Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	call_v	father_n	word_n	6,080	5	4.1861	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A39934	Grace and mercy to a sinner in a time of afflictions, or, The serious meditations of M. Tho. Ford of Rochester during the time of his imprisonment, before his execution, faithfully delivered from his own copie : together with his funeral sermon, preached by Mr. Wil. Sandbrook, P.M. Rochester / set forth for the strengthning of our faith in Jesus Christ ... ; published for the satisfaction of his friends ... by John Plasse.	Ford, Thomas, d. 1656.; Sandbrooke, William.; Plasse, John.	1657 (1657)	Wing F1513; ESTC R40949	26,591	84

might and main to make them sure as in purchasing of Lands settling of estates what coun● selling and contriving is there Gentlemen it is an estate of immortality which will not fade away labour to get a fee● simple in this estate get interest in Jesu● Christ and let him be of inestimabl● value in your thoughts Thus Gentlemen I thought it a par● of my duty to ease my spirits to the world in hinting at particulars I migh● have been abundantly more large 〈◊〉 let this be enough to comfort my friend and acquaintance and the rest of 〈◊〉 well wishers for eternity that althoug● I am by an ign●●●inous death depriv●● of this temporal life yet I have goo● assurance of eternal life and that 〈◊〉 name is registred in heaven of whic● blessedness I shall by and by have ● taste and a full consummation at the da● of Judgement when we shall all appe●● before the Judgement seat of Christ 〈◊〉 give up our accompts And I beg 〈◊〉 God to afford you his Spirit of Grac● that you may be kept blameless un●● that day and that you may be assured upon good grounds before you depart this world that your names are written in heaven and that you may say with the Apostle blessed be God for this unspeakable gift The two and thirtieth Psalm was intended to be sung but not sung himself being desirous to finish his course in this life His PRAYER O Lord our God high and mighty King of kings Lord of lords the only Ruler of Princes look down from heaven upon us miserable sinners in and through the merits of the Lord Jesus pluck us out of our sins and implant us into Jesus Christ let us be living branches in that vine living members of that head remember these nations of England Scotland and Ireland and in them the principal member thereof govern thou him whose right it is to be our Governour implant thy grace in his heart let the Kingdome authority and power of Jesus Christ in the Gospel be by him advanced season his heart with wisdome from above and defend him from his Enemies remember the afflictions of Ioseph comfort thy people after thou hast afflicted them and for the yeares wherein thou hast shewed them tribulation quench the fire of ●hine indignation that is kindling amongst us and consume us not for thy Name sake Shew mercy unto Sion build up the walls of Ierusalem and love it still Be with me now that am to dye Just O Lord is it with thee to cast me into Hell but here lyeth my comfort Jesus Christ will receive me ●nto his bosome to whom with thy self and Comfortable Spirit be praise and glory dominion and majesty for ever And in whose name and words I further call on thee as my Saviour hath taught me to pray Ou● Father which art in heaven c. Compared with the original Copies and examined by us VVilliam Sandbrook P. M. R. Margaret Roch● December the 24. 1656. At the funeral of Mr. Thomas Ford of Rochester Micah chap. 7. verse 8 9. at Margarets Rochester By WILLIAM SANDBROOKE P. M. R. MICAH 7 verse 8. Rejoice not against me O mine Enemy when I fall I shall rise when I sit in darkness the Lord shall be a light unto me V. 9. I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him until he plead my cause and execute judgement for me he will bring me forth to the light and I shall behold his righteousness V. 7. Therefore I will look unto the Lord I will wait for the God of m● salvation my God will hear me SECT. I. The Preface Brethren YOu know and see and I do believ● are sensible of what the occasion o● this sad meeting and assembly is Time and opportunities of this nature especially in so stupendious and astonishing a● instance we have in hand must be mad● use of for our good you all grant the person deceased is no way advantage● by this exercise 1. Except we run to the Alylum o● Purgatory 2. And fly to those rotten shifts o● Dirges and Requiems of Rome which you all I believe know the Church of England with all other profest Protestants and the Reformed Orthodox Churches have justly exploded 1. As the doctrine of Antichrist 2. As a parcel of Heathenish abominations Ergo This the occasion Now in the next place let me also acquaint you with a paragraphe more in this preface to my work 2. The occasion of my being limited up to the text It was I understand his own request that it comeing often upon his thoughts it might be the remembrance of him in his Funerall obsequies and might be to appeare in this