Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	bear_v	son_n	witness_n	5,359	5	7.9501	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A12210	Yea and amen: or, pretious promises, and priviledges Spiritually unfolded in their nature and vse. Driving at the assurance and establishing of weak beleevers. By R. Sibbs D.D. master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge, and preacher of Grayes Inne London. Reviewed by himselfe in his life time, and since perused by T.G. and P.N.	Sibbes, Richard, 1577-1635.; Goodwin, Thomas, 1600-1680.; Nye, Philip, 1596?-1672.	1638 (1638)	STC 22521; ESTC S102402	91,199	446

justice truth faithfulnesse providence wisedome and all-sufficiencie All which shall ever work together for the best to them that love his appearing So for Iesus Christ the eternall Sonne of God All his glorious titles and attributes serve like wise for the everlasting comfort of his poore Saints on earth Hee is called the Husband of his Church to cherish and maintaine the same His love unto his Church is farre above the love of any husband to his wife Hee is called the Saviour of the World because hee so loved the world that hee gave his life for it and hath promised that whosoever beleeveth on him shall not perish He is called the Fountaine of life the Well of life the Water of life the Bread of life the Way the Truth and the Life because that in him is our life and by him wee are fed and nourished to eternall life here in him wee obtain the life of Grace and in the World to come shall for ever enjoy the life of Glory So likewise for the Holy Ghost what heavenly attributes are ascribed to him in the Scriptures He is called the Comforter of Gods servants The Sealer of the Redemption of Gods children in their hearts he teacheth the Elect to call God Father hee beareth witnesse with their spirits that they are the Sons and Daughters of God he teacheth them to pray as they ought hee fills them with peace that passeth all understanding And refreshes their spirits with such unspeakable joy as eye hath not seene nor eare heard the like He that is instructed by the Spirit knoweth the things of God which a naturall man is ignorant of The holy Ghost doth call to rememberance the doctrine of God taught unto his servants writes the same in their hearts so that the operations of the blessed Spirit are all appropriated to them that love God and they alone have their right in them The direction comfort teaching and guiding of the Spirit of God doe serve entirely and peculiarly to order and work all things together for the best to the Godly Yea the Angels themselves are called Messengers and ministring Spirits appointed by God to attend and wait upon his servants Hee gives his Angells charge over these to serve them in all their wayes and to pitch their tents round about them whensoever God pleaseth to call any of his out of this world the Angels are a safe conduct to carry their soules into Abrahams bosome And at the last judgement the Lord shall send forth his Angells to gather his Elect from one end of the world to the other that they may fully enjoy that which they have long waited for even eternall blisse and glory Vnder the Angels all other creatures are likewise made serviceable for his peoples good Princes in authority are called in Scripture nursing Fathers and nursing Mothers unto the Church of Christ the end of all magistracy being that we might live religiously and peaceably in all the wayes of God Ministers also are stiled in the Word by the names of Watchmen and Seeds-men and spirituall Fathers to beget men againe to the kingdome of Heaven they are called Gods Husbandmen to manure and till his ground They are called Gods lights and the Salt of the Earth both to enlighten the Church with the light of the glorious Gospell whereof they are Ministers and to season them with such savoury and sweet instructions as may make them wise to salvation this being the very end of all Gods giving gifts to men that they might build up the Church of Christ here below So also the Word of God is called the savour of life the power of God unto salvation It is the seed of God which being sown in the hearts of Gods children springeth up in them to everlasting happinesse Gods Word is a light and a Lanthorne to guide and direct us in all his wayes it is the Sword of the Spirit to arme us against sin and to maintaine us in grace The Sacraments likewise are the Seales of life and pledges of our salvation in Christ and Ex communication though it bee rough and the extreamest censure of the Church and therefore ought to be undertaken upon weighty grounds yet the end of it is to save the soules of Gods people and to make them by repentance turne unto him So all outward gifts as beauty strength riches and honours these are given by God to serve for the good of his children As the beauty of Hester was an instrument of her preferment whereby she became a preservation to Gods children and an overthrow of her and their enemies Iosephs outward honours and wealth were made by Gods disposing hand a meanes of the preservation nourishment of the Israelites in the time of their great extremity and famine the like may be said of learning and other naturall acquirements all which do often tend to generall and publike advantages Yea the outward gists of God which are bestowed upon reprobates are still for the good of his for they who had skill and knowledge to build Noahs Ark though they themselves were not saved therein yet were they the meanes of Noahs preservation and so it many times falleth out that men