to be offered to the Glorious God Prudence and Holiness and Seriousness and Reverence must appear in that Worship which must honour God O with what Holiness should we hear from and speak to the Holy Holy Holy God Who will be Sanctified in all that draw near him Lev. 10.3 and will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in Vain They that will do it acceptably must serve him with Reverence and godly fear Heb. 12.28 as knowing that he is a consuming fire and yet with alacrity love and delight as knowing that in his favour is Life and that he is the infinitely amiable Good the hope and only Portion of Believers XI The Humility Meekness and Patience of Christians are greatly necessary to their glorifying of God I joyn all three together for brevity sake 1. It is a thing very amiable in the eyes of all when Men have not too high thoughts of themselves and seek not to be over-valued by others either as great or wise or good when they seek not precedency preferment or honour but take the lowest place and envy not the precedence or honour of others but take another's honour as their own and take another to be fitter caeteris paribus for places of Power Trust or Eminency than themselves when they do according to the measure of their worth honour all men 1 Pet. 2.17 And are kindly affectioned one to another in Brotherly Love in honour preferring one another Rom. 12.10 Not dissemblingly and Complementally saying Your Servant Sir while they would fain have others below them and to be obedient to their wills But really to think meanly of their own worth and Wisdom Rom. 12.3 For I say through the grace given to me to every man that is among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think but to think soberly as God hath dealt to every Man the measure of Faith Not thinking himself something when he is nothing Gal. 6.3 Nor to be more Learned or Wise or Pious than he is We must be indeed his Disciples who humbled himself and made himself of no Reputation Phil. 2.7 8. and washed and wiped the feet of his Disciples to teach them what to be and do to one another who hath taught us the necessity of Cross-bearing and self-denial and to humble our selves as little Children if ever we will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 16.24 and 18.3 4. and hath decreed and fore-told us that whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted and therefore the greatness which his Ministers must seek must be to be the Servants of the rest Mat. 23.11 12 13. Honour shall uphold the humble in spirit Prov. 29.23 But a man's Pride shall bring him low Better is it to be of an humble spirit with the lowly than to divide the spoyls with the Proud Prov. 16.10 He that will honour his Religion must put on as the Elect of God bowels of mercy kindness humbleness of mind not of Tongue only meekness long-suffering forbearing one another and forgiving one another if any man have a Quarrel against any Col. 3.12 13. He must not set out himself like the Richest and desire to seem high or notable to others nor set up himself with his Superiours nor swell or grudge if he be not regarded or taken notice of no nor if he be reproved or dishonoured But must learn of an humbled Christ to be meek and lowly Mat. 11.29 and must not mind or desire high things but condescend to men of low estate and not be wise in his own conceit Rom. 12.16 I beseech you therefore that you walk worthy the vocation wherewith ye are called with all lowliness and meekness with long-suffering forbearing one another in Love Eph. 4.1 2. Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves Phil. 2.3 What man loveth not such a Spirit and Conversation O that it were more common and eminent among us and then we should find that the dis-affection of the Ignorant would be much abated and that when a man's wayes thus please God his Enemies will be the more at peace with him Prov. 16.7 But when they are proud and we are proud and we cannot yield nor bow nor give place to the wrathful but must justle and contend with them for our place and honour we lose our Christian honour by seeking Carnal honour and appear to be but like other men And even the Proud themselves will disdain the Proud 2. And though we may be Angry and not sin and must be plain and zealous against sin and for God though guilty galled sinners be displeased by it yet meekness must be our temperature For a turbulent rough unquiet spirit is displeasing both to God and Man such Persons have seldom peace with others or themselves A meek and quiet spirit is in the sight of God of great price 1 Pet. 3.4 Blessed are the meek for they shall Inherit the Earth they shall speed better than others even in this World Mat. 5.5 The Wisdom from above is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be entreated full of mercy and good fruits Paul tells us
