Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	day_n	ghost_n	holy_a	6,984	5	5.1861	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B09949	The tree known by its fruits. Or A relation of the sufferings of Oliver Sansom of Boxford, in the county of Barkes, eagerly inflicted upon him through the means of, and by James Anderton priest of Boxford: Whereby it may appear to all people in the parish of Boxford, and elsewhere, where this shall come, who may with moderation peruse it; whether James Anderton do indeed walk in the way of the ministers of Christ, or in the very exact footsteps of the false prophets and deceivers, for hereby is he manifest, if it be lawfull to try him, and judge according to the rule of our saviour Jesus Christ, who hath said unto us, By their fruits ye shall know them, Mat. 7. 15, 16, &c.	Sansom, Oliver, 1636-1710.	1667 (1667)	Wing S686; ESTC R483576	23,631	75

of Distraction were surprized to hear him deliver himself in such Terms and began to enquire of some of us what was the matter that he talked at such a rate who replied We could wish it were Frenzy or Distraction but we were afraid of a much sadder Cause viz. the Sense of Hell and God's Wrath upon him which was so violent as to drive him into Despair and the utmost Agonies and Horror of Mind begging if it might please God the case might be altered before his Death which they were sure could not be far off if he proceeded as he had begun He hearing them whisper and imagining the Cause of it called them all unto him and said You may imagin me distracted or melancholy I wish I were either but it 's part of my Judgment that I am not no my Apprehension of Persons and Things is rather more vigorous and quick than it was when I was in perfect Health And it is my Curse because I am thereby more sensible of my Unhappiness and the Condition I am fallen into Would you be informed why I am become a Skeleton in three or four Days Why my Grief does continually extort some unhappy Expressions from me Know then that I have sinned against the Holy Ghost and done despite to the Spirit of Grace that I have despised my Maker and denied my Redeemer that in short I have apostatized from the Christian Religion and joined my self to the Atheist and Prophane and continued this Course under many Convictions till my Iniquity was ripe for Vengeance and the just Judgment of God overtook me when my Security was the greatest and the Checks of my Conscience the least Since I denied that Salvation that comes by Christ Jesus there is no other Mediator or Intercessor for Sinners if there be who is he that can redeem my Soul from Hell or give a Ransom for my Life No no the Scripture is certainly true and that says That if we sin wilfully after we have received the Knowledg of the Truth there remaineth no more Sacrifice for Sin but a fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery Indignation which shall consume the Adversary There remaineth no more Sacrifice for Sin that 's the Wound that pierces my Soul Christ Jesus was the only expiatory Sacrifice for Sinners that God would accept of and I not accepting I would say and I despising this there now remains no other for me to accept of no other to make an Attonement and Satisfaction for me There 's no other Name under Heaven given whereby we may be saved but by the Name of Jesus and 't is this Jesus that I have Reproached Ridiculed and Abused in his Members here nor is this all I have not been content to do this my self but by my Example have induced others to do the same Methinks your Breasts are all open to me and in the midst o● your Pity and Surprizals yo● would bid me Hope Believe an● Return and Supplicate that Mercy I have abused that Jesus came to save Sinners and to bring them to Repentance with other things o● this nature I know that these are your thoughts and by mentioning them I have saved you the Labour Alas how fain would 〈◊〉 Hope and Believe Can a Man in Torments not desire to be freed from them No assure your selves I would upon any Terms but the Displeasure and Wrath of God obstruct the Power of Hoping and Believing and though I would I can do neither nor do I know what some Divines mean that say He that desires to Hope Repent and Believe in some measures does it I experience the contrary a fruitless Wishing that comes not to Act is no more but a Conviction which shall bring such Persons under greater Damnation Would you have me to Return and Supplicate that Mercy I have Abused Alas how sad is my Case that have no other hopes but what depend upon Abused Mercy But why said I hopes When I have no hopes at all my hopes are frustrate and my expectations are cut off and what remains behind why I am bid to Hope and Believe Oh what Satyr what Mockery and Abuse is this upon me to find me in Misery and bid me be Happy without affording me some power of being so Indeed should Jesus Christ say so much to me it would be some Comfort but for you to do it is the same thing as to bid a Malefactor shake his off