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	word_n	zion_n	48	3	9.0044	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13547	The parable of the sovver and of the seed Declaring in foure seuerall grounds, among other things: 1. How farre an hypocrite may goe in the way towards heauen, and wherein the sound Christian goeth beyond him. And 2. In the last and best ground, largely discourseth of a good heart, describing it by very many signes of it, digested into a familiar method: which of it selfe is an entire treatise. And also, 3. From the constant fruit of the good ground, iustifieth the doctrine of the perseuerance of saints: oppugneth the fifth article of the late Arminians; and shortly and plainly answereth their most colourable arguments and euasions. By Thomas Taylor, late fellow of Christs Colledge in Cambridge, and preacher of the Word of God, at Reding in Bark-shire.	Taylor, Thomas, 1576-1632.	1621 (1621)	STC 23840; ESTC S118185	284,009	494

it selfe to God 3. It hath no care commonly of his grounds of Religion and so runnes 〈…〉 still is wauering and 〈…〉 in what Religion he meanes to 〈…〉 betweene God and Baal and sees no 〈…〉 betweene true Religion and Pope●● 〈…〉 of one trumpet would make them as forward Pap●●●s as now they are Protestants 4. It can pretend Gods glory and Gods ends but intend the owne ends Herod pretends to come and worship Christ but intends to kill him Iezabel can make Religion a pretext for her foulest fact of murdering an Innocent so can Papists finely in ordine ad Deum and to promote the Catholike cause raise Massacres c. 1. Sam. 2.22 Women professing great sanctity by comming to the Temple polluted themselues with wicked Priests It were a sinne to say so of holy Popish Priests and their pure Nunnes 5. It will haue a Religion for fashion or shew but loue it not promote it not no not in their owne families scarce professe it for present reproach or after-claps but zeale and forwardnesse were madnesse as Festus said to Paul and to become an hatefull Puritan They frame not their actions to the rules of Christian Religion but are loose vnsauory earthly in all their courses they will lose nothing for it Christ shall lose the glory of Heauen for them and so farre they like their Religion but they will not lose crummes of earth for his sake 6. An euill heart can make a profession of Religion and scorne the Professors reuile them as a packe of hypocrites But our Sauiour packs such out of his number saying They that are with vs cannot lightly speake euill of vs Mark 9.39 Now of the markes of a good heart in respect of the meanes by which this true Religion is vpheld And first of the Word and Sacraments The equity of carefulnesse in these stands in these reasons 1. Because a good heart cannot heare God himselfe speake nor enioy such neere and immediate fellowship with him as it desires it is most glad to enioy him through the grates of the Word and Sacraments to heare him speake by his Messenger to reade his letters and be enriched with such pledges of his loue which therein he includeth to his sonnes and daughters Thus doth a faithfull Spouse to him absent whom her soule loueth 2. Because these Ordinances proceed from the holy Spirit of God and are meanes appoynted for the sanctification of the Elect a good heart will neuer heare or reade the Scriptures nor speake of them but with great reuerence It dares not profane the sacred Scriptures vsing them vainely or wickedly as in iests playes charmes neither dares it come to the Sacrament without due examination preparation instruction correction or strength and consolation in the course of Christianity 2. Tim. 3.16 3. Because the good heart sees his continuall need it is carefull in the continuall vse of the means of grace It sees hardnesse of heart still stealing on it It discernes spirituall weaknesse and fainting of soule It feeles many conflicts of the flesh against the spirit It is acquainted with the thrusts and temptations of Satan It sees the health of the soule stand in these refreshings and the strength of the heart decaying without them as the body doth without repayre And therefore it still relieues it selfe by the Word Sacraments Prayer and the like Psalm 119.28 My heart melteth for heauinesse raise me vp according to thy Word vers 92. Had it not been for thy Word I had perished in my trouble 4. Because it conceiues God a Spirit and his Ordinances spirituall therefore in performing these it neuer contents it selfe with the outward deed alone but especially aymes at soundnesse and sincerity in the manner of doing Psalm 119.80 Let my heart be vpright in thy statutes All is out of sence and conscience not for shame fashion custome law or vaine ostentation But now in speciall for the Word preached A good heart makes great conscience of it as is great reason 1. Because it sees the Word preached only able to bruise a stony heart to tame melt and cause to tremble a secure heart as Felix Esa. 66.2 that trembleth at my Word Acts 16.24 The Iaylor came trembling and shiuering as hauing a strong Ague in his conscience Also it is of power to open a shut conscience as Dauids by Nathan 2. Because the preaching of the Word reueales the vnsearchable riches of Christ Ephes. 