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	lord_n	soul_n	7,621	5	5.0274	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A81210	Heaven and earth embracing; or, God and man approaching: shewed in a sermon preached before the Honourable House of Commons upon the day of their publike fast at Margarets Westminster, January 28. 1645. By Joseph Caryl minister of the Gospel at Magnus neer London Bridge.	Caryl, Joseph, 1602-1673.; England and Wales. Parliament.	1646 (1646)	Wing C779; Thomason E319_11; ESTC R200557	28,718	47

vvord implies And then it is a Metaphor taken from one who is to lift a weight too heavie for him and therefore cals another to lend him his hand Thus the holy Ghost lends us his hand or is as a staff in our hand to uphold and strengthen us in this weighty worke in this heavenly walke of our souls towards God Thirdly Look to the steps There are seven steps and you shall have them almost in so many words by which we draw neer to God 1. The sense of our own vvants We never come neer the fulnesse of God till we know our owne emptinesse He that is full l●atheth a honey-comb and he vvho thinks he is full though none are so empty as he shall never have his emptinesse filled He filleth the hungry with good things and sendeth the rich empty away The vvhole have no need of a Physician and though none have so much need as they vvho say they are vvhole yet these shall not be healed The second step is a sense of our own utter inability to supply our vvants yea and of the inability of all the creatures under heaven and in heaven too vvithout God Psal 73. 25 26. Whom have I in heaven but thee And there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever David having thus protested against the expectation of help from any creature in heaven or earth vvithout or vvithin himself and laid all his help upon him that is mighty findes his soul in a fit frame to approach to God v. 28. It is good for me to draw neer to God The third step is a sense of our unworthinesse that God should supply our vvants or give us any help When Jacob vvas so nigh God that he had him by the shoulders and wrestling with him held him so fast that he vvould not let goe his hold till he had a blessing yet he had quite let goe any hold yea or opinion of his own worthinesse to receive a blessing I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant Gen. 32. 10. or Iam lesse then the least of all thy mercies Then we are fit to receive great things from God when we are little in our own eyes We cannot come neer the high God but with low thoughts of our selves The proud he beholdeth afar off and they are afar off The fourth step is an acknowledgement of the power and alsufficiency of God to help us We cannot draw nigh to God without such actings of faith towards God Heb. 11. 6. He that commeth to God must believe that God is What 's that Is it only this that God hath a being No it is this That God hath his being in himself That God is God that is that God can doe what he pleaseth that God hath an all-sufficiency in himself for himself and an all-sufficiency for us He needs no creature and he is enough for every creature The fifth step is That the Lord is willing and ready to help us God cannot bear it that any should come before him with doubtfull thoughts of him either in regard of his power or of his willingnesse We honour him most when we expect most from him He that commeth to God must believe that God is and what else That he is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him He hath not said to the seed of Jacob seek ye me in vain The sixth step is to believe not only that there is a willingnesse in God to help his people but that he is willing to help in that particular case we petition him about That 's the Apostles meaning Heb. 10. 27. Let us draw neer to God with a true heart and full assurance of faith In what assurance Even in this That we shall be answered in what we ask As faith must mingle with every word of command or promise which God speaks to us else it will not profit us So faith must mingle with every word of prayer which we speak to God or else it will not profit us The Apostle James puts a particular instance Chap. 1. 5 6. If any of you lack wisdome let him ask of God c. and it shall be given him but let him ask in faith nothing wavering The seventh step is Boldnesse or freedome of speech with God Holy boldnesse is the highest act of faith and the highest step of the soul When we are come to this step we are at Gods side as I may speak with reverence and we stand as it were at his elbow The Favourites place then we speak with God as God spake with Moses Exod. 23. 11. Face to face as a man speaketh to his friend This the Apostle invites us to doe Heb. 4. 