Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	bless_a	jesus_n	lord_n	6,161	5	3.6174	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A11606	A threefold preseruatiue against three dangerous diseases of these latter times 1. Non proficiency in grace. 2. Fals-hearted hypocrisie. 3. Back-sliding in religion. Prescribed in a sermon at S. Pauls Crosse in London, September, 17. 1609. By William Sclater, Batcheler in Diuinity, and sometimes fellow of the Kings Colledge in Cambridge.	Sclater, William, 1575-1626.	1610 (1610)	STC 21847; ESTC S116857	29,329	42

yet heare their vncomfortable dismission Depart from me I know you not What though wee haue seene the excellency of CHRIST IESVS can wish as Balaam our soules may dye as the righteous what if we lament with Esau take thought with Iudas and wish our sinnes had neuer bene committed yea what if our outward life be reformed and amended and actions performed sauouring of vprightnesse and zeale for the LORD haue not Reprobates I pray you gone euen thus farre Nor let any man say that this is a desperate and an vncomfortable doctrine It is so perhaps to presumers while such but tends in the issue to the greater and stronger comfort and consolation of GODS chosen elect Hee hath comfort indeed that hath such as will hold out in the day of their temptation and triall I neuer liked that Academicall Acatalepsy in this point of Gods loue and purpose to saue for men to hang like meteors in the aire betwixt Heauen and Hell doubtfull hope and slauish feare Bernard Ep. 190. Academicorum sint astimationes istae saith Bernard quorum est dubitare de omnibus scire nihil Let vs leaue these thinkings to Academicks whose profession is to doubt of all things and to be certaine of nothing They may make men hypocrites can neuer worke soūd and sincere obedience We loue God 1. Ioh. 4.19 Rom. 5.5 because he loued vs first And it 's impossible to loue him till we haue his loue shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost And let men say what they will that it destroyes all care of good life this yet is the truth Thou neuer begin rest to liue well indeede till thou know Heb. 11.6 that thou and thy workes are accepted with God and shall certainely bee rewarded Then runns a man chearefully in the race of Christianity when he knowes he runnes not at vncertainties 1. Cor. 9.26 And it dulls the affection in well-doing while we are ignorant or doubtfull of our reward But yet there is another rocke as dangerous as this at which many a soule makes shipwracke that is Presumption Yea I dare say more perish by presuming then euer did by despairing Therefore I say againe with Peter Bee diligent to make thy calling and election sure and know it is possible to attaine assurance but thou hadst neede bee diligent God is not prodigall of such graces as do accompany saluation The last thing remaines namely The perill of Apostasy The third speciall branch of the Text. It 's impossible for men thus enlightned c. and falling away c. to be renewed to repentance Let vs first waigh the termes Falling Impossibility Repentance Of fallings there are three degrees 1. Lapsus particular slips or foiles that euen Gods seruants take in wrestling against sinne Secondly Declinations or ebbings as I may terme them of GODS grace in their hearts Thirdly Relapsing and falling away to a course of impiety Gal. 6.1 As touching particular slips which Paul calles Paraptomata we heard before what Nouatians taught that euen these after Baptisme were irrecouerable Being prest with diuers instances of Gods Saints of whose repentance we read as well as of their falles and with those Scriptures which testifie our common infirmity and Gods readines to shew mercy at length they begin to restraine it to some particulars as 1. Fornication 2. Idolatry 3. ●eniall of Christ in persecution These they taught to be sinnes of so high a Nature as admitted no pardon nor possibility of repenting S. Augustine thus dealt by instance from poynt to poynt Lib. quest de vtroq testa mi●●m For fornication we haue saith he Dauids example He might haue sayd for in●e t itselfe Lot And lest any man say This was in the old Testament true not so in the new besides that as Augustine obserueth it is incredible that in this day of grace Gods mercy should be scanted 2. Cor. 2.7 8. 