3.8 and brings into acquaintance with him This is the hammer by which Christ standing at the dore of the heart knocks and if any open he comes in and suppes with him Christ not onely inuites him to a feast but feeds him with his owne flesh and blood and he with Christ that is a fruitfull Hearer of the Word entertaines Christ calls him as the Church Cant. 4.16 to a feast in his Garden to eate of his pleasant things Christ is feasted when he tastes the sweet fruits of repentance faith mortification and obedience wrought by the preaching of the Word Nay it makes vs of neere kindred with Christ his father his mother his brethren and sisters Luk. 8.21 3. Because the Word preached brings in the Spirit of God with his sauing graces being the chariot of the Spirit by which hee rides gloriously into the hearts of Beleeuers God who can giue his Spirit without it ordinarily doth not He could haue taught Cornelius without Peters so tedious a iourney but Cornelius must attend Peters Ministery and while Peter was yet speaking the holy Ghost fell on them all Acts 10.44 But see it in speciall sauing graces first illumination is by preaching Acts 8.31 The Eunuch cannot vnderstand without an interpreter he must ioyne himselfe to Philip. Secondly faith comes by hearing Rom. 10.14 and by the foolishnesse of preaching God will saue them that beleeue 1. Cor. 1.21 Neither can actuall faith be without some measure of actuall knowledge Thirdly the feare of God is wrought by preaching Rom. 8.15 the spirit of feare is wrought by the Ministery of the Law shewing sinne distinctly the curse due to it and our owne guiltinesse And by the Gospell is wrought that childlike feare by the spirit of adoption by which now we feare to offend God as before to be offended and reuenged on by him Fourthly peace of conscience and a sweete ioy in God is wrought hereby Psalm 51.8 Let me heare the voyce of gladnesse that the broken bones may reioyce Lastly the Word preached brings in not onely this life of grace but that of glory Act. 11.14 Send for Peter to Ioppa and he shall speake words whereby both thou and thy house shall be saued And therefore is it called the Word of life and saluation In these and other regards a good heart is a conscionable Hearer 1. It prepares it selfe as a fit casket or storehouse to lay the Word in conceiuing it the most precious iewell and richest pearle in all the world

the Apostles ayme 1. Pet. 5.7 8. He cares for you but watch for the diuell who as a roring Lion seeketh to deuoure Vse 1. In that the diuell comes learne not to content thy selfe with comming to Church but see thy ende bee better than his yea contrary to his Hee comes with a purpose to hinder the power of the Word in thy heart to hinder thy faith and saluation Come thou with a purpose to set forward the power of the Word in thy heart to set forward thy faith and saluation Quest. How may I know that the worke of faith and saluation is set forward in mee by the Word Answ. 1. If it haue brought thee to the sight of thy sinne and the sence of thy danger by it This is the first effectuall worke of the Word as Christ first conuinced the woman of Samaria of her adultery Peter tels the Iewes Act. 2. that they had slaine Iesus Christ. 2. If the Law being a Schoolemaster to Christ haue sent thee out of thy selfe to apprehend the remedy of the Gospell as the Iaylor being cast downe said Oh what shall I doe to be saued Beleeue in the Lord Iesus said the Apostle and thou shalt bee saued Act. 16.30 31. This is the method of sound Ministery first truly to humble then to raise againe 3. If thou findest it a Ministery of the Spirit conueying the Spirit into thy heart for the consumption of corruption and repairing thee to a new life of grace Gal. 3.2 Receiued ye the Spirit by the workes of the Law or by the hearing of faith preached 4. If thou carriest it into thy soule as a light into a darke place 2. Pet. 1.19 to follow the directions of it and to guide thy wayes according to euery precept of it If now thou intendest when thou commest to bee led further into the sight of thy sinne led neerer vnto Iesus Christ to draw of his fulnesse led further into the sanctification of the Spirit and led as a blind man by the guidance of the Word certainely the Word is of power to set forward thy faith and saluation notwithstanding all Satans malice Vse 2. The diuell knowes that faith is by heareing and saluation by faith 1. I would our Popish Recusants