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

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A88578	A Christians duty and safety in evill times Delivered in severall sermons, upon four texts of scripture, viz. Christ's prayer the saints support, on Iohn 17 15[.] A divine ballance to weigh all doctrines by, on 1 Thes.5. 21[.] A Christians great enquiry, on Acts 16.30, 31[.] A description of true blessedness, on Luke 11. 28[.] By that faithfull messenger of Jesus Christ, Mr Christopher Love, late minister of Laurence-jury, London. Whereunto is annexed The saints rest, or Their happy sleep in death. As it was delivered in a sermon at Aldermanbury, London. Aug. 24. 1651. By Edmund Calalmy. B. D.	Love, Christopher, 1618-1651.; Calamy, Edumnd, 1600-1666. Saints rest.	1653 (1653)	Wing L3147; Thomason E1434_3-4; ESTC R209589	82,542	242

fooleries concerning her The idola try of the Church of Rome detected such as were never heard of in former times idolatrously to advance her fame as that she was free from original sin whereas the Scripture saith expresly that all that descend from Adam are polluted with original corruption and therefore the Virgin Mary also being a daughter of Adam The Papists speak more honourably of the Virginity Dignity and Holinesse of the Virgin Mary the mother then they do of the Righteousness Grace and Merits of Christ the son And therefore they hold justification by works and not by faith in the righteousness of Christ Yea they so dote on the Virgin Mary that they make her the great Mediatoress to God the Father A man would think it unnecessary to treat against the popish Doctrin but Ministers never had more reason for it then now for there never was more likelihood of popery its spreading then in these dayes wherein under the notion of a cursed Toleration Preists and Jesuites do publish their blasphemous and idolatrous Tenents and drive on their Jesuitical Designes and God knows how soon you that will not lay your neck under Christs yoak may be brought under the popish yoak This I can say upon mine own experience That I never found so many to stagger towards popery as I have done of late They who have professed the Protestant Religion are staggering and apostatizing from their former profession and solemne Covenants and God knows how soon they will prefer the Virgin Mary before Jesus Christ But I hope better things of you Therefore I shall pass this and come to the Reasons of the point which are these First 1 Reason From the near relation they stand in to Christ They are rather blessed that hear and keep the Word of God then the Virgin Mary was for bringing Christ into the Word Because Christ doth account such to stand in more manifold near Relations unto him then his owne natural freinds were Luke 8.21 And he answered and said unto them my Mother Luke 8.21 and my Brethren are these which heare the Word of God and do it Loe here is the right way of being brought into a near Relation unto Christ of becoming akin to Jesus Christ to bee accounted the brother sister and mother of Jesus Christ and that is by hearing and obeying the will of Christ 2 Reason They only shall persevere 2 Your blessedness appears in this because if you hear and practise you shall presevere unto the end when others shall apostatize Math. 7.24.10 28. and sall back from the Faith Mat. 7.24 to 28. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doth them I will liken him to a wise man which built his house upon a rock and the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell not for it was founded upon a rock And every one that hears these sayings of mine and doth them not shall bee likened unto a foolish man which built his house upon the sand and the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell and great was the fall thereof Those onely that hear the Word of God and keep it do presevere they only have their souls built upon a rock and stand unmovable in the time of persecution Indeed fall they may and fouly too as David Peter and many other precious Saints have done through the violence of Satans temptations and remainder of corruption that is in them but finally and irrecoverably they shall never fall because they are builded upon a rock which can never be removed and that rock is Christ who is both the author and finisher of their saith Heb. 12.2 And hee hath prayed that their faiths faile not utterly Luke 22.2 And this hee hath procured and therefore though the stormes and waves arise they can never fall irrecoverably Others fall off and fall away when winds and stormes arise 3 The Lord doth make glorious promises to such as hear the Word of God and keep it 3 Reason The Lord makes glorious promiles unto such Rev. 1.3 Blessed is hee that readeth and they that hear the words of this prophesy and keep those things which are written therein for the time is at hand Here you see those that hear the Word of God and keep it that is lay it up in their hearts and express the power of it in their lives they are blessed 4 Reson Ye may be instrumental to bring others unto blessedness 4 By practizing what you heare in the Word you may bring others unto blessedness And happy are ye that are instrumental to bring others to Heaven 1 Pet. 3.1 1 Pet. 3.1 Likewise yee wives bee in subjection to your owne husbands that if any obay not the Word they may also without the Word 1 Pet. 2.12 be won by the conversation of their wives so 1 Pet. 2.12 Having your conversations honest amongst the Gentiles that whereas they speak against you as evill doers they may by your good works-which they shall behold glorify God in the day of visitation Their godly conversation might be a means to bring others to Heaven 5. 