Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	eternal_a	grace_n	life_n	5,484	5	4.4259	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B08242	Saints duty discoursed, from 2 Pet. 3. 18. and the saints dignity handled, from Eph. chap. 1. v. 7. with directions to both, delivered from a chatecheticall dialogue by him that was, and is ...	R. A.	1649 (1649)	Wing A27B; ESTC R176488	27,390	80

our long trading to be richer wiser better So by our longer continuance under the breathings of the spirit in Gospell-dispensations shew ye your selves to have received an increase of more light life zeale love knowledge c. this is to grow in grace I conceive the grace in the Text is not that grace of graces free and perfect displaid upon a soule by the infinite riches of wonderfull mercy that admirable free full grace of Justification But by grace here the graces of Gods holy Spirit through the Word with power and life conveighed into the beleevers soule by the Holy Ghost which may therefore fitly be phrased the fruit of the spirit b Gal. 5.22 23. which are thus in Apostolicall account enumerated Love Joy Peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meeknesse temperance These are graces of Gods Spirit and this grace in the Text includes the graces of this kind in which we must endeavour to grow to which knowledge is added in the verse even that distinct understanding of divine truths revealed in the Word concerning the knowing of God and Christ whom to know aright is not lesse then life eternall John 17.3 The summe is that little grace of Gods Spirit in thee thou must be sure to act that it increase more and more that as to men there is evident a growth in your body so to God and men you may make it apparent there is an increase in your soule in the gracious exercise of a conscience and conversation void of offence before God and man This I conceive with submission to better judgements the sence of the terme of the Text. I proceed to the point to be proved 'T is a Christians duty to grow in grace which growth may have a reference to the number of graces or to the measure of graces in respect of both we must grow This Paul adviseth Corinth d 2 Cor. 18.7 Therefore as ye abound in every thing in faith utterance and knowledge and in all diligence and in love to us see that ye abound in this grace also a bundle of beautifull excellencies are here collected And our Apostle in the first Chapter the fifth sixth and seventh verses And besides this give all diligence adde to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godlinesse and to godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and to brotherly kindnesse charity An addition increase and growth of graces in the number Is not this intimated in the parabolicall History of the Lord and his servants concerning the expected increase of the talents in which the honouring Encomiums speaking them good and faithfull that increased and multiplyed their two to other two their five to ten with an euge well done good and faithfull servant thou hast been faithfull over a few things I will make thee ruler over much enter thou into thy Masters joy e Mat. 25.21 For the growth of the measure of grace grow in it hath not Christ given grace that wee should grow to a higher measure even to the perfecting of the Saint and come up to the measure of the stature of Christ the fulnesse of Christ f Eph. 4.13 for-which Paul greatly rejoyced hearing the faith of the Thessalonians grew so exceedingly and their charity toward each other so abounded g 2 Thes 1.3 to this Paul expects in the h 1 Thes 4.1 that as they had received of them that were dispensers of the Gospels-mysterie so they would walke in pleasing God and abound therein more and more as in the fore-mentioned place as man so God calls for more weight more measure to adde to the number and measure of grace grow Christians had need to looke to their growth Non est bonus qui non vult esse melior hee that hath no care for the growth of his grace will soone bring the truth of his grace into suspition by an Apostaticall revolt or Cork-like levity in being removed from or wavering in the first and best principles Need we have to grow in grace from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reas 1 The Lord hath more to bestow on thee than yet appears to be in thee what ever grace thou art enriched with God hath more yet in the granary of his goodnesse for a poor soule Think not thy selfe more than a broken Cistern plume not thy selfe to sing a Requiem to thy soule as if thou hadst grace holinesse righteousnesse knowledge enough bee not deceived whoever thou art endowed with an admired competency of gifts and graces yet you need more than yet you enjoy that great measure of knowledge is not the least of that you are ignorant of Should I say be yee warm'd and filled and give not that which is needfull for the body it would little profit should I preach grow in grace and not tell you God hath more for you than yet appeares in you lesse reason to be up and doing But God is an inexhausted Fountaine that both can and will bestow more upon every soule that truely desires the growth of grace Aske thy soule if it had not need be better stocked and more stirre up it selfe to lay hold on God if he wil not give further supply of grace and knowledge T is my happinesse I know in my need how to be furnished it shall bee my reason Therefore I le grow Therefore grow in grace The more Reas 2 grace the more strength The infusion of grace puts life and energy into the soule the addition of grace renewes the active faculties with greater strength that as of the heroick Champions enroll'd in the eleventh Chapter of the Hebrewes of weake by the grace of faith they became strong strong to an unmatchable power So by the growth of grace the soule that was wont to be as water becomes to be as strong as steele it selfe the Apostles witnessing the truth of this to the world The want of saving grace hinders the want of saving knowledge that enlightens emboldens when heaven afforded many an advantagious opportunity to satisfie thy darkened judgement doubting spirit let mee appeale if thou hast not returned home likewise as came out the sad experience of our owne heart dictates want of grace proudly kept backe that in many things we remaine as new-borne Babes poore weake Creatures The truth of grace O Christian quickens but the growth of grace strengthens thy soul that panoply of God makes the Saints strong the breathing of the spirit of grace makes a stripling more puissant than the Goliah's of the Nations 'T is recorded of Father Abraham being not weake in faith he staggered not at the promises of God but being strong in faith hee beleeved in hope even against hope i Rom. 4.20 21. Christians meet with Principalities Powers and the Rulers of the darknesse of this world a terrible army how shall a poore soule encounter with this maine body when onely the strength

