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
A96524	Two treatises concerning I. God's all-sufficiency, and II. Christ's preciousness Being the substance of some sermons long since preached in the University of Oxford. By Henry Wilkinson, D.D. Then principal of Magdalen-Hall, Oxon.	Wilkinson, Henry, 1616-1690.	1681 (1681)	Wing W2240A; ESTC R230884	231,748	498

Strength stability and solidity Two Scriptures I shall fix on and by the Exposition of them clear the Analogy The first Scripture is Gen. 49. v. 24. Jacob giving the Blessing to his beloved Son Joseph saith But his Bow abode in Sub 〈◊〉 typo depicta est nobis imag● Christi qui antequam emergerat Victor m●rtis Author vitae positus 〈◊〉 Calvin Strength and the Arms of his Hands were made strong by the Hands of the mighty God of Jacob from thence is the Shepherd the Stone of Israel By this Shepherd and Stone Jacob endowed with a Prophetick Spirit look'd with the Eye of Faith upon Christ for Joseph was a Type of Christ who is the Shepherd of Israel the Foundation Stone and the Corner Stone of his Church Joseph as a Shepherd fed his Father and Brethren and was a helpful Instrument to save much People alive in the time of Famine So Christ is the Shepherd and Preserver of his People to provide for them and supply them Joseph was as a Rock or Stone for defence as an hiding place in providing for his Father and Brethren in Egypt So Christ is a Rock and Refuge and Shelter unto his People Without question that Prophecy of a King that shall reign in Righteousness is to be applied to Christ Isa 32. 1. Jerome one of the Learnedst of all the Fathers applyeth this Prophecy to Christ and the safety of God's People by Christ mentioned ver 2. And a Man shall be a hiding place from the Wind and a covert from the Tempest as Rivers of Water in a dry place as the Shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land * Quicu●que sub ejus umbraculo fuerit sic tutus ●rit in tribulationibus angustiis in mundi istius tempestate 〈◊〉 qui vent●m turbinem fugiens se tuto abscondit loco Hieron in loc Another Scripture which is more clear I shall mention out of Isa 28. 16. Therefore thus saith the Lord God Behold I lay in Zion for a Foundation a Stone a tried Stone a precious Corner Stone a sure Foundation These are rare excellencies of a Stone and this Stone is laid in Zion i. e. the Church of God Let 's review all these excellencies of a Stone and it will evidently appear that they all meet in Christ in an eminent manner 1. This Stone is laid for a Foundation 1. A Foundation Stone A Foundation Stone must be strong and firm whereon the Superstructure may depend for if the Foundation fail the Building either sinks or falls down Now Christ is the Foundation of our Faith He hath founded and setled his Church and if we rely and hold fast on Christ we cannot miscarry The Doctrine of the Gospel is built on Christ Other Foundation can no Man lay than that that is laid which is Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 3. 11. The Foundation which will hold is neither Gold nor Silver Hay nor Stubble no Merits no devised Will-Worship these are rotten Foundations and will fail But the Foundation which will hold is that of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner Stone Eph. 2. 20. 2. This Stone is a tryed Stone Some 2. A Tried Stone Stones are tryed and they moulder and are unfit for a Building but Christ is every way tried by Buffeting Scourgings Crucifixion and by the highest Malice that Men or Devils could put forth against him Many try their Armour before they venture into Battel whether it be Shot-proof Now Christ is Bullet proof as we say and Armour of Proof the whole Quiver of God's Arrows were shot against him and yet he endured it and came off Conqueror 3. This Stone is a precious Stone So 3. A precious Stone Christ is precious in himself He is the Pearl of Price and Plant of Renown the chiefest of ten thousands Christ is precious in the estimation of the Father he is the beloved Son the brightness of the Father's Glory the express Image of his Heb. 1. 3. Person And he is precious in the account of all true Believers they know how to value him they admire his Beauty and are ravished with his Love They have interest in the Blood of Christ and this is more precious than Millions of Worlds If the Soul be precious as we all acknowledg how much more must he be precious who redeems the Soul and Christ alone is the Redeemer of the Soul 4. This Stone is a Corner Stone Other 4. A Corner Stone Stones are knit and cemented to the Corner Stone so all true Believers are cemented in one Body and knit to Christ their Head He is the Corner Stone and the Head of the Corner 'T is true that the Builders rejected this Stone The Jews reviled persecuted and crucified Christ yet he is the Person of whom the Prophecy Psal 118. 22. was fulfilled And so the Apostle expounds that Prophecy in his Sermon Acts 4. 