knew so much so they would make a better vse of this knowledge than to withstand both faith and hearing 2. I wish our formall Protestants knew it who will scarce step out of dores to heare but in policy will heare so much as they may bee counted no Atheists or Papists but indifferent men as they be too indifferent whether they heare or no. 3. I wish they knew it who by reading at home will beleeue and bee saued by their eyes which are vnsufficient to breed faith For God hath giuen the sence of hearing this preeminence Rom. 10.14 How can they beleeue vnlesse they heare The sight is a sence of discipline but hearing the sence of faith 4. I wish our Atheisticall scorners who think they know so much as they contemne the Ministery that they knew as much as the diuell then would they not barre and excommunicate themselues so wilfully from the meanes of faith and saluation they would not turne away the eare if they knew that faith were dropt in by the eare 5. I would our carelesse and sleepy hearers knew it who shut the dore of faith lest they should bee saued Neuer will God open their hearts as Lydias by the Word who shut their eares 6. I wish they also would learne a lesson from the diuell who content themselues to liue in dry and barren places destitute of the meanes of faith and saluation as Lot who chose Sodom for the fruitfulnesse of the ground before Canaan and delight in the hills of Samaria among idolatrous Papists rather than in Sion Hill among true worshippers I am sure thou wouldest chuse to dwell with the Lord hereafter then chuse to dwell now where the Lord dwelleth In a word Let vs all perswade our selues of that whereof the diuell himselfe doubts not 1. That God hath appointed hearing for the engendring of faith For as by hearing the diuels voice we lost our faith and happinesse so the Lord hath appointed by hearing his voice againe as the most conuenient meanes to recouer our faith and saluation 1. Cor. 1.21 It pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleeue And he hath tyed faith and saluation to preaching both by precept and promise and tyed vs to them though himselfe be free We haue no other ordinary meanes 2. We would rate our selues if we should carelesly or wilfully lose our money or gold or slip the meanes of getting and encreasing them But behold faith is much more precious than gold 1. Pet. 1.7 and saluation far more precious than faith If it were a small thing to lose faith yet it is something to lose saluation more to lose it so wilfully Vse 3. Seeing Satan comes to Church to steale the Word know that thou neuer commest to Church but Satan an enemy a theefe comes with thee to rob thee of the Word of the treasure of faith and bereaue thee of life euerlasting Therfore deale with him as with a theefe 1. Suspect him trust him not onely a watchfull eye preuents an vntrusty fellow 2. Locke that thou hearest from him keepe the Word in a safe place vnder locke and key hide it in the middest of thy heart Psal. 119.11 couer this heauenly seed Motiues 1. Thus wee doe for our money wee are carefull of our Euidences Iewels Plate and things of worth let vs also esteeme the Word as Dauid aboue thousands of gold and siluer 2. Naturall wisedome teacheth a man if hee haue some speciall Iewels and knowes he hath theeues about him not to leaue them abroad or lay them in the way of a cunning theefe from whom he can scarce by all his care keepe them 3. Satan cannot steale if thou leaue not thy wealth abroad Therefore doe for the Word as for thy seed in thy field the Husbandman so soone as he hath cast it couers it with the Plough or Harrow and so preuents the picking vp of birds so must thou couer the seed of the Word in the furrowes of thy affections lay it deepe in the ground of thy heart by serious attention meditation conference practice Else if the seed lie on the ground vncouered vncared for these birds presently picke vp all to thy losse and sinne 3. If thou perceiue that this theefe hath stolne away the Word from thee follow him with Hue and cry repent thy sinne lament thy losse complaine to God pray thou maist recouer the losse and preuent the like for time to come Quest. How may I know the diuell hath robbed me of the Word Answ. 1. If after much plaine and powerfull preaching and hearing thou hast learned little Many will commend Sermons where the diuell gets all from them Many commend the Preacher

