Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	dead_a	life_n	quicken_v	5,491	5	10.4511	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A92854	The humbled sinner resolved what he should do to be saved. Or Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ the only way of salvation for sensible sinners. Discovering the quality, object, acts, seat, subject, inseparable concomitants and degrees of justifying faith. The agreement and difference of a strong and weak faith; the difficulty of beleeving, the facility of mistake about it, and the misery of unbelief. The nature of living by faith, and the improvement of it to a full assurance. Wherein several cases are resolved, and objections answered. / By Obadiah Sedgwick, Batchelour in Divinity and late minister of the Gospel in Covent Garden.	Sedgwick, Obadiah, 1600?-1658.	1657 (1657)	Wing S2375; Thomason E900_1; ESTC R203520	234,690	315

it is the will of man which doth take and receive Christ but it is Gods Spirit who doth bestow that grace of faith by which he doth take and receive That a man hath a will none can deny who know that they are men Nay and that the will is able to send out its own actions it is willingly confessed but infinite is the difference 'twixt the naturall actions of the will and the supernatural qualities and operation of Gods Spirit in the will It is true a dead carcase is able of it self to send forth a stinking smell but it is not able to quicken and enliven it self That the will can will I grant but that the will can of it self enliven it self to that great part of life I meane believing it is not only a vehement injury and dishonour to the fountaine and freenesse of grace but also a most foolish and senselesse error the will of man being naturally so opposite to believing and believing being an act so every way unsutable and disproportionable to the inclination and ability of the will No verily faith in God comes from God and so faith in Christ from Christ none ever could see Christ in a justifying and saving way who had not that eye of faith put into him by the Spirit of Christ No grace cōe● from any but the God of Grace Vnto you it is given to believe Phil. 1. 29. SECT II. THe subject of this faith is a sensible sinner I do not as yet speak of the immediate subject of inhesion which respects Subjectum those parts of the soul wherein this grace is seated of this I shall speak anon But of the subject of denomination and this subject is a sensible sinner There are two sorts of sinners Two sorts of sinners 1. Some generally corrupted both in their natures and in their lives and they are as unsensible as they ere sinfull They do not know in any powerfull degree of true reflection and feeling their own vilenesse accursednesse and miserablenesse of persons being so and remaining so in an unsensible condition of sinfulnesse I dare confidently affirme that though they may have most able and strong presumptiors yet they have not as yet the least degree of justifying and saving faith How can any man by Faith look upon Jesus Christ as his Physitian who is whole in his own opinion The unsensible sinner as he cannot close with Christ so he will not care for Christ for what should now move such an heart is it this holinesse of Christs person Good Lord How ridiculous is that motive to a profane and gracelesse heart or is it the sutablenesse of Christs Office Why what is Salvation to him by another who as yet sees no ground or reason of condemnation in himself 2. Others sensibly experienced who know thus much that they in particular are sinful and there is no Salvation no hope of it from themselves but it is to be found onely in Jesus Christ I confesse there are severall degrees of this sensiblenesse neither dare I to assigne the height and latitude of it unto the tearmes of horror and terror that is that a person must be alwayes and necessarily anguished with extremities of amazement and dejections before he can believe in Christ No though these sharp throwes are manifest in some yet I dare not make them a rule for all only this I say that the heart believes not it looks not towards Christ till it feel it self to be sinful and lost by reason of sin and that there is no possibility of subsistence in it self And now there is room for faith when I feel my self a sinner now there is reason for me to look upon a Saviour and when I am sensible of my own vilenesse now is there reason to look upon another righteousnesse and when I perceive my own lostness now is there cause to look after that salvation which God hath put in the Lord Jesus Christ. Me thinks that of Christ he came not to call the righteous but sinners that he is sent to finde that which is lost that the whole need not a Physitian but the sick that he is sent to preach liberty to the captives do abundantly confirme this truth Yea and our own experiences gives in a clear evidence that not only in the beginning but in the progresse of our conversion our eyes are then most upon Christ to look after him and to prize him when we are most sensibly acquainted with our own sinfulnesse and miserablenesse of condition SECT III. THe Seat or babitation of faith is the heart or will Scriptures are copious in this Rom. 10. 