16. Let us come boldly to the throne of grace Boldnesse would not sute well at any throne but a throne of grace And when we are come thither and come boldly thither grace can step no higher our next step is into glory Thus I have briefly opened who the way is what the staff and vvhich be the steps by vvhich vve draw nigh to God Give me leave now to shew you vvhat the effects of such drawing nigh to God will be It cannot be vve should draw nigh to God by Christ the way by the holy Ghost our staff by such steps as these the sense of our vvants of our vveaknes of our unworthinesse the sight of the power of God and of his vvillingnes to give vvith faith that he vvill give and boldnesse to ask but great effects vvill be vvrought in us and appear upon us I shall give you an account of four 1. If any draw thus nigh to God their neernesse to him vvill cause their likenesse to him A soul cannot stand so nigh a holy God vvithout receiving stamps and tinctures of holinesse Till vve have somewhat of the image of God upon us vve cannot come at all to him and vvhen vve come vve receive more of that image In every ordinance vve may have a vision of God by faith Vision here assimulates as well as in heaven The Apostle treating of Gospel-ordinances concludes this 2 Cor. 3. 18. We all as in a glasse with open face beholding the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. It is impossible to look on God and not be like him Jacobs sheep conceived according to the colour of the Rods that lay in the troughs our conceptions vvill be like our visions So then if in these duties you see God and know vvho God is vvith vvhom you have to doe in them you vvill be holy as God is holy pure as he is pure and just as he is just in all manner of conversation This is a proof to purpose that you have prayed and fasted Moses vvas nigh God

prayer Communion with God is better then all things for which we have communion with him Prayer is better then any worldly thing we pray for This means is better then the end and God to whom we pray is better then any spirituall thing we pray for This object is better then any end It is the highest reward the very wages which the Saints look for in these duties to finde God in them Psal 65. 4. Blessed is the man whom thou chusest and causest to approach unto thee Where were these approaches made The next words shew us where That he may dwell in thy Courts we shall be satisfied with the goodnesse of thy house even of thy holy Temple We shall be satisfied Is it any wonder to see a man delight in satisfying goodnesse What is it that any man desires but satisfaction What is heaven but satisfaction The reason why the world is so much desired is because it gives so little satisfaction Men still hope for further satisfaction And the reason why holy things are desired is because they give so much satisfaction The Saints never think they have enough of them because they ever finde enough in them In heaven and heavenly things satisfaction and appetite are perpetually interchangeable We shall be satisfied with the goodnesse of thy house even of thy holy Temple Unlesse carnall men finde satisfaction in their own houses they finde none in Gods Temple-comforts please them not unlesse they may have their fill of Kitchin-comforts And here 's the reason why carnall men and hypocrites who formally approach unto God in these duties are so soon weary of them for unles they receive some outward sensible it may be sensuall advantage some present pay unles they thrive in worldly things they thinke their labour lost and their time too To what purpose is this waste They know not what you mean by the goodnesse of Gods House they understand not this language Hence that cry Isa 58. 2. Wherefore have we fasted and thou seest not What was it that troubled them What that God was not neer them No but because creature-comforts and successes were not neer them Prayer brought no money into their purses nor peace into their State Now the Saints are never weary of prayer and fasting though they pine and starve at them because they finde God in them in whom they are feasted with sweet wine and various dishes of delight when the world yeelds them not a cup of cold water or a bit of bread God alone is enough and all him they finde vvhen they finde nothing These heavenly Epicures feed fat and full on Christ and drinke large draughts of the wine of his consolation when they have no more in the creature then Dives had in hell not a drop of vvater to cool their tongues Thirdly If these duties be a drawing nigh to God I beseech you consider whether you intend them so or no. Doe you draw nigh to God when you pray and hear Have you been nigh to God this day We are in the exercise of the point we are speaking of It would be sad if any soul should be farre from God in that duty where the whole businesse is to draw nigh to God It is ill to be absent from God at any time but then worst vvhen vve seem to come into his presence It is possible to have God in our mouths and not at all in our thoughts to have God at our tongues end and our hearts at the vvorlds end A man may be as farre from God at a prayer as at a play As farre from God at a holy fast as at a drunken feast Thus the Lord charged his ancient people Isa 29. 