of excellent parts and great abilities without grace though themselves are not profited thereby yet God so useth them as their gifts much conduce to further and build up the Church of Christ. Even outward favour of Princes oft tend to Gods servants good A just man as the Heathens could say is a common benefit And so a true Christian whatsoever good he hath it is communicable to all the faithfull and therfore S. Paul saith of him selfe that he was a debtor to all men both Iewes and Gentiles and that hee became all things to all men that he migh twin some But here the maine question will be and the difficulty arises how all ill things can work together for the best to Gods children I shall therefore demonstrate 1 The truth of this how it can be so 2 The reasons why it is so 3 Observe a caution that it be not abused 4 Let us see the sweet and comfortable use of this Doctrine That this may the better appear we must know that all evill things are either 1 Spirituall evill things 2 Outward evill things And for spirituall evill things they are either First Sinne. Secondly That which hath a reference to Sinne as being evils following after sinne The first sin of all which hath gone over whole mankinde and is spread abroad in every one of us this by Gods mercy and our repentance prooves to al beleevers a transcendent good for the fall and sin of the first Adam caused the birth and death of the second Adam Christ Jesus who notwitstanding he was God took upon him the nature of man and hath made us by his comming farre more happy than if we had neverfallen neither would God have

Goodnesse God himselfe by them he esteemes his best being to be in Christ and therefore labours more more to be transformed into his likenesse He values nothing in the world further than it conduceth to his spirituall welfare If all be well for that hee accounts himselfe happy whatsoever else befalls him Indeed where the Spirit hath taken up his firme abode that soul will little set by any outward change Nothing can be very ill with a man that hath all well within him But that I may not distract your thoughts you shall find divers properties of the Spirit of God in Romans 8. which I will briefly touch First it is said that the Spirit where it is dwells in that heart as in an house it rules where ever it comes The Holy Ghost will not be an underling to our lusts it repaires and makes up all our inward breaches The Spirit prepares his owne dwelling he begets knowledge and acquaintance of God within us hee is not in us as hee is in the wicked hee onely knocks at their hearts but hath not his abode there Secondly when the Spirit comes into a man hee subdues whatsoever is cōtrary to it and makes way for it self by pulling down all strong holds which oppose it therefore wee are said to mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the Spirit ver 13. Those that by help of the Spirit have got the victory of sinne can in no wise be led as slaves by the flesh as on the contrary he that cherishes corruption and crucifies it not by spirituall reasons but out of civill respects to be freed from aspersions and to uphold his reputation or the like is a meere stranger to the Holy Ghosts working Thirdly as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sonnes of God As the Angell went before the Israelites from Egypt into Canaan so the Spirit of God goes along with his in all their wayes remooving all lets and strengthening against all impediments in their Christian race It conducts us sweetly not violently as the Devill doth those that are possessed with the Spirit wee are led strongly indeed because it is against corruption within us and opposition from without us but yet sweetly to preserve the liberty and freedome of the soule still We are all by nature like children or blinde men wee cannot lead our selves the Spirit must be our conduct or wee shall wander and goe aside presently Those therefore that enjoy the same submit themselves to its guidance and direction in all things Again the Spirit stirres up sighes and groanes that cannot be expressed When we are not able to pray or lay open the griefes of our soules if wee can but send out sighes groanes to heaven they shall bee accepted for God will heare the voyce of his own Spirit from whence these sobs complaints come How should wee be overwhelmed with despaire did not the Spirit support us Those therefore that in extremity have nothing to comfort them yet are able to send forth holy desires to the Lord may certainly conclude that the Spirit is in them Again the Spirit makes us mourne and wait for the adoption of sonnes the same Spirit that sanctifies a sinner witnesses to his soule that God is his Worldlings grieve not for their absence from Christ neither at all long they for his blessed appearing because their heaven is here They mourne not for the hidden distempers and secret impersections of their soules whereas the godly are much in condemning thēselves for that which no creature can tax them of Want of cōmunion with their Maker straitnesse of spirit distraction in dutie that they cannot obey as they would these exceedingly deject them yet wait they will without despaire till God have finished their course there is such a divine power in faith as a very little beam of it having no other help than a naked promise will uphold the soule against the greatest discouragements and keepe it from utter sinking Indeed waiting is a difficult duty both in regard of the long day which God usually takes before he performes his promise as also by reason of the untowardnesse of