Chains and Fetters and assume his Liberty or to call upon the Dead to arise out of their Graves and Challenge their Estates and Honours again How idle is it to bid the Fire not to burn when Fuel is administred to comman● the Seas to be Smooth and Calm i● the midst of Storms such is m● Case and such are the Comfort of my Friends But I 'm spent an● can Complain no more would 〈◊〉 God the Cause of my Complain would also cease the Cause of m● Complaints This renews m● Grief and summons up the litt … strength I have left to Complai● again like an extinguishing Flam● that recollects at once all its Al●mentary Matter for one gre … Blaze before it expires 'T is ju … so with me But whether am I g●ing As he said this he faint away and lay in a sort of Swou●… for a considerable time but by t … help of some Spirits we brought hi● to himself again and as soon as 〈◊〉 opened his Eyes he said Oh cruel and unkind Friends to awake me from a Dream in which I had a Cessation from my Tortures but now they return again and Prey upon my Soul like so many Furies This he spoke with so feeling and lively Concern that not one of his Relations could refrain from Tears none of them being able to speak to him for a considerable time before You weep says he but your very Years come too late was I like another Person that goes out of the World it would be one of my greatest Troubles to see you Weep or at least it would add much to my pains for he must be unnatural and senseless that could not be moved and troubled at the affliction of others especially his Friends and Relations but the Case is otherwise with me my Cup is full and already runs over the bitterness of my Soul is as great as possible it can be in this World and my Heart is full of Horror and Anguish and no Grief can add unto mine being already so great that 't is uncapable of receiving any more Perhaps this may seem a Paradox to you at first but what think you of Time and Eternity Can one add an Hour to Eternity which comprehends and swallows all Time Can one add any thing to the Wrath of God which includes the Fury of Devils and Men this being derivative and dependent on that and can any one add to my Grief and Tortures who am fallen into the hands of the living God No no reserve your Tears for your Sins and

Oh who can stand before him when he is Angry what Stubble can resist such a Consuming Fire This and more to the same purpose he spake with so deep a Concern the Tears trickling all the while down his Cheeks that no Body in the Room could refrain Weeping which he perceiving said And can ye Weep at the image and bare relation of the effects of Gods Wrath what then do you think I suffer who actually lie under the very weight of his Fury Refrain your Tears for me 't is in vain Pity is no Debt to me nothing is so proper for me as some Course to compleat my Misery and free me from the Torments of my Expectation Here he paus'd a little when looking towards the Fire he said Oh that I was to lie and broil upon that Fire for a Hundred Thousand Years to purchase the Favour of God and be Reconciled to him again But 't is a fruitless vain Wish Millions of Millions of Years will bring me no nearer the ends of my Tortures than one Poor Hour O Eternity Eternity who can discover the Abyss of Eternity who can properly Paraphrase upon the Words for Ever and Ever I could not forbear reflecting on that passage of broiling upon the Fire a Hundred Thousand Years to purchase the Favour of God and be again Reconciled to him how unproportionable was this Poor Man's Concern to that of the Common Practice of the World a great part of which will allow no time in Days Weeks Years to seek the Face and Favour of God And amongst those that pretend to Religion How cooly and indifferently do they spend that time they set apart for Private or Publick Devotion Were they sensible but for one Minute of what this Wretched Person endured what a Spur would it be to their Devotion and how careful would they be to make their Calling and Election sure how fearful lest having a Promise made them of entring into Rest any of them should fall short through unbelief and so be frustrated of their share and hopes of that Glory which is to be revealed It began to grow late so I took my leave of him for that Night promising to renew my Visit if it pleased God the next Day when I found him still in the same Condition as to his Mind but his Body was much weakned by his continual Sweats caused by the Agonies he lay under I found Three or Four Divines with him who had been at Prayer which they told me had the same uneasie effect upon him as when I Prayed with him the Night before One of the Divines desired him to consider the Example of St. Peter who had denied his Master with Oaths and Curses and yet was received again into his Favour To which he reply'd officiously against himself as he had done all the Day before 'T is true St. Peter did deny his Master as I have done but what then his Master had Prayed for him that his Faith should not fail