Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	able_a	act_v	action_n	58	3	6.4133	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91898	Panoplia. Universa arma. Hieron. Or, The Christian compleatly armed: being a treatise of the Christians armour, clearly opening every part thereof, both pressing to the putting of it on, and instructing us so to use it, as we may not be soyled in time of temptation. / Delivered by that late reverend, and faithfull minister of Jesus Christ, Mr. Ralph Robinson, pastor of Mary Woolnoth, London, to his congregation there, in several lectures: and now published for the further benefit of the Church of God.	Robinson, Ralph, 1614-1655.	1656 (1656)	Wing R1710; Thomason E1586_2; ESTC R208953	180,905	372

the Devil a triumphant Saint And all that glorious Company in Heaven who are described with Palms in their hands and Robes upon their backs and Crowns upon their heads Rev. 7. 9. are at this present singing the song of Victory unto God and unto the Lamb. Reproof to two sorts of persons Vse 1. 1. Such as instead of withstanding Satan the evil Spirit withstand and oppose the Spirit of Christ quenching and grieving and resisting his blessed Motions Steven sayes this to the charge of those obstinate Jews Act. 7. 51. Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and eares ye have alwayes resisted the Holy Ghost as your Fathers did so do ye There are many in this way of opposition resisting the Spirit in the Ministry of the Word and in the immediate motions and suggestions put into their hearts When the Spirit moves them to pray they oppose him When the Spirit bids them hear they stop their eares and when the Spirit bids them Seek ye my face they answer Thy face will we not seek I would have such men to consider a few things seriously These two things 1. There 's no man knows whether the Spirit will move once more in his heart or no That which Solomon saith in another case we may as truly say in this case Eccles 8. 8. There is no man hath power over the Spirit to retain the Spirit The Spirit of God is a free Agent He workes when and where and as long as he pleaseth he bloweth where he listeth c. Many a man would now be glad to feel those movings upon his soul which he hath stifled formerly by his own sinful opposings but cannot redeem them 2. How unable you will be to act in any good when the Holy Spirit of God is silenced 'T is the Spirit of God which workes in you both to will and to do Phil. 2. 23. And if this Wheel do not turn there will never be any good motion in the Soul The Soul without the Holy Spirit is but as a dead Corps with a living soul not able to act at all If there be neither Wind nor Tide the Ship cannot sayl The Spirit of God is both the Wind and Tide of all Motions in the soul and if this stir not there is no action It is with man in regard of spiritual operations as it was with the Wheeles in Ezekiels Vision and the living Creatures Ezek. 1. 19 20. 21. When the living Creatures went the Wheeles went by them and when the living Creatures stood the Wheeles stood and when the living Creatures were lifted up the Wheeles were lifted up c. The Soul of Man is a Wheel which is fit for motion but it cannot move when the Spirit of God doth not move If the Spirit stand still the Wheeles stand still and if the Spirit be lifted up the Wheeles are lifted up otherwise no motion 2. Such as instead of withstanding the Assaults of Satan do indeed carry on the assaults of Satan use all meanes they can that they may both fashion and animate and give breath to all Satans Conceptions in their own and others hearts They hatch the Cockatrice eggs and weave the Spiders web Isa 59. 5. They are ready to put Tooles and Instruments into the hand of the Devil and to do his work for him The Apostle speakes of some that make provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof Rom. 13. ult So many make provision for the Devil that they may accomplish his temptations They use all means to edge his temptations that they may pierce to the bottome they put feathers upon his arrows that they may fly swiftly Jonadab was guilty of this sinne towards Ammon He sets on the temptation of the Devil and promotes sinne and becomes a Pander to his lust 2 Sam. 13. 4 5. Jezabel she promotes Satans temptation against her husband I wil saith she give thee the vineyard of Naboth 1 Reg. 21. 7. She became a very Devil to her Husband so do many persons to themselves go up and down seeking occasions and opportunities to further Satans temptation If Satan tempt them to drunkenness they go presently abroad to seek Companions and if he perswade them to uncleanness they use all helpes and incentives to that sinne c. It is a very cursed thing and a sacrilegious sin to help the Devil against Christ either in your selves or others The Serpent was cursed for being an Instrument to the Adversary in his assaulting of our first Parents Gen. 3. 