Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	faith_n	fruit_n	work_n	5,285	5	5.7758	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A07294	An other sermon preached before the king at Greenewich on Tuesday before Easter, being the 26. of March. 1605. By Anthonie Maxey, Bachelar in Diuinity, and chaplaine to his Maiesty. The points herein handled are these. 1. That there is an hardening. 2. That God hardeneth not. 3. How men become hardened. 4. The meanes to auoid it	Maxey, Anthony, d. 1618.	1605 (1605)	STC 17688; ESTC S105417	20,412	37

and dam it vp that we shall neuer get out againe Consuetudinem vincere dura pugna saith Augustine Aug●in psa 36 It is a difficult fight to ouercome custome for in all humane things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 custome is the most intollerable tyrant Horatius the Romane being to fight with three enemies at once did single them out and then slue them one by one so the force of sinne is to be cut off in euery seuerall action least by gathering strength it ouerthrow vs. He that trusteth his own heart is not wise Pro. 28.26 In this case it is good for a man to suspect his owne heart to call his owne waies to remembrance to take sometimes a suruey and a viewe of the manner of his life and daily actions and if he finde in himselfe that God hath suffered him so sarre to be tempted that he is fallen into any soule offence which he knoweth is directly both against God and his owne conscience then presently to bestirre himselfe neuer to suffer his eyes to sleepe nor his eyelids to slumber til he haue poured out his hart vnto God made bitter lamentation craued pardon with repentance and vowed by Gods assistance neuer to offend in any such sort againe Otherwise if lightly he passe it ouer and so go on as Mithridates accustomed his bodie so much to the receipt of poyson that at length no poyson would worke on him so he that hath once taken in with the custome of sinne shall at length come that to passe that the greatest sin that is he shall neuer feele it Aug. inser ● 〈◊〉 adv Dom. Owne peccatum vilescit consuetudine fit homini quasi nullum the greatest sinne by custome comes to be accounted nothing When the bodie is sore hurt and wounded there is no driuing off of time but presently it must be looked to so when the soule is wounded we must not deferre to turne vnto the Lord but flie vnto him with importunate prayer with a broken and mourning heart for feare the wound doe fester inwardly and so there be no recouery I make it plaine by example thus If a man take in the Spring three or foure plantes and set them all togither at one time if hee come by and by or within a while after hee may easily pull vp one of them if he stay a fortnight or a moneth he may pull vp an other but it wil be somwhat harder if he stay a yeare or two till it settle and take roote then he may pull and straine his very heart stringes but his labour is lost he shall neuer be able to pull it vp One sinne one offence if we labour to pull it vpp in time it may be forgiuen it may be taken away if wee lett it go on to two or three with vnfeigned repentance with bleedinge teares with vncessant outcryes vnto a gratious God they may be rased out and wiped away but with greater difficulty at length if a man giue ouer himselfe vnto sinne so that it take deepe roote in the heart and be setled in the soule hee shall neuer be able to pull it vp nor to arise from the death of sinne To draw then to an end forasmuch then as God desireth not the death of any sinner but most louingly offereth his grace and means of saluation vnto all seeing sinne doth proceed from our owne vile concupiscence and we neuer striuing to stay the course of it in our thoughts do so secretly fall away seeing by degrees against their owne knowledge men doe wound their soules with many actual sinnes therevpon God doth with-hold his grace and so forsake them and this forsaking is such a forlorne estate that as Iob saith 12.14 God shutteth a man vp and he can neuer be loosed O how feruent ought wee to bee in prayer thereby to kindle in vs the heat of Gods spitit how deuout in sweet and heauenly meditations to stirre vp in vs the good graces of God how diligēt to shew the fruites of our faith euer stirring in the works labours of our calling giuing no aduantage to our aduersary how careful whē we heare the word of God to do it with an humble spirit with great reuerence thereby to keepe a tender heart a mind and cogitation that may easily be touched with remorse how desirous and secretly ioyfull at this holy time to prepare our selues to the receiuing of the blessed Sacraments to haue our hearts stripped of worldly vanities to call home our affections to appease our thoughts so peaceably to bath our soules a fresh in the pretious bloud of our euerlasting redeemer That so feeling our selues as it were newly created againe soule and bodie heart hand and tongue may neuer cease to sound prayses