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	soul_n	9,381	5	5.0695	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A58902	A helpe to the willing soul, or, The communicants counsellor being a plaine and familiar discourse upon sundry maine truths, both doctrinall and practicall, requisite to be known, understood and observed by every Christian before his approach to the Lords table : composed mostly in reference to the rules and directions concerning sacramentall knowledge laid down in an ordinance of both Houses of Parliament of the 20 of October, 1645 / by Henry Searle ; for the benefit and edification of the inhabitants of Aldeburgh in Suffolk.	Searle, Henry, b. 1616.	1647 (1647)	Wing S2203; ESTC R15097	21,827	50

cease to be God when hee was made Man Ans No Christ did not cease to be God when he was made man but was from that time forth is now Heb. 13. 8. and ever shall be both God and Man Ioh. 11. 14. Rom. 9. 5. in one person 1 Cor. 8. 6. Qu. Why was Christ both God and Man Ans Christ was both God and Man that he might be a fit Mediator betwixt God and men and bee able both to doe and suffer all things that were to be done and suffered on our behalf Gal. 4. 4 5. Heb. 2. 11 14. 4. 15 16. Qu. Is there any other Mediator between God and men besides Jesus Christ Ans No there is but one Mediator betwixt God and men namely the Man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2. 5. who having died upon the crosse Phil. 2. 8. to save his people from their sinnes rose again from the dead and ascended into heaven where he now fits at Gods right hand and makes continuall intercession for them Acts 1. 9 10 11. Rom. 8. 34. Qu. What hath Christ done for such of us as belong to Gods election Ans First Christ hath fulfilled the Law Mat. 5. 17 18. which we ought to have exactly kept Rom. 10. 5. Secondly he hath merited a crown of righteousnesse for us by fulfilling that Law Phil. 2. 8 9. Heb. 2. 9. 12. 2. Qu. What benefit have we by Christs doings Ans We have this benefit by Christs doings First God will impute Christs righteousnesse to us in his fulfilling the Law Rom. 5. 10. Rom. 10. 5. Secondly he will give us the crown of glory which his Son Christ hath merited by his righteousnesse John 17. 22. Col. 3. 4. Heb. 9. 24. John 1. 23. Qu. What hath Christ suffered for us Ans Christ Jesus hath suffered for us thus First he hath born our sins 1 Pet. 2. 24. Heb. 9. 28. 2 Cor. 5. 21. Secondly he hath suffered the wrath of God due to us for sin 1 Pet. 3. 18. 1 Cor. 15. 3. Qu. What benefit have we by Christs sufferings for us Ans If we be indeed the people of God our benefit by Christs sufferings is very great For first God will not impute those sins to us which Christ hath born 2 Cor. 5. 19. And secondly God will not lay that wrath and vengeance upon us which Christ hath suffered and undergone Rom. 5. 9. 1 Thess 1. 10. but on the contrary he will give us through Christ all things good for us both here and hereafter Mat. 7. 10. Psal 84. 11. Qu. Seeing Christ hath both fulfilled the Law for us and satisfied Gods wrath we may cast away care because there 's nothing left for us to doe or suffer is there Ans In a way of merit or so as to rest upon our doings or sufferings for justification or salvation wee neither can nor may doe or suffer any thing Esay 64. 6. Phil. 3. 7 8 9. Luke 17. 10. But in a way of obedience we are bound both to doe and suffer whatsoever the will of God in his Word requires of us as a token of our submissivenesse and thankfulnesse to God 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. Phil. 1. 20. Qu. How can wee doe any thing that is good seeing we have no power naturally of our selves Ans First even unbeleevers have so much naturall power of themselves as to use such outward meanes both in publick and private as are appointed of God through the assistance of his Spirit to work a power in them to please God and therefore they must not be idle and say they have no power of themselves but up and bee doing in the use of meanes Acts 9. 6. Luk. 13. 24. Phil. 2. 12. Secondly unfeigned beleevers who have some supernaturall power derived upon them from Christ Joh. 1. 16. must improve 2 Tim. 1. 6. Rev. 3. 2. that power also in the practise of duties of holiness towards God and duties of righteousnesse toward men all the dayes of their life Luke 1. 74 75. Acts 24. 16. For though wee shall not bee saved for our good works yet wee shall never bee saved without good works Heb. 12. 14. Jam. 2. 