1. Cor. 5.5 what say we of that Incestuous person for whose restoring againe into the Church Paul himselfe becomes a Petitioner and testifies that his deliuery vp to Sathan was to this end that his spirit might be saued in the day of the Lord Iesus As for Idolatry the same Father thus reasons from the Lords fact inuiting a people deeply ingaged in this sinne to Repentance and proclaiming pardon Quos vtique ad paenitentiam Dominus non horta●etur saith the blessed Martyr Cipri ep lib. 4. ep 2. ad Anton. and Bishop Saint Cyprian nisi quia poenitentibus indulgentiam pollicetur The Lord would neuer exhort vnto Repentance were it not that he not onely purposed but promised also pardon to them repeating He might haue added as in other places the promise of God to the Iewes Ezek. 36.25 And for deniall of Christ through infirmity how plaine an instance haue we in the Apostle Peter Mat. 26. denying yea abiuring Christ Iesus through feare of persecution yet brought to Repentance ●mb de P●it lib. 1. 〈◊〉 3. and receiued to mercy And as holy Ambrose speakes Numquid eadem est causa eius qui sponte negat et eius quem tormenta inclinauerint ad sacrilegium non voluntas Againe Vicit eos poera non auertit perfi●ia Idem ibid. cap. 4. Item Ipsius Diaboli de huiusmodi lap is si requiramus sententiam nonne videtur dicere Populus hic labits me honorat cor autem eorum longe est a me Gal 6.1 And what meanes the Apostle to bid Restore those that are ouertaken by infi mity if there be no hope of restitution And the beloued Disciple hese things I write that you sinne not 1. Iob 2.1 Epi t. qua supra but if any sinne we haue an Aduocate with the Father c. To leaue therefore this same Caninam herein as Cyprian termes it indeed the murtherer of the Brethren Sinnes in this question we must learne thus to measure not so much b● the quantity of the matter wherein they are committed as by the greatnesse of that malice whereout they issue The se ves blasphemy was therfore vnpardonable not because ●lasphemy but because ex maleuolentia saith Augustine iudicially Aug. vbi sup A second degree in falling which is also recouerable is that which I tearmed Declination or Partiall decay of the graces of God for a time in respect of their sensible operation Hereof read what the Spirit speakes to the Church of Ephesu Thou hast left tby first loue Apoc. 2.5 6. he meanes that feruour of affection which before they had euidenced Yet repent and do thy first workes there is hope of retaining thy Candlesticke Phil. 4.10 Paul saw a winter of the Philippia●s loue yet liued to see their care spring and blossom afresh And who is there euen of the most perfect that feeles not these ebbings slowings of Gods grace within him What then is that Falling so desperate here mentioned Ans It is that totall Relapsing from grace

with abundance God graunt the day come not vpon vs when we would wish to run from sea to sea to heare and shall find no meanes When children begin to play with their bread discreet● Father● take it from them or keepe them shorter let vs feare lest this delicacy bring on vs a scarcity of hearing the word of God Home-deuotions are comfortable if vsed in their seasons but we know who hath sayd Pro. 28.9 The prayer of him that turneth his eare from hearing the law is abominable And if we would auoyde Apostasy take heede how wee forsake the gathering together of the Saints Beware how the garishnesse of the world dazle thine eye and bewitch thine heart 2. Tim. 4. Demas ouertaken with the loue thereof forsakes Paul And Loue not the world sayth the beloued Apostle the fashion thereof passeth away ● cos nos paragetas 1. Ioh. 2.17 or as some render the glittering shew thereof withdrawes and steales away the heart from God How many haue our owne eyes seene mirrours of holy carriage in their meane estate whom the loue of aduancement and the enioying thereof hath made ouer dissolute would God not also scandalous to their profession Keepe good conscience precisely neyther allow thy selfe in any thing no not the smallest which conscience rightly informed condemnes Rom. 14.22 Blessed is hee which condemnes not himselfe in that which he allowes As blessed he that allowes not himselfe in that which his heart condemnes Herein therefore be precise Do nothing no not the least with a doubting or recoyling conscience The stroke of Conscience neglected in small things it growes by insensible degrees to swallow greater without reluctation Fearefull are the instances we haue