5 Reason Yee shall surely obtain Salvation If ye make conscience to practise what you heare yee are blessed because although ye should not bring others unto Heaven you your selves shall surely come to Heaven shall surely come to blessedness Rev. 14.12 13. Rev. 14.12.13 Here is the patience of the Saints here are they that keep the Commandements of God and the faith of Iesus I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me write blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works follow them O you that make conscience to keep the Commandements of God and the faith of Jesus you shall surely goe to Heaven although you bring none with you but your selves It was a notable saying of one of the Fathers viz. That when a Gospel life doth go before an Angels life shall follow after O therefore make conscience to practise what you hear and know Now I come to the Applycation and the Use shall be two fold 1 For Lamentation If it be so Vse for Lamentation that they that heare and keep the Word of God are rather blessed then the Virgin Mary was mearly for bringing Christ into the World should not this then bee for a lamentation that men will not seek after blessedness when they may have it upon such easy termes Had God said I will blesse thee if thou removest Mountains if thou fulfillest my Law in every jot and tittle thereof These indeed had been works impossible to be done But saith God blessed art thou if thou hearest the Word of God and keep it therefore if thou wilt not practise what thou hearest thou dost refuse thine owne

is not warrantable for any to wish for Death because of persecutions and afflictions which they do feele or feare Ionah 4.3 This you finde was the fault of Ionah ch 4. v. 3. Now therefore O Lord I beseech thes take away my life from me for it is better for me to die then to live This he said in a pettish humour being displeased and angry that the Ninevits were spared thinking that therein he should be accounted a false prophet Because of affliction or reproach in the world to desire death is a thing that the Scripture doth not warrant 1. Reason why we should not with for dea●h And the Reasons thereof are three 1 Because your lives are great blessings and you doe vallue them at too low a rate when you thus rashly wish for death It is true there are some men that doe vallue their lives at too high a rate and they are such as will not lay down their lives for the sake of Jesus Christ his truth and peeple when they are called thereunto Others there are that doe vallue their lives at too low a rate and they are such as wish to be taken out of the world because of troubles and afflictions that they meet withal in the world Now this is a sin this is an undervaluing of your life which is the greatest of all temporal blessings A second Reason is this 2 Reason Because it is a more commendable thing to pray that God would in his due time remove trouble from us then to cry out Lord remove us from trouble to pray that God would sanctify our hearts paciently and thankefully to beare those crosses that he shall be pleased to exercise us withal rather than deliver us from trouble by taking us out of the world for God hath ten thousand wayes to free us from trouble besides laying us in the grave he can put an end to our troubles and yet lengthen out our lives 3. There is more honour to be gained by a patient bearing of our burden then by being delivered from it 3 Reason The Souldier never growes famous for his vallour until he comes to bear the brunt of the Battel in the Field And the Christian never shines in grace untill he comes into the fire of afflictions especially if he suffer in bearing witnesse unto the truth of Christ Therefore we should be content yea rejoyce in our sufferings and not desire death to be rid of the troubles of this life If it be so Vse of Reprehension that it is not warrantable for any man to desire death because of any Affliction he feares or feeles Then hence I draw a Use of Reprehension to many sorts of men in the world But cheifly to you that are of such passionate and peevish spirits froward and distempered soules that if God doth but lay upon you any affliction if he doth but mingle any crosses with your comforts any gall and wormwood with your pleasant things so that it may be your estates are taken away your persons imprisoned and your worldly comforts taken from you oh then in a peevish mood with Ieremy you curse the day of your birth And with Ionah you wish for the day of your death Now this is sinful It is true Good men have failed herein as Job chap. 6. v. 8.9 Iob 6 8 9. O that I might have my request and that God would grant me the thing I long for even that it would please God to destroy me that he would let loose his hand and cut me off Here you see Iob wisheth for death yea even longs for death wooes as it were destruction and