Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	corruption_n	flesh_n	sow_v	5,273	5	10.3024	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93343	Symptomes of growth & decay to godlinesse in LX. signs of a living and dying Christian. With the causes of decay, and remedies for recovery. / By Francis Smith.	Smith, Francis, fl. 1657-1689.	1660 (1660)	Wing S4030; Thomason E2114_2; ESTC R212664	107,653	255

world and lose his soul Or what shall a man give in Exchange for his soul When such Texts as this is brought home to the conscience it doth so awaken where not willingly withstood that sins hold must needs fall Fifthly The Spirit furnisheth the Christian with spiritual Arguments bearing such force upon his heart as makes him able to break out with such replies as these First All the Devil hath to make an argument of is but present things and they suit not with my person for my person is made up of soul and body and all he offereth doth but respect and serve that body that shortly must be worms-meat and therefore it will not profit me to lose my soul for present things Secondly As all he hath to make an Argument of suits not with my person in like manner it suits not with my condition for if I have all that heart can wish it carries me but to the grave and there leaves me and wo be to me if such works follow me for alas I must be raised again and he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption Sixthly The holy Spirit helps in lending the immediate supplies of new strength proportionable to our straits and will not suffer those that wait on him to be tempted above what they are able to bear but will with the temptation make way to escape that they may be able 1 Cor. 10. 13. Seventhly The holy Spirit helps by striving with the heart to draw it after holy performances following the soul up and down with sweet visits and secret whispers prompting and inclining it God-ward preparing a season for the heart to draw nigh God and then preparing the heart for that season The Spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered Rom. 8. 26. May not all this teach us to put a high value upon the holy Spirits Help to the great work of Mortification by all means striving to please and not grieve this holy Spirit by which we are sealed to the day of Redemption Having now spoken of the holy Spirits help may not some from hence inquire what may be done to the obtaining not only its visits now and then as a wafaring man that tarrieth for a night but its constant company to abide with the soul Answ There may be three Directions laid down briefly for its obtaining with three Directions for its keeping First for its obtaining Get a deep sense of its want and worth Secondly Get longings of heart after its supply Thirdly Make humble supplications to the Father for it First Get a deep sense of its want and worth it s Jesus Christs own argument that the world cannot receive this Spirit because it seeth him not neither knoweth him John 14. 17. Now by personal examination of that souls barrenness where the holy Spirit either comes but seldome or stayes not long may some considerable sense of its want be discerned and consequently of its worth all those black sinful works acted by the sons of men are the effects of the holy Spirits absence and indeed to what degree a good man is a stranger here to that degree he is weak an unable either to make right judgment of the best things or to withstand the temptations and vexatious assaults of the evil one and although a man be thus destitute where the holy Spirit is wanting yet can there be no expectation of his company till a deep sense both of its want and worth affect the heart to the rendring the soul capable of setting a valuable estimation of its company Secondly for its obtaining Get longings of heart after its supply breathings and pantings from a sense of its want bastens its coming a foul that goeth sadly up and down all the day long sick as it were of love for its frequent visits to revive comfort and strength and to discover its own wants and the tempters wiles making the soul taller by head and shoulders than those temptations that frequently attend it saying with David As the Hart panteth after the water brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God My soul thirsteth for the living God when shall I come and appear before thee Or be filled with supplies from thee Psal 42. 1 2. Thirdly for its obtaining Make humble supplications to the Father for it not only sick of love with the Spouse but also panting and thirsting with David yet rests not here but is again and again upon its knees with humble hearty supplications to God even the Father like the thirsty traveller that going from Fountain to Fountain from means to means till he get what his soul travelleth after when Jesus Christ were about to leave the Disciples this was one of the last Legasies he gave them And I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever John 14. 16. If ye being evil know how to give good gifts to your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him Luke 11. 13. In the second place we may offer three Directions in order to the sure keeping the holy Spirits company or holding constant fellowship and dear inward intimate familiarity with so happy a companion First A constant withstanding the beginnings of all evil Secondly A ready complyance with new motions to all good Thirdly A retaining in the heart a high value of its company First A constant withstanding the beginnings of all evil is that which will wonderfully engage the Spirits company when you crush sin in its least and first motion Now the dearest of Gods Children are lyable to temptation and it is not their sin to be tempted to sin Jesus Christ was tempted to sin their sin lyeth in closing with the temptation but if instead of closing with it you do in the Spirits strength constantly oppose it mistake me not here I pray you a constant opposing sin doth not intend less than these three things First A firm withstanding the very first least motion even a glance as it were at the eye ear or thought to sin Abstain from all appearance of evil 1 Thes 5. 22. Secondly As the first least motion so in all cases and conditions whether the temptation set upon you when ye are full or hungry sick or well strong or weak rich or poor in affliction or out of affliction it will be coming with new assaults in all conditions waiting to kill you by a Goliah or Bathshebah temptations more piercing or more pleasing Constant intends a withstanding here Thirdly Constant intends continual Blessed is the man that endureth temptation Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a Crown of life James 1. 12. Revel 2. 10. Secondly A second Help to retain the holy Spirit may be this A ready complyance with new motions to all good it