14 26. Qu. How are Christians made partakers of Christ and his benefits Ans Christians are made partakers of Christ and his benefits onely by faith apprehending and applying them Ephes 3. 17. Mat. 21. 22. Qu. What is Faith Ans Faith is a perswasion of the heart Rom. 10. 10. grounded upon the promises Psal 119. 49 50. of God rightly understood and applyed a Pet. 3. 16. Mat. 4. 6. comp with Psalm 91. 11. whereby I beleeve that Jesus Christ died for me Gal. 2. 20. as well as for any other Qu. Is this saving Faith in our own power or can we beleeve when we will Ans No we have not faith of our selves Ephes 2. 8. Phil. 1. 29. neither is it in our own power to beleeve when we will but faith is the gift of God wrought in the heart of Gods elect by the Word Rom. 10. 17. and by the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 3. 6 7. and therefore we must use the meanes to get it Qu. Cannot we be saved without Faith Ans No wee cannot bee saved without faith for he that believeth not on the Son of God shall not see life but shall perish eternally Joh. 3. 36. Mar. 16. 16. Gal. 3. 11. Qu. Is there any true faith in that soule that doth not unfeignedly repent Ans There is no true faith in that soule that doth not often act forth unfained repentance for his sins because every one that beleeves in Christ hath the spirit of Christ Gal. 4. 6. Rom. 8. 9. but now true repentance is a saving grace issuing from Christs spirit 2 Tim. 2. 25. Zech. 12. 10. as well as faith Qu. What is true repentance Ans True repentance is an inward dislike hatred and sorrow 2 Cor. 7. 9 10. for all sinne Psal 119. 104. and a turning from it to God Jer. 3. 13. Jam. 4. 9 10. 1 Pet. 5. 6. Esay 1. 16 17. 1 Pet. 2. 11 12. 1 Tim. 6. 12. Prov. 8. 13. Psal ●7 10. Prov. 13. 5. chiefly upon this ground because every sin as it is sin is contrary to the holy nature Gen. 6. 6. Gen. 39. 9. and sacred will of God 1 Thess 4. 7. Q. What becomes of the souls of men after death Ans The soules of all that die in the true and unfeigned faith of Christ immediately goe to live with Christ in blessednesse Luk. 23. 43. Phil. 1. 23. and the soules of the wicked Luke 16. 23. goe immediately into hell torments Qu. Whether shall mens bodies rise again at the ●ast day or no Ans Yes the bodies both of the godly and ungodly shall rise again at the last day of ●udgment and at that time all shall appear before the judgment seat of Christ to receive according to what they have done in the body whether it be good or evil 2 Cor. 5. 10. and the righteous

not unfeignedly repent of the same as they doe eate and drink of the bread and wine which they there receive 1 Cor. 11. 29. Qu. Can one that is regenerated or born of God be an unworthy receiver at the Lords Table Ans One that is regenerated cannot properly be called an unworthy receiver because his person is accepted with God through Christ but yet such an one may eate and drink unworthily and so pull Gods displeasure upon himself for a time as those careless unprepared and forgetfull Corinthians did of whom God struck some with sickness and others with death 1 Cor. 11. 29 30. Qu. SEeing there is so great Mr Chancy's Doctrine of the Sacraments well suiting here with my scope and purpose gave mee ease in the matters following whose steps I have trod in yet so as that I have interwoven sundry variations and additions where I conceived them needfull danger in unworthy receiving what ought we to do for prevention thereof Ans There bee three sorts of duties to bee performed by us if we would bee accepted with God for worthy Communicants and prevent the danger of unworthy receiving Qu. Which be th●se three sorts of duties Ans The three sorts of duties belonging to a communicant are these namely some to be done before some at and some after our receiving the Sacrament of the Lords-supper Qu. What are the duties to be done by us through Gods assistance before our receiving the Sacrament of the Lords-supper Ans The duties that we are to perform before we come to the Lords Table are two namely First thorow examination of our selves 1 Cor. 11. 26. and secondly a right behaviour and holy carriage after our self-examination Q What do you mean by examination of a mans self A. Self-examination is the calling of a mans self privately to account and question in the sight of God that hee may know whether he be duly fitted to partake of that ordinance or not Qu. Is it not enough for a Communicant to examine himself once for all Ans No for every Christian should very frequently be examining of himself Psal 4. 