Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
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A08173
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The countesse of Mountgomeries Eusebeia expressing briefly, the soules praying robes. By Ro: Nevvton.
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Newton, Robert, b. 1576.
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1620
(1620)
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STC 18509; ESTC S120357
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27,852
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151
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desire when wee pray beleeue that wee shall haue it and it shall bee done vnto vs. And Saint Iames bids Iam. 1.6 Aske in faith and wauer not and wee shall receiue our desires And Christ againe Math. 7.7 Aske and yee shall receiue And Iohn 16.23 Whatsoeuer yee aske the Father in my name he will giue it you But alwayes the condition is that we aske in faith I but you will say there 's all the doubt for how may I know that I haue faith I purpose not heere to handle at large the nature and properties of a liuing faith but onely to satisfie the weake and wauering in a word or two I 'le teach you to know faith As Saint Iohn sayes 1. Joh. 5.8 There are three that beare witnesse in Heauen the Father the Word and the Spirit and these three are One And there are 3. that beare witnesse in Earth the Spirit and Water and Blood and these 3. agree in one So Saint Paul sayes 1. Cor. 13.13 There are 3. that abide in one Faith Hope and Loue and these 3. giue witnes vnto one that Christ Iesus dwells in him Faith witnesseth with the Spirit vnto vs that wee are the Children of God Rom. 8.16 And hope and loue witnesse vnto faith that it is a true and liuing faith as breath heate and motion witnesse and approue that the body is aliue so loue and hope approue vnto our hearts that our faith is aliue There is a dead faith Iam. 2.26 a faith without workes a faith without hope and loue the two infallible companions of true faith But true and liuing faith which Saint Paul calls the faith of the Sonne of God because he by his Spirit begets it in vs and is the proper obiect of it hath alwayes with it hope and loue by which the effects and power of it appeares to God to Angels to Men to God first then to man To God 1. In beleeuing his promises made vnto vs in Christ Act. 16.31 2. In seeing our lamentable estate by nature Ephes 2.1 how we stand subiect to his eternall wrath eternall death eternall bondage vnder sinne and Satan 3. In sorrowing for our sins generall particular 2. Cor. 7.11 4. In confessing them Mat. 3.6 vnto God 5. Praying for and hoping of pardon for Christ his sake Act. 2.37 6. In hungring after righteousnesse Mat. 5.6 7. In continually endeuoring to hate sinne Acts 2.42 and please God Psal 97.10 Againe as it 's working by loue and hope to God so also it 's approuing it selfe to Angels and Men by humility and meekenesse Mat. 11.29 for true faith is neuer proud 1. Thes 5.14 by patience and long suffering for it murmures not by charity and almes deeds according to the talent receiued from God either by actuall relieuing or affectionate desiring to doe so visiting the sicke Math. 25.35 36. comforting the comfortlesse helping the poore cloathing the naked and in a word neuer resting to doe All good not enuying 1. Cor. 13. not boasting not rayling not speaking il not disdaining nay not seeking her owne things not couetous not lasciuious not wickedly angry not thinking ill not reioycing in any sin But suffers all things indures all things beleeues all things and hopes all things Gen. 15.16 17 18 19. with Abraham it 's constant in beleeuing and obeying God Acts 8.13.20 28. with Paul it 's valiant in suffring all crosses all afflictions for God with Dauid it 's patient in all calamities hanging still on God Iob. 19.25 with Iob euen in the fire of triall and the boyling furnace of Satans sifting it cleaues fast vnto and holds by God and euery day growes from strength to strength Psal 84.7 better'd in knowledge better'd in affection better'd in obedience till at last it come to say with Dauid Psal 23.4 Thought I walke in the valley of the shadow of death I will not feare and with Saint Paul Rom. 8.38 Nothing can seperate mee from Christ Iesus because with Iob Iob 19.25 26. it knowes that our Redeemer liues and that we shall rise vp againe with him to glory This this is that true and liuing faith wherewith wee must offer our sacrifice to God But if any finde not in their hearts these things nor these fruits of faith in their liues know yet for their comfort that there is a lesser degree of a true and liuing faith which though it be compared to smoaking flaxe Esay 42.2 a bruised reed for the weakenes of it yet is it a most sure Anchor-hold and receiues perfect acceptance with God And this little faith is when though wee know not Gods promises of saluation by Christ exactly neither are able to