Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A03064
|
A treatise of faith diuided into two parts. The first shewing the nature, the second, the life of faith. ... By Iohn Ball.
|
Ball, John, 1585-1640.
|
1631
(1631)
|
STC 1319; ESTC S100833
|
364,072
|
489
|
Hope Loue Iustice Temperance which it is to be brought vnto In which regard as liuing bodies need daily food that they might grow vnto perfection of nature so soules hauing grace haue need to goe ouer with the vse of the meanes as well as others that the diuine nature may be more and more enlarged getting vp as the light of the Sunâ—e doth in the aire which it inlightneth Seuenthly It is good to call to minde the experience of the faith and ioy which wee haue had at any time before 2. Cor. 10. remembring that former comforts are as a bill obligatorie vnder Gods hand to assure that hee will not forsake vs. For whom God loueth hee loueth to the end Iohn 13.1 because he is vnchangeable the same for euer which consideration may serue to settle vs in assurance of Gods loue towards vs more then a childe can bee of his Fathers good-will or a wife of her bodily Husbands fauour for they are mutable Eightly Obserue the opportunities when it pleaseth God in speciall manner to draw nigh vnto vs and make vse of them God visiteth his children sometimes in tender compassion and knocketh at the doore of their hearts inuiting them to diuine and heauenly communication with him Sometimes he inclineth their soules to fresh sorrow for sinne sometimes hee refresheth them with more liuely apprehension of the ioyes of Heauen sometimes they feele the motions of the Spirit quicke and liuely vpon what occasions soeuer or in what manner it shall please God to offer himselfe vnto vs it stands vs vpon to make vse of that for our quickning to nourish the motions of his Spirit and by feruent Prayer to entreat the continuance of his presence Ninthly Faith increaseth by exercise and groweth by continuall vse If wee learne to liue by faith in matters of this life both when wee haue and when wee want the meanes and rest vpon God for successe in our lawfull calings without distracting care we shall with more facilitie and ease depend vpon the free promises of grace for mercie and forgiuenesse CHAP. XII Of the temptations whereby Satan seeketh to batter downe our faith and how he may be resisted §. 1. Ephes 6.16 1. Pet. 5.8 § 1. THe Deuill knoweth right well that faith is the band whereby we are knit vnto Christ the shield whereby wee quench the fierie darts of the Deuill the ground-worke of a godly life and the safe castle of a Christian soule If faith bee weakened our zeale cooleth our courage abateth our life is tedious our Prayers faint the exercises of Religion vncomfortable and all the graces of Gods Spirit pine and languish Also by doubting and distrust wee dishonour God lay open our hearts to temptations discourage others and tie our owne hands that we cannot fight against our deadly enemies For these causes Satan endeuours by all meanes to hinder as the kindly taking so the growth of faith that such as he cannot hold in the chaines of sinne he might make their liues dead Temptations against Faith wearisome vnprofitable by doubting and discomfort First Satan suggesteth 1. Worthlesnesse that it is horrible presumption for such vile sinners and worthlesse wretches to perswade themselues of Gods speciall loue and fauour And to this end he spareth not to set forth the maiestie iustice and puritie of the Lord that it might strike the greater terrour into the wounded conscience For the repelling of this temptation Remedie The sence of our vnworthinesse must not discourage vs from belieuing it is to be knowne and remembred that Gods mercie fauour promises and benefits are all free which hee vouchsafeth offereth bestoweth without any respect of worthinesse or deserts of his meere grace and vndeserued loue in Iesus Christ And therefore as when wee are most worthy in our owne conceit there is no reason wee should presume the more so when wee find our selues vnworthy there is no cause why wee should hope the lesse For the ground of our confidence is the promise of free and vndeserued mercie made in Christ Iesus to miserable forlorne sinners who see and acknowledge themselues to be more vile then the mire in the street And this sets forth the prayse of Gods mercie so much the more that it is afforded to such base abiects who deserue nothing but to bee cast forth and trodden vnderfoot Should the prisoner doubt of his Princes mercie when hee heareth his pardon read and seeth it sealed because he hath merited no such kindnesse Againe it is good to call to minde and seriously to consider what strong encouragements wee haue to receiue the promises and how wee are not more desirous to belieue then God is wee should so doe For God doth through loue intreat vs of friendship counsell vs 2. Cor. 5.19 20. 