4. 2 Cor. 13. 5. touching the state and condition of his soul but especially before he comes to the Lords Table and look how oft soever hee intends to come to that Sacrament so often hee is bound strictly to examine and sift out his own spirituall state before he presume to present himself there as a guest 1 Cor. 11. 28. Qu. Wherein consists the thorow examination of our selves before receiving Ans The thorow examination of our selves before receiving consists in two things First in generall to examine our selves whether wee bee reall and sound Christians or hypocrites Secondly in a more speciall trying of our selves what sins we stand guilty of and whether those graces which are requisite to the right receiving of the Lords supper be truly wrought in us or not Qu. How may we discern whether wee bee sound Christians or hypocrites Ans We may discern whether wee bee sound Christians or hypocrites by these four notes viz. 1 If one that is a true Christian be enticed and drawn away from God he grieveth for it Gen. 39. 9. Rom. 7. 22 23 24. 1 Tim. 1. 15. and giveth not ready consent unto the temptation Rom. 7. 19. Gal. 5. 17. 2 If through frailty hee bee overborn to give consent to the temptation yet it is not full consent but he doth it against his will and purpose for his purpose is not to sin Rom. 7. 15 19. 3 If he do put his sinfull inclinations into execution and practise yet hee continueth not long in them doth not nor will not walk after them but recovereth himself because he is incorporated into Christ and hath the seed of true grace in him 1 Joh. 3. 9. Luke 22. 61 62. 4 When he does any good thing his main aim and level is at Gods glory 1 Cor. 10. 31. Phil. 1. 20. not at his own profit honor or credit Mark 8. 34 35 36. Gal. 1. 10. But the contrary to these four are the marks and notes of unsound and hypocriticall persons Qu. Now for the more speciall trying of our selves how should we examine our selves about our sins Ans Wee must examine our selves about our sins thus namely goe and seriously look into Gods Law and so call to remembrance how we have offended our God 1 Joh. 3. 4. Rom. 7. 7 9. Psal 51. 4. given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme 2 Sam. 12. 14. 2 Pet. 2. 2. scandalized our brethren that is to say grieved the stronger Psal 119. 136. and occasioned the weaker 1 Cor. 8. 10 11 12 13. christian to sin by our example And lastly how we have wronged our own souls by suffering sin easily to prevaile and the life activity and power of grace to faile and decay in us Rev. 2. 4 5. Q. Now in the next place how shall I know which be those Graces that are especially requisite and necessary to the right receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords-supper Ans The Graces that are especially necessary to the right-receiving of the Lords-supper are these eight namely 1 Sound knowledge 1 Cor. 11. 29. 2 Saving faith Rom. 4. 11. Mar. 16. 16. 3 True repentance for all our sins 1 Cor. 11. 31. 4 Unfeigned obedience Prov. 9. 5 6. 5 Entire love to God and man Mat. 5. 25. 1 Cor. 12. 13. 6 Earnest hunger and thirst after Christ 1 Joh. 7. 37. Luk. 22. 15. 7 The sincerity and uprightnesse of our hearts 2 Chron. 30. 18 19. 8 Thankfulnesse to Christ Mat. 26. 30. Qu. But how shall I know whether these graces are truly wrought in me by the word spirit of God or not Ans If you would know whether these graces are truly wrought in your soul or not then you must examine your self about each particular grace severally as first about knowledge then about faith and so of all the rest in order Qu. How may a man examine himself about his knowledge so as to be convinced that his knowledge is sound knowledge Ans A man may be convinced that his knowledge is sound by considering the measure of it and the properties of it Qu. What measure of knowledge is required of a Communicant Ans Every Communicant must in some competent measure know all the principles Heb. 5. 12. Heb. 6. 1 2. of the doctrine of Christ necessary to salvation As for example what is the naturall condition of every man and woman what is the means of our recovery out of that natural condition what is the spirituall meaning of the Ten commandements what is the most true meaning of all the Articles of the Christian Faith what is the nature use and end of each Sacrament and the like Qu. What are the properties of sound knowledge Ans Sound knowledge hath these and such like properties 1 It makes a man humble 1 Cor. 3. 18. Prov. 26. 16. and ready to render a reason of