sign of success Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress saies David Psal 4.1 though it be meant of deliverance yet it may be applied to prayer as the holy Prophet seems to do Psal 18.6 yea though the soul may be under some sense of displeasure and in extremities yet lifts up a cry when conscience stops the mouth of hypocrites that they shun and fly the presence of God 2. A blessed serenity and quiet calmness of spirit in time of prayer especially when the soul comes troubled and clouded at first whiles it pours out its complaints before the Lord but at length nescio quid serenius emicat Jerâ—m c. the Sun shines forth brightly and the heavens look serenely and chearfully upon the soul in prayer 't is said of Hannah she was no more sad Heb. her countenance was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ille ulterius any longer in the old hue cast down and sorrowful because of her rival Thus the Lord dealt with David though not yet fully answered yet fill'd with holy (a) 1 Sam. 1.18 fortitude of spirit and revived in the midst of his trouble Prayer dispels (b) Psal 138.3 7. anxious sollicitude and chases away black thoughts from the heart (c) Phil. 4.6 7 it cases conscience and fills the soul with the peace of God 3. A joyful frame of Spirit God sometime makes his people not onely peaceful but (d) Isa 56.7 joyful in his house of prayer Thus sped Hezekiah when his Crane-like chatterings (e) Isa 38.14 20. were turned into Swan-like songs and his mournful elegies into glorious praises Hab. 3.16 19. 2 Chron. 7.1 10. upon ten-stringed instruments in the house of the Lord the lips of Habakkuk quivered and his belly trembled but before he finisht his voice was voluble in holy songs and his fingers nimble upon the harp Thus at Solomon's prayer when the fire came down the people were warm'd at worship and went away glad and merry at heart David's (h) Psal 43.4 5. experience of this sent him often to the house of God for comfort and thus chides his soul when cast down at any time I am going to the altar of God to God my exceeding joy why art thou disquieted within me his old harp that had cured Saul of his malignant dumps being plaid upon with Temple songs now cures his own spiritual sadness When we look upon God with an eye of faith in prayers it enlightens (i) Psal 34.5 our faces with Heavenly joy when Moses came out of the mount from communion with God how illustrious was his face from that Heavenly vision wherefore prayer for divine mercy and comfort sometimes exhibits its self in this language Psal 80.3 make thy face to shine upon us and we shall be saved on this wise the Priests of old were to bless the children of Israel Numb 6.25 The Lord make his face to shine upon thee and be gracious to thee these and the like expressions in Scripture import that sometimes the Lord was pleased to give forth a shining glory from the Oracle and thereby made known his presence unto his people Exod. 4â— 34 Lev. 9.23 Num. 16.19 42. 20.6 1 Kings 8.11 and filled them with awful impressions of his majesty and mercy This joyful light of God's countenance is like the Sun rising upon the face of the earth it chaseth away the dark fears and discouragements of the night such heavenly joy shews the strength of faith in prayer and the radiant appearances of God yea to this end all prayer should be directed (b) John 16.24 that d our joy may be full 4. A sweetness of affection to God when the soul has gracious sentiments of God in prayer clouds of Jealousies and suspicions of the divine mercy as if God were a hard master are marvellous unbecoming a soul that should go to God as to a Father and hence from such unsuitable thoughts of infinite mercy to hide the talent of prayer is greatly provoking Whereas the apprehension of God's excellent goodness should work the heart into lovely thoughts of God (c) Parisiens p. 376. Man but especially a Saint is acervus beneficiorum dei an accumulated heap of divine favours and if nothing but the gifts of mercy should attract our hearts yet herein we are every moment laden with his numerous benefits But when the soul comes to perceive that all flows from the fountain of his eternal love it makes prayer to be res amorosa to be filled with holy delights and joys the extasies of love often rise upon the soul in secret and such divine affection as (d) Gers Tom. 2. k. k. 4. Gerson said 't is res extatica it carries the soul beyond it self let the prophane World say what they will when spiritual ardours like so many fragrant spices flow out of the soul I love the Lord says David (e) Psal 116.1 for he hath heard my supplications As answers of prayer flow from (f) John 16.27 the love of the Father so suitable workings of holy affections flow from the hearts of children When the soul is fill'd with gracious intimations like those of the Angelical voice to Daniel O Daniel greatly beloved O man of desires Dan. 9.23 Luke 1.28 to stand before the King of Saints or like that to the holy Virgin Hail thou that art highly favoured the Lord is with thee how greatly does it inflame the heart to God 5. Inward incouragements sometimes spring in upon the heart in prayer from remembrance of former experiments which mightily animate the soul with fervency When Moses calls to mind that God had forgiven and delivered from Egypt untill then Numb 14.19 v. 20 Psal 77.5 6.7.9.10 immediately follows a sweet intimation of mercy I have pardoned according to thy word When the soul considers the days of old the years of antient times and calls to remembrance its former songs in the night he draws an argument out of the quiver of experience will God be favourable no more can he forget to be gracious can he in anger shut up his tender mercies The soul concludes this thought to flow from its own infirmity for when God once hears a prayer as coming from a child of his in Covenant prove our filial interest and we may sweetly rest assured in all things according to his Will to be always heard 6. A ready heart for thankfulness and service the heart is brim full and ready to flow over in grateful memorials of his mercy What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me Psal 116.12 As of old at Temple-sacrifices there was Musick so it ought to be now while the mercy is praying for the heart must be winding up and tuning for praise Rev. 5 8. Psal 108.1 The vials full of the odours of prayer are joined vvith harps for heavenly melody when the heart is fixt or prepared