11. This is the Stone which was set at nought of you Builders which is become the Head of the Corner 5. This is a sure Foundation Stone 5. A sure Foundation Stones may and are oftentimes laid for a Foundation but they are not firm and stable and no ways able to support the Building but Christ is a sure firm and strong Foundation To build on this Foundation there 's Strength and Security I might further add 6. That which 6. A living Stone is beyond humane Sence Christ is a living Stone And yet it is evident from the Word of God 1 Pet. 2. 4 5. To whom coming as unto a living Stone disallowed indeed of Men but chosen of God and precious Ye also as lively Stones are built up a Spiritual House Now Christ is a living Stone and he communicates Life unto his Members and by vertue of his Life they live The Dead were raised by the Voice of Christ and those that are dead in Trespasses and Sins are quickned by Christ Eph. 2. 1. Dry Bones take Flesh and Sinews and become an Army when the Spirit breaths Life into them so the Ezek. 37. dead sleepy drowsy never so unlikely in the Eye of Man may be quickned by the Life of Christ But this comparison I need inlarge no farther SECT II. Shewing that Christ is resembled to a Fountain A Second Resemblance of Christ is to a Fountain There are choise Words spoken by the Church as is conceived resigning all the praise of Beauty and Dignity unto Christ who gave it to her The Words are Cant. 4. 15. * Significat populum hunc habuisse foecunditatem copiam donorum spiritualium Clarius A Fountain of Gardens a Well of Living Waters and Streams from Lebanon Gardens that are of the greatest Note have Fountains to water them Standing Pools are not valued here 's mention made of Streams and Living Waters and these Streams come from Lebanon The Head of the Streams of Jordan riseth from Lebanon and makes the Land

And Faith through Gods Gift is a Bucke● to Isa 12. 3. draw Waters of Consolation out of those Wells All the Promises are as so many Breasts of Consolation and Faith is as i were a Mouth to suck Milk out of those Breasts Wherefore in all Conditions inward or outward let Faith act on Promises and depend on them and by experience a Believer will find ground of singular support and comfort in the Promises 5. Faith gives us an insight into Heaven 5. Faith gives us an insight into Heaven and a Prospect of Eternity and a prospect into eternity Paul was wrapt up into the third Heaven and by Faith had a foretast of those unspeakable Joys * A Reverend and emineg●ly learned Divine gives his conjecture that at that time when Paul was Stoned ●● was in a Trance and saw the third Heaven The Reaon of his Supposition he gives because the self same Year that Paul was Stoned he was caught up into the third Heaven A. B. U●●●r Stephen by the Eye of Faith though the Stones were about his Ears saw the Heavens opened and Christ standing at the Right Hand of his Father Job on the Dunghil when he was scraping himself with a Pot-shread by the eye of Faith saw his Redeemer By Faith Moses amidst all the Reproaches and Cruel Bondage in Aegypt saw the recompence of reward Faith is the Eye whereby we peep through the Curtains of Mortality and take a view of the Glory of Heaven By Faith we enjoy Communion with Father Son and Holy Ghost we receive the first Fruits of that plentiful Harvest earnest or part of payment of a greater Sum which we shall receive in Heaven The Glory which is to be revealed is apprehended in part in this Life by true Believers We have a pledge and some foretasts of the Glory in Heaven What necessity then is incumbent on us to get this Grace of Faith both as to the truth and growth thereof We have such daily need of Faith as we cannot live without it When we pray Faith makes us successful when we hear the Word Faith helps us to profit when we suffer Affliction Faith helps us to be Patient In a Word in dissertion Faith makes us comfortable in Tryals and Encounters Faith makes us so couragious as to stop the Mouths of Lyons quench the Heb. 11 33 34. violence of Fire c. In Life Faith makes us fruitful and in Death Faith makes us Victorious And whilst we live in this World Faith helps us to a Prospect of Heaven As the Israelites saw a glimps of Canaan though a far off whilst they were in the Wilderness so a true Believer by the Eye of Faith sees the Heavenly Canaan He enjoys a Sacred Acquaintance and Communion with God in his Covenants Promises Gracious Influences so that by Faith we enjoy an Heaven upon Earth i. e. some fore-tasts of that Eternal Happiness which is reserved in Heaven for us SECT II. Containing an Vse of Direction SEeing then as it 's evident by the Use 5 for Direction how to get and increase Faith premises that only true Believers set a high estimate upon Christ and Faith is essentially requisite to get and keep so high an estimation of Christ I shall now proceed to the 5th Use which is for Direction how we may get and increase Faith To this purpose I shall prescribe some means partly internal and partly external both exceeding necessary First for Internal Means and that is the The Spirit is an internal means of getting Faith Holy Spirit of God Faith is a Divine Habit infused into the Soul by the Spirit of God Hence we are said to have the Spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 5. 