13. This people draw neer me with their mouth and with their lips they doe honour me but have removed their heart far from me So the Prophet Jer. 12. 2. Lord thou art nigh in their mouth but thou art farre from their reins O that such might be awakened out of this sinfull sleep as Jacob out of his naturall and forced to cry out as he Surely God is in this place and we knew it not Gen. 28. 16. If it shall be asked How may vve draw nigh to God I vvould answer these three things about it 1. We must have a right vvay 2. We must have a right staff of strength 3. We must have the right steps to draw neer to God Your vvay your staffe your steps must be considered First If you would draw nigh to God look to your vvay and exercise faith about it The way is Jesus Christ I saith he am the way the truth and the life no man commeth unto the Father but by me Joh. 14. 6. There is no choice of waies to God if we misse one we have missed all The Law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope did by the which we draw nigh unto God Heb. 7. 19. What is that better hope Christ the object hoped for is this hope our hope depends so much on him for the best things that he is our better hope by which with assurance we may draw nigh unto God That 's the Apostles encouragement Heb. 10. 19. Having therefore brethren boldnesse to enter into the holiest by the bloud of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us thorow the vail that is to say his flesh Let us draw neer with true hearts Secondly The staffe of ●●rength by which vve draw nigh to God is the holy Ghost Edifie your selves in your most holy faith Jude v. 20. Praying in the holy Ghost so we translate others thus Praying by the holy Ghost that is by the power of the holy Ghost For Rom. 8. We know not what to pray as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh interces●ion for us with groans that cannot be uttered As it is the office of Christ to intercede with God for us So it is the office of the holy Ghost to make those intercessions in us which vve put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Particula 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad nos laborantes resertur quorum tamen vis omnis ab e● spiritu proficiscitur qui ficut nos penitus collapsos erexit ita etiam erectos regit ideoque dici●ur ipse vicissim on●● attollere ex altera parte ne sub eo satiscamus Beza up to God All the prayers which prevail with God are formed vvrought and fashioned in our hearts by the Spirit of God There are no prayers in our hearts The prayers vvhich goe to God come from him The burden of prayer as well as that of sin is too heavy for us to bear Therefore it is said in the beginning of the verse The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities The Greek word signifies to help as a nurse helpeth the little childe upholding it by the arm or as a weak decrepid old man is upholden by his staff Or rather The Spirit helpeth together for so much the composition of the

fourty daies in the Mount And had he nothing of God upon him vvhen he came down Yes his face did shine And his story tels us that his vvhole life as a godly man and all his administrations to the people as a wise Magistrate did shine brighter then his face If you draw nigh to God as these duties import you doe raies of heavenly light vvill shine and shed themselves upon your counsels and resolves Every act vvill speak prayer and fasting Who can dwell neer a holy God and be unholy A just God and be unjust A pure God and be an unclean Adulterer A mercifull God and he a hard-hearted oppressour A faithfull God and be a false-hearted dissembler Doe these things look like the engravings of heaven Or doe these persons act as if they had acquaintance vvith God They that pray neer God work neer God Consider vvhat your projectings are vvhat your devisings vvhat your actings and by that you may finde vvhat your prayings have been vvhat your fastings vvhat your humblings Where vve read God in the one vve may be assured there hath been a dravving nigh to God in the other Many men doe but converse vvith man in prayer and therefore they are so like to man proud froward vain earthly carnal self-seeking O that it might once be testified in our lives that vve are a people vvho have prayed nigh the living God Secondly They vvho dravv nigh to God in these duties usually finde their hearts svveetly refreshed both in and after these duties Can a man vvho is cold come nigh the fire and not be vvarmed Can he that is in the dark come into the open Sun and not be enlightned God is the spring of comfort Surely your hearts vvill be comforted if you get nigh to him Can we come to a God vvhose name is the God of all comfort 2 Cor. 1. 