Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	body_n	bone_n	flesh_n	7,585	5	7.4908	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80759	Light in darknesse: discovered in a sermon preached before the Honourable House of Commons, November 24. 1647. being the day of their publick fast. / By William Carter, minister of the Gospel. Published by order from that House.	Carter, William, 1605-1658.; England and Wales. Parliament. House of Commons.	1648 (1648)	Wing C680; Thomason E416_29; ESTC R204499	20,093	37

where were fiery Serpents Scorpions and drought then caused many thousands of them there to perish All this he did in answer unto prayer Exod. 3. 7 8. and upon the whole it was for their advantage Deut. 32. 10. He led him about instructed him and kept him as the apple of his eye Another most remarkable return of prayer was the coming of the Lord Christ in flesh Malac. 3. 1. The Lord whom yee seek shall suddenly come into his Temple but who may abide the day of his coming and who shall stand when he appeareth For he is like a Refiners fire and like Fullers sope Therefore is the day of his coming called a terrible day Malac. 4. 5. Behold I will send Eliah the Prophet that is John the Baptist Matth. 17. 12. before the great and dreadfull day of the Lord. Called again the great and terrible day of the Lord Joel 2. 31. applied also to the first coming of Christ by Peter Acts 2. 16. 21. so called partly because his coming put his people to such hard things in the world though Christ is sweet his Refiners fire is very terrible Would you have an higher instance yet Then take that of Christ himselfe he prayes his Father for his glory John 17. 1. Father glorifie thy Sonne His Father grants it gave him a name Phil. 2. 9. above all names set him at his right hand a Prince and Acts 5. 31. a Saviour where is fulnesse of joy and pleasures for evermore Psa 16. 11. But ought not Christ to suffer and so to enter into his glory Yes thus he answered the Lord Christ himselfe by terrible things such things as made him cry so to his Father thrice and that with teares O my Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me and why hast thou forsaken me And as Christ is the pattern to which his brethren are to be conformed Rom. 8. 29. so in answering them he makes them also many times cry out as forsaken and Father let this cup passe let that passe from us Prayer makes work for prayer the Lord in answering one bespeakes many he will be sought to for his blessings and because he loves to heare his Spouse and saith her voyce is sweet he will not suffer Cant 2. 14 a dispatch by one but many wrastlings Iacob had prayed for his return in his return he prayes Gen. 32. 9. yet was he put again to wrastle vers 24. And for a further proofe of the point in hand observe that when he gets the fullest answer conquers God himselfe yet so as he was touched in the hollow of his thigh and that put out of joynt Another place for this purpose is Psalm 18. which is to be understood not of David onely but of the whole Church of God a Cum David typum gerat Christi Ecclesiae rectè etiam ad certamina victorias Christi atque adeo ad totius Ecclesiae militiam in hac vita accommodatur hic Psalmus à Pau●● ab aliis interpretibus Moler in Psal 18. as it is applied by the Apostle Rom. 15. 9. where he cites those words of this Psalm v. 49. Therefore will I give thankes to thee O God among the heathen to prove that the Church of God among the Gentiles should praise his name Now for our purpose see what David or the Church of God saith vers 6. In my distresse I called upon the Lord and cried unto my God he heard my voice out of his temple then the earth shook and trembled the foundation also of the hils moved and were shaken because he was wroth There went up a smoke out of his nostrils fire out of his mouth devoured he bowed the heavens also and came down and darknes was under his feet He made darknes his secret place the Lord also thundred in the heavens and the highest gave his voice All these are metaphoricall b Allegoricè hic locus debet necessario capi quia praeterquam quod hoc Davidi evenisse in scripturis non legitur non agic hic propheta de singula●i aliqua liberatione seorsim sed de omnibus è manu omnium immicorum suorum vers 1. A 〈…〉 san 〈◊〉 expressions whereby is set forth what terrible things God doth in the world in answer to his peoples prayers so terrible as that when the answer comes the Saints themselves are in the dark as touching his proceedings even when he bowes the heavens and comes down amongst us that is shewes himselfe in his glory in our deliverance Darknesse c Caligo sub pedibus ejus id est quod opera viae ejus cognosci non possunt Luther Reas 1. is under his feet as the Psalmist also saith in a like case Psal 73. 