Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	abatement_n	degree_n	mortification_n	28	3	11.5117	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A33955	A cordiall for a fainting soule, or, Some essayes for the satisfaction of wounded spirits labouring under severall burthens in which severall cases of conscience most ordinary to Christians, especially in the beginning of their conversion, are resolved : being the summe of fourteen sermons, delivered in so many lectures in a private chappell belonging to Chappell-Field-House in Norwich : with a table annexed, conteining the severall cases of conscience which in the following treatise are spoken to directly or collaterally / preached and now published ... by John Collings.	Collinges, John, 1623-1690.	1649 (1649)	Wing C5305; ESTC R24775	174,484	300

ch 19. 6. 7. The journey was great which he had to go the frequent Stories of the Martyrs make this good when the Lord cald them to their great service at the stake he prepared them for their double work with double comforts ravishing their soules with glory and so often that God makes many of his deare Saints live upon short commons all their life time when he brings them to the hard work of dying he gives them a glimpse of glory This is a note of a pretious Divine Rutherford Tryal of faith who gives experiences of it and it is especially when they die strong torturing deaths for alwayes it is not seen it may be they have had all comforts before and may die in conflicts God will try how they can walk in the strength of what they have had or if they have had no bread till then God will hardly call them to die without giving them a crust yet as he sweetly sayeth God walks in liberty here and will not have us to limit the breathings of the holy Ghost to jump with the hour of our dying for we may make an idol of a begun heaven as if it were more excellent then Christ By this you see in stead of much might bee said that assurances may bee weaker and stronger yet true and this will be further made good by my last Conclusion which I will but touch And that is this Concl. 3. Thou mayest have had and againe have a true assurance and full perswasion and for the present have none at all I have spoken so much to this before that I shall need adde very little It is necessary to constitute the true direct act of Faith that it be a continued act and that soule never did truly rely at all that ever since it began to rely ceased to rely but for a reflex act it may be wanting even in the soule that hath had it and may have it againe if God will please to turne his face towards it nay I will question whither ever that Christian had true assurance or no that hath had it as he pretends without any intermission for so long as there remaines a Devill to tempt or a flesh to allure to sin there will be sometimes wants of full assurance yea if there were none of them both I would make it a great question whither the wise God would ever keep such a despensation of his love in a full Sun-shine to any soule though loved never so dearely I am afraid though we have much talk of Faith of assurance now adayes in the world if the Lord should come to sift the hearts of his poor creatures he would scarce finde the mustard-seed Faith of adherence 1. Overpowring temptations 2. Overgrowing corruptions 3. Naturall distempers of Melancholy 4. Divine desertions shall hinder assurance and make the act to cease and judge you then what soule it is probable shall have it an incessant constant act But I have done with this last thing and now I have shewed you what doubts and weaknesses may consist with every act of Faith in a truly gracious soule Now I should shew you from what principle these doubts arise and how they differ from the doubts of unbelieving desparing wretches The Thirtheenth SERMON LUKE 17. v. 5. Lord increase our faith CHAP. XIII How to comfort that soule that thinks it hath not true Faith because it doth not feele God strengthning it to those acts of Grace which it ought to act I Will take leave here apprehending it a seasonable place to bring it in to speak something to one scruple of conscience which doth often perplex many a good Christian and that is want of feeling of Gods love c. Ah! saith many a poore soule did I but indeed know that God and Christ were my Redeemer and portion then I think I should not need be mu●h intreated to cast away this sadnesse and dejection of spirit but I cannot feele any such thing And this makes a Christian think that it neither doth nor may believe Now there is a double feeling for the want of which many good soules often complaine and upon the want of which they raise to themselves conclusions against believing For want of a distinction I will presume for once to coyne one There is a feeling of peace and a feeling of strength 1. The feeling of peace is when a poor Christian apprehends God appeased to its soule and feels him saying I am thy God the God of thy salvation this is that perswasion which is that highest reflex act of Faith of which I spake the last time and shewed you what degrees and abatements it might meet with in a true Believer Now this a true Christian may want though he doth feel Gods spirit carrying him on to acts of mortification and vivification c. Of this I shall not speak having spoken the last time how farre it may be wanted weakened or abated or discontinued even in Gods true and dear children 2. But there is another feeling which for distinction sake I call a feeling of strength when a Christian though he doth not feele Gods peace sealed up and assured unto his soule yet he cannot deny but hee feels his soul carryed out by God unto duties to love him to desire him to delight in him c. Now this latter feeling ought to satisfie the soul when though God doth not please as yet to apply the promise to his soule yet he feels God enabling him to apply himselfe to the promise when he feels God changing and renewing his heart and affections c. But here is that which many poore Christians want and complaine for the want of they will confesse that could they but feel God strengthening them against their corruptions and carrying out their hearts in acts of love and desire towards him c they would quiet themselves and bee very thankfull to him if he would but give them so much of the morsels of Free-grace as would keep spirituall life in them and keep their hearts from dying for want of mouth-fuls although God would not yet please to let them sit down at the banquetting table of assurance and eat of the sweet meats of that peace which passeth all understanding If God would please to give them but such sips of his flaggons as might stay them though they wanted such dishes of apples as to comfort them it would suffice but alas this they want and how can they believe c. Now all that I shall speak to a Christian in this perplexity I will reduce to these two heads 1. Something by way of Consolation And 2. Something by way of direction First By way of Consolation I should propound these few things as considerations which may tend through the blessing of God to the comforting of such souls in such streights Consid 1. That not feeling doth not argue a not being A thing may be though it be not felt it is no Logick to