is an importunate and earnest suiter for the grave and all this was because Gods afflicting hand was sore upon him And we finde him expressing the same distemper in the name of others Iob. 3.2 Job 3 21. Which long for death but it cometh not and digg for it more then for hid treasure There is a sharpnesse and bitternesse in bodily death yet some are so afflicted in body and so oppressed in spirit that they account the very bitternesse of death to be sweetnesse the gall and wormwood of Affliction makes death to such as sweet as honey and as much longed for as the honey comb And they doe not onely long for it but they dig for it and that not in an ordinary way but they dig as for treasure yea as for hidden treasure which shewes the earnestnesse of this desire after death This distemper also seised upon the spirit of the Prophet Elijah ● Kings 19 ● 1. Kings 19.4 He himselfe went a dayes journy into the wilderness and came and sa●e down under a Iumper Tree and he requested for himselfe that he might die and sayd it is enough now O Lord take away my life for I am not better then my fathers The reason of this pettish desire in Elijah was because Iezebel who had slain many of the Lords prophets did threaten also to take away his life It may bee many of you to whom I speak have lost your estates your tradeing now are in poverty and lie under disgrace and therefore you are apt and ready to wish that God would take you out of the world but know that this is a very sinful frame of spirit to long for death only to be freed from the troubles of this life to desire to lie down in the bed of the grave only to ease our bodies and rest our outward man If we think life not worth the continuing in this world unlesse we enjoy our outward comforts ease plenty and prosperitie honor wealth and friends we do hereby much undervalue the great blessing of life This at the best is an infirmity and this Christ here rebuked in his Disciples Again because Christ would not pray for his Disciples to be taken out of the world they desiring death fearing persecution 2d Doct. When it is lawfull to with for death Here it may be intimated That in some cases it is lawfull for a man to desire to die as First when he desires it not because of sufferings but because of sins when a man doth desire to shake off a body of flesh that he might be rid of and freed from a body of sin this is commendable This was Pauls prayer 2. Cor. 5.8 We are confident and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. 2. Cor. 56. To desire death not because it doth kill thy person and ease thy paine but because it doth kill thy corruption and put an end to thy sining not as a postern gate to let out thy temporal but as a street door to let in eternal life in this case it is lawful 2. It is lawful to desire death that thou maist thereby have a more full enjoyment of Jesus Christ This the Apostle sets down Phil. 1.23 Phil. 1.23 I am in a streight betwixt two having a desire to depart

answer Set upon the practise of those things which God hath sanctified unto thee to keep thee from Evill Five Directions to acomplish the prayer of Christ and for that end take these Directions First 1 Avoid all disputing with the Devil when thou art tempted to any sin avoid all disputings with the Devill all reasonings with flesh and blood about the sweetnesse and profitablenesse of such a sin for thus to dispute is the way to surprize thine owne soule therefore when the Devill comes to tempt thee to sin tell him that thou art not at leisure to hearken unto him thou hast better work to doe and a better Rule to walk by thou hast the Spirits motion to hearken unto and not his injections to dally with 2. Avoyd all occasions unto sin Avoid all occasions unto sinne if thou art inclined unto Drunkennesse go not into bad companie avoid the Ale-bench if thou art inclined unto Lust avoid the companie of lewd women and that is the way through the grace of God to keep thee from that Evill It is said of the young Wanton Prov. 7.8 that when he was inveagled to uncleannesse He walked in the streets where the Harlot dwelt First he went to the corner of the Street then to the Harlots doore and then the Devill got power over him to lead him into the house when thou runnest boldly and adventurously to the brink of sin and leadest thy selfe into temptation no marvell that thou art overcome By an inconsiderate dallying with the occasions of sin thou dost tempt the Devill to tempt thee and when once the Devil feels thy pulse he will provide a suitable temptation for thee whereas if thou didst dread the fire thou shouldest not be burnt if thou wast carefull to avoid the beginings of sin and occasions unto sin that would be a means to keep thee from evil 3. 3 Consider the al-seeing eye of God Consider that the All-seeing eye of God is upon thee where ever thou art and what ever thou art doing even when thou art contriveing the most secretest way of sin This consideration had a powerful effect upon Iob. Iob 31.1.4 I made a Covenant with mine eyes Iob. 31.1.4 why then should I think on a Maid doth not he see my wayes and count all my steps God sees my heart and sees my wayes therefore I dare not think much lesse act that which is wicked Consider that the All-seeing eye of God is upon thee and this is a preservative to secure thee from sin yea this is the way that God hath sanctified to keep thee from the Evil of the world If thou dost evil with the world thou shalt bee punished with the world if thou runest with the stream thou shalt bee drowned in the stream if thou sinnest with the wicked thou shalt be damned with the wicked 4. 