Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	adoption_n	cry_v	father_n	9,732	5	5.0154	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A65694	Eighteen sermons preached upon several texts of Scripture by William Whittaker, late minister of Magdalen Bermondsey, Southwark ; to which is added his funeral sermon preached by Sam. Annesley.	Whittaker, William, 1629-1672.; Annesley, Samuel, 1620?-1696.	1674 (1674)	Wing W1718; ESTC R29271	230,495	446

14. He followed God fully We must not only serve God in some duties which have nothing of reproach in them to our names and nothing of prejudice to our concerns but even in those duties by the observance of which we run the greatest hazard as to all that is dear to us in this world and to mind these heartily and in good earnest and because God Commands them and because they are his Institutions 2. In shunning whatsoever might offend God Psal 119. I hat every false way You that love the Lord hate evil Psal 79.10 If there be any thing of love in the Soul to God there cannot but be hatred of what ever is contrary to him your hatred is never right unless it be grounded upon principles of love to God You therefore hate evil because ye love God How can I do this wickedness ond●●n against God said Joseph Joseph might have prevented many dangers which because of his ●o● complyance with his Mistresses temptation he involved himself in but this Doctrine taught him not to allow himself in any thing that was offensive to God And so should we stand upon our watch and guard as those that are sensible of the corruptions of nature and the activeness of Sathan to make use of those Corruptions to deceive us and to draw us rrom God and this Rule hath been practised by the people of God all along Job made a Covenant with his eyes David kept his mouth as with a bridle both of them by these Metaphorical expressions do signifie their watchfulness and care to keep themselves from being led a side into sin or any thing that might be offensive to God This is to adorn the Gospel when we thus carry it towards God 3. Not only to serve God but to delight in his Service and to take complacencie in every duty we perform Delight thy self also in the Lord and he will give thee the desire of thine heart It is a dreadful Judgment that God threatned to execute upon his people Israel because they would not serve him with chearfulness in the abundance of all things therefore they should serve their Exemies in hunger and cold and nakedness in the want of all things They changed their Master and it was a sad change too It was the Commendation of the Apostles in those times of persecution when they could not profess this Gospel but it would cost them dear yet whatever their food was it had good sawce they eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart rejoycing in the Holy Ghost This duty hath been practised by all they have been sincere St. Paul when he was canvasing the case with his own soul and disputing with himself whether all was well with him or not Rom. 7. in this took comfort as to my inward man I delight in the Law of God I do not only do it but I delight to do it To do what God commands and to do it as our burthen is unsuitable to this Doctrine Rom. 7.21 22. I find then a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me It is natural for men to delight in nothig but sin and to take pleasure in unrighteousness They are lovers of pleasure saith the Apostle more than lovers of God and he tells us Rom. 1. last of some kind of Monsters among men who knowing the Judgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death not only do the same but have pleasure in them that do them this is given as the true account of Gods severity against them every part of our duty is our priviledge God hath required nothing from us as our duty but it is as much to our present comfort as our future happiness it is only carnal reason that makes objections against the Commands of God it is the Language of corrupt nature When will the Sabbath be over Amos 8 5. but the language of a gratious heart is When will there be a return of Sabbath opportunities and of means for us to enjoy Communion with God Natural men cannot be so sick of spiritual imployments as gratious souls are sick of worldly diversions Rom. 8.15 He hath nto given us the spirit of bondage again to fear but the spirit of adoption whereby we cry abba Father When we are able to look up to God as a Father we cannot long endure his absence Absolom was sorely afflicted for his two years absence from David at Jerusalem and that he might see his Father But what ever langauge corrupt niture may speak the great design of this Doctrine of God our Saviour wherever it works effectually where ever it comes in power is to refine our affections and to purge out this dross and toturn the whole bent of our hearts towards God Psal 63.1 My Soul longeth for thee and what we long for while that is absent makes us take no pleasure in what we enjoy A day in in thy presence is better than a thousand else where Psal 84.10 I had rather said David be a door-kecper in the House of God than dwell in the Tents of wickedness in the meanest rank of Ser. vants And said the Prodigal though I be but as a hired Servant yet if am but one of thy Family I am well enough it is more than I deserve It is good for me to draw nigh to God he speaks of it as on experienced truth and that he sought for and took pleasure in One thing have I desired of the Lord and that will I seek after c. Psal 27.4 Now not only to engage in the duties of of Religion but to account them our delight our chiefest refreshment and to be of nothing so impatient as the want of those Opportunities is that which this Doctrine of God our Saviour teacheth us viz. to delight our selves in God 4. To devolve all our care upon God Casting all your cares upon him for he careth for you Though yo many meet with losses and troubles that may come upon you as thick as Jobs troubles came upon him even as the Waves of the Sea one upon the neck of the other yet to be quiet and calm 5. This Doctrine teacheth us to devote our whole selves to him without any reservation and this commanded and practised Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy might with all thy strength and with all thy Soul And we find this in the practice of Gods people as to their endeavours Praise the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me Praise his holy Name Psal 103.1 With my whole heart have I sought thee Psal 119.10 This Doctrine directs all to give up their whole selves to God and thus Psal 73.25 Whom have I in heaven but thee c. all was nothing in comparison of God 6. To be satisfied with and thankful for sincere Consciences though we be guilty of many failings and whatever we meet with in Gods service though we have never so great