16. I thought to understand this i e. his dealing with him but it was too painfull for me The reason is given because the Lord had answered him in such a dreadfull way when the wicked prosper sayes he all the day long am I plagued and chastened every morning The reason why he answeres thus is Because what God doth for his people take one thing with another is still in order to the crucifying of the flesh and what more terrible than such a death We pray for pleasing things as we imagine but as we are flesh as well as spirit so the flesh hath still a part in every prayer what we beg is partly carnall and upon the matter in part we begge we know not what Now the answer as it comes from God take all together is spirituall which is a crucifying thing to sinfull flesh hence comes in all the terrour The two sonnes of Zebedee desire of Christ preferment in his kingdome Matth. 20. 20. this for the main was a good request but see what Christ sayes to it v. 22. You know not what you ask not that in his kingdome are no proferments or that they were altogether sinfull in that petition there was a spirit of faith in Christ and love unto him breathing in it but they were partly carnall in what they begged therfore they understood not at what rate it must be granted our Saviour therefore addes Are yee able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of and to be baptized with the baptisme that I am baptized with intimating clearly that they thought they beg'd a pleasing thing but that the answer would be terrible to flesh and blood you see the reason they were partly carnall in their suit the answer would be spirituall when it came Many fastings and prayers have been in these our dayes formerly for setting up the throne of Christ amongst us God wil answer rhat request it is his promise Psa 2. but in wayes it may be more spirituall then we are apt to think This mkes his answer in that very thing not pleasing even to those who beg'd it of him You pray for pardon that is a pleasing thing yet

upon each other and with as much eagernesse and vigor as they have against the common adversary witnesse that bitternesse and envy still amongst us and where strife and envy is sayes James 3. 16. the Apostle there is confusion and every evill work Those divisions which now hinder our proceedings would mischiefe us much more had we obtained our desires against our enemies therefore now is he forced to make delayes and carry on his work by such steps whereby to exercise his people with afflictions thereby to bring them lower to weare off such inordinate affections to fit them for the mercy when it comes Were we again in peace both from without and with our selves he sees it may be we should love the world too well therefore by lengthening out our trouble he weanes us from the world you may discern this hath a part in his delayes because a worldly spirit is a cause of our distractions were men more single hearted for God and lesse for worldly ends the businesse of the kingdome would goe on more smoothly what God intends to be removed he suffers to be cause of our afflictiōs Thus was he forced to carry Israel into Canaan by the wildernesse there to wander long suffer much when as he could have carried them a nearer way in few dayes to humble them to Deut. 8. 2. 16. prove them to doe them good in the latter end He answers us by terrible things because in Reas 4 righteousnesse he doth it By terrible things in righteousnesse wilt thou answer us O God of our salvation Such an answer David had Psalm 18. as you have heard what sayes David thereupon verse 20 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousnesse according to the cleannesse of my hands hath he recompenced me With the mercifull thou wilt shew thy self mercifull with the upright man thou wilt shew thy selfe upright with the froward thou wilt shew thy selfe froward That is in hearing praier he deales with persons much according as they deale with him Three wayes he answereth us in righteousnesse by answering by terrible things First by this means in bestowing mercies he takes occasion to chastise his people for their sinnes Psal 99. 8. Thou answeredst them O Lord our God thou wast a God that forgavest them although thou tookest vengeance for their inventions A poore soule begges of God an enjoyment of himselfe in the comforts of his Spirit but it may be walketh not so close with Christ as ought to be is carelesse of his service eaten up with worldly cares and lusts God answers that petition yet so as he teaches him another lesson makes him see and feele with sorrow what it is to sinne brings him unto those enjoyments through bitter trials and afflictions What he doth in answering p●titions is a branch of the administration of the kingdome of Christ who is a righteous King A Scepter of righteousnesse is the Scepter of thy kingdome Psal 45. 6. True it is that Christ hath fully satisfied his Fathers justice for his people they are without Ephes 5. 27 spot or wrinkle in his sight therefore his afflicting them for sinne is not to fill up any satisfaction unto Gods eternall wrath that was finished upon the Crosse Col. 1. 