Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	father_n	holy_a	prayer_n	6,254	5	6.1558	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A49240	The Christians combat: or, His true spiritual warfare wherein is laid down the nature, power, and cunning deceit of Satan, the great enemy of our salvation. With the means whereby every good Christian may withstand his dreadful assaults. By C. L. late preacher of Gods word in the City of London.	Love, Christopher, 1618-1651.	1664 (1664)	Wing L3144; ESTC R216615	19,118	53

to desire earthly comodities and estéem the riches pleasures and preferments of the place whereof we were inhabitants at high rates but now that God hath dignified us with most royal priviledges and made us Citizens of heaven and of the slaves of Satan hath made us his own children by adoption and grace yea heirs apparent of his glorious kingdom O let us remembring this high calling for shame forsake our base desires not suffering our hearts to lie grobeling on the earth wallowing in carnal pleasures and worldly delights but raising them up to the height of our hopes let us aim at no less then crowns and kingdoms and those not momentary and of this world séeing they are vain and of little worth but those which are most glorious and eternal in the world to come Having shewed you the priviledges of the Citizens of heaven I shall now give you a hint of those ineffable and inconceivable joys of heaven the Apostle St. Paul séems to intimate that he was taken up into paradice 2 Cor. 12.41 That we may have some glimps of the glory we are to know that the joys of heaven is nothing else but that chief happiness and supreme felicity which the holy Saints having served God in this life shall eternally injoy with God himself and his son Christ in the life to come the joys of heaven are called a torrent of pleasures a timely fountain a majestical temple it is called a Crown a Crown of righteousness and lest it should be like the worldly crowns that fade away and subject to change it is a crown incorruptible which cannot be taken from us a crown of life that cannot be lost by death yea it is called glory it self Thus the ravishing joys of heaven are plainly noted by those titles and similitudes which are in the word of God ascribed to it and it is further denoted by way of a mansion a dwelling house we are to remain in and not onely so but an inheritance that is immortal and undefiled that passeth not away an incorruptible crown which cannot perish a fountain of life which is never dry an eternal life which hath no end A Kingdom which cannot be shaken by any violence and eternal glory that hath no limits nor end And thus we sée in part the excellency of those heavenly joys There are two parts of those joys 1. The absence of all evil 2. The presence of all good we shal have a freedome from all evils that may trouble us and have the fruition of all those things that can delight and comfort us Here we are content to injoy the victory over all flesh and blood this is the blessed conquest this is the eternal mansion of glory for which so many of the Saints and holy Martyrs of God have fought manfully under Christs Banner and have béen found more then conquerors through Christ that loved them Let us therefore so strive and fight that we may obtain a glorious conquest over the spiritual enemies of our Salvation and so obtain the crown of Victory which God hath promised us even that glorious felicity the eternal happiness of his heavenly kingdom the which if it be the blessed will of Iesus Christ the righteous to grant us who hath dearly bought it for us to whom with the Father and his holy Spirit be ascribed to him by all his Church all honor glory praise and thanksgiving obedience and dominion henceforth and for evermore Amen Books printed for Charles Tyus at the Three Bibles on the Middle of London-Bridge A Learned Exposition on the Ten Commandements by Mr. Dod. in 4. Susurium cum Deo Or Holy Conferences of the devout soul by Joseph Hall late Bishop of Norwich Comfort and Councel for dejected Souls by I. Durant Sips of Sweetnesse or Consolation for weak believers by J. Durant The Pilgrims Port or The weary mans Rest in the Grave by George Ewbanke The Womans Labours being the worthy works of the weaker Vessel in Poetical Verses upon several places of Scripture The Wise Virgin or A Wonderful Narration of the various dispensations of God towards a child of eleven years of age by Name Martha Hat●ield the daughter of Mr. Anthony Hatfield of Laughton in Yor●●shire how through the prevalency of her distemper she was smitten dumb deaf and blind and at several times she did utter many glorious truths concerning Christ Faith and other subjects to the wonderment of many that came far and near to see her These small Books following being but 2 d. a piece are likewise printed for Charles Tyus Gods Call to Unconverted Sinners by T.P. Now or never work out your Salvation with fear and trembling by R.B. The School of Learning being Prayers for Morning and Evening with a short Catechism for the instruction of Children The School of Patience or the benefit of affliction to the people of God The Vertuous Wife or a good Woman in her proper colours set forth for the benefit of young men in their choice of a Wife The Scholars Winter Garment or a garment of righteousness wherewith every one is to be clothed by T.R. Mans chief Guide to Salvation by T.R. The Sinners Warning Piece or Heavens Messenger by T.R. These with variety of Histories are sold at the three Bibles on the Middle of London Bridge FINIS

