Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	divine_a	father_n	holy_a	8,117	5	5.1431	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A50328	The bruised reed, or, A sermon preach'd at the cathedral church of St. Asaph, for the support of weak Christians by D. Maurice, D.D., sometime chaplain in New Colledge, Oxon.	Maurice, David.	1700 (1700)	Wing M1357A; ESTC R43437	22,707	31

it's essence and cause yet it do's quoad esse exercitium as to it 's well being and exercise and therefore the Lord will not quench the smoking flax 3. Grace may be hinder'd in it's growth by reason of weak gifts and want of natural parts such as Memory to carry away the word read or heard and the gift of Prayer A Sigh from such is acceptable to God for God doth not regard the Logick nor Rhetorick nor Arithmetick but the Divinity of Prayer 't is the sincere broken petitions that flow from a broken heart that prevail with God more than all the gaudy Eloquence of any Hypocrite whatever 4. A Christian's Grace may be weak for want of the means of Grace many people have been unfruitful under and unthankfull for the word of God and therefore the Lord may in Judgement say of them what David said of Gilboa 2 Sam. 1.21 Let there be no dew neither let there be rain upon you A dreadful curse And if a weak Christian chance to be in such a barren Wilderness the Lord will bear with his bruised reed because he has not the means of growth and strength to wit the milk and strong meat of the word Luke 12.48 Vnto whom much is given much shall be required that is he that has been planted by the rivers of waters and enjoyed powerfull Preaching and plentiful means of Grace the Lord do's expect from such an answerable growth in Grace and Knowledge and so without question he doth from you all that do frequent this Church but if a poor Christian's lot has fall'n upon a mount Gilboa the Lord will not expect so much from him but will consider such weaklings in Grace that are so for want of spiritual Food and bear with their weaknesses This is the first reason why our Saviour is so tender of weak Christians and very careful to preserve the least measure of Grace in them to wit because Grace may be hinder'd in it's growth by such things as the Believer cannot prevent and those are first A Believer may be living in a wicked Family as Abijah was secondly It may arise from the temper of the Believer's Body thirdly from the weakness of his natural Parts fourthly from the want of means of Grace as those in Acts 19.2 that knew not whether there was a spirit or no. 2. The second reason why Christ is so tender is because he is the Purchaser of the least measure of Grace this smoking flax is the price of Christ's Blood and what cost him so dear shall never be lost by his good will and the same good will that he had to spend his Heart's Blood to redeem them will surely ingage his almighty Power to defend them This adds weight to the charge of the Pastors of the Church of Ephesus Acts 20.28 Take heed unto your selves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchas'd with his own Blood as if he should say the meanest among you is of an inestimable value no less than the price of God's own Blood and therefore see you have an especial care of them And if he lays so great a charge on his Ministers to look to them surely he will not forget them himself but will make it his constant business in Heaven to intercede for them that none shall pluck them out of his hands whom he paid so dear for He that was made a Priest by God's oath to sacrifice his own Life to redeem sinners from Death continues for ever a priest to intercede for and procure them the full price of his purchase to wit Grace and Glory and this exceeding great care he takes for weak Believers appear'd presently after his ascension into Heaven by the speedy dispatch he made of his Spirit to the supply of the weak Orphans at Jerusalem for so the Disciples were 'till he sent the Comforter unto them and so he calls them Jo. 14.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Comforter he sent to wit the Holy Spirit assoon as he was warm if I may so speak in his seat in Heaven at God's right hand to the unspeakable comfort of them and us and all Believers to the end of the World 3. The third reason is because this Holy Spirit is the Author of the least measure of Grace and therefore will not leave his work unfinish'd or neglect what he hath so graciously begun but having begotten us again unto a lively hope 1 Pet. 1.3 5. he will keep us by his mighty power through faith unto salvation If all the created powers of Heaven and Earth were united and concentred in one person yet he could not so much as make this Flax to smoke 't is the effect of Divine power Grace is the product of the Spirit Jo. 3.5 and therefore since the Holy Spirit is the Father of such gracious dispensations he 'll engage the same strength to preserve what he hath begot Jer. 31.18 19 20. We see how soon doth the Lord hear Ephraim bemoaning himself when he was as a smoking flax a newly tamed heifer brought to God under the yoke of Afflictions his cry soon pierceth God's ears and his ear affects his bowels and his bowels awake his power to be his guardian When Christ brings a wandring sheep into his fold he puts it on his shoulder and rejoyceth all the way he brings it home Luke 15.5 The power of his Spirit is that shoulder on which he carries it the everlasting arms wherein he bears his lambs and those eagle's wings upon which they are both tenderly and securely convey'd to glory Ex. 19.4 nay he useth more care and tenderness towards weak Believers than the strong because of their weakness for the weakest child can call God father and the more weak and feeble the child is the greater is the care and stricter is the eye and observance of the mother upon him what Job says Job 31.15 the weakest and most faint Believer may say the same of the strongest champion in the Lord's house did not one and the same holy Spirit fashion us in the womb and if they are once the workmanship of his almighty hands then will he make them strong and fertile a little one shall become a thousand and a small one a strong nation Isa 60.22 In a word the least measure of Grace being the work of the Holy Spirit of God is therefore call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a new creation or a new creature and be sure none shall be abortive which he begets but go on to be an Heir of Glory and Christ calls this child of the Spirit by his own name Gal. 4.19 My little children of whom I travel in birth again 'till Christ be formed in you This clearly signifies to us that he will be as careful and tender of this Divine nature this piece of himself as if it were himself 4. The fourth reason is because the least measure