daily in this kind But I spare to trouble you One reason onely I will annexe to set edge on this exhortation and then shal be the end Beloued in Christ Iesus The Lord hath long bene amongst vs by the heauiest of his temporall iudgements Those arrowes of his displeasure Famine and Pestilence haue bene made almost drunken with the blood of our slaine And yet behold the wrath of the Lord is not ceased but his hand is stretched out still Wonder we at this that the Lord should walke thus stubburnly towards vs More wonder it is but that his mercies are endles that wee haue not bin vtterly consumed For that which Isaiah speakes of Iudah Is 1.5 is it not true of vs That wee fall away more and more I can well remember since the one halfe of these miseries hath brought vs on our Knees in sack-cloth and ashes in prayer and fasting for our sinnes that haue drawne downe the wrath of God vpon vs. And a man would thinke these Afflictions should haue that effect in vs which the Lord teacheth to bee the end of his Iudgements Hos 5.15 To make vs seeke him the more diligently Oh that it were not true that wee harden our hearts the more continuing and encreasing our Apostasies scarce euer bethinking our selues of humiliation As if we meant to stout it out with the Lord and to dare him to do his worst Oh Iob. remember who hath sayd Hath any bin fierce against the Lord that hath prospered and what himselfe threatens viz. Leu. 26. to walke as stubburnly towards vs as wee can do against him and to encrease our plagues seuen times more except the lighter preuaile to humble vs. Some course therfore betimes let vs take to stop the fierce wrath of the Lord that is gone out against vs. It 's a fearefull thing saith our Apostle to fall into the hands of the liuing God who is in his wrath a Consuming fire If our houses had taken fire we haue this wisdome to thinke one bucket of water may do more good to stop the flame then almost a riuer when it hath begun to gather strength Would God we were as wise for our liues and soules as we are for the trash of this world Surely more preualent to quench the fire of Gods displeasure in the beginning is one teare then a whole showre streame of them when it 's once inflamed Other meane thē this I know none to stop the course of Gods wrath 2. Par. 7.13 14. If I send pestilence among my people If my people among whom my name is called vpon do humble themselues pray seek my presence turne from their wicked wayes then will I heare in heauen and be mercifull vnto their sinne and will heale their land Right honorable why are not you a petitioner to those in authority that a Fast may be proclaimed Stay you til you come againe to your thousands in a weeke Alas how agrees that with Christian compassion to those that in the Interim lose wiues children those that are deerest vnto them and what a seruile and Pharoah like resolution is this neuer till needes must to send for Moses and Aaron to intercede for vs vnto the Maiesty of God I beseech you therefore in the bowells of Christ Iesus if there be any consolation in Christ if any cōfort of loue if any fellowship of the spirit if any compassion and mercy fulfi●l my request importune the performance of this duty proue the Lord with these things see if he rebuke not the Destroyer for your sakes If you consent and obey Is 1 19 20. you shall eate the good things of the land But if yee refuse and be rebellious God graunt I proue not a true Prophet you and your children and your people shal be deuoured of the Pestilence If these things preuayle not with authority let me yet admonish euery of vs that in our houses by our selues and our families we may be carefull this way we shall then see that gracious promise performed to vs and ours when thousands fall at our right hands Ps 91.7 and ten thousands at the left it shall not come nigh vs. Ezek. 9.4 A marke is set by commaundement from the Lord on the forheads of th●se that mourne for the abominations that are done in the middes of Ierusalem And let vs be assured of the same LORDS protection for vs and ours if we be such as from our hearts mourne for the detestable things are done amongst vs. Now the God of all grace that hath called vs to his eternall glory by Iesus Christ make vs perfect confirme strengthen and stablish vs that we may be kept blamelesse vnto the day of the Lord Iesus Christ To him be glory and dominion for euer Amen FINIS