14. And Jezabel bears this infamous brand She made Ahab to sin Jezabel his wife stirred up c. Such as blow up Satans sparks of temptation in their own hearts are Felones de se Self-Murtherers which of all Murtherers are the most bloody and confiscate all they have Exhortation to perswade all Christians to Vse 2. this resolution Play the men and stand out against the Devil and all his Instruments Keep your footing and yield not in any case though he come upon you as Goliah did upon David with open mouth yet keep your ground and flinch not at any hand And for your encouragement consider 1. That Satan is but a Creature though he be strong and cruel yet his strength is but a created strength he is potent but not omnipotent Omnipotency is incompatible to a Creature He is the strong man armed but Jesus Christ is stronger then he and though you cannot yet he can disarm him and take away that wherein he trusteth Luke 11. 22. 2. That he is a Creature under a Curse This may take off much from that dreadfulness which many look upon him with vid. Gen. 3. 14. Cursed shalt thou be above all the Beasts of the field c. There is nothing which may more encourage a Child of God in his spiritual Encounters then this That all he dispures against are under a Divine Execration Gods Curse is a weakning thing 3 He is a wounded and conquered Creature Gen. 3. 15. He shall break thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel Our Saviour I remember encourageth his Disciples against troubles from the World by this very Argument I have overcome the World Joh. 16. 33. He hath overcome the Devil as well as the World for he triumphed over Principalities and Powers on the Cross Col. 2. 15. Christ put Satan to flight in his assaults Matth. 4. 11. and that as our Head Satan overcame all Mankind in the first Adam but in the second Adam he is overcome by all the Elect in Christs Victories Ephes 2. 6. So in this 4 He is a chained Creature also Rev. 20. 1 2. God keeps him fast in Irons he was put into Fetters ever since his 2 Pet. 2. 4. first Rebellion and he cannot shake them off Jude 6. And this chain doth so confine him that he cannot stir until God slack his Chain Let me touch his flesh and bone and he will curse thee to thy face Job 2. 5. And ye know

sense of present comfort This is an Objection which ordinarily Beleivers make against themselves to their very great prejudice For the answering of this Argument I shall lay down these two propositions 1. That there may be and ordinarily is true saving faith where there is no assurance There may be the faith of adherence where there never yet was the faith of evidence The sons of Jacob had their money in their sacks mouths a good space before they knew of it the treasure of faith is in the soul often very long before the soul have assurance of it These three Arguments will prove this position 1. From the descriptions that are made of faith in the word of God It s called coming to Christ Math. 11. 28. It s called casting our burden upon the Lord Psalm 37. 5. It s nothing but the souls venturing it self upon Christ faith is but the coming to Christ as Esther did to Ahasuerus If I perish I perish It s called looking upon Christ Mic. 7. 7. None of all these are words of assurance A man may come to another and not be assured that he will not turn from him A man may roll his burthen upon the shoulder of another who is not assured that he will carry it for him A man may look for a person whom he is not assured he shall find c. 2. From the instances given in Scripture of some that have had true faith and wanted assurance The father of that Daemoniack of whom we read Mar. 9. 22. he was not assured that Christ was able to cast out the dumb spirit much less was he assured that Christ was willing If thou canst do any thing have compassion on us and help us This was far from assurance and so that which he saith ver 24. Lord I beleive help thou my unbeleif here was no perfect assurance and yet true faith as the Esay 50. 10 Psalm 38. per totum Heman a true beleiver issue of the story sayes the Devil was cast out of his child 3. There must be faith from the nature of the thing before there can be assurance Therefore there may be faith without assurance Make your calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1. 10. A man may not onely be elected but called and yet not sure of his effectual calling you must have a title to a possession before you can be certainly assured of such an interest Sealing with the holy Spirit of promise comes after beleiving ordinarily Eph. 1. 13. A child as soon as he is born hath reason but he wants a reflected act to know that he hath reason so it is in Regeneration 2. Assurance may be lost for a time in those who have formerly enjoyed it He that hath walked in the light of Gods countenance may come to walk in darkness again Esay 50. 