13. The Spirit doth not stand in need of Moral Persuasions to excite us to Faith leaving it to the indifferency of our wills and understandings whether we will chuse or refuse assent or dissent But the Spirit of God Nolentem praevenit ut velit volentem subsequitur ne frustra velit Arg. de Grat. lib. Arg. works powerfully and irresistably and of unwilling makes us willing by antecedent Grace of willing makes us more willing by Subsequent Grace The Seeds of Faith are not sown in our Nature We are Dead as were those dry Bones mentioned by Ezek. 37. 2. Ezekiel until the Spirit of God infuse vital Operations into the Soul The Beginnings of Augmentations and finishings of our Faith all proceed from the Operations of the Spirit of God Where this Spirit is it opens the eyes of the Mind that so we may understand the infinite value of Christ and the absolute necessity of Faith to make particular application of him unto our selves Faith is a wise gift of God and it makes Believers wise unto Salvation Faith and knowledge are hand-fasted and may not be separated Joh. 17. 3. This is Life Eternal to know thee to be the true God and him whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. There can be saith a Learned Author no Knowledge without Faith nor any Faith without Knowledge 2. The Spirit of God as it opens the eyes so it inclines the will to yield ready Obedience unto Christ As soon as Divine Light breaks in upon the Soul by the powerful illumination of the Spirit then by the assistance of the same Spirit the will is made pliable and willing and becomes as swift in it's Motions as the Chariots of Aminadab to embrace Jesus Christ with the Arms of Faith Now we cannot Cant. 6. 12. John 6. 44. Cant. 1. 4. come to Christ unless the Father draw us Wherefore the Spouse prays draw me and I will run after thee Though we are not to be accounted as meer Stocks and Stones Because God hath endew'd us with a reasonable Soul and the faculties of understanding and Will yet unless we be assisted with Supernatural strength we cannot perform any Supernatural works We must fetch strength from Heaven otherwise we cannot perform any Spiritual action in a Spiritual manner But being prevented and assisted by Divine Grace we can cooperate through the assistance of that Strength as the Apostle professeth Phil. 4. 13. I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me We cannot understand any saving Mystery till the Spirit inlightens us neither can we will any good thing till the Spirit of God inclines us But by the assistance of the Spirit we have our eyes opened to discern what is good and our Wills inclind to act what is good Having mentioned the Internal means of getting and increasing Faith I come now to the External means and External means of getting increasing Faith they are three the Word Prayer and the Lords Supper 1. The Word is an External means 1. The Word is a means to get and encrease Faith both to get and increase Faith and we are to consider the Word in a threefold Capacity as it is Read Preached

the Word read nor from the Word preach'd Both are Instruments to get and increase Faith 3. Both to reading and hearing let 's 3. The Word Meditated joyn Meditation otherwise we may loose the fruit of our Labours Meditation is the Spiritual Digestion of the Soul It Psal 4. 4. ●uk 2. 19. J●r 8. 6. consists in a Communing with our own Hearts a pondering a calling our selves to an account and asking the Question What have I done It 's a ruminating digesting a making what we hear or read our own by a particular application 'T is true the work is difficult it is as it were the climbing up a great Hill but it 's exceeding profitable and comfortable For this Meditation is a Divine Contemplation whereby we have a view and Prospect of Eternity It 's the Wing of the Soul by help whereof it soars aloft as high as Heaven Wherefore that we may profit by the Word read and by the Word preach'd we must exercise our selves seriously and frequently in this Divine art of Meditation This was the frequent practice of David Ps 63. 6. Ps 119. to Meditate on God in the night watch He both Meditated on the Word of God ●●n the Works of God He awakened with God in the Morning and lay down with him in the Evening by heavenly meditation The Character he gives of a blessed Man is that his delight is in the Law of the Psal 1. 2. Lord and in his Law doth he meditate day and night This was Isaac's practice to meditate in the Field at the eventide Gen. 24. 