demonstrate that the people of God and his dearest Saints were farre from a life led in pleasure Iacob professed Few and euill haue my dayes been that is full of affliction And Moses chose to suffer affliction with the people of God when hee was of age saith the Text he refused the pleasures of Pharaohs Court and the treasures of Egypt The like of the Apostles and other Saints But especially if we will be conformable to our Head Did he spend his dayes or nights in pleasure Yea was not his life painfull and sorrowfull c Doe wee euer reade of him that he laughed but that hee wept wee often reade The ordinary estate and condition of Gods people is to suffer aduersity Heb. 11.25 The way to heauen is all strawed with crosses By many afflictions we must enter into heauen Act. 14.22 And all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecutions 2. Tim. 3.12 And wee must acknowledge the bitter things laid on the brests of the world to be of God to weane vs from the loue and pleasure of it II. The second Generall proposed is Markes of a man in whom pleasures preuaile aboue the Word And they are seuen 1. An vnder-valuing of better pleasures as of Gods House in earth or in heauen when men account of no such pleasure as that they enioy in earth and earthly things This marke is giuen 2. Pet. 2.13 They shall receiue the wages of vnrighteousnesse as those who account it pleasure to liue deliciously for a season that is when men as Epicures place their felicity in present pleasures which is indeed the life fitter for brutes whose soule if it be not their sense riseth not beyond their sense then for men who are not onely reasonable but Christians Yet many such there are in the world as 1. When men are heauie to the Temple which argues no pleasure in Gods presence nor in the presence of Christ who walkes in the midst of the seuen golden Candlesticks Reuel 1. Nor in the presence of the Spirit who blowes especially there nor in the presence of the Angels who desire and stoupe downe to see the things handled 1. Pet. 1.12 nor of the Saints who are said to meet the Lord in Sion Psal. 84.7 Now where could a good heart with more pleasure rest it selfe than in Gods resting place in Christs society in the way of the Spirit in the Ministery of Angels and fellowship of Saints Did not the Prophet count one day in Gods house better than a thousand else-where And did he not professe Psa. 26.8 Lord I haue loued the habitation of thy House and the place where thine honour dwelleth And was it not prophesied of all Beleeuers that they should assemble as Doues fly to their windowes and as clouds driuen by the winde Esa. 60.8 2. When the delight is more in temporall food than in spirituall and a man can bee more ioyfull at his owne table than at Gods Whereas Dauid found nothing so sweet to his taste as the Word preferred it before his daily food yea before his sleepe Psal. 119.148 Will not euery man say that to taste how good God is is the best taste yet most men taste more sweetnesse in the white of an egge than in him 3. When men haue more delight in the diuels bookes than in Gods and can be more iolly in tossing and shaking the cards and dice than in turning and reading Gods Booke Or to speake of more lawfull recreations than they If a man take more pleasure in any recreation than in better exercises his pleasure is sinfull and choking 4. When men take more pleasure in their speciall calling than in their generall in gathering money than in gathering grace in worldly riches more than in heauenly now it is choking Dauid esteemed the Word aboue thousands of gold and siluer The wise Merchant esteemed the Pearle aboue all his estate And a good heart as Paul esteemes all things dung and losse for Christ. And according to the estimate of things is the pleasure and delight in them 5. When men preferre an empty ioy aboue fulnesse of ioy the pleasures of Gods left hand before those of his right Psalm 16.11 a drop of pleasure before a riuer and a drop of life in misery before the Well of Life in mercy and glory Psalm 36.8 9. 2. Marke When men make light account of Gods Call in respect of the call of their pleasures let them be otherwise neuer so lawfull now they are sinfull Gods Commandements must stand by while their pleasures command them 1. Sam. 15.3 Saul had an expresse Commandement to smite Amalek and haue no compassion on man woman infant suckling Oxe or Sheepe But it pleaseth Saul to haue compassion on the King and the fat beasts A good booty Hee shall enrich himselfe with the Kings ransome and such a large prey will spare his owne beasts at least serue him for sacrifice a long time Lots wife had an expresse charge and menace on paine of death not to looke behind her But the care of her house and goods with the loue of her friends made her forget the Commandement to her owne destruction God commands not to sweare at all but passe the ordinary speech by yea and nay Yet men ordinarily sweare and accustome themselues to breake the Commandement Why for it is their pleasure and custome and they cannot leaue it God commands to doe no seruile worke on the Sabbath day nor to meddle with the duties of the calling no manner of worke Oh but now it would pleasure my neighbour and aduantage my selfe to serue a customer Now a man is at the