Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
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A43816
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God's eternal preparations for his dying saints discovered in a sermon at Paul's, May the 7th 1648 / by Thomas Hill ...
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Hill, Thomas, d. 1653.
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1648
(1648)
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Wing H2022; ESTC R25713
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29,286
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46
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things can bee yet by a present visible representation to help your sens you shall have the material Elements as it is Austins comparison When a man is upon the ground that bee may bee raised towards Heaven hee must make use of his hands leaning upon the earth So that wee may bee lifted up to Heaven Jesus Christ hath appointed these things sensible to help our Faith and then thirdly There is the Privie Seal of the holy Spirit which by a secree work doth reallize and particularize the two former Grieve not the holy Spirit whereby you are sealed to the day of redemption Ephes. 4. 30. So that it is possible God enabling them fiducially to apply such promises to themselvs and to see the work of grace clearly in their hearts and that the certainty of their salvation shall bee sealed to them 1 Joh. 5. 7. There are three that bear witness in Heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one All the the three glorious Persons concur as to work so to confirm our Salvation The Testimonie the Record is v. 11. That God hath given to us eternal life and this life it in his Son v. 8. There are three that bear witness on earth the spirit and the Water and the Blood and these three agree in one which seem's to bee the Spirits Testimonie in the work of Vocation the Testimonie of Water in Sanctification and of Blood in Justification rather then the Sacraments c. It is a most sweet and excellent thing if you could attain this Brethren it is the very next door to Heaven to bee sure of Heaven the very next thing to the being in Heaven is to have a certainty of Heaven you are in the Suburbs you are in the Porch you have entered Paradise that glorious Palace when you com once to this assurance O sweet it is a very Heaven here upon earth Peace of conscience that passe's understanding and joy in the holy Ghost which is unspeakable and glorious these are the words the Scripture here use's of it as of the first fruits of Heaven Now what is this why it is indeed the beleeving and the eying of those things that are eternal and a certain knowledg as Paul speak's there in that place 2 Corinthians 4. 17. For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Paul a man of great crosses yet you see in the midst of all had the greatest comforts a light affliction hee had told you a sad story before of his troubles that would it may bee sink your hearts and mine yet here light afflictions which were but for a moment they were great and long yet hee call's them light and momentanie what is the reason why they work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory worketh out as the spirit of God carrie's you through not by way of merit a far more exceeding weight of glory as the Spirit of God prepare's them for Heaven so Heaven is prepared for them and you shall finde it is prepared in this method by affliction as in the 1 Peter 5. 10. The God of grace that hath called you to his eternal glory make you perfect after you have suffered a while this Hyperbolical weight of glory which Paul tryed in his afflictions did uphold him It is not moral Philosophers apprehensions that could support them there was Aristides and Socrates and others that might bee called the Puritans among the Heathens who went very far and suffered much Socrates to death yet doubtless if they had nothing but meer morality it would not have comforted them As moral Philosophy wil not carry a man thorow when he com's to suffer so it is not Jesuitical fancies which som Papists have that can yield solid comfort It is a thing worth knowing I would every one knew it it is indeed in Hospinian you wil finde it in the excellent Book of that man of God that now is triumphing in Heaven hee wil tel you how the Jesuits use to raise a man to kil a King som of them the new Romanists com to venter themselvs very far and wil expose themselvs to suffer much to that which they think Martyrdom as the old Roman Heathens and others did who threw themselvs somtimes into the greatest troubles even to death it self Popularitie and Vain-glory and self-respect and such considerations may do much How do they raise a man to kil a King First they bring him to such a place and there they shew him a consecrated Knife and so many consecrated beads hanging upon it and then they deliver it into his hand O heer is the sword of Gideon Jephtah c. and pray to God to bless him and prosper him then they carry him to an Altar there they shew him the picture of Jacobus Clemens that kill'd Henry the third to animate him and then they fain as they can act a part most diabolically and seem to envy him O to what a height of happiness art thou advanced that canst kil a King It is a dangerous Religion whose principles lead to that to eat their Maker and kill their King yet this you see they do and this wil heighten a poor man for a while and som of them are so desperate and proud and vainglorious they wil do it but this wil not last this will not bee a sufficient Cordial the soveraign Cordial of all is to behold Eternitie to see him that is invisible as Moses did and to see the things that were Eternal as Paul heer did One asked the great Duke of Saxonie How came you to bee upheld in so many troubles you have met withall Saith hee I felt the Divine consolations of the Martyrs If God should let wicked men prevail and the disaffected partie of both Kingdoms who now it is clear are joyned and Ireland I doubt in too I am afraid they have all one design if God should suffer them so far and leave the Saints of God so far to themselvs to give advantage to them to suffer wicked men to prevail yet God wil carry on his cause The Revelation wil prove true they cannot undo us they can but send us to Heaven I could tel you a sad storie which I had from the fountain of a Gentleman that had don very good service to his Country in the Parliament who was one of the Eleven came to take his leave of one of the greatest Subjects in the Kingdom by his place said to him this when hee came for a Pass to go over Sea Hee thank'd him for his kindness saying Had the plot prevail'd on the other side you had not been so kindely dealt withal Therefore let us labor to acquaint our selvs with the true yet the divine Consolations of the Martyrs at least som taste of them then let the Devil and all the Malignants in Hell and on
