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
A81043	A briefe discourse touching a broken heart In which the nature, causes, and signes of it are solidly treated of; as also, its acceptablenesse to God; together with many other motives pressing us to labour after the procurement of it, and the means leading thereunto: Being the summe and substance of certain sermons preached by Mr. Daniel Carwardine, late minister of Eling in the county of Middlesex. And since his death put forth by S.R. a friend of his. Whereunto is annexed, a confession of faith by Mr. Samuel Rowles, late fellow of Trinity-Colledge in Cambridge. And now minister of Thistleworth in the county of Middlesex.	Carwardine, Daniel, b. 1600 or 1601.; Rowles, Samuel, fl. 1652.	1652 (1652)	Wing C720; ESTC R230173	37,786	142

him who is of an humble and contrite spirit to revive him which reviving presupposeth drooping and sadnesse The soule that is not cast downe with sorrow needes no reviving But every kinde of sorrow is not the brokennesse of heart here spoken of but onely that kinde of sorrow which we spake of even now namely sorrow for sinne There is a sorrow called worldly sorrow or heart breaking which is said to worke death God hath no pleasure in seeing his people breake their hearts after such a fashion nay he hath commanded that in respect of outwards men should be so far from breaking their hearts with sorrow that they should mourne as if they mourned not But godly sorrow which is said to work repentance never more to be repented of that is the brokenness of heart here commended as may appeare from Isa 57.15 where a broken heart is twice in one verse joyned with an humble heart as being convertible termes I dwell with him that is of an humble and contrite spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and contrite Now you know that great trouble of spirit occasioned by outward crosses is not true humility for such affliction of spirit may stand with great pride and great hardnesse of heart yea it may arise from pride By how much more proud the heart is by so much more will it rage and take on when it meetes with opposition like waves that swell and roare and dash themselves in pieces against those rocks which stand in their way If you looke also into the 66 chapter of Isaiah vers 2. there are two passages in that verse which doe manifest that by brokennesse of heart must needs be meant sorrow for sin and not any other kind of sorrow A broken heart is there called a poore spirit and a spirit which trembleth at the word of God To him will I looke that is poore and of a contrite spirit that trembleth at my word Now a man may be much broken with afflictions and yet be farre from that poverty of spirit to which Christ pronounceth the blessing Blessed are the poore in spirit A mans heart may be as much lifted up within him when he is poore naked in outward respects as if he were rich and full and wanted nothing It is onely a true sight of sinne which can work true poverty of spirit So whereas a contrite heart is said to tremble at the word of God you know that is usually a fruit of mens being sensible of their sinnes and not of outward troubles to make them tremble at the word of God Thus have we proved to you that by brokennesse of heart is meant a true and godly sorrow for sinne Come we now to shew you more particularly wherein this brokennesse of heart doth consist which is as followeth It doth consist first in a thorow conviction of the ugly nature of sin I call that a thorow conviction of the uglinesse of sinne whereby men are not onely inclined to thinke of sinne as an ugly deformed thing but are altogether perswaded that it is so and doe no more question it then they question the uglinesse of any thing which is abominable to the eye or against which they have a natural antipathy As those that have a natural antipathy against any kind of creatures c. Or rather we may describe a thorow conviction thus namely it is such a conviction of the loathsomenesse of sin as is effectual to perswade with men to endeavour the forsaking of it Observe that we doe define brokennesse of heart to consist in a thorough conviction not meerly of the dangerousnesse of sin or evil consequences thereof but in conviction of the ugly nature of sinne as it is contrary to the holy nature and righteous law of God see a text for this purpose namely Iob. 42.51.6 I have heard of thee with the hearing of the eare but now mine eye seeth thee therefore doe I abhor my selfe and repent in dust and ashes That which made Iob abhor himselfe was the sight of God and how did that doe it why thus the more he beheld God the more he did observe his own contrariety to God by reason of sinne whence sprung that selfe abhorrence of his And this is the first particular wherein brokennesse of heart consists Secondly It consists in true mourning for sinne They goe about to divide betwixt things that are inseparable who say their hearts are affected with a true hatred of sinne and yet are not broken with reall sorrow for sinne Hatred of sinne and sorrow for the commission of it doe