Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A60146
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Resignation to the divine good pleasure in every condition recommended as the duty and happiness of every good man in a sermon from 2 Sam. XV, 26.
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Shower, John, 1657-1715.
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1684
(1684)
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Wing S3682; ESTC R10146
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17,860
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35
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us willing to be at his dispose and content with his order What pleaseth him cannot then displease us and what is according to his mind cannot contradict ours and so we may speak it from our hearts let him do unto us as seemeth good unto him 2. Let us consider what abundant Reason we have thus to refer our selves to God's dispose 1. Upon the account of our Profession 2. Our Duty 3. Our Interest 1. Upon the account of our Profession We own our selves the Disciples and Followers of the Holy Jesus who as he chearfully performed so he patiently submitted to the Will of his Father declaring his Resignation under his sharpest Conflicts Father not my will but thine be done Mat. 26.39 And as we are Redeemed by his Death and are the price of his Blood we are obliged by his Example We profess to follow him as the Captain of our Salvation and ought to remember he was the most glorious instance of submission and patience of trust in God and resignation to his Will that ever the World was acquainted with As his Victory should be our Encouragement his Example must be our Pattern As he was perfected by sufferings and stoop'd to the severest ones Heb. 2.10 to purchase glory for us we are directed to expect our share to prepare us to partake of that glory To consider him who endur'd the contradiction of sinners against himself Heb. 12. â— is propounded as an expedient against fainting in our minds And so it may prove if in imitation of him we are satisfied in every thing with the Will of our Father We call God Father and own our selves his Children and shall we not be content he should chuse our Allowance and dispose of our Conditions We pray that his will may be done on earth as it is in heaven and shall we be displeased that our prayers are answered and that he doth as we desire him that is what seemeth good in his sight The blessed Spirits above flee wheresoever they are sent chearfully obey his Will and execute his Pleasure and shall not we be satisfied with his Government â— 18.11 and pleased with his Orders and drink of that cup which our heavenly Father gives us to drink Certainly we may trust his Wisdom because he is God and his Love and Faithfulness because he is a Father who knowing what is best for us will do nothing but what really is so We know that every Commission concerning the events of time is signed by our Father 's own hand and do we think he will set his hand to what is really for the prejudice of his own Children whom he tenderly loves What we shall eat and drink and wherewithal we shall be clothed where we shall lodg and what we shall do and be and how in every thing we shall be disposed of are things that belong to his Paternal Government to order and obedient Children will leave it to their Father's care and acquiesce in his choice 2. Upon the account of Duty 1. In gratitude for his abundant kindness whereof we have had already such large experience He formed us in the Womb and brought us into light with our intire senses and integral parts He dispos'd of us in our Infancy educated our Childhood and guided our Youth and hath compassed us about with mercy on every side The streams of his Fountain have continually refresht us and shall we overlook the innumerable instances of his past kindness by not trusting him for the future We cannot fully display his benefits their wonderful greatness or undiscerned freeness their excessive multitude and large extent their suitableness and seasonableness their convenience and duration c. Our imaginations cannot conceive the dimensions of his Goodness nor our speech utter them such as the advantages of our Education the protection of his Providence the provisions of his Bounty the restraints of his Grace the priviledg of his Gospel and the assistance of his Holy Spirit his goodness to our Bodies and to our Souls to our Friends and Relatives in all the places wherever we have liv'd and in all the portions of our time hitherto some blessings immediately from God and others from such instruments to whom God gave the Will and the Power the Capacity and the Opportunity and Inclination of doing us good How many hazards that we thought inevitable hath he rescu'd us from How many difficulties that we thought insuperable hath his Wisdom and Power enabled us to wade through and conquer From how many surprising Casualties hath he secur'd us From how many Maladies and infectious Diseases hath he preserv'd us How many unobserv'd dangers hath his care prevented How many of our fears hath he delivered us from How many of our doubts hath he wisely resolved How many of our prayers hath he graciously answered He hath given us ease and health rais'd us from sickness and pluckt us often from the Jaws of Death Have we met with Affliction we have either had present support or speedy deliverance he hath either diverted the calamity or given us strength to bear it he hath known our souls in the day of Adversity and succour'd us from fainting in the hour of distress And if the rod were not presently remov'd he increas'd our patience and sanctified the visitation and in the issue 't was good that we were afflicted Moreover no affliction we have been under but had many concomitant Mercies unmixed misery is only the portion of Hell as perfect bliss the state of Heaven And why should we not receive some evil at the hand of God as well as good Job 2.10 Especially considering the vast disproportion For how many blessings have we received to one adversity When some mercies are taken are not others left of the same or greater consequence Have you lost part of your estate did not God give the whole and doth not he continue health without which you could not injoy any of it Are some of your Relations snatcht away by Death doth not God continue or raise up others in their room Therefore in the day of Adversity consider â— 14 as well as in the day of Prosperity rejoyce for God hath set the one over against the other If then he should deprive us of what we now have we ought to be thankful we had it so long and content if we injoy it no longer and consequently be willing he should do with us what seemeth good unto him The greatest evils we can now suffer are consistent with his favour which is our chiefest good and the good we have received already is more and greater than the evils we have felt or fear And have we tasted so much of his bounty and shall we quarrel at a change of Providence What condition have we ever passed through but the present mercies of that condition would more than counterpoise the calamities and sorrows of it The measures of God's Grace say the Jewish Rabbins is larger