63. He went out and sequestred himself from other Company that he might enjoy Communion with God This then is the choice and excellent means for Christians to thrive in Faith Love and all the Graces of the Spirit and to be good Proficients in the School of Christ when they addict themselves unto frequent and serious Meditation A Second External Means both of getting 2. Prayer is a means of getting encreasing Faith and encreasing Faith is Prayer Faith is worth the asking for Let 's then ●e earnest and sollicitous to the Throne o● Grace to obtain it Let 's pray with the Disciples Lord increase our Faith For he that hath true Faith is desirous of accessions thereunto He finds many things wanting in his Faith and therefore he prays for daily Supplies and Augmentations Let 's pray as the Man in the Gospel did Lord I believe help my unbelief There 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thess 3. 10. may be the Root of the Matter even true Faith in a Christian yet he is sensible of his Unbelief He apprehends the remainders of Infidelity vexing him as a broken Bone he meets sometimes with Fears Doubtings and Perplexities distracting Thoughts but these things are his Burthen and a Perplexity upon his Spirit●● Herein consists our Duty to be much i● Prayer that God would give us the Spiri●● of Faith The Spirit is promised to thos● that ask for it And it 's the Spirit tha● works Faith in us and Prayer is an Instrumental means to get the Spirit God promiseth his Spirit Luke 11. 13. Matt● 7. 11. He promiseth to give good things t●● them that ask him which evidently shew● that God by giving his Spirit gives a● good things Let 's then be quickned t● our Duty to pray in Faith and to pray for more Faith and then we shall be sur● to speed Matth. 21. 22. And all thing● whatsoever ye shall ask in Prayer believin● ye shall receive Go then to God and complain of thy unbelieving Heart mour● for it be earnest and importunate fo● Faith As Rachel cryed out Give me Chi●dren or else I die so cry out Lord giv● me Faith or else I am undone Lo●● strengthen my weak Faith quicken m● dull Faith thus making our applicatio● to God in the Name of Christ we sha● receive a gracious Answer 3. The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper ● The Sacrament ●● the Lord's Supper is a great means to confirm our Faith is a great means to confirm our Faith It 's to be necessarily presupposed that before we come to the Lord's Table we must have Faith otherwise we cannot discern the Lord's Body There is a great difference between the Word and the Lord's Supper For the Word both begets and encreaseth Faith but the Lord's Supper ordinarily encreaseth Faith where it was begun before The Sacrament is a Seal and God doth not set his Seal to a Blank An ignorant Person is as a Blank and he hath no right to approach unto the Lord's Supper An ignorant Person is more fit to go a g●azing with Nebuchadnezzar amongst the Beasts of the Field than to participate of the Sacramental Elements of Bread and Wine exhibiting Christ Sacramentally to the Faith of true Believers And profane Persons are uncircumcised in Heart No uncircumcised Person ought to participate of the Passover neither may the uncircumcised in Heart any debauch'd scandalous Liver presume to approach unto the Lord's Table There was but one Man who came without a wedding Garment and Christ found him out and doom'd him to Judgment Such then as walk in their Pollutions and with profane Hands and Hearts receive the Holy Eucharist expose themselves to dreadful Judgments both temporal and eternal 1 Cor. 11. 28. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh Damnation unto himself not discerning the Lord's Body It 's of absolute necessity that we should labour for Faith pray for Faith read the Word hear it preached and meditate on it that we may get Faith And upon survey of our Hearts and diligent Inquisition when we find our Faith weak and flagging we should adde more unto our Prayers and apply our selves to the sealing Ordinance of the Lord's Supper Sometimes we may not meet with God in the Word read our dulness may not apprehend the manifestation of God's gracious Countenance unto our Souls Therefore we must apply our selves to the Word preached It may be through our inadvertency and distractions we may not meet with God in the Word preached Let 's then fall upon our Knees in earnest Prayer It may be God may hide his Face from us Some Jonah we must cast over Ship-board and then there will be a Calm Some Achan must be ston'd and then the Valley of Achor will be a Door of Hos 2. 14. Hope And to hearing reading and praying let 's with preparation receive the Holy Sacrament Before we go thither let 's do as the Jews did in case of Leaven They first made diligent inquisition and took a Candle and searched every Corner throughout Having found Leaven they cast it out And i● they found none they took a voluntary curse upon themselves if willingly they left any Leaven in their Houses Let us go and do likewise Let us light up a double Candle viz. the Candle of the Word and the Candle of our own Consciences then upon discovery