Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	according_a	flesh_n	zion_n	28	3	9.2584	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13538	Dauids learning, or The vvay to true happinesse in a commentarie vpon the 32. Psalme. Preached and now published by T.T. late fellow of Christs Colledge in Cambridge. To which is prefixed the table of method of the whole Psalme, and annexed an alphabeticall table of the chiefe matters in the commentarie.	Taylor, Thomas, 1576-1632.	1617 (1617)	STC 23827; ESTC S118153	314,670	466

foorth sound worshipping of God Fourthly sound consideration preuents much sinne and much punishment and drawes a man out of sinne and iudgement First it preuents sinne for if a man did seriously consider of sinne what paine and losse and shame and sorrow comes by it he would not meddle with it being so heauie so dangerous There is a Historie of a vertuous woman that being sollicited to folly by a younker called for a pan of hot coales and desired him to put his hand vpon them but one houre he refusing that she replied How much lesse will you bee able to indure hell-fire for euermore and so he desisted Secondly it preuents punishment or the iudgements of God the Niniuites considered of the threatning of Ionah and so preuented the threatned destruction Thirdly it drawes out of sinne as Hos. 2 6 7. the Church of the Iewes seeing her selfe so crossed and hedged in with afflictions that shee could not follow her idols then shee considers her present miserie and the small hope and helpe from them then she saith that is resolueth to goe and returne to her first husband for it was then better with her then now Fourthly it drawes out of iudgement Ier. 12. 11. They haue laid it waste and being waste it mourneth vnto me the whole land lieth waste because no man setteth his minde on it that is considereth deeply of the cause of its desolation in his heart Fifthly we haue so much the more neede to be stirred vp to consider of our waies because there is no vice that doth appeare or dares to appeare in his proper colour but apparelled and masked in the likenesse of some vertue as no counterfeit coine is offered to a man in the copper-colour of it but washed ouer with siluer or gold Now if we consider not of things offered vs we shal easily be deceiued yea surprized of enemies vnder the colour of friendship Thus seeing the necessitie of sound consideration to set vs yet more forward in so needefull and so neglected a dutie obserue these directions First let vs labour to see the dulnesse of our nature to crosse it and stirre it vp and thinke the dutie so much the more necessarie and excellent as our natures oppose or are heauie vnto it What shall a man consider of his houses rents fields or garments and take no time to repaire himselfe and hurts sustained by inconsideratenesse Secondly set some time apart to consider of thy estate more seriously Ioshua and Dauid had as many distractions and more weightie affaires to intend then we haue and yet they meditated in the Law of the Lord night and day a shame for many Christians that take care how to passe their time neuer passing any in consideration of their estate this were a good pastime indeede Thirdly make choise of good matter for sound consideration as first consider of God first of his presence this kept Ioseph from sinne Secondly of his mercy to feare him Thirdly of his loue to loue him againe Fourthly of his workes first of Creation delight more in a spirituall then in a naturall vse of them Secondly of gouernment for there is no day or time that passeth but we may make speciall vse of Gods works either on our selues or others Secondly consider of thy estate with God whether a change be wrought in thee being the child of wrath by nature what markes thou hast vpon thee to distinguish thee from them who are not the Lords whether thou beest in the state of grace how thou growest in it or whether and how farre thou art gone backward what assurance of remission of sinne and what strength against sinne thou hast whether thou liest foiled of any corruption whether thou resoluest of amendment of life how thou hast kept or broken thy vowes with God what vse of Gods mercies or corrections thou hast made whether it haue not been better with thee then now and whether thou mayest not be in farre better estate were it not for thy owne default Thirdly consider of thine actions for the matter whether allowed by the Word for the manner whether done in faith and obedience for the end whether thou aimest at wealth pleasure or preferment in the world rather then at Gods glory and to be rich in God for God aimes at his glorie in all things and so must wee Fourthly consider of thy calling first generall as thou art a Christian whether before thy profession thou cast the costs as a wise builder and captaine Luk. 14. whether thou hast the power of godlinesse and art not content with the meere forme of it whether thou adornest thy profession or disgracest it by inconsideratenes Secondly speciall in which thou spendest most of thy time whether thou seruest God in seruing man whether thou art faith and iust or vniust and vnfaithfull in these lesse things whether thou sanctifiest it by prayer whether thou dependest vpon God for daily successe and blessing or leanest to thine owne labour whether thy ende be to enrich thy selfe or to make it as a meanes to please God and passe thee through the world Fifthly consider thy latter end and therein First the recompense of reward so did the Patriarkes Heb. 11. 16 26 and so moderated their hearts in doing their duties and in suffering afflictions Secondly consider of the account that is to be made of euery idle word and thought much more of euerie wicked swearing reuenging word and thought Thirdly consider of the day of death the vncertainty of life the leauing of that wealth for which thou strainest thy conscience and the neede of much comfort in such an vncomfortable houre how that peace of conscience at that time will prooue the best wealth Fourthly consider of the day of Iudgement when all things shall bee naked and euery man shall receiue according to that which he hath done in the flesh bee it good or euill These and the like considerations will bring foorth sound resolutions of bettering a mans estate if any thing in the world will A second point of doctrine arising out of Dauids resolution is this Where Gods Spirit hath taken place it preuailes at length against all the corruptions of the flesh Dauid was a long time hindred from going to God first by the greatnesse of his sinne Secondly by the strength of corruption against which hee was not fully resolued Thirdly by the vnworthinesse of his person Fourthly by the greatnesse of Gods anger and reuenging hand And fifthly by the sentence and curse of the Law Yet on the other side by the secret worke of the Spirit in his heart vnto all these was opposed first the greatnesse of Gods mercy Secondly the merit of Christs sacrifice Thirdly the promise of the Gospell Fourthly the nature of faith which beleeueth aboue and against sense These being committed together after a doubtfull combat faith foiles infidelitie hope despaire the Gospell the Law the promise