our natures being ready to be put off by the least frown did not God by a Spirit of constancie preserve the soule immoveable in all conditions whether present or to come so as it failes not before him and why because it knowes full well that God in whom it rests is unchangably good Alas we are at the best but light and vaine creatures till the divine Spirit fix and settle us the firmer our Union is here the surer will be our standing in all danger for what can daunt that soul which in the greatest troubles hath made the great good to bee his owne Such a person dares chearefully encounter any opposition as having a Spirit higher than the world about him and seeing all but God farre beneath him Though I might name more what a many sweet evidences are here to manifest a soule truly ●●ted and led by the Spirit of God How may a man obtaine this blessed guest to lodge in his soule and rule over him First attend upon the teaching of the Gospell Received ye the Spirit by the hearing of the Law or of faith preached saith the Apostle The Spirit it usually given with a cleare unfolding of Christ. Secondly omit likewise no meanes wherein the Spirit is effectuall for as a man walking in a Garden though he think not of it drawes a sweet sent of the flowers So the word of God being dictated by the Spirit leaves a heavenly favour in such as converse with it The spirit of a man is like water that runnes through Mineralls Wee see Baths have their warmth from Mineralls that they runne thorough So it is with the soule in its holy imployments When it hath to deale with good books and good company it draweth a spirituall tincture from these things and is bettered by them Withall take heed that thou grieve not the holy Ghost for that will cause an estrangement of his presence in thy soule How is that done By cherishing contrary affections and lusts to his blessed motions as when we heare the Word but resolve never to obey it When God knocks at our hearts for entrance oh how readily should wee set open those everlasting doores to receive him If Christ be willing to give us his Spirit it must needs be our owne fault if wee remain carnall There being nothing in a manner required to bee spirituall but not to resist the Spirit What greater indignity can we offer to the blessed Comforter than to preferre our base lusts before his motions leading to happinesse What greater unkindnesse can a man doe his friend than to slight his loving direction and embrace the counsell of a professed ene mie The Holy Ghost presses such forcible reasons upon us of heavenly n indednesse and de spising earthly things that it is more than evident

work he addes therefore after all his Seale to confirme us which Seale is not faith for the Apostle saith After you beleeved you were sealed where we see the work of faith and sealing distinguished first the soul is set in a good estate and then followes assurance and stablishment But what needs confirmation when we beleeve Is not faith confirmation enough when a man may know by a private reflect act of the soule that he is in the state of grace This act of ours in beleeving is oft terribly shaken and God is wondrous desirous that we should bee secure of his love hee knowes hee can have no glory nor we any solid peace else therfore when we by faith have sealed to his truth he sees that wee need further sealing that our faith be currant and good for all is little enough in the time of temptation the single witnesse of our soul is not strong enough in great assaults For sometimes the Spirit is so tossed and disquieted with temptations that we cannot reflect aright on our selves nor discerne what is in our own brests without much adoe therefore God first workes faith to apply the promise Whosoever beleeves in Christ shall be saved I beleeve in Christ therefore I shall be saved and then sealeth this beleefe with an addition of his holy Spirit for this sealing is a work upon beleeving an honouring of faith with a superadded confirmation How shall wee know that there is such a spirituall sealing in us I answer when we truly beleeve the Spirit of adoption reveales unto us that we are the sonnes of God by a secret whispering and intimation to the soule which the beleeving heart feeles better than I am able to expresse saying be of good comfort thy sins are forgiven there is a sweet kisse vouchsafed to the soule the Lord refresheth it with the light of his countenance and assures it that all enmity is now slaine I am thy salvation thou art for ever mine and I am thine because thou beleevest behold thou art honoured to be my child Againe the Spirit of adoption quickens and fils the soule with heavenly ejaculations to God it stirs up servent supplications to cry Abba Father The soule when it truly beleeves hath a bold and familiar speech to God There are two things in the prayer of a Christian that are incompetible with a carnall man there is first an inward confidence and secondly an carnestnesse in the soule whereby he goes to God as a Child to his loving Father not considering his owne worthinesse or meanes but the constant love that is bore to him This spirituall speech of God to the soule and of the soule to God is an evident demonstration of our truth in grace because we can do that which no Hypocrite in the world can attaine to Thirdly this sealing of the Spirit after wee beleeve is knowne by the worke of Sanctification which it effecteth in us the holy Spirit seales our spirits by stamping the likenesse of Christ upon us so as when a man finds in his soule some lineaments of the heavenly Image