vnto him who doth neuer cease to renewe his mereies vnto vs. The holy and kingly prophet Dauid he is a worthy example for this royall presence set him before your eyes and obserue the whole course of his life How sweete and milde was his spirit in forbearing to take reuenge for him selfe how couragious and inuincible his faith whē it stood in the quarrel of Gods honour how dearely affected to his people when he saide to the destroying Angell not these sheepe but it is I that haue offended what melting kinde affection did he show towards Ionathan and those whome he loued what a mournefull and repentant heart whē he knew that he had offended how full of diuine meditatiōs to better his thoughts how frequent in praier flowing from him as a continual stream how ioyful in Gods seruice dancing before the Arke how reuerend in Gods house kneeling and bowing in the temple before all the people what a thankfull heart in offering to build a glorious temple to the Lord what an humble minde saying what am I and what was my fathers house that thou hast brought vs hitherto what a chary tender care of Gods glory whersoeuer he became how abundant in prayses and thanksgiuing calling euery member of himselfe and all the creatures both of heauen and earth to make one quier in setting forth singing and sounding the euerlasting prayses of his God but why did Dauid thus to what end was al this that he might be sure still to hould fast by God to be entirely knitt vnto him by all meanes possible to retaine his loue for feare least God hauing raysed him to the height of renowne deliuered him miracolously out of many eminent and bloudy daungers and so set a crowne of blessings vpon his heade if Deuid should haue showen any vnthankfullnes any contempt or the least neglect of his loue a mighty and ielous God he also vpon iust cause might haue withdrawne his loue and laide all his honour in the dust againe Now therefore with all humblenesse and duety I entreate you by the tender mercyes of Christ Iesus and in the name of the liuing God I challenge euery Christian which hopes for any ioy in the life to come take heede of actuall and presumptuous sinnes in no case let them haue dominion cuer you doe not wound your soules as Pharao did with willfull offences against your owne knowledge try and examine all your thoughts how and wherein they stand affected and aboue all greiue not the blessed motions of that comfortable spirit which keepes the very Life and Beeing of the soule To conclude let all slaunderous mouthes be stopped and all the factious scismatiques in the land ashamed in beholding your Christian and princely example continew still to be louingly and kindly affected one towards another celebrate this holy time in a true religious manner Sanctifie the ioyfull beginninge of this new yeares raigne with new deuotion vnto God lay all your Honours downe at the foote of the altar Receiue the holy Sacraments ioyntly together and so be faithfully knitt in loue and in one head Christ Iesus go cheerefully on delight still in doing good and the Lord God of our fathers encrease in you good desires giue you zeale to performe them confirme vnto you and to your seede all his good promises and vnto euery one of vs heere grant pardon for offences past giue vs comfort and strength in temptations to come euen for his blessed Sonne Christ Iesus sake who with the Father and the holy Ghost be blessed and praysed for euer Amen

Flaccus Illiricus P. Lomb. li. 1. dist 41. the Hebrue Dialect doth signifie a permission and not an action Verbes that signifie to doe they often expresse a suffering and not a doing Destruit cum deserit The. Aquin. ● 1 q. 23. arti 3. God is then said to Harden when he doth forsake Impios cum non retrabit a malo culpae dicitur dimittere As the enduing with grace is the effect of Gods Election so the withholding of his grace is the effect of Reprobation Dei includere est clausis non aperire saith Saint Gregorie vpon the 12. of Iob. and fourteene verse Euerie action hath his quality from the roote of the affection and from the intention of the Author Deus autem quoad peceatum non habet positiue velle sed tantum priuatiue Touching sinne God hath no Positiue will but onely in regard of former sinnes a Priuation of his grace To be short God doth Harden as Saint Augustine saith Non malum obtrudendo sed gratiam non concedendo August not by causing vs to commit sinne but by not granting vnto vs his grace I but how comes it to passe that we aswell as others are not partakers of Gods grace why haue not wee also his good Spirit to direct and guide vs Saint Augustine makes it plaine againe August Non idcò non habet home gratiam quia Deus non dat sed quià home non aceipit men become Hardened and want the spirit of grace why not because GOD doth not offer it vnto them but because they receiue it not when it is offered For example One of vs being sicke and like to dye the Physicion knowing our case hee