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	soul_n	6,006	5	5.2775	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A11603	Sermons experimentall: on Psalmes CXVI. & CXVII. Very vsefull for a vvounded spirit. By William Sclater D.D. sometimes rector of Limsham, and vicar of Pitmister, in Summerset-shire. Published by his son William Sclater Mr. of Arts, late fellow of Kings Colledge in Cambridge, now a priest, and preacher of the Gospel in the city of Exeter, in Devon-shire.	Sclater, William, 1575-1626.; Sclater, William, 1609-1661.	1638 (1638)	STC 21844; ESTC S116824	112,358	217

Anabaptists have they not Scripture to induce them to beleeve that Children ought not to be baptized What of Brownists Have they not * 2 Cor. 6.17 Scripture for their separation Tertullian did no wrong when he said Scriptures were officina haer●sium a shop of Heresies if by Scriptures you understand the Scriptures taken after the Letter for it is true the Letter is often fairer for Hereticks then for Orthodox Christians as that passage was for Arrius Pater major est me The rather is greater then I I spare mentioning the errours of our own people onely I advise First Beware how you make scripture sound otherwise then the Inspirer of Scripture meant it and this know not every conclusion or Article that hath the Letter of Scripture fair is Gods Testimony but onely the Scripture taken in true sense after the intension of him who inspired it For my part I say as Moses would God you did all prophesie and were able to interpret But this let me tell you it is fearfull taking Gods Name in vain when men shall peremptorily say God said what never came into his heart Said God ever Infants should not be baptized It never came into his heart Said God ever that we may have no commerce with wicked men in word and Sacraments or that otherwise we could not be assured we were ever taken out of the world that is out of the state of the world He never said it nor did it once come into his heart Said God ever unto the people It shall be lawfull for you to interpret Scripture publickly or privately doubtfull Scriptures I mean or Did he ever promise ye should know what was concealed in them but by your ministers He never said it it never came into his heart to think it It was never Gods minde the people should be their own guides for if so he would never have sent Philip to guide the Eunuch Act. 8. 31. nor Saint Peter to teach Cornelius Act. 10. Think of it as you please it is not my Popery but your Pride to think or do otherwise Secondly This well helps us to dissolve the doubt Papists casts on us when we teach that the Assurance we have of Gods love in particular to us is a point of Faith They ask Where is our Word Answ To which many things might be answered First That we have a word Intentionally particular as when Saint Peter saith ●o * Act. 2.39 you were the Promises made it is all one as if he had said to thee and thee Secondly Generale applicatum ad hunc hunc is aequipollent to a particular as when they in their penetentiall Forum say absolvo te so we when by Sacraments we apply the generall promise Thirdly Gods Testimony is not all Vocall there is a reall Testimony Gods work in us 1 Ioh. 5.10 He that beleeveth in the Sonne of God hath this witnesse in himself his very beleeving the impression of Faith on his soul is Gods Testimony wherefore such are said to be sealed by the Spirit of God 2 Cor. 1.22 Follows now the fruit of Davids faith in these words Therefore have I spoken It lovs not to conceal delights rather to utter its Credulity pro loco tempore see 2 Cor. 4.13 Rom. 10.10 also Psal 40.9 10. How farre we stand bound to the performance is matter of profitable enquiry and in these times though peaceable something necessary This is the Resolution for the generall First It being a precept affirmative though it binds semper yet it binds not ad semper nor is absolutely necessary to salvation to be actually performed save only pro loco tempore suppose when it draws with it neglect of honour due to God or edification furtherance in faith to brethren The Precept touching confession is two wayes to be conceived First Consule 2 Thes pag. 71 72 73. in cap. 1. v. 11 Negatively binding not to deny Secondly Affirmatively binding to confesse Not to deny the faith at any time we are bound at all times upon pain of damnation whether this deniall be by words or deeds or signes Christ thunders speaks not Luke 9.26 Secondly The tears were bitter which Saint Peter wept after this sinne Matth. 