Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
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A01456
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The way to heauen In a sermon deliuered at Saint Maries Spittle on Wednesday in Easter weeke the 27. of March. 1611. By Samuel Gardiner, Doctor of Diuinitie.
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Gardiner, Samuel, b. 1563 or 4.
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1611
(1611)
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STC 11582; ESTC S115875
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39,861
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90
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of Leuiathan and display their Banners of Hostilitie against vs whereby through the malice that is in their heartes and the might that is in their handes they often get the vpper hand of vs or if they winne vs not at the least they wearie vs and therefore are inforced to flee vnto God as to our Citie of refuge Heere commeth in the eight effect of Predestination Jnuocation on the name of God that by his right hand and holy arme wee may haue the victorie For this is the propertie of the Spirit which the Elect haue to prouoke them to pray 〈◊〉 â— 16 Wee know not how to pray but the spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed Gal 4.6 And because wee are Sonnes God hath sent foorth the Spirit of his Sonne into your heartes which cryeth Abba Psal 50.15 Father It is the will of God wee should Call vpon him in the time of trouble and he promiseth to heare vs. 9. From these premisses proceedeth the ninth propertie of Predestination which is Peâ—â—ence and perpetuall compunction for our dayly and deadly sinnes an vnwearisome wish of proceeding in Pietie so as in this respect onely wee desire our dissolution to be with Christ that the end of our life might make an end of the life of sinne That this is incident to all the Elect the Apostle thus speaking in the name of all the Elect vnto vs thus witnesseth O wretched man that J am Rom. 7.24 Phil. 1.23 who shall deliuer mee from the body of this death As in this wish that else where he maketh I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ. 10. This nynth is the breeder of this tenth effect which is a seruent affection to Christs second comming to set an ende to our sorrowes and sinnes and to perfect and consummate his Kingdome That this is the Godly minde of the Elect Saint â— a l teacheth vs where hee telleth vs of them 2. Tim. 4.8 That they loue his glorious comming This is the Resâ—râ—â—bilis Eccho that Saint John giueth Apo. 22.17 20. answere the voice of the Bride-groome and Spouse Mat. 6.10 Euen so come Lord Jesus It is the poynt of Prayer Christ teacheth vs in his prescribed coppie of Prayer Psal 50.15 Thy Kingdome come 11. Now because such as pray thus vnto God are also heard according to his word of promise vnto them Rom. 5.3 Thou shalt call vpon me in the time of trouble and I will heare thee Hence is it manifest that the eleuenth effect of predestination is our Comfort and Ioy that wee haue in tribulations thus described by Saint Paul Rom. 8.28 Wee reioyce in tribulations Knowing that tribulation bringeth forth patience And so a recouerie of our selues and a new life So that it falleth out to the best come what can come to those that are Elect For the Elect albeit they yeeld sometimes in the playne field in their Spirituall skirmish yet because by and by they haue helpe from Heauen of Christ they arise with great Spirits and they runne the Battle against Sinne and Sathan and all the vnited troopes of Temptations of Hostile affections continuing the Warres till they haue wonne the Fielde as certaine in themselues of the Conquest and the Crowne 12. This certaintie is the twelfe testimonie of our predestination to all felicitie common to all the companie of the Elect this is the consequent and conclusion of the Apostle What shall wee say to these things Math. 24.24 Jf God be on our side who can be against vs And hence is it that the Lord Iesus giueth vs this comfort that not by the comming of Antichrist himselfe and all his illusions the Elect can be illuded 13. Now from hence breaketh out the last benefite of God effect of our Election that is Perseuerance in the Fayth and confession of Christ consorted with a minde to an holy life and a desire to set out Gods glorie This gift goeth in common among all the Elect according to promise in Prophecie by Jeremie I will giue my feare into theyr heartes that they depart not from mee But now if the testimonie of Gods spirit hath not such strength