confidence upon the Churches hope the Lord Rejoyce not O mine enemy I shall make no long furrows upon his back it is sufficient what hath been already done and now it is totally in vain for any assistance towards him Except to rake up the ashes of so great a crime therefore letting these things passe as well known to you already Sect 2. The text it self Wherein I le not trouble you with dependance The words are a distinct paragraphe in themselves and may be kept entire within their own limits bounds and confines so according to my old method of for exposition of the text take this The sum This is easily resolved in this issue The sure stay support and setleness of the Church and by consequence of every Beleever in their utmost desertions greatest declinings from God by transgression against 1 The apprehension of Divine wrath sincking their spirits for ever 2 The insolent insulting of adversaries 1 They shall see 2 God to be light to them This being the sum of the whole text take the Analysis of the 8 verse for that is all I can or will meddle with at this time 1 The state of the Church and every Beleever in that condition she is fallen 2 The successe of this The adversaries tryumph and rejoyce 3 The state of recovery with a secret check to the malicious pride of insolent adversaries Rejoyce not For the rest of the particulars my time nor ability of body nor strong lunges to keep on in a strong carreer in a long and vexing winded discourse will not admit mee therefore I le be briefe if you expect it 1 Pardon my inabilities I am aged 2 Seek it where you know you may have it These things supposed let me now come seasonably to my last 4 Theorems 1 The best of Churches Saints or persons may fall deeply into grosse transgressions 2 The enemies to the Church and Saints have an akeing tooth and obstinate spirit of insulting and vaporing over the Church and Saints in their fallings ●in this their sadd and deep declining by transgression 3 In this distresse of falling and the exultancy and proud insolency of opposition they shall arise again and the glory of the Lord shall appear upon them in light These are the Theorems which I must

speakes Paul an Apostle of Iesus Christ by the will of God c. and as Christ doth set some apart for this service so he furnisheth them with gifts suteable to the service as for example Zacharias is apointed to prophesy the business is a weighty business therefore he is filled with the Holy Ghost that he may be able to performe that great work God imploys Moses upon a service of great concernment I will send thee to Pharoah saith God I my Lord saith Moses I am not eloquent the Lord presently upon Moses seeing his own insufficiency I will be with thy mouth Isaiah being in a vision in the presecne of God and seeing the nature of the service unto which he was called cryethout woe is mee for I am undon after his one of the Seraphins touched his mouth with a Coal from the Alter which gave the prophet a full supply of grace the same we see in Ieremiah God ●alling him he began to complain of his ●nsufficiency O Lord behold I am a ●hild and cannot speak well the Lord ●ook away his fear in bestowing a com●etency of gifts upon him I have put ●●y words in thy mouth Christ set apart ●is Disciples for that office and gave the Holy Ghost unto them promi●ng to make them Fishers of men So that you plainly see it hath bin Gods way thorough the whole course of the Scripture to furnish them which he did ●mploy with gifts sutable for the service ●ake care therefore I pray you of sleight●ng the Ministers of God or of the Am●assadge which they bring for in con●emning them you contemn and dispise God himself for what contempt you ●hew to an Ambassador which represents the Kings person you shew to the King himself This is a Sin which our Land stands guilty of in a hight nature we are grown to such a heig●t of pride and insolency amongst us that Gods word and his Ministers are had in least estimation A faithfull Minister of God is no more countenanced then a thing of nothing which plainly appeares from our detaining from them their right and just due even that which the law of God hath alotted and set apart for them we have every Tradesman now even meanest of the people take upon them the high and great work of the Ministery fomenting and prateing out their nonsence to the great dishonnor of his word and ministery No wise man will send a fool of an errand who will set a fresh Souldier over an army or intrust a dumb man with an Ambassadge it were an odious imputation to the wisest God to think him lesse carefull in the business and discipline of his Church then men are in their temporal affairs yet these intruders these busie-bodies in Gods business go on with such boldness and impudency and the rather because they are cherished and maintained as not thinking that God will ever call them to an accompt or tax them with that heavy sentence Ieremiah 2. 21. I have not sent them yet they ran Or with Friend how camest thou hither The Lord awaken such sleepy-headed intruders that they may know what it is to meddle with the great things of the Law of God Thirdly Christ is pleased to make known himself unto us by the graces of his spirit which he workes in us the spirit of God witnessing with our spirit ●hat we are the sons of God the spirit of God is the key which opens the Ca●enet of the Scriptures and present it unto us as the Mistery of Godliness men by nature are stone blind in the ●hings of God therefore untill they be ●egenerated and new born by the spirit of God in the inward Man it is impossible they should discern the things of God that which is born of the flesh ●s flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit Man by nature of himself ●ath nothing in him but corruption I was born in iniquit● saith David and sin was I conceived we are all unpro●table servants all the Children of di●●bedience and the sons of wrath all 〈◊〉 imaginations of mans heart are 〈◊〉 evill and that continually Now eve●● regenerate man is by virtue of his ne● birth a spirituall man and the new bir●● is the gracious working of the spir●● therefore such are called spiritual me● the whole scociety of the regenerate a spiritual house the regenerate man said to be born after the spirit and to 〈◊〉 after the spirit of God being the apli●● of those precious Promises written 〈◊〉 the Word of God unto the Soul Take care I beseech you of que●ching the spirit of God or stifleing 〈◊〉 motions of his good spirit within yo● Thus you see the manner how Chri●● communicates himself unto us 1 By his Word 2 By his Ministers 3 By his Spirit Let us now proceed to the last clau●● of the doctrine and let it serve for exhortation in the fear of God to exho●● and perswade us to walk according t● the rules of the Gospel to have a more close communion with Iesus Christ then ever we had doe not reject so great salvation Hath Jesus Christ purchased heaven for Believers doth he continually knock at the door of our hearts for entrance and shall we not let him in Shall we still persist and go on in sin in our drunkenness prophaness contempt of Gods word of his Ministers certainly if we do if we will take no warning but go on in the waies of the wicked we shall receive the reward of the wicked every man shall be judged according to his works he that soweth righteousness shall receive a sure reward we must use diligence and care in the way to heaven Who more laborious than the Husbandman that doth desire to reap the fruit of his sowing Who ought to be more diligent than a Christian who intends to reap the hoped for fruit of eternal happiness we must not be loyterers in the way to Heaven ways are for travellers and not for gazers therefore go on and see to your steps let the word of God be your conducter and leader estrange not your selves from the word let it precious unto you And the good spirit of God help your infirmities and assist you in your spiritual warfare that you may like good Souldiers under the banner of Jesus Christ fight the good fight of faith so that you may attain the end of your faith even the salvation of your souls Amen The last Speech of Thomas Ford being penned by himself and delivered to me Iohn Plass his own Brother by the Mother GEntlemen and Friends I am yet a living object of your pitty ere long my soul will be seperated from my body by an untimely yet a wel-deserved death Bloud must be recompenced with blood the Law of God commands it the law of Man in subordination to Gods Law hath brought me to the period of execution But that I may not minde

hard and ●tony heart and give you a heart of ●lesh pray continually pray without ●easing and pray in Faith with a confidence that God hears your Prayers and will in his good time answer them not for thy sake but for his sons sake 4. Attend upon the means of Grace in the ministry of the word which is the only way and means God hath appointed for begetting of Faith in us and search the Scriptures the Word of God they ●are they that testifie of me saith our Saviour and as you love your souls take care of disrespecting or sleighting the Word of God and laying it aside as a thing not worth the looking into fo●● sleighting of it you sleight God himself you are the greatest enemies to you● selves in the world in being ignorant o● the word of God you are utterly disarmed against the temptations of Sata● when he assaults you When we go to war against a potent Prince or person we will not go without our arms bu● in a posture of defence I beseech you let us consider the strength and power of our adversaries we have to deal withall the World the Flesh and the Devil three potent enemies therefore labour to be well armed out of the Magazine the word the Word of God which is for doctrine reproof instruction c. and then to your armor that you may be compleat in the principal bag the sword of the spirit of God we know a souldier is no body without his sword no more are we spiritual souldiers without the sword of the spirit for a man may read and hear all his lifetme yet if