he may know therby that hee is translated from death to life when he finds his heart subdued to humility and obedience to such a holy and gratious frame as Christs was he may cleerely discerne that he hath something more than the Old man in him when a man can say naturally I am proud but now I can abase my selfe naturally I am full of malice now I can love and pray heartily for my enemies naturally I am lumpish dead-hearted now I can joy in the Holy Ghost naturally I am apt to distrust the Lord and be discontented with my condition now I can rest securely upon his Promise and Providence sin hath been my delight now it is my sorrow and heart-breaking I finde somewhat contrary to corruption in me I carry the Image of the second Adam about me now I say whosoever hath this blessed change may rest assured of his right to happinesse Know you not that Christ is in you except you be reprobates saith the Apostle A Christian that upon a through search finds something of Christ alwayes in his soule can never want a sweet evidence that he is sealed to the day of redemption The fourth way is by the joy of the Spirit which is the beginning of Heaven as it were and a possessing of glory before our time there are few of Gods children but in the cours of their pilgrimage first or last have this divine impression wrought in them enlarging and ravishing their soules to joy in the Almighty Yet this is especially seene after conflict when the soule hath combated with some strong corruption or temptation To him that overcomes wll I give of the hidden Mannah saith Christ and a white stone which none can reade but he that hath it that is hee shall have assurance that he is in the state of grace and the sweet savour of goodnesse it selfe shall be his portion usually God gives comfort after wee have conflicted with some sinfull disposition and have got the victory as we see in Iob after God had exercised that Champion a long time at the last hee discovered himself in a glorious manner to him In the midst of afflictions when a Christian is under great crosses and God sees hee must bee supported with spirituall strength or else he sinks then he puts in with supply from above when the creature cannot help us the Creator of all things will Thus Paul in the midst of the Dungeon being sealed with the Spirit sang at midnight when he was in the Stocks and so David in the midst of persecution Daniel in a Lions Den the three Children in the fiery furnace c. God doth as Parents smile on their little ones when they are sick and dejected hee reserves his choisest comforts for the greatest exigents when God hath a great worke for his children to doe or some sharpe suffering for them to undergoe as an incouragement before-hand hee oft enlargeth their spirits that they may be able to go through all As our Saviour Christ had Iames and Iohn with him upon the Mountaine to strengthen thē against his ensuing suffering Let us then examine our selves by that which hath beene delivered hath God spoken to thy soule and said I am thy salvation thy sinnes are remitted and thy person received into my favour doth God stirre up thy spirit to call upon him especially in extremity and to go with boldnesse and earrestnesse to his Throne Surely this is an evidence of the seale of the Spirit for who ever wants this cannot look God in the face when distresse is upon him Saul in this case goes to the Witch and Achitophel to desperate conclusions Iudas in extremity we see what becomes of him So every one that hath not this sealing of the Spirit to whom God speakes not peace by shedding abroad the love of Christ in his heart must needs

truths that most satisfie the soule at such a time must be above the naturall capacity of the soule therefore saith the Apostle It is God that establishes and God by his Spirit that seales us up unto the day of redemption because divine truths of themselves in the bare letter cannot stirre up the heart it is only the blessed Spirit which is above our spirits that must quiet the conscience in all perplexities the Lord can soone still the soule when he settles spirituall truths upon it therefore go to him in thy distresse and trouble of minde send up ejaculations to God that hee would seale the comfort revealed in his word to thy soule that as it is true in it selfe so it may be true to thee likewise This is a necessary observation for us all Oh we desire in the houre of death to finde some comforts that bee standing comforts that may uphold us against Hell and judgement Know that nothing will do this but spirituall truths spiritually knowne but holy truths set on by the Holy Ghost upon the soule Oft therfore enter into thine heart and examine upon what grounds and motives thou beleevest Consider well what it is thou beleevest and upon what evidences and withwhat light otherwise expect not to find sollid peace What course may a Christian generally take when hee wants comfort and inward refreshing There are in 1 Iohn 5. three witnesses in heaven three in earth to secure us of our estate in grace The three witnesses in heaven are the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost And the three witnesses in earth are the Spirit the Water and Bloud and these three on earth and those three in heaven agree in one Now by the Spirit here is meant the feelings and sweet motions thereof the water may well be the Laver of Sanctification by bloud is understood the sufferings of Christ for our justification When therefore wee find that extraordinarie seale I spake of before the joyes of the Spirit of God that it is not in