and being willing that he should Repent he look'd him into a Repentance and assisted him by his Holy Spirit to perfect it now if Christ would assist me to Repent I should do so too but he hath justly withdrawn his Intercessions from me I have so often Crucified him a fresh and put him to open shame so often grieved that Holy Spirit that God has taken it away from me and in the room thereof has left me the Spirit of Impenitence and Reprobation and given me a certain Earnest of a fearful Inheritance in another Life He spake little more that Day for a deal of Company pressing in it became troublesome to him and towards Night Orders were taken for the avoiding such an Inconvenience There were four more Divines in the Room besides at six a Clock we all look'd upon one another not knowing what course to take no Text being offered in his favour but what he readily turned another way whilst we were thus Musing he Cryed out in a vehement affecting Passion How long oh Lord shall thy Wrath burn for ever against me shall thy Eternal Justice for ever exact upon a poor despicable Worm What is my Value or Worth that thou shouldst pour out full Vials of Wrath upon me Oh that thou wouldst let go thy Hand for ever forget me and let me fall into my first nothingness again as my Righteousness could have profited thee nothing so my Impieties have done thee no hurt therefore Annihilate me and let me Perish to nothing be not Angate with me that I thus Expostulate with thee 't will be but a little time but thy Wrath will force the Dreadfullest Blasphemies from me except thou prevent them Oh that thou wouldst take away my Being and my Misery neither of them can add to or diminish from thy Happiness therefore let them both cease and let my Name be known no more or if I must still be and be Immortal and thou wilt Punish me because I have Despised thee let it suffice to be a Privation of thy Self and let me pass my Eternity in a Dream without ever being awakned by the pangs of Torment without ever being disturbed by the Gnawing of the Worm that Dies not But Oh what fruitless Desires are these for I am Expostulating with a God that has closed his Ears and will not hear with a God that has for ever shut out my Prayers and only protracts my Breath a little longer to be an Example unto others Oh ye Rocks and Mountains that ye would hide me from the presence of an Incensed God! But there 's no flying from his presence what he has begun he will finish he will extend his Wrath against me for ever and ever Here some Body knocked at the Door and it proved to be a Penny-Post-Man with a Letter to this Gentleman which being told him How says he a Letter for me A little longer and I expect another sort of a Messenger I am added he very quickly to give up my Accounts of every secret Action that I have done and I have a mind to make an Experiment of something of the same Nature to see how I can bear it and looking about the Room he espy'd me pray Sir said he do me the favour as to open and read this Letter the Contents I know not but I suspect it to come from some of my old Acquaintance I desired to be excused alledging that possibly there might be something in it that might be improper to divulge Nothing nothing reply'd he can affect me now I have no Honour no Reputation and what 's yet worse no Heaven to lose by this or any other Act therefore pray Sir oblige me or I must trouble some Body else Upon this I broke open the Letter designing first to take a Cursory View of it and then to proceed or desist according as I found the Contents which upon perusal I thought not impertinent to the present Case and therefore Read as follows Dearest Sir UNderstanding you

cast them not away so fruitlesly upon one that is neither the better nor worse for them You may easily imagine what impressions such Sayings as these made upon the Spirits of his Friends who were almost overwhelmed with Grief and Amazement with Grief at the lamentable State of their Kinsman and with Amazement at the dreadful Judgment of God upon him But in the midst of their Sorrows they had the Prudence to think of the Reputation of their Family and to provide for as much Secrecy as they possibly could in such a Case for the Rumor of a Man in Despair beginning to spread they conveyed him by Night to other Lodgings but he was grown so very weak that notwithstanding the Care of those who conveyed him in the Chair it had like to have proved fatal to him for he fainted away several Times but they got him into his Chamber and to Bed as soon as they could After a little Rest he yet found so much strength as to express himself thus I am not concerned to enquire whither you have brought me or your Reasons for so doing it had been something if you had brought my Person hither without my Horrors and accusing Conscience or if you had changed my unhappy State with my Lodgings but my Torments are rather the greater than before for I see that dismal Hour is approaching and just at hand when I shall bid you all a sad Farewel