Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	apostle_n	speak_v	word_n	9,283	5	4.1967	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A08129	Certaine sermons, preached by the reuerend and iudicious diuine master Thomas Nevvhovse late preacher of Gods word in the citie of Norwich. And now set foorth for the vse and benefit of Gods people, by Robert Gallard, Master of Arts and minister in the same citie	Newhouse, Thomas, d. 1611.; Gallard, Robert.	1614 (1614)	STC 18493; ESTC S102789	66,753	182

proue to themselues their owne election Nay is not this a wilfull secluding of a mans selfe from the fauour of God and a voluntarie branding of a mans selfe with the blacke marke of a reprobate before it be knowne whether God hath done so or no Yes surely for as the sonnes of Eli did bewray their owne reiection by their obstinate rebellion for the text saith they did not hearken to the voyce of God 1. Sam. 2.25 because the Lord would slay them where their obstinate course in sin is made a secret marke of their reprobation euen so that man that resolues with himselfe to neglect God and to runne on in sinne vpon this that God hath writ his destinie in heauen doth as much as possibly he can seale vp to himselfe his owne reprobation and if hee thus both liue and dye must needs be damned Obiect What then If I going on in sin bee damned is not herein the vnresistable will and pleasure of God which needs must stand brought to passe Answ Yea it is and that most iustly only through thine owne default for thy sinne brings by damnation as the due deserued wages thereof so iust is God as that he will inflict damnation vpon none that be innocent and free from sinne God neuer did neither will damne any man but for sinne And therefore lay thine hand vpon thy mouth and blame thy selfe for thine owne ruine Hosea 13. thy destruction is of thy selfe O Israel Hos 13. Obiect Yea but had not God ordained me before to this end I should neuer by sinning brought damnation on my selfe Answ Thou most saucie and molipert man how darest thou take the dirt and mire of thine owne sinne and cast it thus vpon the face of the most holy God Thou sinnest and by thy sinne bringest vpon thy self most iust damnation and must God be blamed for appointing thee to that thy deserued end must this thy base and misbegotten ofspring of sin bee fathered vpon Gods most righteous decrees The conclusion then is this A reprobate sinneth for his sin hee perisheth according to the necessarie and vnchangeble decree of God yet man sinneth of himself willingly and is therefore condemned of God most iustly and Gods most wise and iust decree no wit to be blamed I doubt not good Reader but that the reason of man is able to obiect yet much more for I see how our proud and thwarting nature is impatient of satisfaction in this point but know that as more might be obiected so more might bee answered and withal remember that mans reason through the fall is a corrupt thing and hereupon will grow sometimes very wilde and wanton and therefore she should now and then receiue a checke for passing so beyond her bounds I wish thee therfore when thou arguest in these and such like diuine points to cast as it were a bridle vpon thy reason and keepe her in from passing the lists and limits of sobrietie And because I finde by experience how restlesse and lasciuious a thing mans reason is especially in this point of Gods decree as also now armed and furnished with the diuelish art of wrangling I thinke meete rather here to stint my speech then to admit of any further discourse As for such as will not admit of that reasonable satisfaction which I hope I haue giuen but will aduenture through the pride of their wits to chop Logick with their Maker and to call him to his reasons who is bound to render his reasons to none * God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I pray God to make them more sober-minded and doe wish them to consider with all humilitie that saying of the Apostle Rom. 9.19 O man who art thou that disputest with God shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus hath not the potter power ouer the clay of the same lumpe to make one vessell vnto honour and another vnto dishonour This place well pondred in the spirit of humilitie would sufficiently serue to stop our mouthes that wee should not haue one word to speake and to set our haughtie reason at a non plus so as it should not haue a thought to thinke against that disposall which God hath made of the soules of men in his decree seeing hee is an absolute and a soueraigne Lord of the spirits of all flesh and therfore may deale with men according to his will imparting or withholding his mercie euen as he pleaseth and that without check or controle from any for alas what are wee but the creatures of God the meere workmanship of his hands farre more in his power then the clay in the potters for the clay is Gods creature not the potters and will haue a being in spight of the potter whereas wee are continually in Gods power and at his meere curtesie for our very being Thus gentle Reader for the