20. but for his perfecting that work wherein he is ingaged for their good afflictions are a means whereby he trains them up and fits them for that glorious inheritance which hee hath purchas'd for them therefore this his justice in his dealings with them is founded in his love it is a Fathers justice therefore also is a part of what he answers unto their petitions Suppose a Father by a price redeems his sonne rescues him from the justice of the law that sonne is liable to his fathers justice notwithstanding is corrected by him and the rather because of his redemption Thus is it with Christ who by redemption frees us from eternall wrath yet not to live in sinne or as we list no when we are taken out of the state of nature and delivered from the curse yet are we put into a Kingdome that a righteous Kingdome there to be governed if need be to suffer too under the Scepter of our king Onely take this in by way of caution you must distinguish betwixt the justice of this Kingdome and the justice of a Creatour to his Creature and that two wayes 1. First in respect of the subject the justice of this kingdome is the justice of a Father the other of a Judge without all such ingagements A Fathers justice is a rule which he takes up in his proceedings with his children m●erly out of love to doe them good by his rewards and punishments should a father punish and reward without some rules of justice he should abuse his children and himselfe and yet a father cannot doe no not in justice that in punishing which others can lest he wrong himselfe and them yet justice notwithstanding but a fathers justice The eternall pardon stands yet God as a father hath another pardon which sometimes he will not grant unto his children Matth. 18. 35. He refused as to this worlds punishment to forgive that sinne of Moses at the waters of Meribah Numb 20. 12 13. 2. In respect of the end In the Creatours justice the end of punishments is onely the glory of the Creatours justice in which case summum jus est jus and there is no sparing therefore he stirrs up all his wrath against the wicked contends for ever with them will be alwayes wroth But in the justice of this kingdome the end of punishing is the glory of the justice of that kingdome in which the good of the person punished is included therefore Christ sometimes can have his end by sparing then he spares sometimes by lesse afflictions then he takes a lesse if not he comes with seven times Levit. 26. 24. more yet never to the full desert of any sinne Thou Psal 103. 10. hast not dealt with us after our sinnes nor rewarded us according to our iniquities Thus I say this caution taken in the Lord in his rewards and punishments amongst his subjects deales according unto rules of justice and answers all petitions still in righteousnesse and that so as I may adde although he frees his people from eternall wrath yet in his righteous dispensations in this life he punisheth his people more severely many times than wicked persons he hath rods for them which those who are his enemies seldom or never feel afflictiōs that will not fasten on a rotten unbeleeving heart the hidings of his face woundings of the spirit with apprehensious of a fathers not displeasure seldom have we found a wicked person suffering such things as Job struck with such poysoned arrowes the poyson drinking up his spirit besides the losse of his estate and children with sharp diseases on his body or as David when hee was wounded and sore broken and roared by reason of the disquietnesse of his heart

no soundnesse in his flesh because of his anger nor any rest in his bones because of his sinne Psa 38. Then here 's the case many things you begge of God he heareth all but in his answer he hath something to say to your sins as well as unto you something to your pride your self love your unbeliefe unfruitfulnesse love of the world want of love and tendernesse ●nto his people all which and much more that he hath to say must have a part in his answer to your prayers Thus you see this is one way wherein because he answereth in righteousnesse his answer is by terrible things should it be onely by things pleasing this could not be 2. He answereth in righteousnesse by terrible things because by this meanes he allots to every one the fittest portion most for his owne glory and his peoples good such things for some are best and most for their advantage therefore to some he gives more to some lesse to some nothing of that which is petitioned designing unto them a fitter blessing some he answeres by denying what is beg'd which also in the issue proves the sweetest answer He intended Joshuah and Caleb a double portion in the land of promise others in the wildernesse to fall therefore he tries the people to see who was of such a spirit to follow the Lord fully Numb 14. 