10. with the heart man Sedes believeth unto righteousnesse Acts 8. 37. And Philip said if thou believest with all thy heart thou mayest and he answered and said I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God Rev. 22. ver 11. whosoever will let him take the water of life freely There be who distinguish 'twixt three kindes of faith First Credere deum which is a universall and large conception of a God when the understanding is perswaded beyond Atheisme to believe that there is a God Secondly Credere Deo and this is such a disposition of the understanding by which it gives credit or belief to that God speaking and revealing as to one who is truth and cannot lye Thirdly Credere in Deum which is not only a credence to God as true in his Nature and Word but a reliance on him with the will and embracing of him and his truth and goodness with the affections Now justifying faith or faith in Christ is comprehended in this latter kinde of believing For the better apprehending of this observe a few things viz. First the things which God doth propound unto us are of different ends and uses some are propounded meerly to be known of which sort some conjecture many historicall pasages in the Word and many predictions and many Genealogies Some are propounded not only to be known but also to be done as the Divine Precepts or Commandments some are propounded to be known and to be avoided or declined as all the comminations and threatnings in the Word against sinners Some are propounded to be known and to be embraced with the will and affections of which sort are all the Promises of God and Jesus Christ our Lord. All those parts of the Word which conteine our good and our good to be embraced They have a necessary and naturall reference to the will of man which is planted in us by God to be conversant about all that which respects our good Since then Jesus Christ is our good both personally considered and also vertually considered faith therefore as conversant about him must naturally be planted in the will That there are two parts as it were of faith One is imperfect and in compleat yet is it a necessary ingredient unto faith and this respects the understanding when we are supernaturally illightned to see the

make his addresse unto the Lord Jesus for cure and health and that he should by faith accept of him and trust upon him for the healing of his soul and the subduing of his sins and then verily you shall finde vertue to come from Christ raising a greater hatred of sin war with it in the very fountaine watching and praying against it and the power of the ordinance successively weakening and crucifying the power of sin Lastly know this that the time of contrariety is the time for faith to work When a man sees death then is it the time for faith to believe life When he sees the grave then is it the time for faith to believe a resurrection when he sees guilt then is it the time for faith to believe pardoning mercy when he sees himself a sinner then is it the time for faith to believe a Sa●iour when he sees strong corruptions then is it the time for faith to believe great grace when he sees great discomforts then is it the time for faith to believe strong consolations the exigences of sense and the reliefes of the promises are quite contrary what I feel is one thing what God doth promise is another thing That which the patient observes in himself is sicknesse and that which he hopes for in the medicine is health Hath God made thee sensible of thy sins dost thou finde thus much that al that thou canst do wil not become a rebuke of corruption thou art able now to see the strength of thy sinfull nature but to remove it thou art utterly unable Why what is now to be done truly as in the sense of the guilt of sin we must then flye by faith to God and put our soules upon his free mercy for pardon so in the sense of the filthy strength of sin we must to heaven by faith and put our soules on Gods faithful promises in Christ for the healing and subduing of it This is the way and therefore strive to walk in it you may try other waters but they shall not help you and perplex your own thoughts but they shall not availe you the cure of the sinful soul is only in heaven and it is faith only which can lift up a soul to God and Christ which puts it into the Pool When sin is felt then let faith work If thou canst finde any one promise which God hath made of sanctifying and healing and subduing Why here 's ground for faith yea for thy saith for in these promises are the cures of thy sinful nature and faith it is which will apply the healing medicines to thee 8. Obj. Yet I am not satisfied saith the sensible sinner and fearfull soul Why Because First I cannot finde an heart to duty to pray and seek of God and surely if God did purpose and mean any good