preuention of scandall I thought meete to endeuour the remouall of such stumbling blockes as the doctrine of Gods decree or this treatise in particular through Satans malice might seeme to cast in thy way If I haue giuen thee satisfaction which is hard to doe in such knottie doubts I haue my wish if not yet let our poore endeuour bee taken in good worth I haue been I acknowledge ouer longsome and tedious passing somewhat the limits of an Epistle but the weight of the matter and difficultie of the argument which can hardly bee handled both briefly and plainly will be I hope my sufficient apologie with men of vnderstanding and therefore I spare to craue pardon herein As for those other Sermons about the vnchangeable estate of Gods childe Baptisme and the feare of God I aduise thee to cast thine eye most what on them as being more easie to conceiue as I take it more fit for thine vse and most behooffull for thy learning yet lest I should seeme too busie in giuing aduice I leaue thee to thine owne discretion Thou knowest how the Bee making her choice in a garden of flowers there tarieth longest where shee findeth most hony so thou in reading this booke make thy choice and there stay most where thou sindest that which is most sit for thine vse Thus curteous Reader as one mindfull and desirous of thy good I haue been bold according to my poore skill to counsel thee for the best I intend God knoweth thy soules welfare in Christ Iesus and would much reioyce in a blessed inlargement of his grace in thine heart yea surely if any thing in this booke shall further the same thrice happie shall I iudge my selfe to be in hauing an hand to procure thee thereunto And now I leaue thee to the further viewing of what I haue here laid before thine eye be not I pray thee left handed in receiuing what I giue thee with the right Peruse what here thou findest to thy best aduantage If ought thou gainest giue God the glorie and me thy good word for my

reiect it Answ It is not possible that any man should resist the powerfull operation of the spirit of God in the conscience As for that of Stephen Act. 7.51 where hee vpbraides the Iewes that they had alwaies resi●●ed the holy Ghost it is to be vnderstood of the spirit speaking in the outward ministerie of the word not inwardly and effectuallie working in the conscience Thirdly iustification standing in the remission of sinnes and acceptation of a man vnto life for the only obedience of Christ imputed cannot bee made voide or frustrate for the Lord doth most perfectly pardon sin Esay 44.22 Micha 7.19 Iere. 31.34 Psal 103.12 Fourthly and lastly Regeneration cannot be lost for why the Author of it that is the spirit of God abideth euer 1. Ioh. 2.27 who is called the anointing and the oyle of gladnesse Psalme 45.7 and the graces of it as hope for else how could it bee the anchor and hold of the soule Heb. 6.19 Loue abideth euer 1. Cor. 13.8 a seede whereof remained in Peter in his deniall and the feare of God neuer vtterly quaileth Iere. 32.40 This also is manifest in experience for when the childe of God yeeldeth to any grieuous temptation hee sinneth not as one desperate and voyde of all hope to bee recouered nor of hatred against God not in a secure contempt of God as the Epicure but still retaines in his heart some remainders of these graces which being afterward reuiued and quickned hee raiseth vp himselfe and returnes vnto God Grace in time of some grieuous temptation is driuen into some narrow corner of the heart euen as they that are in a Sconce or Castle besieged flie into some streight corner or some inward and secret place yet after they come foorth As then this point is cleere by Scriptures so likewise reason will auouch and demonstrate the same The first reason is taken from the intercession of Christ who prayed not onely for Peter Luke 22.32 but for all the elect that should either then presently or hereafter beleeue Ioh. 17.20 who was alwaies heard of his Father Ioh. 11.42 Vnlesse therefore we will say that Christ his prayer is vneffectuall wee must needes conclude that the beleeuer cannot wholly be ouercarried of sinne And vnto this prayers of the faithfull who asking in faith to bee strengthened in temptation that they might not wholly bee foiled haue a promise to be heard Vnlesse therefore wee will say that God doth falsifie his promise we must necessarily affirme that the faithfull neuer fall totally from grace The second is taken from the mysticall vnion which is so firme and indissoluble that nothing can breake the same Hos 2.19 nay euen death it selfe doth not dissolue this bond for when the body is rotten in the graue and turned into dust and ashes then notwithstanding it remaines a part of that person which is really and truly though spiritually united vnto Christ which is a matter of no small comfort to the children of God and if it could bee broken it could neuer bee restored because faith is but once giuen Iude 3. And if it could bee restored and a new insition into Christ made then Baptisme which is the signe and seale hereof must bee iterated and repeated