command of his owne pleasure and Gods Law must stand aside God commands not to runne easily out of our calling on the weeke-day or if any time be to be spared to redeeme it to the generall But games or sports or drinking-company calls day by day now farwell the Commandement Gods Booke and counsell farwell both callings nothing can call so forcibly as his play and pastime nothing so necessary nothing so pleasing What other is the cause of all adulteries slanders reuenges railings murthers and effeminate contentions among men but that they are as slaues to their owne lusts and the command of them and Gods Commandements can take no place 3. Marke When a man will not bee at so much charge for God for good duties and his owne saluation as for his pleasures and lusts When men can waste and riot out abundance of money in feasting gaming excesse of apparell but to maintaine Gods Worship to feast or cloath the poore seruants of Christ they haue no will or desire nay their hawkes and dogs are more chargeable to many than God himselfe his seruice and all the poore members of Iesus Christ. Let pastime call there are pounds and pieces ready But let the poore call let the Law and good order call for them there are not pence wrung out let Preachers

heart will I giue you and a new spirit c. so called 1. Because it hath put off the old malice and corruption 2. Because there is a renouation in all the faculties as 1. The minde is renewed in knowledge Col. 3.10 It is giuen to this heart to vnderstand the mysteries of the Kingdome Math. 13.11 While it was an euill and old heart it might attaine a naturall knowledge or an historicall knowledge or a morall knowledge generally to discourse of Diuine things but altogether vnfruitfull making him a little the wiser but neuer the better But heere is a new knowledge beyond the story or theory a practicke knowledge and experimentall of the vertue and power of Christs death Phil. 3.10 full of mercy and good fruits Iam. 3.17 2. The renewed conscience is an vn-diuided companion of a good heart for whereas before the minde and conscience were defiled Tit. 1.15 either senslesse or raging now the heart sprinkled from an euill conscience Heb. 10.22 becomes a pure and good conscience excuseth and imboldeneth before God ceaseth all accusation and condemning is peaceable tender waking and indeuours to keepe the goodnesse of it before God and all men alwayes and in all things Act. 24.16 Heb. 13.18 3. The will is renewed It was as heauie as a Beare to the stake to pray heare obey It was as a slaue in fetters vnder the bondage of sinne and Satan It ranne after lusts as after sports no sugar so sweete as the pleasures of sinne But now it is carryed according to the motion of a good Spirit after God It willingly obeyes the Commandement It hath a free Spirit and now being drawne by God runnes after him Cant. 1.3 4 The affections are renewed as in foure instances 1. Loue. It is a signe of a good heart to loue goodnesse first the chiefe good and best of all God himselfe whom before he hated deadly and hee loueth God for himselfe not for his benefits onely Secondly he loueth goodnesse not onely in the fountaine but in all the streames Hee loues the children of God not for sinister ends of profit credit kindred but for the image of God in them He loues Gods Word not for knowledge onely but for direction and reformation In a word he loues that most which hath most goodnesse 2. Ioy is not carnall in base and inferior things as formerly but the ioy of a good heart feeds it selfe on things most excellent for kinde and continuance For kinde in God himselfe who is his glory and in the shining of his countenance Psalm 4.6 7. in the sweet taste of his Word aboue honey aboue pearles in the purchase of the pearle it goes away reioycing in the prosperity of the Church which it preferres before his chiefe ioy in heauenly and spirituall exercises Col. 3.3 in the assured hope of resurrection Psalm 16.9 and in the expectation of Christs comming to his eternall redemption These are things most excellent in kinde to be ioyed in and the wicked enters not into this ioy Then for continuance a good heart reioyceth in things of most continuance for the perpetuating of his ioy Ioh. 16.22 Your ioy shall none take away from you The third affection is feare renewed Before it feared not God but this watchman of the soule being absent it became a spoyle and prey to the diuell and lusts But now it feares God yet not as a slaue but as a childe not as a Iudge but a Father And this feare of God begets another feare of sinne and the feare of falling keepes it from falling and finall defection Blessed is the man that thus feareth alwaies It is a signe of some goodnesse in the heart worth watching and keeping The fourth renewed affection is zeale feruency Before it was most zealous against