takes with him some preseruatiue to comfort vs and comes to the doore and knocks if we will not or bee not able to let him in wee perish and dye and the cause is not in the Physicion but in our selues that let him not in Plato de leg 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sinne is a disease whereof wee are all sick for wee haue all sinned Romanes 6.12 verse Christ hee is the Physicion of our soules Aug●in Mat. 9.12 Venit de coelo magnus medicus quia per totum vbique iacebit aegretus Christ the great Phisition came downe from heauen because all mankind was generally infected He comes to the dore of our hearts and there hee knockes Reuel 3.20 Behold Iohn 6.35 I stand at the dore and knocke Hee bringeth with him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bread of life his eternall word to comfort vs if wee let him in if wee open the doore of our hearts Lue. 10. he will come in and suppe with vs as hee did with Mary and forgiue vs all our sinnes but if wee will not or through long contagion of our sinne bee not able to let Christ in wee dye in our sinnes and the case is euident not because Christ doth not offer grace and comfort vnto vs but because wee receiue it not when it is offered Merito perit aegretus qui non medicum vocat sed vltro venientem respuit worthily doth that sicke patient perish M●sculus who will neither send for the Physicion himselfe nor accept of his helpe when it is offered More plainely thus in the 14. of Saint Mathew Our Sauiour walking on the sea hee badde Saint Peter come vnto him who walking on the water seeing storme and tempest arise his heart failed and hee beganne to sinck vppon his cry vnto our Sauiour hee presently stretched forth his hand tooke him into the shipp and saued him This world wee know by dayly experience it is a sea of trouble and misery our Sauiour as he said to Saint Peeter so most louingly hee willeth euery one of vs to come vnto him as wee walke stormes and tempests doe arise through frailty of our flesh and the weaknes of our faith wee beginn to sinck our Sauiour he stretcheth forth his hand hee giueth vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his worde his Sacramentes the good motiones of his Spirit to saue vs from sincking and to keepe vs in the shipp of his Church if we refuse these meanes wee perish wee sinck in our sinnes why not because Christ doth not most kindly put forth his hand vnto vs but bicause in want and distresse wee lay not hold vppon him This is condemnation that light is come into the world men refuse it and loue darknes more then light Our blessed Sauiour with great louing kindnesse Iohn 3.18 hee doth inuite all men to his Great Supper if we make excuses or wilfully refuse to come hee may iustly pronounce none of those that were bidden shall euer taste of my supper Lue. 14.24 Therefore lett not men deceiue themselues and complaine as though God did harden their hearts and denye them grace and mercie for as Ionas saith in his 2. Chapter Iohn 2.8 and 8. verse They forsake their owne mercie Deus prior in amore God neuer hateth vntill hee be first hated and so I conclude with Saint Ambrose Nemo tibi Christum potest auferre Ambros nisi te illi auferas no man can separate Christ from thee except first thou doest separate thy selfe from him This is plainely to be obserued in Pharao had he being long before peacably setled in a rich and mighty Kingdome made right vse of the blessings of GOD had hee at the first or often-times after yeilded vnto the word of the Lord he had neuer come to the state of Hardninge nor left himselfe such a fearefull spectacle of Gods wrath for euer But Pharao feeling welth and reuenew coming in so fast and aboundantly that he builded new Citties Pithom and Raamses to lay vp his treasures Exod. 1.11 his heart was so bent and set vpon couetousnesse such multitudes of people moyling and labouringe in sundry workes for his profitte that in no case hee could endure to heare of their departure Exod 5.2 Chap. 7.11 First he said flatly they should not goe Secondly hee sought to shift off the matter affirming the miracles not to bee done by Gods hand but by enchantment Thirdly 8.25 hee yeilded they should offer sacrifice but onely in his owne land Fourthly hee was content they should goe sacrifice out of his land but still he would condition with God None but the men should goe 10.11 Fiftly the men should goe the women goe 10 2● the children goe but their sheepe and Oxen wherein their wealth stoode should not goe Thus Pharao through a wretched and griple minde neuer left winding and turning dallying and presuming of the Lordes mercy and patience till adding one sinne vnto another his heart became Hardened Nay Obserue heere how fearefull a thing it is wilfully to sinne against our owne conscience notwithstanding so many miracles and that before he confessed the Lord to be God hee and his people sinfull and earnestly desired Moses to pray for him yet contrarie