for the confirmation thereof The third reason is this If grace may be wholly lost then no man can bee assured of his saluation neither can haue peace with God nor pray in faith without doubting but the faithfull man is certaine of his saluation otherwise hee hath not faith because certaintie is of the nature of faith Certitude est de natura fidei and hath peace with God Rom. 5.1 and prayeth in faith without wauering Iam. 1.6 Ergo. The fourth reason is this The sonne abides in the house for euer that is in the Catholike Church Ioh. 8.35 but all the faithfull are sons by adoption Ioh. 1.12 and not onely sonnes but heires and fellow-heires with Christ Rom. 8.17 and therfore are neuer wholly cast out of the fauour of God though they fall dangerously Now that we see this point to be so cleere and euident let vs answer vnto some of those obiections that are vsually alleaged to the contrarie that wee may bee more confirmed in the present truth That election may be lost Obiection it is proued out of Moses prayer Exod. 32.32 where Moses prayeth to be blotted out of the booke of life To omit all other answers first Solution that prayer is not absolute but conditionall and therefore affirmeth nothing certainly Secondly it is not simple but comparatiue rather then the whole bodie of the people should perish and the glorie of God bee impeached he prayeth in an earnest affection to his brethren and in a feruent zeale to Gods glorie that hee might if it were possible bee raced out of the booke of life As for the place in Psalme 69.28 where Dauid prayeth that his enemies might be dashed out of the booke of life hee meaneth reprobate hypocrites who though in their iudgement and in the iudgement of the Church were falsely reputed to bee in the number of the Elect yet their names were neuer written in heauen and therefore Dauid prayeth that the Lord would detect and make manifest their hypocrisie But it will be replied that the Churches of Ephesus Ephes 1.4 1 Thess 1.4 1. Pet. 1.1 Thessalonica and the lewes are called Elect by the Apostles who afterward notwithstanding made totall defection and apostacie from God Answ There be two kindes of iudgements to be giuen of men the iudgement of certaintie whereby an infallible determination is giuen of any mans particular estate and this belongs to God properly and principally and to man so farre foorth only as the Lord shall reueale the estate of one man to another there is also the iudgement of charitie wherby those that liue in the Church haue giuen vp their names vnto God in Baptisme and professe the religion of Christ are commonly reputed to bee in the number of the Elect and according to this latter iudgement did the Apostles speake of the Churches Againe whole Churches are called Elect by a Synechdoche by reason of the better and more excellent part which are in thē Elect as the heape of corne wherein there is a greater quantitie of chaffe is so called by reason of the more principall part As for the conditionall decree it is a meere forgerie of mans braine hauing no footing in the word of God for to decree a thing conditionally is to decree nothing at all Conditionalis propositio nihil ponit in esse because the conditionall proposition affirmes nothing and besides that it doth most indignely suspend the will of God the supreme and soueraigne cause of all things ordering and ruling all secondary oauses and ouer-ruled by none vpon the will of the creature it doth most impiously ascribe vnto God either imprudence or impotencie for therefore doe men purpose and decree things conditionally either because they know not

a symball and as it were a doore of their solemne entrance admissiō into the Church of God and for the time to come it is a seale and pledge vnto them of their certaine incorporation into the body of Christ Thus much of the first vse Secondly if by baptisme wee are ingrafted into Christ then let vs walk as it becommeth the members of Christ 2. Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ let him be a new creature that is renewed in his minde in his thoughts in his purposes in his desires in his affections in his speeches in his actions and whole conuersation let none of these sauour of the flesh but of the spirit and why so because All old things saith the Apostle are past and all things are become new So likewise Galath 5.25 If we liue in the spirit that is if being coupled vnto Christ we be quickned by his spirit in the inward man then let vs walke in the spirit that is let vs bring foorth the fruites and doe the workes of the spirit and not of the flesh If a man were called out of the countrie to liue in the citie and made one of the corporation his name being registred in the Roles and he enfranchised and entitled to all the priuiledges of a free Citizen he would shake off all his rude and rusticall behauiours and carry himselfe and conuerse ciuilly as a Citizen so likewise wee being called out of this world that is the corrupt stock of mankind and set into Christ the true vine our dutie is to cast off all our worldly and carnall behauiours and