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
A77219	The afflicted and retired mans meditations, concerning the excellency of the spirit With a discovery of the twofold-mind; the danger of the one, the comfort and safety of the other. First, here is observed, what it is for to be carnally minded. Secondly, means to suppress a carnal frame of spirit. Thirdly, the dreadful state of a carnal minded man. Fourthly, how the spirit is a Christians help. Fifthly, means to obtain the spirit. Sixthly, the characters of a spiritualized Christian. Seventhly, the glorious priviledges of a spiritual minded man. And a few meditations by way of observation: with a dialogue between Christ and a sinner; Christ and a Christian; Christ and the afflicted person: as also, a word to the remnant of the womans seed: with a loud call to all saints, to love one another upon the account of son-ship, and not onely upon the account of fellowship. Written by Samuel Bradley, who hath love for all that love the Lord Jesus in sincerity, who prayes for Zions unity.	Bradley, Samuel.	1663 (1663)	Wing B4125B; ESTC R230878	75,596	102

of the Spirit of GOD. ROMANS 8.6 But to be Spiritually Minded is Life and Peace Doct. 2. That Mind which is truly and throughly Spiritual doth produce Life and Peace FOr the clearing of this Truth observe these following Particulars in the General First What the Spirit of God is Secondly How the Spirit is a Christians Help Thirdly How a Christian comes to attain unto the Spirit Fourthly The Characters of a true Spiritualized Christian Fifthly The Glorious priviledges of a Heavenly Christian First What the Spirit of God is First The Spirit of God is a Soul-enlightning Spirit The Creature in its first state was in a state of Darkness Ephes 5 8. Eze. 11 19. Zech. 12.1 For ye were sometimes darkness but now are you Light in the Lord walk as Children of the Light It is evident till Christ appears in the Soul the Soul is in a State of Darkness and the Way that God do●h usually appear is b● his Spirit for his Personal Presence is in Heaven but his Spiritual Presence is in the Believer This is seen by his Promise he made unto his Disciples Acts 1.11 while he was Personally among them and taking his leave of them when they expressed their trouble at the sayings of Christ when he spoke of taking of his leave of them John 16 5 6. our dear Lord is pleased for to encourage them with the Promise of his Spirit as if Christ should say though I be absent in my Person yet I will make it up with the Presence of my Spirit John 19 7. I tell you the Truth it is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you And this Spirit of Truth that shall come ●●●m the Father shall be an excellent Guide to us Joh. 16.13 it shall lead us 〈◊〉 ●o all Truth so the Spirit in man is called the Candle of the Lord it is that which giveth Light to man and inlightens our dark understandings the Spirit of God is that which makes a discovery of the Deep things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 Jer. 31.33 Rom. 1.16 to the Soul which cannot be understood but by such as have the Spirit yea it gives the Soul an insight into the deep Things of his Law and it is by the Spirit of God that we come to have a knowledge of our intrest in Christ and our Priviledges that we injoy by him for it is the Spirit it felf that bears witness with our Spirits that we are the Sons of God Yea it is the Golden Key of the Spirit that doth unlock the Cabinet of the Heavenly Treasure unto us till we have the Spirit we know not where our Wealth is or what it is 1 Cor. 2.9 for Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither hath it entred into the Heart of man the things that God hath prepared for them that love him To the end that the glorious things of God might not lie hid from us God in rich Love hath sent his Spirit for to reveal his pleasure unto us 1 Cor. 2.10 By this we may see that the Spirit of God is a Soul-enlightning Spirit Secondly As the Spirit of God is a Soul-enlightning Spirit so it is a Soul-Comforting Spirit also In the forementioned place in John our dear Lord Jesus is pleased for to put that Honourable Title upon his Spirit and calls it the Comforter Joh. 15.26 whom he did upon his word engage to send into the World the Comforting Spirit of God is a Christians Companion and the truth is let the work be never so excellent and the duty never so choice yet if the Soul meets not with the Spirit as its guide and assistant therein Psal 51 12. it comes off with loss with the want of Comfort and Refreshments from God in the duty Oh! it is the Spirit of God applying of the Promises of God in the hour of Temptation that proves a true comfort unto a Christian yea Ps 119 50. it is the Spirit of God that proves a comfort unto a Saint in all straits and difficulties if in a state of Bondage the Spirit of God procures him liberty if the World frown on him Psal 51 12. the Spirit of God will smile upon him