2● as Caleb did thence he took occasion and found wayes to cut off many thousands in all which yet he rejected not his peoples prayers Moses and Aaron were in the number hee carried many of them into heaven though not into Canaan and he saw it was for their advantage to be answered so Thus I say he provides for every one the fittes● portion so as all this is in righteousnesse how terrible soever his answer be and none shall have occasion to complain at last but shall acknowledge he is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his works Psal 14● 1● Psal ●7 2. though clouds and darknesse are round about him that righteousnesse and judgement are the habitation of his throne Psal 97. 2. 3. In righteousnesse by terrible things yet further because hereby his enemies or false though seeming friends are disappointed and cut short of that which he intends for others for whilst he answers thus they are offended they stumble and fall to back-slidings and apostasies from God and open enmity against him which were before ordained Jude ● to that condemnation as the Apostle speakes upon the like occasion Should he answer still by pleasing things they would continue in the work and cause of God and so be sharers in the blessings which he intendeth for no such Thus in bestowing Christ upon his people because of his Refiners fire and Fullers sope whom he intends for ruine stumble at him as a stone of offence rejecting Luke 7. ●● the counsell of God against themselves therefore sayes the Prophet because of his Refiners fire and Fullers sope who shall stand when he appeares the wicked else would stand in the judgement I mean in this life and sinners in the congregation of the righteous Now it is a righteous thing with God in answering his people to doe it so as such may be discovered and receive accordingly who are unsound and false which is not done but by his answering by terrible things at the same time and by the self-same meanes whereby his children are corrected a pit is digging for the wicked Psal 94. 12 13. I have stay'd the longer in opening this fourth Reason of the point because it is the second observation from the words which would not be omitted in handling the text I suppose you see it was not amisse to doe it here I come now to application Use 1 Learn from hence what great necessity there is of a new and ●pirituall heart in you who are intrusted in the work of God that you may prosper in it That great work of his which is to be the answer of his peoples prayers for this Kingdome for many ages divine providence hath put into your hands Honorable and worthy Senatours consider therefore what you have to doe the work is in Gods hands still more than in yours his answer it will be as well as yours to the kingdome the answer of God unto his people will be in terrible things now therefore of necessity if you miscarry not in this your service you must be Saints there must be a through work of God vpon your souls and you not onely almost but altogether Christians otherwise you 'l meet with such rocks and stones of offence as though you goe far in a good cause at last you will stumble and fall so as to forsake your true interest and felicity each man according to his temper and sinfull frame of spirit will warp and turn aside to wayes destructive and pernicious both to himselfe and to the kingdome Were it a work of another constirution so as the prayers of the Saints had no such influence upon it a noble and heroick spirit which an unregenerate man may have might carry you on and through without ●alting but since the work is such wherein the Church of God is so concerned you 'l meet so much of the Refiners fire and Fullers sope as that which is but drosse and stubble the best of Natures excellencies not sanctified are no better cannot stand before them nothing but the integrity and uprightnesse of a spirituall heart will carry you along without a fall As for Natures gifts of wisdome abilities of reason wherein through the goodnes of God any of you most abound so far as you are not renew'd and sanctifi'd by Christ they are all in grost by sinne a most deceitfull thing which will abuse the wisest and by how much the stronger Heb. ● 1● your reason is when time serves that sinne is throughly provoked so much the more desperately will you fall whereas a spirituall heart goes smoothly on what ever provocation comes it is not led aside by base and selfish ends it lives and prospers in a fiery tryall it shrinks not in the wetting it knowes to dwell with everlasting burnings that place Esay 33. 14. I suppose is meant of this worlds fire a pertinent place for this our purpose The sinners in Zion are afraid fearfulnesse hath surprised the hypocrites who shall dwell with devouring fire who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings He that walketh righteously and speaketh uprightly he that despiseth the gain of oppression that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes that stoppeth his eares from hearing of blood and shutteth his eyes from seeing of evill he shall dwell on high his place of defence shall be the mountainous rocks bread shall be given him his waters shall be sure that is he shall have comfort in his condition how sad soever to the eye of reason Shal I give you an example in this case Take that of Saul he was the likeliest of