us What shall we doe shall wee despaire then No then goe to the water when the witnesse of the Spirit is silent goe to the work of the Spirit see what gracious dispositions are found in thee I but what shall we do if the waters be troubled in the soule as some times there is such a confusion that we cannot see the Image of God upon it in sanctification Then goe to the bloud there is alwayes comfort goe to the fountaine set open for Iudah and Ierusalem to wash in that is never dry If we find much sinne upon our consciences and no peace in our hearts apply the bloud of sprinkling that will give rest When thou findest nothing but corruption and filthinesse in thy soule when thou seest neither joy nor sanctification of Spirit goe to the Lord Jesus and hee will purge thee from all guilt and wash thee with clean water But to goe on Who hath sealed us and given us the earnest of his Spirit in our hearts This is the third word borrowed from humane Contracts to set forth Gods gracious work in the soule Annointing wee had before sealing now here is earnest The variety of expression shewes there is a great remainder of unbeliefe in the soule of man which causeth the blessed Spirit to use so many words to manifest Gods mind and assure the soule of salvation stablishing annointing sealing and earnest And indeed so it is howsoever we in the time of prosperity when all things goe well with us are apt to presume our estate is good yet in the houre of death when conscience is awaked we are prone to nothing so much as to call all in question and beleeve the lies and doubts and feares of our owne deceitfull hearts more than the undoubted truth and promise of God Therefore the Lord takes all courses to establish us he gives us rich and pretious promises hee gives us the holy Spirit to confirme us in those promises he seales us with that Spirit and gives us a comfortable earnest thereof and all to settle these wretched unbeleeving hearts of ours So desirous is God that wee should be well conceited of him that hee loves us better than wee love our selves Hee prizeth our love so much that he labours by all meanes to secure us of our eternall welfare as knowing that except we apprehend his love to us wee can never love him againe nor delight in him as we ought to doe Now the Spirit is an earnest of our inheritance in heaven wee are sonnes here indeed but wee are not heires invested into the blessed estate we have title to God doth notkeep all our happinesse till another world but gives us somewhat to comfort us in our absence from our husband hee gives us the Holy Ghost in our hearts as a pledge of that glorious condition which wee shall one day have eternally with him this is the meaning of the words But to shew you more particularly In what regard the Spirit is called an earnest First of all you know an earnest is used for security of a Contract So the holy Spirit doth secure us of the blessed estate we shall have in heaven for ever Secondly an earnest is part of the bargaine a part of the whole which is secured though it be a very little part yet it is a part So it is with the Spirit of God in its gracious work upon our hearts the joy of the Spirit is a part of that full joy and happinesse which shall bee revealed hereafter to us Thirdly an earnest is little in comparison of the whole So the Spirit in the work and graces therof is little in regard of that fulnesse which wee shall have in heaven But though an earnest be smal in it selfe yet it is great in security A shilling secures a bargaine of a thousand pound we see Wee value an earnest not for its owne worth so much as for that which it is a pledge of for the excellent bargaine and rich possession which it doth interest us unto So the Spirit of God with its blessed effects in the soule the joy and peace of the Spirit chearing and reviving perplexed sinners this earnest I say though it be little in it selfe yet it is great to us in respect of the assurance that we have by it Againe it hath the terme of an earnest because an arnest is given rather for the security of the party that receives it than in regard of him that gives it So God gives us the earnest of his Spirit grace and comfort in this life not so much for God for hee meanes to give us heaven and happinesse when wee are dissolved As he hath passed his promise so hee will undoubtedly performe the same Hee is Lord and Master of his word Hee is Jehovah that gives a being to his word as well as to every other thing But notwithstanding having to doe with mistrustfull

slipped out of the way themselvs and being by repentance recovered they learne to restore others with the spirit of meeknesse as the Apostle speakes A man humbledby experience of sinne in himselfe will soone relent at the fall of others Those often times prove the most excellent instruments in the Church who have formerly beene overtaken with some grosse sinne by meanes where of they have ever after beene much abased in their owne eyes We see David Paul and Peter fell grievously but being afterwards raised againe and finding comfort themselves they were a great meanes of strengthning others for he which teacheth out of his owne experience and feeling is the fittest and best teacher of all So it was with Ionah when by casting him into the Sea God had humbled him he was fit to preach repentance to Niniveh This is a most certaine truth that never any of Gods elect fell grievously but he was the better all the dayes of his life for his fall David having beene thorowly humbled for sinne when Shimei his subject cursed him to his face how