zeale now it is truly zealous 1. In earnest and affectionate desires after Gods glory his House his worship the zeale of Gods House consumed Dauid Psalm 119.139 2. In thorow-hatred of the corruptions of his owne heart against which hee wrestles and cries out as Paul Rom. 7.24 Vehement fire soone ouermasters drosse and stubble 3. In contending and warring against the profanenesse and wickednesse of the world and corrupt times Paul earnestly grieued to see men fall from God Rom. 9.2 and Lots righteous soule was vexed daily with the vncleane conuersation of the Sodomites and Christ mourned for rebellious Ierusalem Luk. 19.41 Which is alwaies ioyned with an endeuour by all possible meanes to bring them backe againe as Elijah prayed for Israel 1. King 18.37 Matth. 18.12 4. In an ardent loue and defence of such as feare God delighting in things and persons that are sincere and most affecting the most grace Matth. 12.48 Psalm 16.3 Thus haue I giuen a taste of the newnesse of a good heart which is his first property The second is softnesse a good heart is soft and sensible The best heart indeed hath some hardnesse but it is sensible of it for 1. It sees still a burden of sinne and an heauy load of corruption within left nay it sees more euill in it selfe then in all other Grace within as a straite line is the measure of it selfe and that which is crooked 2. It sees to bewaile the hardnesse and distemper of it selfe with much bitternesse and sorrow and many complaints Esa. 63.17 O Lord why hast thou hardned our hearts against thy feare Ah miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death These are the common complaints of the godly how they are toyled with their slownesse of heart to beleeue with earthlinesse of heart finding themselues chayned to the loue of earth with frowardnesse of heart when they cannot heare or beare reproofes Prou. 17.20 And in all these they are more seuere because they are more sensible of their owne lusts than any other 3. It still striueth against this hardnesse and prayes for a soft heart Esa. 63.17 Why hast thou hardened our hearts Oh return c. And the poore man in the Gospell I beleeue Lord helpe my vnbeliefe Whereas an euill heart goeth on neither seeing nor suspecting nor willing to see the euill of it till it be growne to the hardnesse of a stone to which it is compared Ezek. 11.19 because there is no life no humour no aptnesse to softnesse more than in a stone And so going on in hardnesse comes to bee Adamantine which is the hardest and inuincible stone Zech. 7.12 The third property of a good heart is cleannesse euery good heart is a pure and cleane heart Psalm 51.10 Create in me a cleane heart O God Math. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart Obiect Can any man say his heart is cleane seeing in many things we sin all and if we say we haue no sin or foulenes we lie and our owne clothes will defile vs Answ. The best heart hath much foulenesse and frailty What a heape of sins of

12.1 Let vs runne with patience the race set before vs Our life being a Christian race patience holds vs in breath and makes vs long-winded that we tyre not and giue ouer before we obtaine the goale and crowne of glory Here for our further direction we will consider 1. What this vertue of patience is 2. Why it is so necessary 3. The vse of all I. Patience is a grace of God by which wee passiuely obey God in all the crosses he imposeth vpon vs willingly quietly and constantly It is a grace of God a fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 not growing in our owne grounds but deriued from God who is therefore called the God of patience Phil. 4.13 Not a common grace but a speciall issue of faith and loue neuer sowne nor sprouted in the waste of the world among Heathens but specially bestowed on the Elect and Beleeuers By which wee passiuely obey God Here is expressed the obiect and the act of patience The obiect of it is griefe and passion take away passion there is no vse of patience as where no enemie no vse of weapons where no disease no vse of Phisick The act is obedience to God as Christ in all his suffering Not my will but thy will be done and old Eli 1. Sam. 3.18 It is the Lord let him doe whatsoeuer he will In all the crosses hee imposeth vpon vs not such as we call pull on our selues as Baals Priests 1. King 18.22 or such as in Monkes Fryers Eremites of themselues whipping themselues to make show of hypocriticall patience and satisfaction This is a voluntary blinde obedience vnder their owne hand and not Gods And because patience perforce is no vertue I adde the manner of Christian suffering that it is willingly quietly and constantly Willingly because there must be correspondence betweene our wills and Gods in things so greatly making for our good The Patient willingly submits himselfe to the bitter Pills and tastlesse