whence this black cloud God and som mens conscience know which I doubt not but it will soon vanish as Athanasius said of Arrius Shall I trust God for my soul and not for my reputation for a crown and not for a crust It was indeed my portion to bee involved in those unhappy differences between the Universitie and Town of Cambridg about their Priviledges when I had the honor to serve them as Vice-Chancellor Is that a sufficient ground of such an unkinde alteration that they calumniate and traduce the Innocent thereupon Alas poor Universitie how hast thou offended the Town of Cambridg which live's so much upon thee as by woful complaints appear's when a great plague scatter's the scholars that as of old it was in Tertullian's time a crime to bee a Christian so it 's now little less amongst som for want of Christian charity to bee an engaged Universitie-man and to stand for that though hee bee obliged thereunto by the Rules of Ingenuitie and Conscience I do heartily wish where our priviledges are not subservient to the publick good they were regulated and bounded by those who have power as our competent Judges but neither Universitie nor Town must bee Judges in their own case Wee cannot give them away they must not take them away till the Parliament to whom wee have appealed do determine the controversie In the mean while till they can have leisure to minde it why should it bee offensive for us to act soberly according to that which the Universitie hath been so long invested with by the donation of Princes confirmation of Parliaments or by a voluntary composition betwixt both Corporations Certainly this is no sufficient ground for such passionate unchristian invectives whereby they fret themselves to do evil gratifie him who is the Accuser of the Brethren and the father of lyes Were it my portion onely to bee thus injured I should suspect my self but my reverend Brethren who deserve much better then I can fare as ill from som when one of them lately was forced by a violet fit of an ague being preaching at the Universitie-Church to break off not long after hee began it would make one tremble to hear what language was spoken thereupon aaginst him for the holy hand of God upon him which might have befallen an Apostle and against others of us engaged as Masters of Colledges with him O that I knew what language to speak to win them to terms of amitie with the Universitie Surely the Devil get's much advantage by these differences they are most unhappy Instruments who ever do enflame them whether Universitie or Townsmen Is not this sad that men whose ministerie they have valued that they can scarce bring off your spirits to hear them preach This is the devil's plot in fomenting those prejudices to hinder the good of their souls and the spreading of the Gospel Herein mistake mee not I do not complain for want of Auditors Yet it grieve's mee to see som of more eminent abilities whose gifts were formerly highly valued now to bee sleighted because engaged in Universitie-employment as Masters of Colledges Yet what ever som think of mee and how unkindely soever they have dealt with mee I will apply my self to you whose Christian candor and Gospel-ingenuitie I have had som years experience of not without respect to their good who wish mee none I doubt not but you will bear my wonted plainness I can give you no more real testimonie of my cordial love unto you then by suggesting som few things which by God's blessing may advance the good of your souls I will begin with your dutie towards God who is our Alpha and Omega our first cause and last end as all the good wee receive is derived from him so all the good wee receive must bee resolved unto him Trust in the Lord with all your hearts and lean not to your understanding In all your waies acknowledg him and hee will direct your paths Acquaint your selvs more and more with worshipping him purely according to his will I doubt Cambridg hath been too patient I mean the Saints there of sinful mixtures not mindeing sufficiently the simplicitie that is in Christ If you would have much of the presence of Christ love purity hee walketh in the middest of the golden candlesticks expect much of the presence of his Spirit where there are pure golden Ordinances Let the Ministerie of the Gospel bee more precious unto you receive the love of the truth and attend upon preaching without respect of persons Do not yee blush to remember that when the truly Noble Earle of Manchester had picked a choice combination of most able Ministers out of the Country that they should ride a dozen or twentie miles to preach a Sermon to you and somtimes so few hearers that they were discouraged to preach What ever you say or think of Scholars did not they help to fill up Assemblies there would bee thin Auditories at week dayes Lectures Remember I pray our Savior's words Hee that heareth you heareth mee and hee that despiseth you despiseth mee and hee that despiseth mee despiseth him that sent mee Maintain Christian Communion whereby you may joyn your gifts experiences and prayers O the amiable beauty of the spirits of primitive saints who did so sweetly close as They continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and prayers I can remember when in the most corrupt and dangerous times som of you would adventure even your all so destructive was then the high Commission Court to enjoy a praying-day together what hath now deaded your spirits that now these things are so much neglected Is there not as much need as ever Doth not the Churches exigents bespeak your wrestling importunities at the throne of grace Chide your selves and one another out of this dulness or disjointing and labor to remove the obstructions what ever they are Often remember their practice when one Apostle was in prison wee have many in persecution instant prayer was made for him by the Church they prayed earnestly and sped succesfully Yet in your Christian communion act soberly and with a godly prudence There are that admit young Scholars into fellowship with them in private duties or rather into publick I dislike it not that any Saints joyn to provoke one another to love and good works But do not encourage them to do any thing beyond the proportion of their gifts and without a call from God Far bee it from mee to snib the movings of God's Spirit in the weakest and meanest of his Saints I desire to live no longer then I cherish the least good in any if indeed it bee good duly circumstantiated I know the direction Peter give's Use hospitalitie one to another without grudging As every man hath received the gift even so minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold