Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	carry_v	zeal_n	zealous_a	39	3	8.8070	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41838	Directions and instigations to the duty of prayer how, and why the heart is to be kept with diligence. Pressing arguments and directions for hearing the voice of the rod. Being the sum and substance of nine sermons (not heretofore printed,) by Mr. Andrew Gray, late minister of the Gospel at Glasgow.	Gray, Andrew, 1633-1656.	1669 (1669)	Wing G1607A; ESTC R224166	127,013	196

DIRECTIONS AND INSTIGATIONS To the Duty of PRAYER How and why the Heart is to be kept with diligence Pressing Arguments and Directions for hearing the voice of the Rod. Being the sum and substance of nine Sermons not heretofore Printed By Mr. ANDREW GRAY late Minister of the Gospel at Glasgow The second Impression newly corrected and amended Col. 42. Continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving Prov. 23 26. My son give me thy heart Psal. 94 12. Blessed is the man whom thou chastnest O Lord and teachest out of thy law Edinburgh Printed by George Swintoun and James Glen Anno Dom. 1669. To the Reader Christian Reader IT was not the design of the Lords Servant who preached these following Sermons to have them thus published And if he had survived the publishing of them and of his other Sermons already printed and through importunity had condescended they should be put to the Presse they would no doubt have come forth more refined and better digested and therefore be intreated Courteous Reader rather to take in good part that which is intended for the publike good then to carp at any thing which doth not satisfie thine own Genius considering that what thou hast here was gleaned by a Church-writer gathering together the substance of the matter from the mouth of the Speaker And although for the most part the expression be the same as they were spoken yet consider that Preaching and Writing have thei● several ornaments These things whic● are enlived by the expression of th● Speaker sometimes taketh well whic● being commited to the Impression of th● Presse seemeth flat superfluous digressive and redundant The zealous Temper of the Speaker in delivering his Message by word carrying him sometime● without the limits and contextures o● the ordinary method As these Sermons were delivered wit● meeknesse and zeal so be careful to re●● them with a meek frame of spirit 〈◊〉 guard off all carping prejudices and 〈◊〉 have thy heart burning with zeal to th● consuming of soul-depressing dulnesse Directions and Instigations to the Duty of PRAYER SERMON I. 1 Thes. 5. 17. Pray without ceasing GOdlinesse is so sublime and divine a thing and doth so highly elevate the Believer that is endued with it that by it hee is admitted unto that high ●inacle of honour and inconceivable pitch of dignity as to be made like unto God and to have a glorious participation of his divine nature so that we need not much Rhetorick to commend this unto you who have tasted of the sweetnesse of it for wisdom will be alwayes justified of her children Mat. 11. 19. But there are some of you who savor not the things of God and to whom these things doth appear but as some Europian fancy and notions of a mans brain who are not much in contemplation of these things So that though we could speak upon this subject in such a manner that the glo●ious light of it should surround us yet the ●lind heart cannot see it because there is a dungeon within and till Christ open our eyes as well as reveal his light we cannot be enlight●ed by it But had we once as much divine understanding as to take it up in its beauty and necessity in its advantage and dignities in i 〈…〉 comeliness and equity we should esteem it th● principal thing which we have to do in all ou● life time and should dig for it as for hidden treasures Prov. 2. 4. And there is no part of th 〈…〉 royal and beautiful ornament of godliness bu● it may commend ingratiate it self to any wh● doth not close their eyes And amongst all th● beautiful effects parts of godliness this dut● and grace of prayer is not the least and do 〈…〉 not a little dommend it and though it appe 〈…〉 sometimes little amongst the thousands of th 〈…〉 graces of the Spirit yet out of it have come e●cellent things and it hath not counted it pr●sumption to compare it self with the highest 〈◊〉 chiefest 〈◊〉 is that no doubt by which a so 〈…〉 is elevated to converse and talk with God wi 〈…〉 the holy and blessed T●inity yea and that 〈◊〉 often and freely as the Christian pleaseth fo● there it a door of access standing alwayes ope● by which we may enter in and communicat 〈◊〉 in part our thoughts to God and to have hi● making known his mind to us O! this is a di●nity and a priviledge that hath been purchas● unto us at an infinite rate and value even t 〈…〉 precious bloud of Christ for no doubt t 〈…〉 door of our accesse unto God is through t 〈…〉 ●ail of his flesh And were this more deeply e 〈…〉 graven upon our spirits we should improve th 〈…〉 dignity more did we once believe the unspe 〈…〉 able highness of this duty of prayer and the i 〈…〉 comprohensible essence of God that which 〈◊〉 now neglect through ignorance we should s 〈…〉 to meddle with it through a sort of reveren 〈…〉 and fear being afraid to touch the mount lest 〈◊〉 should be shot thorow and looking upon o 〈…〉 selves as unworthy to lift up our eyes to hea●en because we have reproached him so often Now there are these two incomprehensible and cardinal evils which doth exceedingly ma● and intercept the obedience of Christians unto this great and precious command of praying without ceasing and they are these two Atheism 〈◊〉 Idolatry too much confidence in our selves and too much leaning to our own understanding which is idolatry it being a visible breach of the first command Thou shale have none other Gods before me Exod. 20. 3. And too little confidence and trusting in God which is our Atheism imploying our selves in all and imploying God in nothing so that our blessed ●ord may propose that inanswerable challenge and question to many of us Hitherto have you ●sked nothing in my Name John 16. 24. And what is this practise but an involving of our ●●lves in that woful curse Cursed be the man ●hat trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm ●hose heart departeth from the Lord Should the living seek the dead and not their God who giveth ●nto all men all things liberally to enjoy Jer. 17. 5. Were we dwelling more under the spiritual 〈…〉 pression of our utter inability impotency ●o save our selves and that compleat ability ●nd infinite power which is in him to help us ●e would bind this precious command of prayer ●s a chain of gold about our neck and make it ●n ornament of grace to our head Prov. 4. 9. We 〈…〉 ould certainly be constrained to cry forth ●ll that the Lord commands us we will do Deut. 〈◊〉 27. And pray that there may be such a heart 〈…〉 ven to us as to have our practice correspon●●nt unto our resolutions O! what a glorious and unspeakable digni 〈…〉 suppose you it to be to be dayly having yo 〈…〉 walk in heaven in those beautifull streets th 〈…〉 are all paved with