renewed he ventures in nomine Domini as David against Goliah and dreads not when all Israel is struck with a misgiving doubt if not Panick feare A grown Christian manifests his grace by undanted profession in the hardest of body-torturing persecution and middest of precious name disgracefull slander In a word by what contradiction soever of men opposition of the gates the power and wisdome of hell the poore Christians grace is assaulted with it discovers it selfe void of feares as offence in the flames of a Sacred love to God Christian love to the Saints of God in a steadfast resolution to walk up to Covenant and Gospell Reformation and in a Christian deportment of themselves with the exercise of a good conscience before God and man here I conceive is growth as truth of grace Try oh try if it be thus with thee or not I must hasten time bids a dispatch 4. They can trust God with outward and inward estate also sometime in weaknesse he feared one sometime the other Now steere over both knowing that God hath given the Promise to godlinesse of this and that life which is to come No distrustfull thoughts for things temporall Christ hath commanded and his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 warrant for a growne Christian n Mat. 6.25 and assured for things of eternity to the truth as growth of grace that nor faint nor feare by which well may the soul relye on the Lord for its outward and inward estate Abraham the Father of the Faithfull sometime doubted but after o Rom. 4. from 16. to vers 22. Try how this reflects on thy soule by a patient humble waiting till God answer 5. Lastly they that are grown in grace grow and endeavour to grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ more and more in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thereof truly to beleeve God and Christ in God and Christ and to acknowledge the Lord Jesus by a separation from the goats and communion with the sheep of Christ Not only notionally to know and understand more of the history of Christ but practically to doe for Christ more then in times past that we may read in conversation one sanctified and strengthened in the grace of the Lord and experimentally that God may have experience and the world also that their grace is a grace and knowledge of and according to Jesus Christ making them more humble p Job 42.5 6. and more desirous to know and find more so the truly wise and knowing Christian not to display the radiant beames of their vainglorious understanding but to discover the riches of Gods free and infinitely full grace to their souls in looking upon them when blind in understanding and unsanctified in heart after this they presse to know more of themselves and more of Christ to the praise of the Lord their God for bestowing as truth so a growth in grace Try and by this comfortably conceive growth of grace 3. Now after Triall the uses follow of terrour to some comfort to others exhortation to all If not growne in grace come in come in I have bitter things against thee yet shall this Law condemne none before it heare him speake Ask conscience then if growne in grace whence bleating of sheep lowing of oxen whence in the soule or Family or Congregation neglect of duties or if performed resting on duties how many cast the word of God behind their backs prophane the Sabbath condemne the soule-ravishing promises of the everlasting Gospell whence is it men trust to and rest in their duties as the hypocriticall Jews q Isa 58.23 rising to too lofty an expostulation in questioning the Deity it selfe a nontimely answering regarding their prayers and performances how many as the Pharisees vainly gracing themselves r Luk. 18.11 12. A soule growne in grace would nor make it an Idoll nor a slight yet how many of us thus guilty 2. The falling of too many from their first love like that Ephesine Church in the second of the Revelation and is not the love and zeale of many waxen cold in this day of affliction in the winter of our adversity when if ever God Covenant Church and Kingdome had need of champions zealous for the glory of the one the renowne of the other the safety and honour of all Now but woe and alas oh what cold dead spirits hearts are we possessed withall when at first zealous since remisse matter of humiliation and feare 't is neither naturall nor supernaturall for either would make the nearer the center more life vigor and activity let conscience speak if thou didst not in time past better affect Gods wayes Worship Sabbaths Ordinances Ministers People then now fear we may guilty we are 3. The pride of thy grace speaks the not growing of grace and how many plume themselves in this unhappy age with the men-admiring vertue when they put off the God-bestowing grace into what assemblies shall we enter in what company shall we be but God shall be robbed of his glory by mans boasting of his grace Grace keeps a soule low and exalts the Lord knowing whatever received received of God the Apostle and the strong Christian number not themselves with such as commend themselves and measure themselves with themselves for they are not wise ſ 2 Cor. 10.12 the more grace the more humility while men advance and exalt so as boast of zeale grace John-like c. it speaks us not grown 4. Lastly the seldome searching of our hearts speaks no growth of grace if I cast not up my account I know not whither my receipts or disbursements be most I feare a bad reckoning in this the Lord be mercifull unto us we know not the windings of our hearts desperately wicked and deceitfull we try not search not how many nay how few Sermon after Sermon Sabbath after Sabbath moneth after moneth commune with their owne hearts to see in what this or that grace is increased since the reception of so many mercies When a man seldome looks into his heart I cannot conceive how it should be discovered he is growne in grace but must passe sentence I speak to wise men are they not blame-worthy And may I not 1. When the Lord hath graciously affoorded time and space it was a check severe he gave her space to repent and she repented not t Rev. 2.21 And may not the Lord say many a day and yeare have I offered free grace stretching out my hand all the day long and ye despighted hitherto the spirit of grace Goe gracelesse soule into gracelesse society sad sentence 2. Yea when in that space cal'd and tendred all the means that infinite understanding conceiv'd conducible to the growth of grace no pruning dressing nor watering wanting Judge I pray betwixt me and my vineyard what could I doe more 't is heavens gracious condescending appeale Oh England what shall I doe unto you Oh People how should I intreat you