alwayes goe together In the 12 of Zachariah vers 10. you have the repentance or broken heartednesse of the Jewes which is there prophecyed of thus described They shall tooke upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourne for him as one mourneth for his only Son and shall be in bitternesse for him as one that is in bitternesse for his first borne Thirdly in shame of heart and soul that we have sinned Shamefulnesse in respect of sinne doth constantly attend broken heartednesse yea our being ashamed of sinne doth much helpe to breake our hearts for sinne See what is said of broken-hearted Ephraim Ier. 31 19. After I was instructed I smote upon my thigh I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did beare the reproach of my youth Broken-hearted sinners reflect upon the dayes of their vanity before conversion as a great reproach to them They blush to thinke what they were before God called them I was a blasphemer a persecutor an injurious person doubtlesse with no small shame he speaks it If one that were afterwards a great personage advanced to some great preferment had formerly been a scullion or kitchin boy how ashamed would he be to be told of it yea if he did but thinke of the meane offices which he had done in his time it would much abash him especially if he were a man of a proud spirit So broken hearted sinners when they call to minde what base drudges they have beene to sin and Satan what sordid worke they have been imployed in by them formerly it filleth them with shame and confusion of face not because their spirits are proud for this is not pride in them but because they are raised up to a holy disdaine and contempt of sinne as of that which is the greatest badge of dishonour that can cleave to them Noble personages are not more ashamed of having their bloud stained by treason then broken hearted sinners are of those staines of sinne which have cleaved to them Nor are they onely ashamed of the dayes of their vanity but also of the vanity of their present dayes c. Fourthly broken heartednesse consisteth in selfe-denyall and resolution to forsake sinne for the time to come A broken heart is alwayes a selfe-denying heart and it must needes be so because broken hearted persons are very sensible of their own unworthinesse and consequently apt to

us good and which is worst of all it shuts Heaven gate against it which three things are most true concerning it if by a hard heart you understand a heart not in the least truly broken for sinne c. Come we to the second sort of motives which we promised to speake of namely such as are taken from the benefit and usefulnesse of a broken heart The benefits of a soft heart are as follow 1. A soft heart is fit to receive any Grace as soft wax is fit to receive any impression Metal being softned by fire is fit to be wrought in such manner as the artificer doth desire to have it When God is about to stampe his image upon the soule of a man the worke of grace I meane his manner is to prepare the heart thereunto by breaking and softning of it with the power of spirituall conviction As those we read of in the Acts who were pricked at heart which is the first good we heare of them It is said of the spirit that he shall convince first of sinne and then of righteousnesse As ground is prepared to receive the seed by being first ploughed and broken up so likewise is it with the hearts of men It is said That the humble God will teach God makes men teachable by humbling them and then he teacheth them Thou bindest man in cords of affliction and sealest up instruction to him why then namely because men are usually most humble and broken in a time of affliction and therefore most teachable at such a time Now it is a great matter to have our hearts fit to receive good as Scripture counts fitnesse because such a heart is neare unto good good doth as it were lye at the doore of such a heart Many mercies are long comming because the heart is long in fitting to receive them And it is the manner of God in dispensing of mercies first to look that the heart be made fit to receive them as a wise Physitian will not give strong physick till he have prepared the body of his patient for it A smith will not strike his iron till he have first made it hot and so capable of impression from his blow Though God could perfect severall kinds of worke in an instant yet it is his manner to doe things gradually as first to fit men for mercies and then to bestow mercies upon them humble your selves under the mighty hand of God that he may lift you up in due time If God give men good things before such time as they are fit for them he gives them usually in wrath and not in mercy for their hurt and not for their good It is therefore a great benefit to have our hearts fit to receive good So much of the first motive 2. God will take up his abode in thy heart if it be an humble heart yea Christ will come and the spirit will come and take up their abode in thy heart if it be a soft heart Isa 57.15 Thus saith the high and holy one I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of an