The Doctors that had been with him in the beginning of his Sickness were again sent for and they yet declared they could do nothing so long as the Disturbance of his Mind was the Cause of his Weakness only they ordered him some Cordial Julips which they said might perhaps strengthen his Nature so that he might live two or three Days longer My Business called me away for a Day or two and I came again upon Thursday Morning pretty early the Day of his Death When I came into the Room I enquired of his Friends how he had spent his Time who had been with him what Discourse or Expressions had dropt from him And they told me in general he had little Company and that his Expressions were much shorter than before being now unable to speak many words together yet that what he did speak seemed to have more Horror and Despair in it than formerly Afterwards I went to his Bed-side and saw perfect death in his Face mixt with such Amazement and Anguish that it was the saddest Spectacle I ever saw in all my Life-time I askt him how he did To which he reply'd Damn'd and lost for ever I desired him not to entertain such a Thought the Decrees of God were secret and God might punish him thus in this life to make him fit for a better They are not said he secret to me but discovered for my greater Torment and my Punishment here is for an Example to others and for an Earnest to me of my own Damnation Oh that there was no God or that this God could cease to be for I am sure he will never have Mercy upon me Alas said I there 's no contending with our Creator therefore forbear such words as may provoke him more True reply'd he there 's no contending I wish there were a possibility of getting above God that would be a Heaven to me I entreated him not to entertain such a Blasphemy for Here he interrupted me saying Read we not in the Revelations of those that blasphem'd God because of their pains I am now of that number Oh how do I envy the happiness of Cain and Judas But reply'd I you are yet alive and do not feel the Torments of those that are actually in Hell To which he answer'd This is either true or false if it be true what are my expectations and how heavy will my Torments be if I yet not feel the uttermost But I know that 't is false and that I now endure more than the Spirits of the damn'd in Hell for I have the very same Tortures upon my Spirit as they have besides the Torments I endure in my Body I believe that at the day of Judgment the Torments of my Mind and Body will be both of 'em more intense but as I am now no Spirit in Hell endures what I do How gladly would I change my condition for Hell And how earnestly would I intreat of my angry Judge to send me thither if I was not afraid that he would out of vengeance deny me Here he clos'd his Eyes a little and began to talk idly and besides himself every now and then groaning and gnashing his Teeth but when he open'd his Eyes and lookt about he grew sensible again and felt for his own Pulse saying How lazily my Minutes pass on When will be the last Breath the last Pulse that shall beat my Spirit out of this decay'd Mansion into those desir'd Regions of Death and Hell Oh! I find 't is just at hand and what shall I now say I 'm now afraid again to die Ah the forlorn Hope the destitute State of an Atheist that has no God to go to nothing to fly to for Peace or Comfort Here his Speech fail'd him again and we all believing him to be just a leaving the World went to Prayer which threw him into an Agony in which tho' he could not speak perfectly he made what noise he could to hinder himself from hearing and turn'd away his Face that he might not see the Action which we perceiving we recommended him to the Mercy of God and gave over His Speech return'd not again for a considerable time but he fixt his Ghastly Eyes upon us and by the Air of his Countenance shew'd that we had not a little disoblig'd him And as soon as he cou'd speak he said Tygers and Monsters are ye also become Devils to Torment me and give me a Prospect of Heaven to make my Hell the more intollerable Alas Sir reply'd I what Interest can we have in making you miserable 'T is our desire of your recovery and reconciliation with God that casts us down at the Throne of Grace if we must not seek assistance at the hand of God where else should we seek it If God denies who else can give it If he will not have Mercy whether must we go for it To which he reply'd Ay that 's the Wound God is become my Enemy and there is none so strong as he to deliver me out of his Hand he consigns me over to his Eternal Wrath and Vengeance and there is none that is able to Redeem me Was there another God as Mighty as he who would Patronize my Cause or was I above or Independent of God then I could Act and Dispose of my self as I pleased then would my Horrors cease and the Expectation and Designs of my Formidable Enemy be frustrate but this cannot be for I Here his Voice failed him again and he began to struggle and gasp for a little Breath which having recovered