3. God hath ingrost all that commodity into his own hands it is not in the power of any creature high or low to give out comfort they can give riches honours and pleasures but they cannot give comfort you must trade to heaven for that commodity or else your vessel will return empty though you should trade at all the ports on earth I say then Can we come near this God of all comfort and yet finde no comfort to come with and carry away a dead spirit a dead look to be encompast with fear dismaidnes after we have encompassed his throne with prayers or with praises That woman 1 Sam. 1. 18. who was in bitternesse of spirit and in great anguish of soul under her affliction fals a praying and we may see she prayed and drew nigh to God in prayer for she went away and did eat and her countenance was no more sad She found so much refreshing in God that she could not be sorrowfull No sorrow can stand before the God of all consolation What is heaven but the presence of God And what we shall finde in the presence of God there the Psalmist tels us At thy right hand there are joyes and in thy presence there are pleasures for evermore As we shall have nothing but pleasures and joyes in heaven because we are in the presence of God so in a proportion as we get neerer and neerer God on earth we shall have more and more pleasures yea though we dwell in a land of sorrows and though fears encamp round about us drawing nigh to God will turn our water into wine our sorrows into joyes our fears into confidences and assurances for ever He will take off our sackcloth and gird us vvith gladnesse or make us glad while drest in sackcloth He will give us beauty for ashes or make us beautifull in our ashes I grant many a soul hath drawn nigh to God indeed in prayer hearing c. and yet comfort hath been farre off But vve must not argue against a generall truth from a particular temptation The position will stand though every experiment comes not up to it God is a free agent and vvorks electively He is not like the Sun which cannot suspend or diversifie its own operation Thirdly They who draw nigh to God in these duties will draw off from their duties There is a double conversion needfull for a Christian there is a conversion from sin and there is a conversion from duty not from the practice of it but from relying and trusting upon it A man may pray much and fast much and in stead of drawing nigh to God draw nigh to prayer his thoughts may be more upon his prayer then upon God to whom he praies And he may live more upon his cushion then upon Christ But when a man indeed draws nigh to God in prayer he forgets prayer and remembers God He loves to pray but is not in love vvith his prayers He goes forth in the strength of God and makes mention of his righteousnesse only He will not with the Pharisee make mention of his duties also or bring God a reckoning of his prayers and of his fastings I fast twice in the week c. He will not tell the Lord I fast once a moneth I keep extraordinary fasts too he forgets all this Fasts goe for nothing praiers go for nothing and tears go for nothing Christ is all he counts upon nothing but God himself Fourthly They who draw nigh to God in these duties draw off from their selves And they who are neerest God are furthest from self Self-love is the first ●nd most potent lust Self-deniall is the first and most ●otent grace It is an argument that men know little of God and taste lesse of him when they know and taste themselvs so much in all they do When we are asking God we should be denying our selves For he grants ●othing to us in mercy till we deny our selves When man first departed from God he went into himself ●nd as often as he comes to God he goes out of himself No man can be a self-seeker and a God-seeker too Hence it is that the Apostle spends the former part of the Chapter upon this argument even to draw the scattered Jews to whom he wrote off from themselves closing with the duty of this Text as the only expedient to effect it Draw nigh to God As if he had said one touch upon God will cure you of your selves For the clearing of vvhich I shall a little open the context vvhich vvith an eye to this place I forbare to speak of at the beginning The Apostle puts a Question at the first verse From whence come warrs and fightings among you He asks the Question not that he was unresolved but that they might be ashamed But what vvars means he Were those twelve Tribes scattered abroad by persecution as we read in the dedication of the Epistle rallying themselves into regiments and gathering into armies to fight one with another rather then into Churches to worship God together No the vvarre he means was metaphoricall The Roman