4 Chuse suffering rather then sin To keep you from the Evil of the times consider that it is lesse danger to be under the suffering Evil of the times then to be under the sinning Evil of the times If thou wilt not run with the stream and walk wickedly as the rest of the world doth then it may bee thou maist be exposed to the suffering Evil of the times But it is better for to lie in a prison then to sin by any conniveing at abetting of or compliance with the unparaleld wickednesses that have been of late done amongst us and are yet a doing Oh thou hadst a thousand times better endure to the utmost extremity all the suffering Evil that the times may bring upon thee then to have any hand in the sins of the times which are astonishing and amazing 5. 5 Flee to Christ for refuge When thou art tempted to any sin make thy recourse to Jesus Christ flee to him for refuge because thou standest by Christ's Strength and not by thine own Now didst thou thus reflect on thy self Alas I have prayed I have shed many a tear I have heard many a Sermon and yet I cannot kill my lusts nor subdue my corruptions But yet there is one means left for mee to use and that is to flee to Jesus Christ and to call to minde his mediation for mee his praying for me and in my behalf Christ doth not only pray in heaven to save thy soul but he also prayes to sanctifie thine afflictions and to enable thee to resist temptations not only to save thy soul but for all other things that are subservient unto Salvation O it is a great comfort that thou hast one string more to thy bow that all the world cannot break Though thy strength faileth thine heart faileth and all sail yet thou hast the Prayers of Jesus Christ which never faileth O this Prayer of Christ should be the great prop and stay of thy soul I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou shouldest keep them from the Evil. FINIS A Divine Ballance To weigh All Doctrines by Text. 1 Thes 5.21 Prove all things Hold fast that which is good IN the later part of this chapter the Apostle laies down many practical Conclusions to bee observed The con●e●top●●ed and performed by us in our Christian course and conversation He begins at the 14 verse and ends at the 22. And therein you have 12 or 13 excellent Conclusions which are as it were an Epitomie of our whole duty both towards God and man Warne them that are unruly Comfort the feeble minded Support the weak Bee patient towards all men Render not evil for good unto any man Ever follow that which is good both amongst your selves and to all men Rejoyce evermore Pray without ceasing In every thing give thanks Quench not the spirit Despise not Prophesyings Prove all things hold fast that which is good Abstain from all appearance of evil Now the words of the Text are almost the last but they are not the least dutie here prescribed Interpreters take pains to give not only the sence but the dependance of these words upon the former I shall not trouble you with the connexion but only mind you of that which goeth immediately before the Text What is meant by Prophesiing viz. Despise not Prophesyings Prophesying in this place is not taken for that great and extraordinary gift which the Prophets had both in the old Testament and also in the new whereby they were enabled by God to foretel things to come by immediate revelation and to interpret the Scripture with an unerring Spirit Now this extraordinary kinde of Prophesying is ceased the Lord haveing fully revealed in the Scriptures whatsoever is necessarie to bee known touching the state of his Church unto the worlds end So that by Prophesying here is meant only Preaching 1 Cor. 14.31 1 Cor. 14.31 Ye may all Prophesy one by one that all may learn and all may be comforted that is preach one by one for it would make a confusion in the Congregation

that thou art under a Covenant of Grace which doth not require a perfect but a sincere obedience to the Law of God which accepts of the Will for the deed O remember that thou art not under a Covenant of works but a Covenant of Grace which accepts of what Christ hath done and suffered for thee if thou art a beleiver as if done in thine own person Though indeed that is true which Christ said to the young man Math. 19.17 If thou wilt enter in to Life keep the Commandements Yet you must know that Christ spake this unto him because he knew him to bee of a Pharisaicall temper and that he thought to bee saved by his good works But if Christ should say thus unto any of us thou shalt goe to Heaven if thou keepest every Command thou shalt never goe to Heaven if thou breakest any one Command The Lord have mercy on us we should then all perish to eternity But Christ saith Beleive and live Now promise not work is the object of Faith V●nl●m tanquam ex fide non ex debito sper●mus Rom. 4.16 Therefore Ambrose was wont to say let us hope for pardon as of faith not of debt In a word make conscience to keep what thou hearest bewaile