26.75 Thirdly Church-Censures in all times severe against it admitting none to reconciliation but after tedious and longsome penance Fourthly No marvell for that is simpliciter ex se malum Now when or in what case we are bound to actuall and open confession of faith upon pain of damnation I suppose in times of persecution is matter of difficult resolution Rules herein some thus assigne Such confession is sometimes an act of religion as when without it the honour due to God and his truth should fall to the ground then a duty to confesse Secondly Of duty either by courage to win an alien or confirm a weakling or to prevent apostacie of the wavering then a duty to confesse Thirdly Of justice in respect of the person a man sustains or office he bears suppose of a Pastour or Teacher in the Church then a duty to confesse Howbeit when religion or charity or justice binde to confesse they leave us to the dictate of prudence We have a more sure word of prophesie to which we shall do well to attend That one Text in Saint Peter * 1 Pet. 3.15 as to my apprehension it sounds speaks more fully to guide us then all the voluminous writings of their Angelicall and Seraphicall Doctours Be ready alwayes c. Rules these First Secundum animi praeparationem The precept of confession binds all so that we must be ready at all times to make confession of faith when God calls thereto yea though death stand ready to deterre us see Luke 9.23 Take up the Crosse daily 1 Cor. 15.31 Die daily Secondly When actuall confession is necessary as when our confession puts on the nature of an Apologie or necessary defence and justification of truth exagitated by oppositions and calumnies of adversaries or is endangered to suppression by violence of persecution then say the Lord calls thee to confesse thy faith then think a wo belonging not onely to the denyer but even to the betrayer of the faith Thirdly Especially if there be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that of authority interrogates or else of necessity begs of thee an opening of thine understanding and credulity in the mystery of faith in Christ Other questions here also fall in to be discussed as pertinent to this purpose As First Whether it may not be lawfull to conceal our faith in times of danger or whether it be lawfull to flie in times of persecution or whether it be warrantable ultroneously to offer our selves to martyrdome c. For the plenary resolution of each whereof together with their severall applications I remit the Reader to my Notes upon the 2 Thes 1.11 where these questions are purposely and upon somewhat like occasion largely discussed and resolved VERSE

disturb the sweet peace of our souls they may have their motions their stirrings in us but when they grow tumultuous check curb controule correct them How to judge of passions inordinate Thus learn to know when they are faulty First Do they exceed their measure Grow they unreasonable So that if thou shouldest ask thy soul as Rahel Why am I thus as David Why art thou so disquieted within me And canst thou give no reason when permitted to such measure Then think thy otherwise lawfull are turned to be sinfull passions Secondly Do they disturb reason and understanding stupifie and benumbe it that it cannot stirre it self to meditate or do they command in the soul Then know they are immoderate Thirdly Do they hinder performance of holy and necessary duties invocation meditation c. or but cast dulnesse upon the soul in the performance of these duties Then know they are grown immoderate I say not but to such measure they may arise in the wisest and most sanctified yet when they do rise to this height they have in them what deserves our check Now the remedy or means to work it in us is to consider Gods bountifull dealing with us see Psal 42.5 11. and 43.5 and but the expressions of Gods favour in that kinde nothing can settle the disquiet of the soul Vse Let us be exhorted in prudence to direct our meditations from our pressures to the bounty of God which in other particulars many and many we enjoy there was never childe of God so followed with Gods storms but he had left him some pledges of favor to support him had he had wisdome to meditate on them under Gods hand The cunning of the tempter is this To keepe the minde wholly musing on our evills diverting us from the mercy God remembers in the midst of judgement Hab. 3.2 See I beseech you see the enumeration of favours that David hath Psal 103.3 who forgiveth all thy sinnes healeth all thy diseases redeemeth thy life from destruction crowneth with loving kindnesse and tender mercies who satisfieth thy mouth with good things which executeth judgement for the oppressed which makes known his wayes to his children and which toucheth the point in hand Vers 9 10. He neither keeps his anger for ever nor deals with us according to our sinnes punishing ever Citra condignum rewarding Vltra condignum Oh that this people were wise to consider how favourable how bountifull God is in the sharpest of his corrections How would it silence passion How well should we hereby provide for the rest of our souls VERSE VIII For thou hast delivered my soul from death mine eyes from tears and my feet from falling IN this Verse David gives us the evidence of Gods bounty to him in the enumeration of particular favours conferred on him wherein are First The severall favours Secondly The result or issue of them Vers 9. The favour in generall is deliverance From what if you will know First From misery painfull from death yea from tears for the sentence riseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly From misery sinfull My feet from falling For the sense Thou hast delivered that is rescued as Psal 6.4 