if the Soul doth meet with inward trouble the Spirit will convey inward peace if thou lyest under the state of unbelief the Spirit will convey Faith unto thee In a word Ps 119 156. Psal 34 9. let thy wants be never so many this pretious Spirit will supply all thy wants for thee a Comforter indeed the Lord teach us to prize it Thirdly As the Spirit of God is a Soul-Comforting Spirit so it is a Soul quickening Spirit likewise It is the Spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth little Oh! John 6.63 that duty proves for comforting in which the Spirit appears for quickening It is the Spirit of God that makes us active for God it is the Spirit that brings us to be truly acquainted with the Word and then it is the Word that quickens us Ps 119 50. when we meet with afflictions from God And this is the comfort of a Christian in the hour of his affliction Fourthly As it is a Soul-quickening so it is a Soul-humbling Spirit That Soul that lives under the teachings of the Spirit is taught for to be humble and that soul that hath by the help of the Spirit attained unto humility is a fit Habitation for God in whom God will take delight for to dwell in and the more God doth dwell in us the more we shall live to him Isa 57.15 and the more we live to him the more we shall be free from sin and if at any time sin should get the upper hand of us it will conduce to a humbling of us if God dwell in us the work of humility is the proper work of the Spirit and the more we have of the Spirit the more we shall be in love with it Gal. 5.22 and the more humble in the enjoyment of it for it is the work of the Spirit for to keep the Creature low under the highest enjoymen s of God that Christian that knows much and boasts little in his knowledge of God it argues Col. 3.12 he hath obtained much of this humble frame of heart and lives in the enjoyments of the Spirit of God that doth prove for humbling the Soul in the sight of God the true spirit of God admits of no boasting but brings ●he Soul into a dayly sence and feeling of its own insufficiency Jer. 9.23 24. and to a sight of Christ the Fountain from whence his ●●eams come Gal. 4.6 Oh! it is the Spirit that brings Christ and the Soul to be acquainted and the more we are acquainted with Christ the more we shall be humbled at every remembrance of our unworthiness to him

Psal 51 4. and our uneven walking before him and this spirit of God will present objects sufficient enough to us for the true humbling of us Fifthly As the Spirit of God is a Soul-Humbling so it is a sin-destroying Spirit Where the Spirit hath took up its abode in a Soul to rule every thing must be brought into subjection to it the Spirit of God must and will have the preheminence 1 Cor 1.30 God wi●l make all our corruptions bow and bend when once he hath given commission unto his Spirit to take dominion of the Soul for as Conscience is Gods Vicegerent on Earth Ps 119 59. v. 113. and speak it will for God So the Spirit will bear Rule and Sway for God and will never leave working in the Soul where it is until it hath brought the thought as well as the heart of man into subjection to our Lord Jesus The Spirit of God makes thorow work when it comes it is that which purifies the heart The Spirit begins at the root of the matter and if the root be good it is like the fruit will not be bad Acts 15.9 Rom. 6.12 Jam. 4.8 when the Spirit purifies the heart it proves death to our Sins and Life unto our Graces The Spirit of God will admit by no means sin to Rule in that Heart that God doth Reign in The old Man must be turned out and the new man must be received in the least sin must not have entertainment by the consent of the Spirit upon any terms for as much as sin is an enemy to Christ and a Christan Oh! Jer. 5.25 it is that which robs Christ of his Honour and a Christian of his Crown yea sin is that which keeps Christ and a Christian at a distance also and makes Christ and a Christian strange one to another Rom. 8.16 2 Cor. 3 17. As it is sin that breaks a Christians communion it is the Spirit that Reconsiles Christ to the Soul and makes up the breach again and produces peace unto the Soul where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty no Liberty is or can be allowed unto sin but Liberty in the Spirit for to serve Christ By this we see the Spirit of God is a Sin-destoying Spirit Sixthly As the Spirit of God is a Sin-destoying Spirit so it is a Grace-inlarging Spirit in the Soul too When the Soul lives in the injoyment of the Spirit oh then it is Graces bud forth and blossom in the Soul and bear lovely Fruit John 6.63 2 Cor. 3.6 Luk. 7.30 Rom. 5.3 Joh. 16.33 1 Cor. 3.21 Rev. 2.10 for the Spirit is that which gives life and being unto all Graces where the Spirit is wanting Graces are dying Oh! it is the Spirit of God that supplies the Soul with good things and inriches the Soul with the Glorious Treasures of Heaven with pretious Faith in the Day of straits with