Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	accept_v	lord_n	zion_n	43	3	9.2153	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

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

condition onely it is so in the apprehension of the elect and that reconciliation is begun when they apprehend it But certain it is that there is not onely an apprehension of Gods wrath but they are really under Gods wrath God hath really put them under the creatures and under the curse of the Law Jesus Christ was not onely in apprehension but really under the wrath of God he was really made a curse Gal. 3. 13. God put him under the Law to be dealt withal as those that are under the Law Now by reconciliation this wrath is done away Yet doth not this imply any change in God for God is to be considered two wayes 1. As he is in himself And so he hath not several things in him Those inward acts of God are his Being and there are not several Attributes in him c. 2. As he is pleased to manifest himself in his several wayes and workings towards his Creatures in this respect according as the Creature is in himself so is Gods reflection upon the Creature as the Sun through the glass shines according to the colour of the glass Now it implies no mutation in Gods Being to express himself diversly in his working towards the Creatures according to their different condition 2. God takes away the enmity that is naturally in the hearts of men and so makes them willing to accept of Reconciliation and to be at peace with him 3. There is a solemn league and covenant made wherein God and man joyn together which the Scripture cals a Covenant of Grace Hosea 2. 19 02. 4. There is mutual friendship and delight between God and the Creature whereby God communicates his good unto the Creature and the Creature communicates his good of love fear service and obedience unto God God saith to the Creature I will be thy God the Creature saith to God behold I am thy servant thy subject to honour obey serve thee for ever Now this Peace is wrought in and by Jesus Christ by way of transaction with the Father and that after this manner 1. He is willing to be charged with our debt 2. He is willing to satisfie the fullest demands of Divine wrath and justice for our debt Isa 53. 10. 3. He undertakes also to bring poor Creatures to submit to God to love him to fear him to give up themselves to be ruled and governed by him of which the Apostle speaks plainly Colos 1. 20 21 22. And having made peace through the bloud of his cross by him to reconcile all things to himself by him I say whether things in heaven or things in earth And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight Iesus Christ did as well undertake to make the elect unblameable as to free them from condemnation Now though the Gospell be called a Gospell of peace in respect of all these yet this last is principally to be understood in this place the two former are but effects and consequences of this The Gospel is a Gospel of Reconciliation so the Apostle cals it 2 Cor. 5. 19. 3. In what respects is the Gospel a Gospel of peace 1. In regard of Discovery and manifestation The Gospel is that which makes known this peace unto the sons of men As the Apostle speaks Rom. 1. 27. Therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith As life and immortality is brought to light by the Gospel 2 Timothy 1. 10. so is peace and reconciliation The Gospel is that silver Trumpet by which this Jubile of peace is proclaimed to the world Acts 10. 36. The word which God sent unto the children of Israel preaching peace by Jesus Christ It is the Gospel which preacheth this peace to men The world was never acquainted with this peace till the Gospel of God came to their eares The Nations that want the Gospel are meer strangers to this peace Luke 1. 79. It is the light of the Gospel that guides mens feet into the way of this peace 2. In regard of Conveyance and Communication The Gospel doth not onely barely publish but doth actually work this peace It is by the Spirit of God through the preaching of the Gospel that the hearts of men are inclined to accept of this peace Psal 110. 2. 3. The Lord shall send the rod of his strength out of Zion i. e. the Gospel and then it followeth Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power when the rod of Gods strength comes effectually to work upon the soul then is the unwilling soul made willing 3. Inregard of Conservation The Gospel is the Ark wherein are kept all the Articles and Agreements between God and man All the transactions between God and Christ for the making of this peace are preserved and kept safe in the Gospel This is the golden pot wherein this Manna is preserved for all the generations of the Church 4. In regard of Recovery When the soul that is reconciled to God hath lost the sense and apprehension of its peace with God it doth by the studying and hearing of the Gospel require and recover the assurance of its former Peace 5. In regard of Confirmation The Gospel seals and confirms this peace 4 I shall now answer one Objection viz. that of our Saviour Math. 10. 