even when he was at the pits brink he rescued My soul That Tropically put sometimes for the Person as Exod. 1.5 Act. 27.37 sometimes for life as Hest 7.3 Gen. 9.5 Iob 2.4 6. whether sense you take you erre not they are co-incident Me or my life Else thus The soul hath a twofold consideration First As a naturall form of a body so organized so it lives in the body Secondly As a spirituall substance or subsistence having in it a power to subsist and exist in it self without the body Death for the time deprives it of the life that it hath in the body not of that life or being it hath in it self But this not all the benefit Not onely so set me out of deadly perill but which yet more amplifies his bounty Mine eyes from tears The meaning is From all sorrow or evidence of sorrow or cause of sorrow in respect of outward perill as Apoc. 21.4 When God is said to wipe all tears from the eyes of his Saints The meaning is He takes from them all sorrow and crying and pain as the Spirit explicates himself And my feet from falling That is Me from falling Synechdoche Metaleptica But so see we the nature of a heart truly thankful to God there is not a blessing nor degree of a blessing nor circumstance of a blessing but it takes notice of and publisheth My soul from death my feet from falling Rescued me when falling that the circumstance Mine eyes from tears the degree Psal 103.2 Forget not all that is not any one of his benefits so also Ephe. 1. From Verse the third to the fourteenth Paul for his own particular 1 Tim. 1.12 13 14. generally for us all Rom. 5. from vers 6. to the 11. see also Psal 107.8 To praise is not simply to say him a thank but to commend and amplifie the riches of his grace and mercy towards us Lord that we had Davids spirit Vse that our mouthes might thus be filled with the praise of the Lord How should the Lord rejoyce over us and delight to do us good Wonderfull hath the Lord been in his mercy towards us in the many deliverances of our Nation from forraigne violence in our peace plenty liberty of the Gospel and plenty of his word purely preached whether we consider the blessings in themselves or measures of the blessings or circumstances of time persons behaviour c. And yet I know not how whether through continuance and long enjoying or whether through opinion that they come to us by ordinary course the greatest blessings have lost much of their price that it is to be feared the Lord means by lack of them to let us see their worth and learn better to esteem them The better to enlarge our hearts to the duty and to teach you how in meditating Gods favours to be holily Rhetoricall Let me minde you First of the misery that is in the want suppose it be in remission of sinnes in knowledge of God in peace of conscience in ministery of the word c. Secondly Our unworthinesse to obtain such blessings Gen. 32.10 I am lesse saith Iacob then all thy goodnesse and the good Centurio● Mat. 8.8 Lord I am not worthy which and much more we shall easily force our selves to confesse if we consider our behaviour before God unconverted full of obstinacie and of disobedience Tit. 3.3 1 Tim. 1.13 and with all our unthankfulnesse and neglect and abuse of his favours since our calling enjoyed see Ezra 9.8 13. Thirdly Our impotencie without grace of God to acquire or retain them Rom. 5.8 Fourthly The preferment God hath given us either in the blessings or in the measure of the blessings or in the circumstances see Psal 147.19 20. Fiftly Comparing our selves with others perhaps more righteous then our selves more

such presumption There be of you who long for dayes of persecution who dares pray for death before God sends it or wish him to send it before the time of nature or perhaps the hour of prescience how know you you shall be able to endure the pangs thereof I mean when you call for it Hath God made a promise in any affliction we seek or cast our selves upon to support us Shew us that promise and then insult else sure we know not our selves God who made us knows us and our mould it is his great mercy that he keeps us from temptations of our forefathers for a thousand to one but we should perish under them Secondly Learn hence to moderate your censures Vse 2 in respect of Gods children and their foulest falls especially when you see great and violent temptations pressing thereto Two faults ye shal commonly observe in men towards other mens faultings by such occasion First That we are ready to condemn of hypocrisie as Iobs friends and that for the state of their persons or else secondly marvellous rigorous and austere in censuring the sinne and then we cannot satisfie our selves in our Rhetoricall amplification by all circumstances of the sinnes that they have fallen into Oh that we could remember that of Saint Paul * Gal. 6.1 We may be tempted yea and as fouly overcome as they that have foulest fallen let not him who girds on his armour boast as he that puts it off excellent is that advise of Saint Bernard excuse his intention if thou canst not his action or if the fall be so foul as to admit no extenuation yet say Vehemens fuit tentatio quid de me illa fecisset