patience in the hour of Tryal and Temptation with Spiritual joy in the midst of worldly sorrow In a word the Spirit will furnish the Soul with the injoyments of all things in the midst of wants What shall I say of this excellent Spirit may not I say it is Gods Messenger and a Christians Friend Oh! when ever the Spirit comes into a Soul it comes with a Message from God sometimes it hath a Commission from God to comfort and encourage us and then its Language is Be faithful to Death and I will give thee a Crown of Life At another time it is like the Message of the Spirit is for to instruct and Counsel the Soul that is when it shall hint such a thing as this to us secretly to inform us to be careful that we do not grieve it least we displease it Mark Grieve not the Holy Spirit Ephes 5 30. by which we are sealed unto the Day of Redemption Oh! let the Message the Spirit comes with be royally entertained and bid it welcome sometimes the Spirit comes with a glorious promise of Grace and Love from God and then it comes with such like language as this to the Soul Jer. 33.3 I have loved thee with an everlasting love and with my loving kindness have I drawn thee A Blessed Message and a Blessed Messenger See the work of the Spirit a Christians Help Secondly How the Spirit is a Christians Excellent Help The Spirit is an excellent Help unto a Christian at all times and in all places a true Christian knows not how to live without the Spirit he knows not how to love without it nor how to walk without it If we live in the Spirit Gal. 5.16 we shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh therefore we must conclude the Spirit is a Christians Help For the proof hereof observe these following observations First It is the work of the Spirit to help the Soul unto a true sight and sence of sin It was by the help of the Spirit the Noble Apostle of the Gentiles namely Paul came to a sight of sin Sin sayes he Rom. 7.13 14. that it might appear sin worketh death in me by that which is good meaning the Spirit of God is that thing that is good and thereby sin becomes exceeding sinful unto him it makes him cry out when he was sensible of his present state The Law is Spiritual but I am Carnal sold under sin Mark The Spirit of God doth declare the Rice and Race of sin James 1 15. for when lust is conceived it brings forth sin and sin when it is finished it brings forth Death so we see it is the Spirits work to make a clear discovery of sin unto the Soul and when once the Soul comes by the help of the Spirit unto this pitch of attainment to see sin as it is in its own appearance the Soul will not onely confess sin but bewale himself for it as David did crying out in the bitterness of his Spirit when he had a true sence upon him of it Psa 51.4 Against thee and thee onely have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight In a feeling sence doth he speak it When he is awakened by the Spirit he points at the very sin the like presidence we have in the Prodigal son when the Spirit of God gave him a sight with the sence o● sin the man cries out now of going unto his Father and he is resolved to say Father I have sinned against Heaven Luk. 15 18. he falls upon sin immediately and before thee though we are prodigal yet the Spirit of God it will make such fall down upon the knee of confession of sin and help them to witness sorrow for the same Luk. 15 19. And though I am not worthy to be called thy Son let me be a Servant a Token of Humility By this you may see what Blessed Work the Spirit of God makes when it comes into a Soul that it doth not give a bare sight of sin but a

Breast of my Mother when shall I find Thee without Oh! I would have a Kiss of thee dear Jesus I would not be despised Oh! It is a choice Meeting indeed when Christ and a Christian meets together they are loath to part one from another Oh! this should teach us for to inquire out this pleasant path Cant. 3.4 that we might walk therein for it is a Christians Priviledge to walk with Christ whose Path is pleasant and lovely also So I come to Application The first Use of Information Is it true as hath been here laid down that the pretious Spirit of God is a Soul-Enlightning a Soul-Comforting a Soul-Quickning a Soul-Humbling a Sin-Destroying and a Grace-Inlarging Spirit this may teach us then for to have an high and honourable esteem of the Spirit of God Oh! make it the Man of thy Counsel take it in and give it royal Entertainment for the more entertainment we give it the more spiritual Advantage shall we gain by it Psa 34.9 Oh! it is a Salve for every Sore it will produce Light unto the blind Eye Comfort to the sad and dejected Soul it will quicken the dead and drousie Christian it serves for the molifiing of the proud hard and obstinate Heart and it will bring the Soul into a humble holy frame and put the Soul into a choice capacity to be serviceable for God Psal 25 9. Ephes 6 10. for The Meek will he guid in Judgement and the