10. There are three cases in which this doth ordinarily fall out 1. In the hour of temptation when God lets Satan loose to buffet the soul assurance may be lost in such a time 2. in the day of spiritual desertion when God hides his face from the soul Jesus Christ was in this condition My God my God c. Math 27. 46. A man in a swound doth not know he lives 3. In the state of relapses when a beleiver hath fallen into some sin God withdraws the assurance of his graces and leaves him to gain his faith and other graces takes away the joy of his faith and leaves him nothing but deadness and horror in his conscience This was the Prophet Davids case Psalm 51. 12. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation Though he had not lost the grace of faith yet he had quite lost the joy of his faith 2. Satan endeavours sometimes to argue Christians out of their faith by comparing it with the faith of other of God Servants which hath been very strong Abraham saith Satan was strong in faith he did not desceptare but was mighty in faith Rom. 4. 20. Job he had a powerful faith Though he kill me c. Job 13. 15. but thy faith is weak c. To help you against this stratagem I shall lay down these four considerations Viz 1. That the strongest of these great Champions have had their staggerings and their faintings Abraham though he was mighty in faith at that time when God promised him a son yet at another time did both stagger and fall Twice he denied his Wife for fear of men once in Egypt Gen. 12. 12. a second time at Gerar Gen. 20. 2. David though he had so much strength of faith at one time that he durst encounter Goliah with his sling when the hearts of all the valiant men of Israel trembled 1 Sam. 17. 32. yet at another time his faith was so faint that he said all men were liars Psalm 116. 11. and for want of faith fled out of the land of Israel into the country of the Philistines 1 Sam. 27. 1. Moses whose faith was so strong that he forsook the pleasures of Pharaohs Court and chose rather to suffer affliction c Heb. 11. 24 25. and yet at another time when he had had many experiences of the power of God was not able to beleive that God could bring water out of the Rock he smote the Rock twice Numb 20. 10 11. God bids him speak to the Rock and he smites it twice out of unbeleif And though he was so strong in faith that at one time he could beleive that the red Sea should be divided Exod. 14. yet at another time he was so weak in faith that he thought God had over-spoken his power when he promised to give the people flesh for a moneth Numb 11. 21. The people amongst whom I am are six hundred thousand footmen and thou hast said I will give them flesh for a whole moneth c. 2. Though these had never staggered yet is the promise made not to degrees of faith but to truth of faith The Devil is not able to shew one word in all the Book of God which requires such a measure of faith for salvation Yea the Promises are made to the weakest acts of faith Look unto me and be saved all ye ends of the earth Esay 45. 22. Looking is but a weak act of faith and yet salvation is promised to it Weak faith unites a person to Jesus Christ as well as strong faith A shaking hand can receive an almes as well as a strong hand He that shoots in a long Bow draws all by the strength of his arm much strength is required to draw the bow but he that shoots in a Cross-bow hath strength enough if he can but let off the string a child may shoot as far as a Gyant because the strength lies in the Bow not in the Arm so is it with faith If the King should pass a grant that every living man in his Kingdom should enjoy such and such priviledges do you think weak men would be excluded They are men

Mercy This was that which strengthned the faith of Moses Heb. 11. 27. These are strong props which will keep faith from sinking when its ready to dye This is the first branch of the Exhortation which concerns Beleevers 2. That which I would say to unbeleevers is this That they would labour for this grace of justifying and saving faith There are many things which may be as motives to press you to it 1. All the promises of grace are to you of none effect They all run upon the condition of beleeving The Scripture hath concluded all under sin that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that beleeve 2. All the blood and sufferings of Jesus Christ is of none effect to an unbeleever T is faith that gives the soul an interest in Christs blood 3. All their holy duties and religious actions without faith are displeasing unto God Heb. 11. 6. Without faith it is impossible to please God Sacrafices without faith is no better than the cutting off a dogs neck Incence without faith is no better than the blessing of an Idol killing of an Oxe is no better than the killing of a Man offering of Oblation is no better than the offering of Swines blood c. Isa 66. 3. But I shall only urge it upon this ground you can never do any good against Satan in the day of temptation if you want this shield As it happened to the accusers of Daniel when they were cast into the Lions den so it wil happen to you in the day of temptation if you want this shield It s said the Lions had the mastery over them and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came to the bottom of the den Dan. 6. 