humble and contrite heart to revive the heart of the contrite ones Now this is an expression which speakes much intimacy and nearnesse for God to say that he dwells with them that are of an humble spirit It is a steppe towards familiarity to dwell in the same towne a further steppe to dwel the next doore to any neighbour but beyond either of these to dwell in the same house with any friend how happy would a sick man think himselfe if he had an able Physitian dwelling constantly in the house with him so as to be alwayes at hand when he hath any occasion to make use of him God dwels with broken hearted sinners for that very end that he may revive them If any friend in whose company you take great delight so much indeed that you are not well without him should say well rather then you shall be melancholly for want of my company I will even come dwell with you for altogether would you not count it a great priviledge how much greater priviledge is it to have God and Christ and the spirit dwel with us Oh! who would lose such a priviledge rather then be at the paines to breake a hard heart 3. An humble a soft heart is in the best capacity to be freed from sinne Looke how it is with the ground whilest it is hard and fast bound with frost there is no getting up the weedes if you would ever so faine but when the raine descends upon it and softens it then you may pluck them up with ease Sinne is bound up in the hearts of men whose hearts are hard as weedes are bound in the ground in frosty weather but when it waxeth soft it may be plucked up by the rootes God doth sometimes suffer sinne to continue in greater strength and vigour in the hearts of his people then it otherwise should on purpose to humble them as knowing that nothing can be matter of greater humiliation to a gracious heart then the power and strength of sin within it Some thinke that by the messenger of Sathan which was sent to buffet Paul that he might not be puffed up with revelations we are to understand some sinne whereunto he was tempted as a meanes to keep him humble seeing then it is the manner of God sometimes to break the hearts of good men by suffering their sinnes to remaine in a great measure unsubdued as some good men that are subject to violent passion pensivenesse and discontent of spirit broken heartednesse must needes make way for the delivering men from the Tyranny of their sins for if you take away the cause of sins continuance in good men which is oftimes the want of due humiliation and brokennesse of heart the effect will follow 4. A soft heart is fit to receive all sorts of good things John the Baptist is said to have prepared the way of Christ now you know the great Doctrine which John insisted upon was repentance or broken heartednesse as being very preparatory to the great worke of Christ which was to binde up the broken hearted and to proclaime liberty to the captives to bring the glad tidings of salvation into the world Tidings of pardoning grace is most acceptable and welcome to a broken heart A broken heart is fit for comfort counsell mercy grace and indeed what not that is truely good If you would know in what respect a broken heart is most fit for any kinde of good take this briefe account of it 1. A broken heart stands in the most need of mercy as comfort c. A man is then most fit for meate and drinke when he is most hungry and thirsty and so stands in the greatest neede of it He that hath not so good an appetite is not so fit to eate 2. A soft heart is in the least danger of getting hurt by mercies of being spoiled with kindnesse

A Briefe DISCOURSE TOUCHING A Broken Heart In which the nature causes and signes of it are solidly treated of as also its acceptablenesse to God Together with many other motives pressing us to labour after the procurement of it and the means leading thereunto Being the summe and substance of certain Sermons preached by Mr. Daniel Carwardine late Minister of Eling in the County of Middlesex And since his death put forth by S. R. a friend of his Whereunto is annexed A CONFESSION OF FAITH by Mr. Samuel Rowles late Fellow of Trinity-Colledge in Cambridge And now Minister of Thistleworth in the County of Middlesex London Printed by E. G. for J. Rothwell and are to be sold at his shop on the North-side of Pauls 1652. To the Reader Christian Reader THis little Treatise if thou wilt please to peruse it as thou soon mayest hath a very gracious and profitable designe upon thee namely to help forward the great work of softning and breaking thy hard heart that so it may become a Sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour to the great God who delighteth in nothing wherewith the sonnes and daughters of men can present him more then in an humble and contrite spirit I have ventured to call thy heart hard whoever thou art that mayest cast thine eyes upon these lines taking it for a certain truth that the hearts of all the sons and daughters as well of God as of Belial are more or lesse obdurate if you consider them absolutely though the hearts of good men may be called soft in comparison with the hearts of