1. Tim. 1.15 1. Iohn 3 23 24. and of his authoritie being able to performe commandeth vs as if hee would hereby shew that none hath authoritie to hinder or forbid the same And therefore wee must be warned to beware of all occasions that may darken or put out the light of our confidence as reasoning or questioning against our selues for yeelding to this truth lately receiued c. § 2. Satan will here obiect to the weake and timorous Christian that hee knowes not whether he bee of the number of Gods elect §. 2. 2. They know not whether they be elected and therefore hath nothing to doe with the promises If the Deuill set vpon vs in this sort wee must hold such suggestions to arise from the Spirit of errour Remedy 1. Ioh. 3.23 1. Tim 6.12 Heb. 10.35 Math. 13.31 Ioel 2.6.7 Ioh 10.27 Satan is not to be hearkened vnto nor reasoned with when he tempteth to Infidelitie Gen. 3.1.2.3 because they are contrarie to the voyce of God who saith to the afflicted conscience that is wearie of sin Belieue lay hold on eternall life cast not a way thy confidence Be established confirmed and abound in faith Therefore we must lend no eare to such whisperings of the old serpent but cleaue fast to the word of the Lord and cut off all contrarie inchantments It was the first degree to the vtter vndoing of her selfe and posteritie in our Grandmother Eue that shee opened her eare to a false and lying spirit in the mouth of a Serpent which vnder a faire colour perswaded or rather couertly inticed and drew her to eate of the forbidden fruite The decree of God which is secret in the bosome of the most High is not the rule according to which we must walke but the word of life reuealed in holy Scriptures wee must take for our direction Eph. 1.13 If God make offer of mercie and forgiuenesse vnto vs in the ministerie of the Gospell which is the word of truth the word of saluation wee are bound to receiue it without looking into the booke of his election and if wee receiue them truely we shall bee saued as the Lord hath spoken
towards Heauen keepe my standing or withstand the least assault In paine I am pettish vnder crosses faint heartlesse discontent readie to flie at the sound of persecution secure in prosperitie puffed vp with comforts apt to bee led away with worldly allurements My spirituall taste is distempered with carnall vanities which rellish sweeter to me then the mercies of God in Christ mine appetite to the Word and food of life is abated my zeale decayed mine affections dull to good my deuotion cooled my conscience benummed I heare but feed not vpon the Word my Prayers are cold heartlesse rouing in earthly imployments I keepe no moderation daily weaknesses and lesser sinnes goe downe without reluctation the motions of the spirit quickly die the motions of the flesh liue and get strength admonition is fruitlesse reproofe vnwelcome in my course I am ready to stumble at euery rub linger after euery baite laide by Satan or the world to catch mee and totter vpon the smallest tentation Euery day I haue greater experience of my weakenesse then other soone distempered and put out of frame if by any meanes for a little time my heart bee brought into some better order I am forgetfull of my purposes negligent of the opportunities to get good distracted with lawfull busines and wearie of the woâ—kes of my calling perplexed at the troubles I meete wâ—th giuing way to forwardnesse not looking vp to God vnthankefull for mercies trifling out the the time in foolish surmises vaine ploddings and vnprofitable speeches The poore leane thinne fruits of grace which through the mercie of God now and then I espie in my selfe these proclaime my sicke and feeble state my thoughts and meditations of good poore and few striuings agâ—inst sin weake appetite to the wholsome food of life small digestion slow obedience mâ—ruellous defectiue and in a manner liuelesse I liue vnder the powerfull meanes of grace enioy many helps in priuate am free from many great tentations wherewith others are exercised in respect of their outward condition blessed with the societie of them that feare God pruned and dressed by my heauenly Father and yet I reele wauer