34. Think not that I am come to send peace on earth I came not to send peace but a sword for I am come to set a man at variance against his father c. and we see by experience that where the Gospel comes divisions contentions and quarrellings do presently arise c. Luke 12. 49. I am come to send fire on the earth and what would I if it be already kindled Hence some have prophanely wished the Bible burnt as the great Incendiary of the world Sol. These Contentions are not the naturall effects of the Gospel for it doth naturally work peace and amity The Wisdom which is from above is first pure and then peaceable c. Jam. 3. 17. but they arise accidentally from the Gospel The Gospel meets with the lusts and corruptions of mens hearts and these being awakened breed contentions The Devil he is inraged against the Gospel and therefore he stirs up mens corruptions to make head against it The Gospel cals upon men to be strict holy to deny themselves c. the natural heart abhors this and so becomes not onely disobedient but contentious Rom. 2. 8. The Gospel is the cause of Contentions as meat is the cause of ill humours The naturall property of it is to nourish c. but because it meets with a diseased stomack it accidentally weakens Or as a good physick is the cause of sicknesses c. 1. Vse Information We may from hence draw many conclusions Viz. 1. This shews the pretiousness and glory of the Gospel

prayer move God to bestow any thing which he hath not intended to bestow c. Ergo What need is there of prayer Against this wile of Satan consider these three things I. The receiving of the good things we want is not the onely end of Prayer It is one great end but there are many other things besides which should move us to this Duty We are to pray 1. In obedience to the Command of God It is a piece of Divine Worship and Adoration it is a part of that homage which all the sons of men owe unto God II. That thou mayst enjoy Communion and Fellowship with God by the use of this Ordinance of Prayer III. To acknowledge thy submission to God and thy dependance upon God Not to pray is to cast off that Dominion which God hath over thee it is to deny thy reliance upon God 'T is to say thy dependance is not upon God but upon thy self 2. Thou canst have no ground to believe that any good thing shall be bestowed upon thee without Prayer Prayer though it be not the cause yet it is the condition or the mean of obtaining all that good which God hath promised unto his people vid. Ezek. 36. 37. I will yet for all this be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them No man can say I shall have this mercy though I do not pray 3. 'T is not the bare enjoying of the good we want which should satisfie us We should also labour to enjoy it in mercy to enjoy it as a blessing Now 't is an everlasting and most certain Truth that whatsoever is not obtained by prayer is not given in mercy vid. 1 Tim. 4. 5. A man hath not a sanctified right to any thing he possesseth without prayer 2. Satan sometimes labours to take off men from Prayer by objecting their infirmities and weaknesses Thy heart is thus and thus distempered c. Against this I would give you these two Answers 1. 'T is not the infirmities and weaknesses of a Christian which are seen and lamented that can hinder the efficacy and success of his Prayers Sin obstinately and avowedly continued in will indeed cut off the success of Prayers and make both them and him that makes them abominable to God Prov. 28. 9. But infirmities which are continually resisted and bewailed shall never make the prayer to be rejected I might give you many instances as that of Jonah A man full passions c. Yet Chap. 2. 10. God heard his Prayer King Asa a man full of infirmities imprisons the Seer oppresseth the people 2 Chron. 16. 10. yet God heard his prayer Chap. 14. 11 12. But I shall give onely that one remarkable instance which is recorded as a help against this Rock Jam. 5. 17. Elias was a man of like passions as we are c. Yet was heard very graciously Heaven was opened and shut at his prayers Gods hearing of our prayers doth not depend upon our Sanctification but upon our Justification He doth not hear our prayers because either we or our prayers are perfect but because our persons are accepted God doth not hear our prayers for our prayers sake but for his own names sake and for his sons sake c. 2. This should rather encourage us to the Duty Discontinuance of prayer will not remove but increase our imperfections if grace be weak the omission of prayer will make it weaker if Corruption be strong disuse of prayer will make it stronger The distempers of the heart whatsoever they are will not be abated but