apply them to our selues perfectly and strongly as Paul and Dauid Psal 23. Rom. 8.38 Acts 16.30 Luke 3.10 12 14. Acts 2.37 and others did yet wee doe earnestly desire to repent and haue our sinnes pardoned seeking by all meanes of fasting praying weeping wishing and conferring with such as are able to help vs to bee reconciled to God hoping of his mercy and thirsting after righteousnesse Rom. 14.1 dayly increasing in grace still making better better progresse in Religion Such a faith as this once was in the Apostles the very attendants and continuall companions of Christ who though they beleeued Christ to be the Sonne of God Math. 16.16 yet they knew not of his Death and Resurrection till afterward Ioh. 6.6 Math. 17.23 Luke 9.45 Iohn 20.9 Such also was the faith of those Disciples at Ephesus whom Paul found ignorant of the very being of the Holy Ghost by whom they had receiued power and grace to beleeue in Christ Acts 19.2 And they that haue this Faith though but little small as wanting the fulnesse of that strength by which they might be able to say with Paul that they are assured there 's layd vp for them a crowne of righteousnesse 2. Tim. 4.7 8. which God will giue them at the last day yet may they with boldnesse and confidence haue accesse to the Throne of grace For GOD hath promised that to him that is athirst Reu. 21.6 he will giue of the Well of the water of Life freely And our Sauiour himselfe cryed it once in the great day of the great Feast of Tabernacles that All that are thirsty should come to him and drinke Iohn 7.37 And if any be laden with the burden of sinne Mat. 11.28 Come vnto him and he wil ease them For thirsting after righteousnesse Mat. 5.6 and remission of sinnes is one of the chiefe of those mercies of God which whoso hath alreadie is become partaker of eternall happinesse and in the end shall bee fully satisfied 4. Yet now though we haue faith liuely and true from which our requests must proceede this faith of ours must haue his warrant his ground his stay from the Word of God So
shall be satisfied and I am blessed Againe He that beleeues in Christ Iohn 6.47 though he were dead yet shall he liue I beleeue in Christ though I was dead in sinne Therefore though I was dead yet shall I liue Againe Hee that beleeues that Iesus 1. Ioh. 4.15 Christ is the Sonne of God hath euerlasting life I beleeue that he is so Therefore I haue euerlasting life When all this is done God then forceth him though fearfull and backward and doubting at first by the power of his Spirit to come in the Name of his Son Christ with boldnesse comfort and Hope before him receiues him to grace accepts his confession puts away his sinne and enables him to grow and goe on in goodnesse and all this for the loue hee beares vs in his Sonne O the infinit vnspeakeablenesse of that loue O the monstrous ingratitude of that man that will seeke to others and not to God or if to God by others and not by Christ To end this point of our dutie in praying let vs hauing powred out our hearts vnto God in such a manner as hath beene shewed beware we faint not in continuing to call and cry to him still though for a while hee seeme to repell vs Psal 36.8 for sure hee will heare vs though he hold vs off Hee graciously at last will turne againe as Christ did to the two blind men Mat. 20.32 Mar. 10.49 Luke 18.39 40. and heale our wounded diseased soules infusing them with the life of grace speaking peace to our spirits as he did to Dauid and make vs know hee is become our saluation And since the number of his mercies vpon vs are like the number of the Starres Psal 71.15 of the Sands vnpossible to be counted for their multitude or valued for their worth let our Praises flye vp perpetually to Heauen like those fragrant and sweet-smelling Odours of Arabia the sent whereof will so delight him that he vvil make our soules his Sanctuary our hearts his holy habitation and resting place our names precious our liues good and our end happy when hauing loosed the bonds of mortalitie vnder which wee are euer groaning here hee shall set vs with the Angels to praise him euerlastingly in the brightnesse of his presence Reu. 21.24 where nothing else is done but singing Reu. 4.8 and blessing of his name for euer After wee haue thus made our Sacrifice of Prayer wee must not so rest as if all were done But that it may be profitable to vs First Psal 146.5 6 7 8 9. Psal 145. 