been apt to fall into an overwhelming sense of both and to look upon their wound as incureable and their disease past healing Some think so well of themselves that they stand in no need of help others think so ill of themselves that they look upon themselves as past all help It is no ease matter to keep in the middle between both These are both dangerous to us and highly derogatory to the grace of God both are a reproach to his kindness On the one hand to think that God would be at that vast expence and charge to make so full provision for poor souls beyond what they need this is to make the blood of his Son to run wast To think on the other side that the provision that God hath made is too narrow short and scant for our relief this is a great reproach to the mercy of God But because this is frequently the case of souls whom the Spirit of God convinceth of sin and are not yet throughly convinced of righteousness they stick in these Bryars and are a●t to be gravelled with objections doubts and 〈◊〉 Therefore God as a tender Father to 〈…〉 high regard of his Peoples comfort 〈…〉 hath been pleased to provide against 〈…〉 ragements these three ways First By the discovery of his rich and free grace the boundlessness and unfathomableness of his mercy Secondly by discovering so many rich and precious promises as they are called 2 Pet. 1.4 By which he gives incouragement to them to come to him Thirdly By notable instances of his superabundant mercy to sinners in times past leaving them as monuments for ages to come as here in S. Paul and others The Apostle in the 15 verse saith This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners whereof I am chief having set down the ●●ches of Divine Grace and the full provision that God hath made therein for the chief of sinners propounds himself here in the text for on example and pattern to strengthen the faith of others and by his own experience to incourage them to make ●●yal of what he had sound such full and sufficient relief from How be it for this cause I obtained mercy c. In the words here is 1 S. Pauls humble and thankful acknowledgment of that kindness and mercy which God had shewed to him 2. The gratious interpretation and Construction with the improvement he makes of this mercy 1.8 Pauls humble and thankful acknowledgement of that kindness and mercy which God had shown him How be it I obtained mercy there is an emphasis in the words how be it I who seemed to be at such a distance and remoteness from mercy I who seemed to be so unmeet so unworthy and under so many discouragements and great disadvantages for what case can possibly go beyond mine how be it I obtained mercy though my case was so bad S. Paul speaks here of such instances as can scarsely be paralelled I that was in the 13 vers a Blasphemer and a Persecutor and Injurions yet I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief not that S. Paul would thereby extenuate or diminish his sins he onely comforted himself in this that his sins were committed out of ignorance there was more of mistake then maliciousness in them and that he did not intend an extenuation or diminution of his sins appears because he aggravates them so much and maketh it so great a wonder that ever such an one as he should obtain mercy He speaks it as a matter of admiration and astonishment for if any person may seem to be uncapable of mercy saith he I was as like as any I came so near the borders of the unpardonable sin that it is a wonder to me and to all that understand what my carriage hath been that I should obtain mercy Secondly Here is the interpretation that S. Paul makes of the kindness of God to him it is not singly to him to his benefit to his personal and peculiar advantage but for the incouragement of others in after times For this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long suffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe c. It is the Language of a humble and thankful soul For this cause I obtained mercy that in me first First how it cannot be understood in respect of order of time because there were multitudes who had obtained mercy that lived in the ages before and as great sinners as S. Paul as Manasseh and others in the Old and New Testament How then doth he say in me first Not so much in respect of the order of time as the clear evidence of the riches of mercy In me first that is in me chiefly thus many learned interpreters expound it Besides the word is the same with that in the verse before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is translated there Chief This is a faithful saying that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners of whom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am chief 1. Doct. God in shewing mercy to some doth intend good to others S. Paul was sensible of this in the mercy that he himself had partaken of I obtained mercy but it was that I might be a pattern to them who believe David was sensible of this in that prayer of his 51 Psal 9 10 11 12 13. when he had been petitioning of God for mercy 9. vers Hide thy face from my sins c. 13 Then will I teach transgressours thy ways and sinners shall be converted unto thee Oh do but shew me these favours and mercies and I will improve them for the benefit of others 40. Psal 1.10 David expresseth his faithfulness to God and his thankfulness for the mercies he had received because he did thus declare it Nay this is the very end of Gods leaving these things upon record the kindness he shews to his people and the severity he expresseth toward his enemies that these might be improved by us to our good 15. Rom. 4. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope But I shall not insist on this 2. Doct. One of the highest expressions of our thankfulness to God for the mercies he hath vouchsafed to us is to do our utmost to encourage others to own and acknowledge and to come in to God and partake of what we enjoy What a wonder doth S. Paul make it here that he had mercy from God How be it I obtained mercy though such and such a one as I was yet I obtained mercy but it was for a pattern to others that hereafter should believe on him to everlasting life He debaseth himself as low as hell and exalteth Gods mercy above the heavens indeed every thing of mercy is a great wonder considering what we are in point of vileness and