augmented by the omission of this Duty of prayer 3. Satan will perswade men perhaps that they are not in a state of Grace 'T is true if they had but onely infirmities they might be encouraged to pray c. but they are unregenerate persons c. Against this I would give these Answers Besides this in the general that it is a good sign there is something of grace when Satan perswades men to the contrary c. Consider 1. That Prayer is a work fit for such as are not converted as well as such as are converted 'T is the Duty of men to pray as they are reasonable Creatures who owe homage to God 2. Prayer is to be made for Conversion as well as after Conversion A man is not to pray onely because he is forgiven but also he is to pray that he may be forgiven see Act. 8. 22. Repent saith Peter to Simon Magus of this thy wickedness and pray God if perhaps the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee c. 4. Those who never pray they prosper in the world as well as such who are most carefull of this Duty This is another of Satans Devices Against this consider these things 1. Outward prosperity is not the only reason why men should pray Yea this is one of all the meanest ends of prayer 2. All prosperity which is not the effect of Prayer is indeed a Curse and not a blessing Nothing is sanctified as I said before but that which comes in by prayer If his Children be multiplyed it is for the sword Job 27. 14. If his Table be richly furnished it is to ensuare him his Wealth is his Trap c. Whatsoever a man enjoyes without prayer is in Gods Account no better then Robbery 3. God hath an eternity of adversity and misery after this life They have received their Consolations in this life Luke 6. 24. 5. Satan takes off others by objecting their Disabilities Thou wants those gifts and endowments which others have Ergo. Against this I would say these things 1. God doth not so much look at the gift of Prayer as at the Spirit of Prayer Though it be the Duty of every person to labour for fit words of Prayer yet God doth not hear prayer for the elegancy of phrase but for the heavenliness and spiritualness and brokennesse of heart of him that prayes The publicans prayer had not much eloquence in it God be mercifull to me a sinner and yet God accepted it The Spirit of God helps our infirmities saith the Apostle with sighs and groans c. One sigh and groan from a broken heart is better pleasing to God then all humane eloquence if the heart be not affected 2. Pray that thou mayst have better gifts God hath promised his Holy Spirit to them that ask Luke 11. 13. 3. Thou dost not pray to God as a critical observer of incongruous expressions but to God as a Father Who is wel pleased with the prayers of his Children because they are his children 6. Satan perhaps will endeavour to take off Prayer from thy long-waiting for an Answer Thou hast prayed many a time but received no answer c. Ergo. I would against this Stratagem give these things by way of answer 1. God hath more wayes of answering prayers then one There are three remarkable instances in Scripture of this vid. Acts 1. 7. 2 Cor. 12. 8 9. Heb. 5. 7. The particular thing was not granted and yet his prayer was heard 2. Delayes are not denyals God defers to hear not because he doth not love us or delight in us but for other ends As To exercise of Faith Hab. 2. 3 4. To exercise our Patience To stir up our zeal and importunity in asking To give us what we ask in a fitter season Rev. 6 10 11. That is a very strange expression which we have in Joh. 11. 5 6. Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus and see what followes v. 6. When he heard therefore that he was sick he abode two dayes still in the same place where he was A very strange effect of love A plain contradiction if Reason might be Judge Deferring to hear prayers is not alwayes an evidence of hatred but sometimes an evidence of love Calv. in locum 3. Let this rather be a Motive to confirme then a discouragement to take thee off from prayer God will hear at last that 's certain and do not lose ten or twenty years waiting for want of a little patience 4. Though God should never hear yet it were thy duty to pray 3. To lay down some helps for prayer these things will be of very great use to this purpose to teach us to pray viz. 1. Be well acquainted with the Doctrine of the Bible that you may thereby get the perfect knowledge of the good which God hath therein promised unto his people 2. Get a through and perfect sense of your own wants Sense of want will make the dumb Child to beg 3. Observe well the prayers you hear made by them that have the abilities of prayer 4. Labour for the Spirit of the Lord which is not onely a Spirit of Grace but of Supplication 5. Get others to desire God to teach you how to pray 6. Be often practising according to the abiiities you have Precando disces precari Thus much for the Spirituall Armour FINIS