the spirit of God go not along with him in accompanying him in his reading and hearing it is all in vain unless the sword of Gods spirit cut asunder our corrupt hearts and affections so as to understand the mistery of the word of God as well as the history of it barely The use of this doctrine should be for exhortation to all sorts of men and women in the world to beware of sin and to shun it as the greatest evil in the world and more especially of those sins which draw away our hearts and affections and likewise to consider the dangerous consequences of sin and how dangerous a matter and thing it is to let loose our hearts and affections to Satan Then it may serve for to admire the wonderfull and unspeakable love of our heavenly Father in Christ that he will accept of us upon our unfained return unto him by repentance that our pardon is already sued forth if that we can by faith lay hold on it and esteem of the favour in some measure according to the worth of it It lets us see the miserable condition of them that claim no interest at all in this pardon Of the comfort of those that can experimentally conclude and by the spirit of God witnessing with their spirits say This pardon is sealed unto me I shall have the benefit of it tho notwithstanding my sins reach up unto heaven and cry mightily for vengeance against me yet my whole alliance and sole comfort and confidence is in the merrits of Jesus Christ applyed by faith I shall find mercy for he that confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall find mercy but he that hideth them shall not prosper I am one of them that confesse my sins and earnestly desire of God that he would break my stony and hard heart for them and do without hypocrisie if my heart deceive me not unfainedly resolve to forsake my sins therefore I though the worst and greatest of sinners shall accordingly find mercy Tho. Ford Collossians the 2. and the 6 verse The words are these As ye have therefore received Christ Iesus the Lord so walk ye in him THe blessed Apostle Paul after Christ had awaked him from his sleep of security and unscaled the eys of his understanding which were before darkened with that mistiness which the Devil like a Jugler cast before him did immediately after the Holy Ghost had enlightned him preach Christ and so like a principall work-man in Christs Church and as a chosen vessell to bear the name of Christ amongst the Gentiles did with all vehemency and ardency of spirit and affection endeavour to build up a spiritual Church to Jesus Christ and in this Epistle to the Colossians amongst the rest of his Epistles he dischargeth his trust as a faithfull Ambassador of Jesus Christ The whole chapter is as it were a glasse wherein we may see the fruit of Pauls M●nistery the words being a perswasive part moved from a good priniple For the better explanation of them consider in them First the guift received Secondly the congratulation thereof 1. The gift received Jesus Christ 2. The congratulation of the Gift walk in him The words contain a serious exhortatation and the reason thereof The exhortation Walk in Jesus Christ The ground and reason thereof For you have received him As if the Apostle Paul should have said you had Jesus Christ preached amongst you by me and others of my brethren you are not ignorant of that eternal weight of glory which Jesus Christ hath purchased for you therefore walk not according to the rudiments of this world but walk according to the rules of Jesus Christ for this is all that Jesus Christ requireth of you that you would manifest your love unto him in walking obediently before him If you love me keep my commandments so that the words are in themselves a Proposition and do speak plainly thus much unto us That the incomparable love of the Lord Jesus Christ declared unto us in the word and laid open more abundantly in the Ministery of the Gospel should be a strong perswasion unto us to walk according to the rules of the Gospel Or thus That Christs exceeding love unto us in redeeming us from death and hell should be a strong ty upon us to love Jesus Christ Every one that hears me cannot deny but must needs confess and acknowledge that the point is very reasonable and I may say very seasonable in these apostatizing dayes of ours that Love deserves Love Our Saviour speaks of a deserved love as a thing not to be looked on not worth any reward For if ye love them that love you what thanks have ye saith our Saviour Do not even the Publicans the same denoting unto us that true love is of such an extensive nature that it sheweth it self even to our enemies this is perfect and true love Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect Now the greatness of Jesus Christs love is shewn in that he loved us when we were enemies unto him strangers and aliens from the common wealth of Israel And how did Christ love us was his love an ordinary love That Christ the Son of God co-equal with his Father should become man even the meanest of men although by Ioseph he was next heir