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	grace_n	heart_n	10,388	5	4.9061	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A90272	The labouring saints dismission to rest. A sermon / preached at the funeral of the Right Honourable Henry Ireton Lord Deputy of Ireland: in the Abbey Church at Westminster, the 6th. day of February 1651. By John Owen, minister of the Gospel. Licensed and entered according to order.	Owen, John, 1616-1683.	1652 (1652)	Wing O766; Thomason E654_3; ESTC R203087	19,571	28

when the Gospel which he began to preach was to be published in its beauty and glory They had all but their appointed seasons though their abilities were eminent who like unto them and their employment excellent what like it in the earth yet at their seasons they must go their ways to rest and lie down till they stand in their lot at the end of the dayes Reas. 1. The generall condition of their mortality doth require that it should be so It is appointed to all men once to die Heb. 9. 27. There is a stable law fixed concerning the sons of men that is not upon the account of any usefulness here to be dispensed withall The number of our moneths are with God he hath fixed our bounds which we shall not passe our dayes are as the dayes of an hireling that have a certain prefixed and determinate end their strength is not the strength of stones neither is their flesh of brasse that they should endure for ever See Job 14 10 11 12. This I say requires that there should be an appointed season for their Employment for it is so for their lives and yet there is more in it then this for in the course of 5000 yeeres God hath exempted two persons by his Sovereignty from the condition of mortality who walked with him in their generations So that the bounds fixed to them were not upon the account of their lives but meerly of the work they had in hand 2 God doth it that he may be the more eminently seen in the carrying on his own works which in their season he commits to them Should he leave his work always on one hand it would seem at length to be the work of the Instrument only Though the people opposed Moses at the first yet it is thought they would have worshipped him at the last and therefore God buried him where his body could not be found Yet indeed he had but the lot of most who faithfully serve God in their generations despised whilest they are present idolized when they are gone I do not know of any great work that the Lord carried out the same persons to be the beginners and enders of He gave them all their seasons that his power and wisdome might the more evidently appear in carrying it from one hand to another 3 God makes room as it were in his Vineyard for the budding flourishing and fruit-bearing of other Plants which he hath planted Great Employments call for great exercise of graces Even in Employments in and about providentiall things there is the exercise of spirituall grace as much Faith and Prayer as much communion with God walking before him and wrestling with him may be used in casting down of Armies as in setting up of Churches God exerciseth all the graces of his in the work he calleth them out unto He principles them by faith and fellowship with himself for their Employment and therefore He gives each individuall but his appointed season that others in whose hearts he hath lodged the same spirit wherewith they are endued may come forth and shew the fruits thereof Daniel lieth down in the dust in rest and peace and why so the spirit of prophecie is poured out on Haggai and Ze●hariah c. they must also carry on this work and beare my name before my people Consider the use of this Vse 1. of Exhortation unto all that are imployed in the work of God especially such as with eminent Abilities are engaged in eminent Employments you have but your alotted season for your work your day hath its close its evening your night cometh wherein none can work The grave cannot praise the Lord death cannot celebrate him it 's the living the living that are fitted for that worke Isa. 38. 18 19. It is true men may alot you your season and all in vain but your Times are in the hand of God that which he hath appointed out unto you shall stand be you never so excellent never so usefull yet the dayes of your service are as the dayes of an hireling that will expire at the appointed season be wise then to improve the time that is in your hands this is the praise of a man the onely praise whereof in this world he is partaker that he doth the will of God before he fall asleep that he faithfully serves his generation untill he be no more For a dying man to wrestle with the rebukes of God and the complaints of his own conscience for meeting with the end of his dayes before he hath attained the midst of his duty is a sad condition You have your season and you have but your season neither can you lye down in peace untill you have some perswasion that your worke as well as your life is at an end what ever then you finde to do do it with all your strength for there is neither wisdome nor power in the grave whither you are going Ecclesiast 9. 10. Some particular Rules may direct you herein 1 Compare yonr selves with the Saints of God who were faithfull in their generations and are now fallen asleep What a deal of work did Josiah do in a short season what a Light did John set up in a few yeares with what unwearied paines and industry did our deceased friend serve his generation It is said of Caesar that he was ashamed of his own sloth when he found that Alexander had conquered the Eastern world at the age wherein he had done nothing Behold here one receiving his dismission about the age of 40 yeares and what a world of work for God and the Interest of the Lord Christ did he in that season and how well in the close hath he parted with a temporall life for him who by his death procured for him an eternall life And now Rest is sweet unto this labouring man Provoke one another by examples 2 Be diligent to passe through your work let it not too long hang upon your hands Your appointed season may come before you bring it to the close yea search out work for God You that are intrusted in power trifle not away your season Is there no oppressed person that with diligence you might relieve is there no poor distressed Widow or Orphane whose righteous Requests you might expedite and dispatch are there no stout offenders against God and man that might be chastized are there no slack and slow Counties and Cities in the execution of Justice that might be quickened by your example No places destitute of the Gospel that might be furnished and supplyed by your industry and wisdome can you not finde out something of these or the like nature to be dispatched with vigour and diligence nay do not innumerable particulars in each kinde lye upon your hands And is not your performance of them such a sacrifice as wherewith God is not well pleased your time is limited and appointed you know not how soon you may be overtaken with it and would it