Humble will he teach his Way Oh! the Spirit will bring down the stoutest Lust or Corruption that is which makes a poor Christian to groan the Spirit will draw our Affections to a holy Conformity and blessed Subjection to the Will of Christ and it is the Spirit of God that causes Grace to bud and blosom in the Soul Zech. 12.10 2 Pet. 3.18 Psa 84.11 and to bring forth increase of Fruit for God Oh! it doth much concern us to set an high estimation of the Spirit therefore for it is the Messenger that brings us good news from Heaven continually Let us therefore bid it welcome and give it royal Entertainment when it shall come and let us open the doors of our Hearts to it for it is a Friend that will be mighty helpful to us in the puting of us forward unto the good Land Acts 20.32 it will give us an Inheritance with the Saints in Light for if any appear in the last day before Jesus Christ without the Seal and witness of the Spirit it will prove a sad day unto them they shall find the Gates of Heaven fast shut against them when the Bridegroom wi●h his Bride shall enter into the Kingdom and with his glorious Train and heavenly Attendance Isa 35.10 shall be singing of the Songs of Hallelujah in the heighth of Zion Therefore in a word let us make it our first and our choice Work to get a true Acquaintance with the Spirit of God and indeavour at all times to cherish the least appearance of it in our Souls and by no means at any time grieve it when it comes with its divine Message from its Master the Lord of Life 1 Thes 5.19 least the Spirit of God come in as a swift Witness against us in the Day of Christ saying Lord when I came with thy Message unto the creature they would upon no terms hearken unto it Pro. 28.10 Matt. 13.16 Matth. 13.22 Mark 4 19. Isa 28.10 1 Thes 5.19 but did stop their ears and set their Hearts against my Message at other times my Message was drowned by the confused noise of Carnal Reason and worldly care unlawful doubts and slavish fears at other times they did violence unto me by smothering my Powerful Raps that I made at the door of their consciences and would not hear a word if it were to save their Lives and Souls also Lord oftentimes I have come Line upon line and Precept upon precept with a little at one time and with a little at another time Oh! then they used all means for to squench my sweet Motions and grieve me till at last dear Lord I was fain to leave my message behind me as a testimony against them This charge amounts very high What remains now saith God but a fearful looking for judgment sinner notwithstanding all my Long-suffering forbearance Rom. 2.4 John 3.16 and my great love that I manifested unto you in sending of my Son to die for you and my sweet Spirit to manifest my Son to you Have you thus sinfully denyed me and shamefully rewarded me evil for good what may we expect now but the dreadful sentence from God to be uttered Matth. 25.41 Prov. 1.24 to 30. Depart from me ye Workers of Iniquity I know you not Nay God will say The time was that when I wo ed you and Intreated you by my Messenger early and late that you would not hearken unto my counsel and would hear none of my reproof I will mock when your fear cometh and then you shall call but I will not answer and though you shall seek me early you shall not find me Oh! let the consideration of these things therefore put us speedily upon the work of giving real and royal entertainment unto the Spirit when it comes and by no means turn it back least it be grieved and we wounded thereby so much may suffice for this Use The second Vse of Examination Is it true as you have heard that it is the work of the Spirit of God for to help the Soul to a true sight and sence of sin and to work the Soul out of love with sin and help a Soul to a sight of the Excellency of Christ and beget in the Soul a delight in Christ and direct the Soul to walk unto the Honour of Christ by which means it attains unto choice Communion with Christ Isa 3.9 Isa 5.18 Numb 32.23 Gen. 4.7 2 Cor. 7.11 Rom. 8.7 It is much our concernment for to make a strict and diligent search into our own Hearts to inquire whether we are sensible of what dishonour sin doth bring unto God besides a wound unto our own Souls for it is sin that breaks the Peace between us and our dear Lord Jesus it makes Christ and a Christian strange one to another Oh! how should this beget a Spiritual revenge in our Souls against this grand Enemy that is continually making war against us Oh! this should beget in us enmity against that which is a constant enemy unto the Lord come let us examine our selves whether we see sin in its right shape Oh! then it will beget a dislike in our Souls to it for when Satan that cunning deceiver comes for to deceive he puts a new face upon an old sin Gen. 3.4 vers 5. and gives it a new name to the end we may be taken with his Bates as covetousness is called by the name of Good Husbandry and drunkenness by the name of Good-Fellowship