and vertue in the Elect as to secure them in this case then may they iudge of their Election by that other effect of the Holy ghost in our Spirites namely Sanctification as wee vse to iudge by Heate that there is Fire when we can not see the Flame it selfe Our Spirit performeth testimonie two wayes to our certaine Election 1. By inward Tokens in it selfe 2. By outward Fruites The inward Tokens are of two sortes 1. Such as respect our Sinnes 2. Such as respect the Mercie of God in Christ The first are in respect of sinnes past present or to come The signe in the Spirit which concerneth sinnes past is godly sorrow which is a pricking in the heart caused by an inward feeling of Gods wrath and of damnation that ensueth discerned and distinguished from a secular sorrow by these symptomes and signes 1. A care to leaue our sinnes 2. An accusation that we take out with our selues against them 3. A griefe and vexation that we are in for them 4. A feare of our future relapse into them 5. A desire of Gods strength assistance against theÌ„ 6 Zeale to all seruices of pietie contrarie to all our former iniquities 7. A godly reuenge we take of our bodies in subduing them to the spirit This sorrow is in some more in some lesse God out of his wisedome laying out to euery one his portion best fitting with his condition and sufficient to saluation in the least proportion as a Pinne or Needle serueth sometimes to let out the corruption of a running soare aswell as a Knife and Launcer 2. The Token which is in regard of sinnes present is the combate betweene the Flesh and the Spirit proper to them that are regenerate who are partly Flesh and partly Spirit Betweene these two enemies there is no equalitie but the Flesh sometimes in meaâ—ure exceedeth the Spirit The Flesh resembling vast Goliah and the Spirit litle Dauid I compare the Spirit to litle Dauid because the measure is but litle that we haue in this life Rom. 8.23 For heere wee receiue but the First fruites of the Spirit Wee may not looke for the fulnesse thereof before the life to come yet the efficacie and power of the Spirit is so great as it may ordinarily preuaile against the Flesh For the Flesh receiueth her deadly wound sodainely in the very nicke and moment of our conuersion and euer after languisheth and pineth away and therefore it fighteth but as a maymed Souldier and the Spirit is continually strengthned and confirmed by the Spirit of God And it is aâ—il and Iouial and the vertue thereof is like Muske one graine whereof is more fragrant and redolent then many ounces of other Spices and Confections 3. The Token that respect
it beeing further confirmed vnto vs vnder the Signet of the blood of the Lambe An inferiour Witnesse by farre might haue serued sufficiently for the perswasion of this matter As an Angell from Heauen addressed to Man and dispatched to our Forefathers in the times of oldâ— Nay If a King out of his Throne should commende a Man what Subiect durst oppose himselfe to that opinion Now if wee receiue the testimonie of Angell or Man that is great The testimonie of God is greater as the supremest essence our best Schoolemaister that teacheth vs to pray that holdeth vp such as pray by the head by the hand of his promises That is as good as his word and keepeth his promise for euer that witnesseth the same by his inward motions and operation in our heartes An Angell for all his Spirituall intelligence 1. Cor. 2.10 must not compare in any sort with the holy ghost in knowledge of the vâ—â—earchable secrets of God The Holy Ghost can lesse deceiue vs Ioh. 16.13 then an Angell as beeing the vncreated trueth it selfe which leadeth into all trueth Moreouer the testimonie he perfourmeth is beyonde all comparison because it resteth not in the care so to runne into the ayre but keepeth residence in our Reynes and Veines hath a Chayer in our heartes witnessing to our Spirits that we are the Children of God by speaking shewing foorth his power and by praying in vs. Adde heereto that this Spirit hath indiuiduall commerce with our Spirit neuer departeth from vs Hee taketh not vp the Temples of our bodyes as an Inne for a short time and be gone but as an House wherein he is minded to continue assuming to himselfe the whole regiment of them as a Lord that commeth to dwell in an House disposeth of that House after his owne pleasure Now as touching his Substaunce hee dwelleth not in vs the infinite Spirit of God being not to be cooped vp in the narrow and straight Roomes of the Bodie and Soule of man but onely in his operatiue power with vs hee keepeth his residence The Papistes vildly derogate from the sufficiencie of