patiently did hee beare the same So Peter having denied his Master and afterwards recovering himself again we see how zealous he was for his Lord Christ suffered death for him Furthermore not only the sins of Gods children which they themselves commit do work for their best but also the sinnes of others of the Saints with whom they converse and live doe much tend to their good and welfare Do not the fals of David Peter Manasses and Paul comfort the distressed and despairing soules of such as languish and are ready to faint under the burthen of their sins And do not the registry of their sins in Scripture give hope to us that God will be mercifull to our sins also we may not think it is Gods will to set upon perpetuall Record the sinnes of his servants for their shame disgrace and punishment but for our comfort who live and remaine to the end of the world And the faults of the Saints have two excellent uses whereof the one is for comfort the other for instruction The use in regard of comfort is this God hath shewed mercy to David Paul Peter and others sinning grievously against him and repenting of the same Therefore if I also shall sinne and truly repent as they did surely God is where he was as full of mercy and readinesse to forgive now as ever The second use for instruction is this If such excellent and eminent Saints by sinne have fallen grievously how then much more are we poore weak soules subject to fall if wee neglect watchfulnesse over our selves If a weak Christian oft assaulted with tentations should not see the falls slips of Gods worthier servants he would be in a wonderfull desperation and cry out of himselfe saying Alas what shall I doe never was any so assaulted and tempted so cast downe and overcome in temptations as I am and therefore my case is more fearesull and worse than ever was any But when hee considereth the grievous falls of Gods speciall servants how they have stepped aside foulely and yet obtained mercy by their examples hee beginneth to be revived and receive inward comfort wherby it is evident that all sinnes whatsoever of Gods Elect as vile and as loathsome as they are doe by Gods providence and our owne serious repentance turne to their good and the good of those with whom they live The next spirituall Evill is that which followeth after sinne committed viz. Gods desertion or forsaking of us when he seemes to hide his favour from men after they have sinned against him when God manifests himselfe as an enemie to his people this grieves them more than any thing else in the world beside wee see David how hee calls upon God not to rebuke him in his wrath nor forsake him in his displeasure where hee sheweth how grievously he was afflicted with the anger of the Almighty But albeit that God doth seeme sometimes to forsake his servants it is not for their confusion but for their consolation for by this meanes they come to be poore in spirit and wonderfully emptied of themselves And it is very observable that when such as are thorowly wounded and afflicted inwardly come to recover strength and peace againe they often prove the most cōfortable Christians of all others walking with more care to avoid offence all their lives after Christ Jesus himselfe though hee never sinned but onely stood as a surety in our roome to pay the ransome of our debts seemed to be forsaken of God his Father and because hee was thus thus humbled therefore hee was after most highly exalted above all both in heaven and in earth So Iob seemed to be forsaken and doth grievously bemoane his miseries but this was not because hee had sinned against God more grievously than others had done but for the triall of his faith and patience to give him experience of Gods love to him in the crosse that he might cleave the closer to his Maker all his time after Another Evill arising from the guiltinesse of sin is anguish of mind and a wounded spirit which saith Salomon who can beare But for all this griefe for sinne is an happy griefe yea a griefe never to bee grieved for This wound in spirit breedeth afterwards a sound spirit Repentance is good Faith in Christ is good But what doth prepare us to these happy graces Is it not a wounded spirit Who would ever repent of his sinnes and lay hold on Christ for remission of the same if hee were not pricked and pierced in the sence thereof Christ professeth himselfe to bee a Physitian but to whom To the lost Sheepe of Israel He promiseth ease and refreshment but to whom To them that are weary and laden with the burthen of their sinnes The Spirit of the Lord was upon him that he might preach the Gospell to the poore and hee was sent to heale the broken hearted that hee might preach deliverance to the Captives and recovering of sight to the blind and set at liberty them that are bruised Againe divers Christians doe walk very heavily and uncomfortably by reason of inward tentations blasphemous imaginations which oft are suggested enter into their minds but these sinnes which so vex the soules of poore Christians are a meanes of their humiliation causing them to sue more earnestly to God for pardon And these sinfull corruptions doe further serve for a testimony to themselves that they are not under the power of Sathan but live in the Kingdome of grace for if they were captived to the Devill and under his government then would he never molest vex them but suffer them quietly to live and die in their sins but because they are from under his rule and jurisdiction therefore hee perplexeth troubleth them all he can By which it is evident that all sinnes by Gods mercy and our