Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	contrite_a	humble_a	revive_v	5,567	5	11.6295	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80798	Captivity improved to spiritual purposes. Or spiritual directions, given to prisoners of all sorts whether debtors or malefactors Principally designed for the use of those who are prisoners in those prisons which are under the jurisdiction of the city of London, as Newgate, Ludgate, the Counters, &c. Though also applyable to others under the like circumstances else where. To which are annexed directions to those who have their maintenance and education at the publick charge, as in Christ-Church hospital, or cure, as in St. Bartholomew's and St. Thomas's, or reducement to a more thrifty course of life, as in Bridewel, or have been happily restored to their former sense[ ] as in Bethleem, alias Bedlam.	Cressy, Edmund.	1675 (1675)	Wing C6889A; ESTC R230962	54,833	136

think it not safe to handle that point in a Treatise which will be read both by the condemned and reprieved But judge it more prudent to leave the Conduct of the souls of dying men in that particular to those Ministers that shall visit them near the approaches of their death For the supply of which in such cases I suppose there is some provision made in all places of this Nation but in this City very plentifully They have a particular Minister allotted to them whose duty it is wholly to attend this affair to his assistance there are allotted by the order of the Honourable the Court of Aldermen and upon the motion of the Right Worshipful the present Sheriffs the Ministers of Ludgate and both the Counters and Diverse other Ministers of this City out of their Pious compassion towards them very frequently contribute their spiritual aids who may privately Minister to them such comfort as their condition is capable of without danger of occasioning presumption and spiritual security to other Malefactors who at such times are not within hearing But such other considerations as I may safely let down without this danger I shall here insert First The condemned Malefactor ought humbly to confess his sins and this when accompanied with other requisites of repentance has a promise of pardon So we have it expressed by the beloved Disciple St. John 1. 9. If we confess our sins he is Faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness So in Hosea 14. 2. Take to you words that is of confession and supplication and turn to the Lord your God say unto him take away all iniquity and receive us graciously so will we render the Calves of our lips For this pardon upon a true and sincere confession Solomon depends by Faith in his Prayer at the Dedication of the Temple 2 Chronicles 6. 36 37 39. If they sin against thee for there is no man that sinneth not and thou be angry with them and they turn and pray unto thee and say we have sinned we have done amiss we have dealt wickedly then hear thou from the Heavens even from thy dwelling place their Prayer and their supplication and forgive thy People which have sinned against thee and that Faith that Solomon had in this Prayer of his was founded upon that promise which we find in Lev. 26. 40. 42. If they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their Fathers with the trespass that they have trespassed against me and that also they have walked contrary unto me Then will I remember my Covenant That is his Covenant of mercy and forgiveness And suitably to the Faith of Soloman and the promise of God David found it Psalm 32. 5. I acknowledged my sin unto thee says he there and my iniquity have I not hid I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin And where the sin against God is complicated with injustice towards men as in condemned Malefactors it always is there it is requisite that the sinner confess to men and shew his Zeal against unrighteousness by discovering the combinations of wickedness that he hath been acquainted with for it is hardly conceivable that they thoroughly repent of their unrighteousness who at their death desire it should go unobserved and unreformed and unpunished in others Secondly These confessions where they are accepted with God are always accompanied with a deep sorrow and contrition of Spirit for those sins that we acknowledge otherwise they are Hypocritical but together with this they are often a sacrifice acceptable to God Psal 51. 16 17. For thou desirest not Sacrifice else would I give it thee thou delightest not in burnt offerings the Sacrifices of God are a broken and contrite Spirit a broken and a contrite Heart ô God thou wilt not despise And so to the same effect we find it in the Prophet Isaiah ch 57. v. 15. For thus saith the high and the Holy one that inhabiteth eternity whose name is Holy I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a pure and contrite Spirit to revive the Spirit of the humble to revive the heart of the contrite ones Thirdly To that repentance that will find pardon there ought to be joyned a forsaking of sin and we are to explain the place before cited 1 St. John 1. 9. by that other place from whence it seems to be taken Prov. 28. 13. He that covereth his sins shall not prosper but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy And by this the Scripture every where describes saving repentance calling it a turning from our evil ways returning from the folly of the wicked to the wisdom of the righteous cleansing our hands and purifying our hands with many other expressions importing a thorough reformation of the whole man in life and heart and lip many parts of which because they are always wanting in the late conversion of old Transgressours the above mentioned Divines have very much doubted of the efficacy of such a death-bed repentance to the great intents of mercy and pardon and if it be said sincere intentions are often accepted by God instead of performances it is possible it may be as difficult to distinguish between the integrity Hypocrisie of mens purposes as between the truth and falseness of their conversion and therefore it is more prudent to leave the decision of such questions to the Oral solution of such Divines as shall either out of Duty or Christian Charity visit them then to deliver it in Printed rules where it may be read by those who have more need to be pressed to a speedy Conversion then be perswaded of the efficacy of a late repentance Fourthly After such acts of confession and contrition and repentance as the condition of the Malefactors is capable of let them cast themselves upon God by a holy Faith and reliance mixed with fear and trembling both these conjoyned are and neither of these single is suitable to the condition of these condemned sinners They ought to have a Faith in the mercy of God as sufficient to pardon the greatest sinners that return according to the terms of the Gospel for else it were in vain to pray to God if we thought him wholly inexorable but this Faith of theirs ought to be joyned with a holy trembling for fear lest their repentance should not be such as God will accept and lest their preparations should not be according to the Preparation of the Sanctuary or else their Faith may soon degenerate into presumption Where the first is wanting men run into despair This seems to be the sin of Cain who said as it is in the marginal interpretation of our Bibles and suitable enough to the signification of the Hebrew verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there used My iniquity is greater then that it may be forgiven This seems to be the sin of Judas he knew he had