wicked ones or if compared with that greater degree of hardnesse which was sometimes upon themselves even since the time of their conversion Such as doe take themselves to have least need of any helpes and furtherances in order to brokenness of heart it is to be feared have of all men else the most The Church of Laodicea which thought it selfe to have been rich namely in grace and holinesse and increased in riches that is in a growing thriving condition more holy every day then other yea at length so rich as to stand in need of nothing arrived at the very perfection of grace was it should seem in the account of God wretched miserable poore blind naked Revel 3.17 usually by how much richer any man is in spirituals by so much poorer he is in spirit and by how much poorer in spirit by so much richer in spirituall substance If I may measure thy wheat by my Bushell as Solomon gives me leave to doe Prov. 27.19 As in the water face answereth to face so the heart of a man to man I say according to that maxime of Solomon I can tell thee by the hardnesse of my own heart that there is some of that bitter root of obdurateness springing up in thine I would not doe thee so much wrong not knowing of thee nor being ever able to know thy heart as to say that there is so much of it in thy heart as in my own But how little soever it is you know what the Scripture saith touching leaven A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump so it is with the leaven of heart-hardnesse If thou look not to it in time what our Saviour saith concerning Mustardseed Matth. 13.31 thou wilt finde true in relation to hardness of heart Mustardseed saith he is the least of all seed but when it is grown it is the greatest of al herbs and becommeth a tree so that the birds of the ayre come and lodge in the branches thereof Hardness of heart is at the first one of the least sinnes not in respect of nature but degree for men doe set upon great sinnes at the first with tenderish reluctant consciences and softish hearts hardness of heart being usually introduced not meerely by the hainousness of one sinne once committed but by frequency and custome in sinning but afterwards it grows up to be as a mighty tree and well it may seeing all sinnes do contribute sap and moysture towards the growth of it and then the birds of the ayre I mean all sorts of soring high flown wickedness doe come and lodge in the branches of it that is to say are welcomed and entertained by means of it When the heart of a man is waxen hard it becomes a very cage of unclean birds an open house keeper to receive all sorts of profane vagabonds If thou art any waies prejudiced against this argument of heart-contrition as too legall which is the usuall form of their Mittimus who doe imprison soul-searching truth in unrighteousness T is legall doctrine say they away with it I say in case thou dost apprehend this doctrine too legall the common imputation cast upon unpleasing truths the ensuing Treatise will sufficiently convince thee of thine error if thou hadst rather part with it then keep it when thou hast light sufficiently whereby to see that it is indeed an error I need not tell thee how frequent a thing it is with Christ and his Apostles in the new Testament to commend encourage and exhort unto humility poverty of spirit unfained repentance godly sorrow all which expressions signifie no other then brokenness of heart and contrition of spirit which some are so loath to heare of and so upon a true account unwilling to come under the influence of those beatitudes benedictions pronounced by ur Lord Iesus Christ Blessed are the poor in spirit Blessed are they that mourne c. Darest thou to lay any thing to the charge of that doctrine which Christ hath not onely justified by his preaching but also crowned with his blessing which also was much in use amongst the Apostles who were exact followers of their Lord and master Christ If God despise not a broken heart but accepts it delights in it and dwels with it take heed of entertaining undervaluing thoughts concerning brokenness of heart Believe it God will despise thee and whatsoever proceedeth from thee if thou despise it What Paul saith in reference unto preaching the Gospel 1 Cor. 9 16. Necessity is laid upon me and woe unto me if I preach not the Gospel we may say the same in reference to brokennesse of heart necessity is laid upon us not a necessity of custom or tradition but of commission and therefore woe unto us if we preach it not See our commission for it Heb. 3.13 Exhort one another daily lest any of you be hardned thorough the deceitfulnesse of sinne Even private Christians are enjoyned to exhort one another for the prevention of hardnes of heart how much more ought the Ministers of the word to doe it yea the text saith it must be done daily and all little enough to keepe our hearts soft which are as subject to be hard as water that is taken of the fire is to waxe cold Reader if thou art desirous to have thy heart spiritually broken for so thou oughtest to be though many doe all they can to keepe their hearts from being broken