am tossed too and fro and ready to fall vpon euery occasion Ah wretched man that I am how shall I bee able to stand if the meanes should faile persecucutions bee raised or the powers of Hell let loose vpon mee Secondly He must stirre vp himselfe to rest vpon God through Iesus Christ for establishment and conformation Why should I feare by reason of mine infirmities or the malice of my spirituall enimies I am sicke but God is my physitian weake but God is my rocke my strength my high tower I like a lost sheepe am readie to goe astray but the Lord is my Sheepheard and will not suffer me to perish Christs intercession is euer effectuall but he hath prayed that my faith should not faile and promised that the gates of hell shall not preuaile The sons of Adam mortall by birth can neuer grow beyond the state of mortalitie the children of God borne of immortall seede can neuer fall from the state of immortalitie True faith is a neuer fading faith the life of grace an euerlasting life the water of life a well springing vnto eternall life Christ once died for sinne neuer to die any more and he that liueth in Christ shall liue for euer Indeed if faith were the worke of freewill or had dependance vpon it it might well perish but being the intire gift of God according to his purpose of grace it must needs pertake of the vnchangeable loue of God which is the fountaine whence it springeth I will walke iealous of my selfe because feeble and apt to offend but confident in Gods mercie and grace because he is faithfull who shall confirme mee vnto the end and perfect his worke hee hath begun My care shall be to feede vpon the word of life to shunne sinne and the occasions leading thereunto to cry for aide and strength and when I feele my selfe readie to sinke I will hang vpon the Lord for his power shall sustaine mee his right hand shall vphold mee and by his might I shall be keept through faith vnâ—o saluation A bruised reede shall he not breake and smoking flaxe shall hee not quench Math. 12.20 2. Cor. 12.9 till he sende forth iudgement into victorie his power shall be magnified in my weaknesse Thirdly He must pray instantly that God would vphold him and make him to see that hee will establish him vnto the end Our strength is of God and it is of him that wee know or be assured that through the power of his grace we shall stand firme and vnmoueable The state of a Belieuer is sure and it is impossible the elect should bee deceiued but as they stand by the grace of God so it is of God that they know their standing O Lord God of heauen the great and terrible God that keepeth couenant and mercy for them that rest vpon thy gratious promise and desire to yeelde vp themselues in obedience to thy Commaundements loooke mercifully vpon mee thy weake vnworthy seruant heale mine infirmities for they are many and stablish mee by thy free Spirit for I am brought very low Remember I beseech thee Ier. 32.39 40. the word of thy coâ—eâ—ant saying I will giue them one heart and one way that they may feare mee for euer for the good of them and of their children after them And I will make an euerlasting couenant with them that I will not turne away from them to doe them good but I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from mee Now I am thy poore creature the woâ—ke of thine hands whom thou hast made thy poore seruant with whom thou hast striken couenant vnto whom thou hast shewed this mercie that I desire to feare thy Name O Lord I beseech thee teach mee thy way make me to walke in thy truth vnite my heart to thy feare confirme strengthen stablish me vnto the end and make mee to know that by thy power I shall bee inabled to stand fast and vanish the enemies of my saluation that I may fight manfully obey cheerefully persist vndaunted and reioyce in thy saluation all the dayes of my life CHAP. VI. How to liue by faith in time of Temptation when Satan encounters and seekes to winnow the poore seruants of Christ NO sooner doth a Christian set himselfe vnfainedly to seeke the Lord 1. Pet. 5.8 but Satan with all his malice subteltie might and furie doth make out after him assaying by inward suggestions and outward tentations agaâ—ne and againe reiterated to discourage turne backe and vtterly ouer throw him The seruants of Christ are all souldiers and haue continuall warre not with flesh and bloud Eph. 6.11.12 but with principalities and powers and spirituall wickednesses This they must expect they haue sworne it and are called vnto of the Lord Encouragements to resist Satan who for