18 19 20. wee must haue a particular constant Faith to beleeue that God can and will accomplish our requests Psal 138.7 8. That hee can because of his Ominipotencie That he will Psal 88.13 because of his Promise Otherwise if wee wauer if wee doubt if we faint it shewes our Distrustfulnes if not of his Power at least of his Mercy Iam. 1.5 6 7. and then we shall receiue nothing at his hands Next looke vvhat Grace wee pray for Psal 119.101 or what corruptions we pray against Iam. 1.22.23 wee must striue earnestly to attaine the one and carefully watch yo auoid the other vsing all good and lawfull meanes ordained and allowed by God to that end Hee that prayes for knowledge in the Mysteries of our Redemption must giue himselfe to Reading Study 1. Tim. 4.16 Meditation and if hee be vnlearned to hearing of the Preachers and conference with such as are able to teach him Heb. 13.17 yet not neglecting his vocation and charge 1. Tim. 5.8 He that prayes against the sinnes of his heart and life Psal 39.1 must flye all occasions may make him sinne else hee shall meerely by praying mocke God and most fondly delude himselfe Amos 4.4 5. When Dauid so desired to be saued from his enemies hee ranne not presumptuously into their hands but warily kept himselfe out of view And when Paul charged the Ephesians to be feruent in Ephes 6.18 Prayer that they may abound in all grace he gaue them no libertie to company with such as might withdraw them from pietie to sinne but straightly charged them and Saint Iude doth Iude 23. Ephes 4. 5. whereby they might bee drawne to offend Heere therefore it is needfull if we would haue and good by our Prayers carefully to keepe these few rules First Psal 19.12 13. to mark the sinnes against which wee haue prayed and the Diuels subtill practice either still to continue them or hauing forsaken them to fall to them againe Secondly Psal 3.6 7 8. our frailety in resisting and our readinesse in yeelding to temptations offered Thirdly Psal 4.4 the customable disposition of our hearts in our passions and affections of Ioy Sorrow Anger Feare Hope Loue and how they sway vs. Fourthly Psal 11.59 the effect of those Passions in our liues publiquely in company priuately in company priuately at home with our Wiues Children Seruants Neighbours and more priuately with our selues when wee are retyred To preuent and foyle the Diuell 1. Pet. 5.8 9. wee must vse Sobriety Watchfulnesse often feruent prayers in our heart which though they bee but short such as this O my God let me not bee ouercome of this temptation Lord be thou my help for I trust in thee Forsake mee not O God leaue me not to my selfe Giue mee vnderstanding and power to doe thy will Knit my heart vnto thee that I may feare thy Name and such like yet they are so powerfull that they put the Diuell to retrait and foyle at least for a time To take heed our hearts Psal 39.1 Pro. 23.26 Psal 119.55 which beyond measure are deceitfull deceiue vs not wee must alwayes haue a guard vpon them saying to our selues O heart thou shouldest bee the Temple of my Redeemers most holy Spirit why thē doest thou harbor these wicked thoughts then further say Cleanse thy house deare Sauiour that thou mayest euer dwell with mee To keepe vs from notorious and scandalous sinnes Psal 139.21 22. Psal 119.63 Psal 119.101 wee must boldly breake from and leaue off all company and occasions to defile vs If that cannot be either in regard of command wee are subiect to or other circumstances that cannot bee auoided Psal 119.158 let not our hearts nor tongues giue consent but our eyes bee like Dauids gushing out when wee are at libertie riuers of Teares and bewaile both their Psal 119.136 and our owne frailetie To preserue vs from open and secret Atheisme Distrust Despayre Presumption Blasphemy Superstition Idolatry and neglect of seruing God and all sinnes directly against the first Table remember in our Hearts in our lips in our liues to bee holy as our Heauenly Father is Mat. 5.48 knowing hee hates the sinnes of vnfaithfulnesse abhorres the wickednes of tongue and lips Pro. 6.16 17 18. and vpon wicked and prophane liuers will raine downe the portion they shall haue to drink Psal 11.6 storms and tempest and anguish of Soule Reu. 20.15 and fire brimstone in Hell-fire To preserue vs from vnrighteousnesse in our conuersation and the breach of charity to our neighbours in our liues remember alwayes to follow Christs rule Mat. 7.12 Doe as thou wouldst bee done to and what thou wouldest not be done to doe not And Saint Pauls So runne 1. Cor. 9.24 that thou maist obtaine a Crowne of righteousnesse And Saint Iohns Hee that loues not his brother 1. Ioh. 4.20 loues not God And forget not Saint Iames Iam. 2.18 Shew me thy faith by thy workes for by them 2. Pet. 1.8 9 10. saies Saint Peter thou must make thy vocation and election sure Else thy prayers and thy faith and thy selfe are but dead and vtterly vnacceptable in the sight of God Lastly wee must keepe our soules in a dayly continuance of all these spirituall exercises taming the rebelliousnes of our flesh by Fasting as Saint Paul did 1. Cor. 9.27 when wee finde our selues pressed with dulnesse Dan. 9.3 and sloth or vnwillingnesse 20. or vanity so will our spirits grow nimble and quicke to call on God 21. our hearts soft and tender to mourne our Prayers so feruent that God will heare them and our Praises so accepted that he will reward them That God which by the bloud of his Son hath redeemed vs enable vs by his Spirit through the sufferings of his Sonne to practise effectually all these things Amen To him be glory and praise for euermore ⸪ FINIS