this Testimonie while they mince and minish it alter their owne manner while they frame in the forge of their Fancies this deuise that this Witnesse of our Adoption is onely in some comfortable sense and feeling of Gods fauour being such as is weake and oft times deceiueable But by their leaue it is much more then a bare and naked feeling of Gods sauour For it is called in holy Scripture The Pledge and Earnest of Gods Spirit in our heartes 2. Cor. 1.22 and therefore it is sufficient to preuent and take away all arguments of doubting as in a Bargaine and stipulation the Earnest that is giuen is the binder of the Bargaine on both sides and makes it out of queâ—tion Bernard sayth That the Testimonie of the Spirit is a most sure Testimonie As concerning this Testimonie of the Spirit of God two Qâ—estions would be scanned 1. How it may be distinguished from the Spirit of Illusion that is from presumption 2. By what meanes the Spirit of God giueth a particuler testimonie in a Mans conscience of his certaine election 1. For the first wee are to know that as there is a certaine perswasion of Gods fauour from the Spirit of God So Sathan hath his sleightes whereby he soweth Pillowes of Presumption to mens Elbowes suggesting pleasinges and leasings vnto vs. This Presumption commeth to vs by kind as wâ— are men as a naturall and ineuitable euill which hath a shew of Fayth but denieth the power of it And this counterfeite-mocke qualitie of pretended Fayth is more common then the true and liuely Fayth indeed This wee see dayly in the common carelesse people For if any of them shall be asked what they thinke of themselues whether they shall be saued or no they will wipe their mouths with their Handkerchiefe and say yea without all doubt so that if there were but few in the Countrie to be saued they perswade themselues that themselues are those persons For why he hath alwayes orderly kept his Church euermore beleeued and haue done no man wrong These and such like misfashioned Fancies easily with such vnskilfulnesse goe for good and lawfull Fayth But such mâ—n would be vnmasked and this Mâ—ster that couereth their eyes and lead them blindfold is to be taken from them Wherefore I answere to the Question That the Spirit of God is many wayes to be decerned from the Spirit of Presumption 1. First by a full perswasion the spirit of God giueth for the holy Ghost doth not barely word it but throughly worketh it by force of perswasion which is not in the power of Nature so to doe 2. Secondly by the manner of Perswasion for the holy Ghost disputeth not from the workes or worthinesse of man he draweth not the waters of life vnto vs from such shallow Welles but he draweth deeper then euer Iacobs Well was euen from the profound and bottomlesse Fountaine of Gods loue and fauour towardes vs and no other kind of Logicke doth he vse with vs. This is a course that Sathan can not skill on he hath no will vnto it it is quite crosse and contrarie vnto him 3. Thirdly by the effects of that Testimonie For the Perswasion that ariseth from Presumption is cold and dead but that which hath descense from the Spirit of God is liuely in operation for such as are possessed with this Perswasion that they are the Elected Adopted Children of God they will loue God repose their trust in him call vpon his name that with theâ—r whole heartes and in regard of their loue to him they will loath sinne and euery thing else that agreeth not with his will The Effectes whereby wee know the true Spirit from the counterfeit are two noted downe by Paul where he sayth The Spirit maketh vs cry Abba that is Father The first is to pray with such intention of Minde and contention of Sinnewes and Sides with groanes and sighes as though a man would fill Heauen and Earth A principall knowne marke of the Spirit of Adoption neuer to be found in the Presumptuous rechlesse sort who pray but at Good times and when they pray they heare not their Prayers their Spirit dieth in the Ayre before it can pierce the Cloudes and ascend vp to Heauen where God is The Church hath their Bodyes but their Heartes are at home They bleat out the Lords Prayer the Creede and ten Commandements with their lippes but their God is their Gold their mindes are on their Mony-bagges or else they wander in their extrauagant thoughts as the Prodigall Sonne In longinquâ—m regionem in a farre Countrie They pray as though their heartes and tongues were strangers drawing neere him with their lippes but standing along aloofe off with their heartes praying in the meane while leauing their Spirit asleepe or if they awake it they leaue it as Christ did his Disciples for the