Potions of Phisicians because hee hopes for good by them But here is more assurance that God will turne all to the best Quietly and meekely Psal. 39.9 I held my tongue and said nothing for thou Lord diddest it And herein our Lord hath gone before vs in example who was dumbe before the shearer and opened not his mouth Esa. 53.7 Constantly A good Disciple must take vp his crosse dayly not startling at the greatest afflictions as Paul he is ready not onely to be bound but to dye for the Lord Iesus Act. 21.13 nor fainting vnder the heauiest burden seeing it is but for a moment and the burden shall not be aboue our strength and in the issue we shall see The light afflictions of this life are not worthy the glory that shall be reuealed Rom. 8.18 II. The necessitie of patience in the Christian course appeareth by these reasons 1. The scope of the Gospell is to make men fruitfull Christians But this can neuer be without the persecution of the world For Christ and his crosse are inseparable and it is a ruled case Whosoeuer will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution 2. Tim. 3.12 No Disciple can expect to auoid or shunne the crosse but expect that entertainment which our Sauiour fore-told Math. 10.22 Ye shall be hated of all men for my Names sake The shadow doth not more vndiuidedly follow the body then persecutions and trials follow the profession of the Gospell This necessity of suffering afflictions implies and inferres a necessity of patience For as he that is to stand vnder an heauie burthen must haue strong shoulders or else hee must needs sinke so vnlesse patience beare such burthens as doe ineuitably follow the profession of the Gospell the godly cannot but sinke vnder them 2. It is necessary in respect of the manuring and preparing to fruit The best ground brings no fruit vnlesse it indure the Plough the Harrow the cold the frost Euen so the Lord prepareth his children to fruits of grace by patient induring many trialls The Wall-nut tree is made fruitfull by beating Camomile by treading vpon the Palme by pressing and the Christian by suffering while the Lords ouer-ruling hand brings out of the eater meate and out of sowre sweet as the most seasonable Summer-fruits by the sharpest Winter 3. In respect of the producing of fruits there is great neede of patience seeing there is no fruit of grace which Satan seekes not to kill in the very sprouting and first appearance as the child in his birth Reu. 12.4 And the wicked world seekes to blast them with the East-winde of reproches yea to nip and pinch them out-face and destroy them with strong and violent persecutions so as without patient enduring the crosse and despising the shame this thirty fold cannot be expected much lesse an hundreth fold As a woman brings forth no fruit of the wombe vnlesse shee patiently endure her sorrowes no more can the Christian any fruit of grace without his sorrowes Thus Christ himselfe brings forth to vs all his blessed fruits not without the greatest patience proportioned to his greatest sufferings and after the same manner must wee also bring forth our fruits to him 4. It is necessary in respect of the growth and ripening of fruits The seed sowne comes not vp all at once but by degrees first the blade then the eare then ripe fruit Mark 4.28 So all our graces and fruits are small at first and receiue increase by little and little And therefore as the Husbandman expects with patience his fruits and plucks not vp his corne because it is small and weake at first and comes not vp full corne So the Christian must patiently waite for the growth and increase of his fruits euen till they come to some perfection Iam. 1.4 Let patience haue her perfect worke Nothing can come to perfection but by patience 5. It is necessary in respect of things that might hinder the growth if patience preuented not as first the smart of present afflictions for euery affliction is grieuous for the present Heb. 12.11 the mention thereof oftentimes makes vs shrinke and startle and grow out of heart because of the roughnesse of our way But now by patience we shall possesse our soules the present remedy of the Disciples greatest persecutions Luk. 21.17 19. whereas by impatience wee lose our selues and lessen our fruits Secondly the common crosses which accompany our mortall life will make vs weary enough vnlesse patience supply some strength and vndershore vs. But by patience we giue glory to God and his soueraignty and right in disposing of vs and to vs according to his good pleasure Iob 1.20 and 2.10 Patience makes vs say Not my will but thy will be done If I must drinke of the cup I will drinke of it Thirdly inward temptations and disquietnesse of conscience the wounds of spirit are so intolerable that the violence of them often shakes off many fruits and makes the Christian walke weakely many