thine inabillity to fullf●ill the Law of God do what thou canst mourn that thou canst doe no better and then God will say though thou canst not keep the Law compleatly yet my Sonne hath kept it for thee I accept of his obedience as thy obedience and his righteousnesse as thy righteousnesse O what grace and mercy is here how may this chear up your hearts in the midst of all discouragments that lie upon you Again for thy comfort know that if in sincerity of heart thou endeavourest to keep what thou hearest in divine acceptation it is all one as if thou hadst perfectly kept all that thou hearest If it bee the desire and labour of thy soul to obay Gods Will and observe his Commands in divine acceptation it is looked upon as if it were actually done by thee It is worthy your notice what is said Heb. 11.17 By faith Abraham when he was tryed offered up Isaac and hee that had received the promise offered up his only begotten Son Abraham did not actually doe it But because Abraham did it in the purpose of his heart because the desire and resolution of his soule was to obay Gods Command therefore the Scripture accounts it as done O take this for thy comfort thou that art a son of Abraham that walkest in the steps and faith of Abraham the very desires and purposes of thine heart are looked upon as if they were really and actually done If thou wouldest pray better hear better and practise more then thou doest in divine account this is looked upon as if thou hadst already done it FINIS THE SAINTS REST OR Their happy Sleep in DEATH As it was delivered in A SERMON At Aldermanbury London Aug. 24. 1651 being the next Lords Day after Mr LOVE was put to death By EDMUND CALAMY B. D. Iohn 11.11 Our friend Lazarus sleepeth Psalm 116.15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the Death of his Saints LONDON Printed for E Brewster and G Sawbridge at the signe of the Bible on Ludgate-hill near Fleetbridge 1653 THE Saints Rest OR Their happy sleep in Death Text. Acts 7.60 the later part And when hee had said this hee fell asleep THese words contain in them the happy closure and upshot of Stephens life wherein we have three particulars 1. The Person that fell asleep 2. The Speech that he made when he fell asleep 3. What he did when he had finished his Speech First We have the Person that fell asleep and that was Stephen He was a man full of faith and full of the Holy-Ghost as you may see Acts 6.5 He was the first Martyr that ever suffered for the cause of Christ hence I might gather this Doctrine viz. That the best of men are subject to violent and unnatural deaths Stephen that was full of the Holy Ghost was stoned to death and Iohn the Baptist that was full of the Holy-Ghost from the very womb was beheaded Peter was crucified and so was Andrew Isaiah was sawed asunder Ieremiah was stoned and Zacharias was slain between the Temple and the Altar But I shall passe this The second part of the Text is the Speech that Stephen made when hee fell asleep Hoc dicto obdormivit that is when hee had finished his prayer He fell asleep Hence observe That it is an excellent way to close up our lips with prayer To die praying is a most Christian way of dying They stoned Stephen calling upon God After this manner Christ died hee prayed Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit and having thus said he gave up the ghost This he did that it might be a patern to all Christians Prayer is a necessary duty at all times but especially when we are adying and that for these three Reasons 1. Because when we are to die we have most need of Gods help for then the Devil is most busie and we most weak 2 Because when we are to die wee are to beg the greatest boon of God that is that he would receive us into his heavenly Kingdom Now prayer is the chiefe means to obtain this mercy for it is Porta Coeli Clavis Paradisi the Gate of Heaven a Key to let us into Paradise Therefore we have great reason to die praying 3. Because when a Saint of God is dying he is then to take his last fare well of prayer In Heaven there is no praying but all thanksgiving there is no need in Heaven therefore no prayer in Heaven Now a Saint of God being to take his leave of prayer when he is to die therefore it is fit he should die praying I beseech you remember this pattern in the Text St Stephen died caling upon the Lord. Let us die praying as that Emper or said Oportet Imperatorem stantem mori so may I say Oportet Christianum mort praecantem it behoves a Christian to die praying Quest But what was the substance of Stephens prayer Answ He prayed for himselfe and he prayed for his persecutors 1 He prayed for himselfe Lord Iesus receive my spirit verse 59. 2 Hee prayed for his persecutors Lord lay not this to their charge v. 60. I will not enter upon this part of the Text for it would swallow up all my time Therefore I shall wave it and come to the third part which is that which by Gods assistance I purpose to speak unto viz. What Stephen did when hee had finished his prayer When he had sayd this he fell asleep that is he died Behold here the magnanimity the piety and the Christian courage of Stephen The people were stoning of him and gnashing their teeth upon him and the good man dies with as much quietnesse of minde as if he had died in his bed he fell