Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	believe_v	faith_n	see_v	5,205	5	3.8267	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93682	A hand-kercheffe for a disconsolate soule, to wipe away his sinne, and to keep him from despaire, as though they had never been committed. / By Samuel Spinckes, minister of Gods word.	Spinckes, Samuel.	1651 (1651)	Wing S4981; Thomason E633_7; ESTC R206473	19,356	31

must not therefore conclude and say that because we are subject to temptations and because the sword is so predominant in our Kingdome or because the seeds of sinnes are still in us and the corruptions of our natures are not fully purged that therefore we are out of the favour of God and first for the sword so raigning in the Land we must confesse it is for the sinnes of the Land which if once that cause were but removeed then the effect would cease What wilt thou say that for these thou art out of Gods favour Well then note againe that these may be and often are to be found even in Gods dearest Saints but heerein we may pray unto God for helpe because he is the Lord of peace who giveth peace unto his children cast thy care therefore upon God the authour and finisher of thy faith 1. Pet. 1.2 and use an endeavour by striveing and labouring to resist these temptations and endure the combate with patience having an eye to our Captaine Christ Jesus who is the authour and finisher of our faith c. Heb. 12.1.2 and know that God freely accepts us as righteous not for any merrits of ours but for the merrits of his deare Sonne in whom onely he is well pleased 2. Pet. 1.17 And also know that whensoever thou art in any temptation or doubtings to trouble thy soule remember then I say that thy estate in this life is like Peter on the water whose faith at first was so strong that at the call of Christ he came boldly to him on the waters without doubtings but when he saw the waves comming against him then he presently doubteth and feareth drowning and begins to sinke and finding himselfe unable to save himselfe he flyeth to Christ and prayeth earnestly unto him for helpe saying Master save me I perish And then Christ giveth him his hand and bringing him into the Ship saveth him from drowning And in like maner it is with a Christian for at first when Christ called him to faith and repentance being perswaded by the Spirit to believe then he comes boldly unto Christ being moved by the excellency of Christs merrits and the free promises of grace and mercy in him but when once he comes to see his owne unthankfulnesse and the weakenesse of his faith and obedience and the unbeliefe and wants of sanctification in him then the waves of Sathans temptations and corruptions of his own nature assaulting him feares and doubtings seize upon him and he is ready to sinke downe into the sea of dispaire for want of faith I say if this be thy estate and thy case as peradventure it may What then must thou doe heerein Onely this confesse and acknowledge thine owne weakenesse and insufficiency and with Peter being ready to sinke flie unto Christ and pray unto him for comfort who is the authour and fountayne of life and peace for if any be afflicted let him pray sayth Saint James 5.13 And my house shall be called the house of prayer saith our blessed Saviour Mat. 21.13 But where is Gods house once called the house of preaching neither yet in all Gods word I am sure from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Revelations we doe not read of one quarter of the Miracles and Wonders that have been done by preaching as have been by prayer and the Apostle willeth us to prove and to examine our owne selves not any man another but himselfe 2. Cor. 13.5 And was or is that by preaching and not rather by prayer and pray continually 1. Thes 5.17 And I dare say that in any doubtings troubles and afflictions whatsoever that thou mayest be in prayer may be the meanes to beget faith in thee to believe and thou thereby mayest be saved and recovered c. But againe if thou at any time doubtest because of thy imperfections in any of thy assaults and because thou art not fully as thou mayest imagine regenerated Know then as I said before that Christ is thy perfection and that God so beholdeth thee in him as that thou canst not totally fall For if we looke upon our selves why then when we have done all that we can yet alasse wee must needes be constrayned to say that we are but unprofitable servants Luke 17.10 And for peace in our selves we cannot finde any So that as Noahs Dove was constrayned to flie backe againe into the Arke before shee could finde whereon to rest the sole of her foot Gen. 8.9 So are we constrayned to flie to Christ before we can finde rest to our soules As the Israelites being stung with the fiery Serpents presently looking upon the brazen Serpent were healed and cured Num. 21.9 So whensoever thou art wounded by sinne or moved to doubtings by thine owne weaknesse or Sathans temptations then slie presently to Christ and behold him by the eye of fayth how he was crucified how hee shed his most precious bloud how he died and rose againe how he sits at the right hand of his and our Father and makes intercession and all for the purchase of thy peace and for the joy and comfort of as many as thus beleeve of him Oh now with this perswasion I say possesse thy soule in patience and hope that thou shalt one day enjoy that inheritance of the Saints where is freedome from all these feares and doubtings which Christ hath bought and purchased for thee O despayre not then for Christ I say hath purchased and bought eternall life and everlasting joyes for thee and not by or with thy merits but by and with the price of his owne most pretious bloud this hope will not make ashamed Rom. 5.5 Yea by and with this hope thou art and shalt bee saved Rom. 8.24 Doe not therefore conclude and say that the joyes of heaven belong not to thee this is to abuse that sweet and loving mercy of God for as you have heard but even a little before from the holy Apostle St. Paul wee are saved by hope oh then thinke not thy selfe to be out of the favour of God or that the joyes or happinesses of Gods holy Kingdome belongs not or appertaines not to thee because thou art not yet free from sinne and Sathans temptations but comfort thy self in hope that as Christs praier for Peter was heard that though hee fayled in fayth and that for a time yet he could not faile and fall totally and finally and so also I dare say it is hard for thee for Christ hath prayed for thee as earnestly and as effectually as he did for him yea and for all that shall but believe in him John 17.20 and therefore Job 19.2 as Job in the midst of his misery did comfort himselfe with this meditation that his Redeemer lived So doe thou comfort thy selfe in Christ that one drop of his blood is of efficacy vertue and power to procure pardon for all thy sinnes yea and though all the sinnes of all the whole world were thine And therefore waite with