si accepisset in me similiter potestatem Thirdly You will say perhaps what odds twixt infidelity of David and that of others professed Infidels Answ In the fact none more then in other sins Davids adultery and murder is Quoad genus facti all one with that of Am on and Absolom yet a difference is to be seen twixt one and other Two you have here expressed First It is not a light affliction that occasions Gods Saints to doubt or murmure or grow incredulous the devill was deceived when he said of Iob that his losse of goods or children would make him curse God to his face * Iob 1.22 In all this Iob sinned not with his mouth nor charged God foolishly But great and violent afflictions they work sometimes strangely even upon gracious dispositions the least losse alienates an hypocrite if it be but lack of plenty it makes them ready to devote themselves to the service of the * Ier 44.17 Queen of heaven Secondly Their infidelity is passionate and indeliberate when passions indeed cloud judgment disturb memory blind certified reason then ye shall see they shew themselves men but give them time to pause to debate the matter with solid judgement that they are masters of their wits and passions are calmed then they can say as the Prophet It is mine * Psal 77.10 infirmity then they * Psal 73.22 be-beast themselves for such thoughts then as Saint Peter They go out and weep * Matth. 26 7● bitterly Now look to other men that are habited in Infidelity hardened in Atheisme it is not passion that transports them but in their best advised thoughts they study to contradict the truth of God and of such means Saint * Iam. 1.6 Iames when he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies the Discrutatour or Disputer against the promise It may be demanded what moved David or the Spirit that guided him to publish this foul crime of himself Answ For the generall Gods Spirit leaving such records of humane frailty in great Saints aimed at First Our humiliation and fear for if such Cedars fell such prime Saints sinned so fouly should we be high-minded and not rather * Rom. 11.20 fear Secondly Our circumspection and watchfulnesse against the occasions wherefore ye have usually together with the sinne the occasion noted how they fell Saint Peter through his presumption David by precipitancie and passion here elsewhere by idlenesse into luxury by luxurie into cruelty note we it against like occasions Thirdly God would let us see what we are by nature the best of us when we are left to our selves secured from no sinne be it never so notorious or abominable not from infidelity not from blasphemy c. Fourthly Even by this he would teach us that the justification of the most righteous is of meer grace which as it is the reason why we all carry about us a body of sinne in this life so of the falls of all Gods greatest servants wherefore I think it is that men of greatest grace have foulest falls noted of them yea more then of meaner Saints Fiftly That humour of uncharitable and mercilesse censuring of our brethren overtaken by infirmity God desires hereby to prevent if it were possible For why doest thou in it also condemn the generation of the just These reasons of the generall But why the Penners of Scripture such as David was did record their own faults with such ingenuity and candor Our Divines take notice of a speciall reason of Gods ordinance and providence disposing in that kinde to wit that men might be assured they sought not in their writings to advance themselves or as Politiques to captivate the people to obedience of that holy Doctrine they taught out of their sanctity or dignity For would they then have polished their own blemishes But that indeed they were over-ruled by a supreamer power whose glory they sought not their own in penning the Scritures for behoof of posterity wherefore observe scarcely any of the Pen-men of Scripture but have their blemishes noted Moses his own and his brother Aarons Samuel the foul falls of his children Isaiah his own detracting Ieremie his own cursing his birth Amos his mean education Matthew his Publicanisme Paul his persecution David here his infidelity elsewhere his lesse then blasphemy Psal 77. Are these the courses of Politicians See heathenish Law-givers how desirous they were to seem petty gods But so even from this argument which Scripture it self natively affords may we help and cure our infidelity touching the question so much controverted whether Scriptures were inspired from God I confesse no man shall have firm perswasion of the Divine Authour of them but by the Spirit of God 1 Ioh. 5.6 That is by the holy impressions which by this Doctrine he fastens upon our souls for it is no vocall but a reall testimony yet are there arguments also from consent antiquity fulfilling of prophesies c. of no small force to work conviction Lastly whereas David confesseth his infidelity issued answerable from his violent passion Take heed of passions hasty and unadvised resolutions whither may they carry us Who knowes To infidelity to uncharitablenesse to casting off of humanity A wise man will stablish his thoughts by Counsell