they shall seeke him with their whole heart Isa. 65. 24. Before they call I will answere and while they speake I will heare Psal 9. 18. The poore shall not alway bee forgotten the hope of the afflicted shall not perish for euer First Gods nature is to tender the miserie of the afflicted and distressed wherein hee cannot denie himselfe Psal. 12. 5. Now for the oppression of the needy and for the sighes of the poore I will vp saith the Lord and set him at libertie Exod. 3. 7. I haue surely seene the affliction of my people and heard their cry because of their taske-masters for I know their sorrowes and now am come downe to deliuer them this is Gods philanthropie and louing affection to mankinde to put forth thoughts of peace towards them Secondly if God should not take one time or other to answere his children he should not bee as good as his promise Call vpon me in the day of thy trouble and I will heare thee Hee should reiect prayer preferred according to his will and in the name of Christ and the voyce of his owne Spirit yea the prayer of faith tending to his glory and the saluation of his people which hee cannot doe and continue faithfull Thirdly he sets out a time of finding in respect of his owne glory sundry wayes first by being found of his people he procures praise and abundant thankesgiuing as Psal. 22. 24 26. He hath not despised the poore nor hid his face from him my praise shall be of thee in the great Congregation The poore shall eate and bee satisfied they that seeke after the Lord shall praise him see Psal. 79. 13. and Isa. 38. 19. The Fathers to the Children shall declare thy praise Yea the Lord challengeth this as a chiefe part of his glorie Isa. 42. 7 8. Secondly by being found of his people hee magnifies his owne name in the midst of his enemies for they brag and exalt themselues when they can tread vpon the necks of the godly Now lest they should say We haue preuailed and Where is now their God He steps in and findes a time to heare their weake prayers Psal. 106. 8. He saued them the Israelites pursued by Pharaoh in the red Sea for his names sake according to the prayer of the Church Not vnto vs Lord not vnto vs but to thy name be the praise ' Psal. 115. 1. Fourthly God will in time bee found of euery godly man often because of the malice of the wicked when it is come to the height The Israelites had often prayed and groned vnder their afflictions in Egypt in the foure hundred yeeres but because the sinnes of the Amorites and Canaanites were not full and ripe they found not God in all that time but when they were full they were deliuered Fifthly God sets out a time of finding in respect of the godly themselues first to prouoke them to loue the Lord who giueth and forgiueth much as Psal. 116. 1. I loue the Lord because he hath heard my prayer Secondly to encourage them in prayer and in the course of inuocating him wherein they finde God so good yea to bee instant and presse in vpon him Psal. 116. 2. Because hee hath heard me in my dayes I will call vpon him This the Prophet expresseth Psal. 65. 2. All flesh shall resort to thee a God hearing prayer or Because thou hearest prayer all flesh shall resort vnto thee Yea but God hath denyed to heare the prayers of his children they haue sought and neuer found as Moses and Paul First we may pray for temporall things we must know that al the promises for them are made with a condition If God see it good for vs in such things a godly man may pray all his life time and not finde because GOD sees it better for him to be without them and to lye vnder the crosse Secondly we must distinguish betweene delayes and denials as we haue seene Thirdly the godly haue many speciall graces but it is Gods wisedome to leaue them in some want to know some pricke of the flesh as Paul did lest they should be puffed vp being taken vp into such an heauenly condition Fourthly God heares his children in a better kinde as we haue shewed Fiftly the godly are tyed to conditions which are often broken Sixtly it may be thy prayer is heard but the answere is not yet come to thy heart the sense of graunt is not yet brought to thee and there must goe some time betweene seeking finding so the Angell said to Daniel chap. 9. 22. 23. From the first day that thou didst set thy heart to seeke the Lord and humble thy selfe thy words are heard and now I am come to tell thee If the godly seeke sometimes in a time of finding then we must learne to iudge wisely of the poore and afflicted in spirit not to triumph ouer them as Dauids enemies did ouer him Oh God hath forsaken him or as Iobs friends did All that he was at best hee was but an hypocrite Oh saith the world this is not the child of God Why because the Diuell hath a little power ouer him and God is gone A false conceit For first though he be not heard presently yet hee shall be heard hereafter there is a time when he shall finde God Secondly God is delighted in an humble spirit and a broken heart Thirdly he is the God of the abiect his promise is that such as mourne in Sion shal be deliuered and haue beautie for ashes Fourthly after this rate we shall condemne the greatest lights of Gods Church Paul and the other Apostles were in a thousand dangers within and without assaulted on euery side yet as deare to God as euer they were and it was a Iewish scoffe against Christ Let God deliuer him now if he will haue him Let vs rather consider our owne case what it may bee and bee charitably affected to them in distresse as wee would haue others affected towards vs in the same case knowing that that which befals one man may befall any man Secondly if there be a time of finding let vs take heed of being Lyons in our owne houses tearing our soules with diffidence and despaire as if the Lord were cleane gone for euer and would neuer returne and as though there were no time of finding Alas I am then no godly man for I haue prayed long and God will not bee found must I not feare my estate Yes feare and doubt in the godly make their saluation more sure in the end because it sends them to the meanes of comfort and by this thou mayest trie thy feare and distinguish it from al vngodly feares doubts which vanish away without any such vse But I am vnworthy to finde God who haue incensed his wrath like an vnkinde and vnthankefull wretch and that euery day A false ground of a false enemie all