to me he would in some measure frame and encline and excite my heart towards him Secondly yea and againe though I do sometimes seek and entreat yet I observe that what I was that I am nothing comes of it how then can I may I should I be enduced to believe Sol. Here are two sore and real scruples which do indeed vehemently beat upon a sensible sinner I shall endeavour to assoyle them successively 1. I cannot finde an heart to any duty to pray for faith c. I Answer 1. As the inability to holy duties depends on natural corruption so the indisposition towards them depends exceedingly upon unbelief There is nothing disheartens a man more towards God then it For b●sides this that unbelief in its own nature is a departure from God it is a bias drawing the soul downwards This also is true of it that it represents God to the soul in all the appearances and methods of discouragements It makes the soul to see nothing in God or from God which might encline it to him O saith unbelief there is such holinesse and purity in him that he will never endure thee there is such truth and justice in him that he will surely be avenged of thee There is such strength and power in him that he will certainly meet with thee and lay load on thee There is I confesse a mercifulnesse in him but alas his tender bowels of compassion his ready forgivenesse extends not to thee there are many sweet intimations in his promises but they concern not thee there is a mighty salvation in Christ and powerful intercession to ingratiate some persons and their services but what of this to thee He is a God hearing prayer yea but he will not regard the cryes nor tears of some but their Sacrifices are an abomination unto him And thus doth unbelief set up God utterly against the soule so that the poor soul conceiving of God as an enemy dares not come neer it flies off it is even afraid to speak to him It is perswaded by unbeliefe that God will frowne upon all that is done whereupon the spirit sinks the affection● are flatted I have no minde nor heart am like a lump a stock a stone Secondly it is faith which will fetch up the soul Psal 27. 13. I had fainted unlesse I had beleeved to see the goodnesse of the Lord c. As if he should say my spirits were even breathing themselves out I was even sinking down giving up all unlesse I had beleeved but that confidence of Gods goodnesse towards me that did put life into me that did fetch me again that did put heart into me You see now the spring is coming on that those seemingly dead branches of the trees they begin to thrust out some hopeful sproutings and put on another colour of freshnesse why because the root is now more fed and warmed It is faith which will put colour into our faces and spirit into our hearts and life into our duties For 1. Faith sets open the mercy-seat It represents God to the Two reasons of it soul in all his attributes of graciousnesse not as an hard tyrant but as a good God willing to give audience to the humble requests and suit of a poore sinner Nay willing to dispatch and grant his requests What is thy request said Ahashuerus to Queen Ester it shall be granted thee c So saith the Lord What wouldest thou have of me Is it mercy I do promise it unto thee Is it grace I promise that unto thee Is it strength is it comfort is it deliverance whatsoever it be if thou beleeve on me I will not fail to give to thee Nay I will do it freely nay cheerfully with all my heart and with all my soul Jer. 32. Yea this makes the soul to come unto God as the ship into the haven with full speed and stretched sailes O the soul bends the knee with cheerfulnesse when it sees it shall be raised up with kindnesse a man may have some heart to pray when he knows My God will hear me that God hath a readiness to answer 2. Faith sets the soul in

for a soul which is bitterly sensible of its wonderful and continual emptinesse Till the Angel came and opened Hagars eyes to see the fountaine she gave up her child for dead so unlesse we have faith to open our eyes to see the fountain of grace and mercy in God and Christ I tell you that in many of our exigencies we shall throw away all all as dead and lost and hopelesse 2. Againe It is nothing but faith which gives spirit unto us from a bare promise one word of God is security enough to faith If a Marriner can get to the top of the Mast and descry but a point of land he is now glad all is well faith is said to see the promises afar of Heb. 11. well saith faith to the soul now as Paul to them which sayled with him be of good cheer thou shalt yet do well grace and mercy and help will come God hath promised it and Christ will make all the promises Yea and Amen and now the soul lives because of that good and faithful word c. Secondly If we consider God himself there is sufficient reason why we should live by faith There be six arguments which we may behold in God to envite 6. Things and perswade us to live by faith First his Alsufficiency I am God alsufficient said he to Abraham What 's that That is I am an absolute and independent essence in respect of my self infinitely perfect and enough and have enough and enough to satisfie all the world Take all the particular creatures in the world and view into their natures and conditions you shall finde every one of them to be imperfect to be depending to be replenished with wants even one man for his own particular is covered over with innumerable wants the wants of his soul are many so of his body so of his estate what then and how many are the necessities of every man But now God is alsufficient that is he hath enough to supply every man He can open his hand fill every living thing Thou openest thy hand said David Ps 145. 