to carrie and demeane our selues honestly as it becommeth the members of Christ being now made as it were free Citizens of the kingdome of heauen Thirdly if by baptisme we are ingrafted into Christ let vs endeuour and vse al good meanes daily to grow vp more and more with him in this spirituall coniunction The members of the naturall bodie at the first are but small and slender but still they grow in strength and receiue daily increase till they come to their iust quantitie euen so it is in the mysticall body of Christ though at the first we be but babes in Christ yet by the continuall vse of the Word and Sacraments and by prayer meditation c. wee must looke to receiue continual increase growing from grace to grace till we come to be tall strong men in Christ Iesus The sience or graffe that is set into a stocke and doth not prosper and grow greater neither bearing leafe nor bringing foorth fruite we iudge it to be a dead and a rotten branch and that worthilie and that it liueth not by the sappe and iuyce of the roote semblablie when as by baptisme wee are set into Christ and make no progresse or proceedings in knowledge in faith in loue in zeale in godlinesse in obedience it is an argument wee are but dead branches and are but only outwardly in appearance before men ingrafted into Christ and not truly indeed before God Fourthly here al parents are taught their dutie as the common care of all is which is commendable by baptisme to bring their children into the Church so when they come to yeeres which is commonly neglected of al to instruct them touching the matter and vse of baptisme a maine principall point whereof is their infition into Christ labouring to bring them to the sight and sense of their sinnes to repentance vnfained for the same and consequently by the vse of the Word and Sacraments to true fellowship and communiō with Christ Fifthly heere is a matter of great comfort vnto all that are fallen or by infirmitie or otherwise haue made relapse in some or more grieuous sinnes for when a man fallen shall consider that baptisme is a signe and seale of our perpetuall insition and indissoluble vnion with Christ in which is granted a generall pardon of all sins past present and to come neuer to be repealed because the Couenant remaineth euer in force vnto them that repent and obserue the cōdition Esay 54.10 The couenant of my peace shall not faile he taketh hart and comforteth himself in hope of fauour and mercie if he returne vnto God by repentance For baptisme is like vnto a ship out of which if a man shall be fallen into the Sea and shall but catch hold of a board to bring him to the ship the Pylot will be readie to receiue him so if a man shall after his fall hauing caught the board of repentance returne vnto baptisme the Lord will be readie to receiue him to mercie and it will bee of force to saue him Lastly if baptisme bee the sacrament of our incorporation then wee ought to honour it to reuerence and regard it as the holie ordinance of God and by all meanes to testifie the same And heere a common abuse commeth to be taxed and reproued when men depart foorth of the congregation in the time of administration thereby manifesting their contempt of the holy Sacrament whereas by their presence and decent behauiour they ought to testifie their reuerence vnto the ordinance of God and their ioy for the adding of a member vnto the Church Haue put on Christ Christ is put on three waies First in his merit secondly in his efficacie and thirdly in his example For the first Christ is put on in his merit when as by faith his righteousnesse and meritorious obedience is applied vnto iustification and saluation this is signed and sealed by the action of the Minister besprinkling the bodie of the partie baptized with water thereby representing the blood of Christ which being sprinkled vpon the soule by the hand of faith purgeth and cleanseth it from all sinne 1. Ioh. 1.7 Our dutie therfore which we learne from hence is this that we are to labour aboue all things to bee purged and washed in our consciences from sinne that our hearts being purified by faith wee might stand blamelesse and without fault before God Acts 22.16 Ananias is brought in giuing this counsell vnto Paul Arise saith he and be baptized wash away thy sins c. Secondly Christ is put on in his efficacie when as by the vertue and power of his death a man killeth and crucifieth the corruption of his nature and by the power of his resurrection he reuiueth and is raised out of the graue of his sinne to holinesse and newnes of life this is also signed and sealed in our baptisme and for that cause we are said Rom. 6.3 to be baptized into the death of Christ because baptisme is the seale and sacrament of our mortification neither of that only but of our viuification also as may appeare Rom. 6.4 for we must be like fashioned vnto Christ not only in the similitude of his death that as he died for our sinnes so we by the vertue of the same death should die vnto sinne but also in the similitude of his resurrection that as hee rose againe for our iustification