24. So it will be with you the roaring Lion will have the mastery over you and break you into pieces if you want this shield But you will say what course should we take to get this grace 1. Study the mischief of an unbeleeving heart The Apostle calls it an evil heart of unbeleef Heb. 3. 12. 1. It s sinfully evil Hard dark dead impenitent filthy deceitful and false deceiving others and it self also 2. It s penally evil 1. It makes all the Ordinances ineffectual Heb. 4. 2. 2. It binds all a mans sins upon his own back It seals up all our sins because it keeps us from that which is the onely remedy against sin 3. It defiles every thing to a man To the clean all things are clean but to the unbeleevers and them that are defiled is nothing clean but even their Consciences are defiled Tit. 1. 15. 4. It brings certain condemnation As salvation is the end of our faith 1 Pet. 1. 9. So is damnation the end of unbeleef John 3. 36. He that beleeveth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him 2. Study the Insufficiency of Self Look upon the rottenness and nothingness of all Moral Civill righteousness Too high thoughts of Civill righteousness is that which hinders thousands from beleeving Remember that of the Apostle Phil. 3. 4 5 6 7 8 9. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh if any other man thinketh he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh I more Circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel of the Tribe of Benjamine an Hebrew of the Hebrews c. Concerning the righteousness which is in the Law blameless c. But what were gain to me those I counted loss c. Yea doubtless I account all things but loss c. 3. Study thorowly the All-sufficient fulness of Jesus Christ who is the object of faith He is not a broken reed he is not an house of sand but a rock a corner stone upon whom whosoever beleeveth shall never be ashamed The ignorance of Jesus Christ is that which hinders many from beleeving in him Isa 53. init Who hath beleeved our report and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed for he shall grow up before him as a tender plant and as a root out of a dry ground he hath no form nor comeliness and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him He is despised and rejected of men c. Study him well therefore in Point of Merit in point of grace Study him in all his Offices of King Priest Prophet and then you will say as the Daughters of Jerusalem did Cant. 6. 1. Whether is thy beloved gone O thou fairest c. 4. Study the deep guilt of Adam in the polution of thy own Nature Those that are whole need not the Physitian but they that are sick Conviction of our guilt and misery is a necessary preparative to saving faith Now the Scripture doth clearly affirme that all men have sinned and are come short of the glory of God Rom. 3. 23. And Rom. 5. 12. And then take in this consideration that neither your selves nor any other Creature is able to free you from that guilt that there is no other way of salvation but onely by hanging upon Jesus Christ alone He it is which God hath sanctified and set apart for the satisfying of his own Justice and reconciling the World to himself 5. Consider the willingness of Jesus Christ to ease and save and take of burthens Though the disease be never so desperate and the Physitian never so able yet if his willingness be not known little encouragement will be to any to go to him but Jesus Christ is as willing as able 1. He was sanctified for that work Vide Isa 61. 1. 2. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me for he hath annointed me to preach good tydings to the meek c. The Son of Man came to seek and save that which was lost 2. Read and peruse all the solemn invitations which are given unto men to beleeve in him Mat. 11. 28. Come unto me c. Isa 55. 1. 2. And Christ is not in jest but very reall in making these tenders 3. Read and peruse seriously all the Asseverations which are used to assure men that if they will come they shall not be refused Vide John 6. 37. Verily verily I say unto you he that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out Never any was cast out never any will be cast out that comes to him after a right manner 4. Read and consider all the Lamentations and sad Complaints made by Jesus Christ of the backwardness and unwillingness of men to lay hold upon him Ye will not come unto me that ye may have life John 5. 40. And that in Luke 13. 34. of Jerusalem O Jerusalem Jerusalem c. How often would I have gathered thy Children together as an Hen doth her brood c. and ye would not 6. Wait constantly upon the publick Ministry which God hath appointed to be the ordinary means of working faith in the heart He that neglects this means and doth not conscionably attend upon it will