15. and satisfiest the desire of every living thing and he is able to make all grace abound saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 9. 8. He is rich to all that call upon Rom. 10. 12. He is able to do Eph. 3. 20. exceeding abundantly above all we can ask or think My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Jesus Christ Phil. 4. 19. The Sunne you see hath light enough for a whole world and a fountaine hath water enough for a whole countrey Why all good is in God both originally and eminently and causally that is he is goodnesse it self and all goodnesse fulnesse without want strength without weaknesse holinesse without blemish yea and the universal cause of goodnesse and therefore infinitely able to supply and help and do good there is no one necessity but he is able infinitely to succour it and many yea all necessities are not to be compared to the unfathomed greatnesse and exceedingnesse of his fulnesse and alsufficiency 2. His Command As God is an absolute and full good all our helps do center in him as in their compleat cause so he hath commanded us to live upon his alsufficiency by faith How often do you read those charges Trust upon the Lord commit thy way to the Lord rest upon him stay upon the God of Jacob cast thy care on him As if God should say unto the sons of men I am he and there is none else besides me who can do you good there is not any good in all the world which you want but I am able to supply it I am alsufficient for wisdom for holinesse for mercy for power for grace for comfort for peace If you want water you would go to the Spring and if you want light you would look up to the Sunne and if you want any good why will you not look up to me who am goodnesse it self I tell you that I am a God and have the greatnesse and the fulnesse of a God Nay and I charge and require you when you need any thing come to me for it I am the Master of all the families of the earth and the Lord of all good It is my expresse will that you come unto me and that you put your trust on me that you beleeve on my alsufficiency that you live upon that stock which is in my fulnesse Nay I shall take it exceeding ill if you rest your selves or live on any other 3. His Promises Consider this two wayes 1. Generally his promises of good wherein is ground to trust 2. Particularly His promises to them that will and do trust Psal 37. 3. Trust in the Lord and verily c. Isa 26. 3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee So Isa 57. 13. This puts life to all the rest for though God were never so able to do good and though his commands were never so urgent to live on him for all our good yet if he had not made over this good unto us we might maintain secret feares and discouragements But now God hath promised all good unto us that is he hath firmly and graciously made it over As if he should say all the good that I can do I will do it for thee all the ample fulnesse in me is to replenish thee it is to supply thy wants and necessities and I assure thee in the Word of a God it is so Psalme 84. 11. The Lord is a Sunne and shield the Lord will give grace and glory no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly Ver. 12. O Lord of Hosts blessed is the man that trusteth in thee There is not any one particular want which is fit to be stiled a want and fit to be supplied in this life for soul but God hath by promises particularly engaged all his sufficiency to help and supply it Doest thou want an holy heart a returning heart an heart to hate sinne to mourn for sinne a beleeving heart an upright heart a meek and patient heart a joyful heart doest thou want any grace more grace pardon of sin assurance of pardon strength against sin strength for any duty active or passive wantest thou any convenient and fit good for thy body for thy name for thy estate for thy children for thy family any good for life at death after death Not any one of these which God hath not distinctly promised If you knew a man to be sufficient to have an estate worth ten thousand pounds and all free you will presently trust him for an hundred pounds or if such an one should command any in his need to come to him and borrow this would draw many to him but if he should take a man out particularly and say to him Friend my estate is thus great I have a great estate and I pray thee if