assaults and give him no advantage in the fight Otherwise he will use it to our own overthrow for if he durst fight with our Savior Christ with his own weapon the word of God whose knowledge was e●quisite and without measure how much more will he be busied in using it against us who have not attained unto the least part of his skill First then hereby appeareth the carnal wretchedness of many poor souls who as if they had no enemy to oppose them and assault them have not this weapon in their houses at all and if they have yet they bestow more time in profane exercises then in study how to use this sword of the Spirit which is the word of God for their own defence and too many trusting to their own skill as sufficient in it self they seldome come to the Lords School where they may learn to use the weapon of Gods word for their best advantage Secondly hereby appeareth the wicked practices of the enemies of Gods truth who take from Gods people the sword of the Spirit which the Lord hath given unto all for their defence Neither doth the Apostle exhort onely Ministers to take this weapon but all Christians whatsoever who are assaulted with their spiritual enemies The last and chief means whereby we may both defend our selves and offend our enemies is fervent and effectual prayer which the Apostle exhorteth us to Ephes 6.18 And pray alwaies the necessity and profit of which exercise is very great in this spiritual Combat because thereby we do obtain all our strength to fight and victory also over our enemies For first we cannot indure the least assault of Satan by our strength unless we be armed with the power of Gods might and the Lords assistance whereby onely we can overcome is obtained by earnest and effectual prayer Psal 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble so will I deliver thée and thou shalt glorifie me And our Saviour prescribeth us the means to frée our selves from temptation or at least from being overcome by it that we crave the Lords assistance saying Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil Matth. 6.13 so he exhorteth his Disciples unto prayer lest they should enter into temptation Luke 22.40.46 Secondly we cannot obtain the spiritual armour before described by any means of our own and therefore are to be begged at his hands by earnest and effectual prayer we having his gracious promise that if we ask we shall receive Matth. 7.7 And our Savior hath assured us that whatsoever we ask the Father in his name he will give it us John 16.23 And to this his promise he addeth his commandment in the verse following Ask and ye shall receive vers 24. Now that our prayers may be effectual there are divers conditions and properties required in them 1. That we pray continually which our Saviour Christ injoyneth Luke 18.1 Not that we must neglect all other duties and do nothing but pray for there is a time to hear the word to do the works of mercy and of our callings but his meaning is that we be alwaies ready to pray upon all good occasi●ns especially in the time of temptation 2. The second thing required is that we pray with all manner of prayer and supplication that is when we want any thing that is good or would be delivered from any thing that is evil we must have recourse to God by prayer that we may obtain the one and avoid the other but more especially when we féel the want or weakness of our spiritual armour we are then to beg the graces of Gods spirit we are to beg them at Gods hand that so we may be able to withstand the encounter The third thing required is that we may in or by the Spirit The words may be taken both waies First therefore we must pray in the Spirit which is required that we pray with understanding 2. We must pray with attentive minds joyning our hearts with our lips 3. We must pray with a pure conscience and faith unfained lifting up pure hands to God without wrath or doubting 1 Tim. 2.8 Thus have I described the Christian armour which every man is to put on before he enter into the Combat with our spiritual enemies if we resist Satan he will flie from us Jam. 4.7 but if we give ground and betake our selves to flight he will pursue us swiftly and deadly wound us for we have no armour on the back to defend us from the violence of his blows neither will the Lord protect such faint-hearted cowards as run away from his standard not daring to trust and relye upon his mighty power and never failing assistance which he hath promised to all that fight his Battel Seeing therefore there is no safety in flight but assured victory to them that faint not but endure the brunt of the battel let us manfully stand upon our guard neither flying nor yielding to our spiritual enemies for where can we be more safe then under the Lords Standard where can we be more honourably imployed then in fighting his Battel how can our state be more dangerous then when we flye and Satan pursueth us how can it be more desperate then when we yield our selves captive to Satan to be bound in the fetters of sin until the sentence of condemnation be pronounced on us in the general Sessions at the day of Christs appearing From the which sad sentence the Lord of his tender mercies grant that every poor soul of us may be delivered Thus having given you an account of our spiritual armour and laid down the reason to incourage you to fight this spiritual warfare I now come to give you some motives to stir you up to this work that we should not set our hearts on this world and worldly things because we are but Pilgrims and strangers here on earth as appeareth by the acknowledgement of the Saints and Servants of God in times of old of whom it is said that they confest they were Pilgrims and Strangers on the earth Heb. 11.13 the which as it is manifest by the Scripture so it is demonstrated by evident reason for that is to be estéemed a mans country where his chief friends and kindred remains where his living and substance doth lie where he is to spend the most part of his life where he hath most contentment and best entertainment but the faithful have all their kindred in heaven saving some few who are pilgrims with them on the earth there is their heavenly Father and Christ Iesus their elder brother there are their chief treasures even an inheritance undefiled that fadeth not away finally there they have best entertainment and most contentment because there all tears shall be wiped from their eyes and there they shall have mansion-houses inheritances crowns of glory and fulnesse of joy for evermore Now from this consideration that we are not in our own country but remain upon the earth as pilgrims

and strangers should serve as an effectual reason to wean our hearts from the love of the world and worldly vanities and to place them in heaven and onely in heavenly joys which is our country and place of residence therefore if we be pilgrims on earth we must follow their practice and not set our hearts on worldly things because the time we have to enjoy them is very short let him that hath enjoyed worldly prosperity the longest time look back and he shall sée that all that is past is but as a dream or shadow and as the twinkling of an eye in respect of eternity but all our love and longing must be placed on our heavenly inheritance where we are for ever to enjoy an eternal weight of glory and happiness without end Now if we would thus estéem of the world and worldly vanities learn then of the Apostle to use them as though we used them not not as places to rest in or things wherein we take our chief repose but as a way to travel in and as necessaries to further us in our journey who would seat his heart and affections on those delights which he séeth as he passeth by who in his right wits will so doat on these things in which he hath not any interest as that he should neglect far better and permanent delights in his own country Let us then like travellers refresh our selves with the things of this life and so again go forward on our journy cast away every thing that presseth down and the sin that hangeth fast on and let us run with patience the race that is set before us let us learn to imitate the Eagle which seldome lighteth on the earth but when constrain'd with hunger she stoopeth to her prey and when she hath fed mounteth again aloft above the clouds so let us not suffer our hearts and affections any longer to rest upon the earth then we are compel'd with our present necessities but like the Eaglets of Iesus Christ let us resort thither where the dead carcase is and being fed herewith let us amount high in divine contemplations having our conversation in heaven and let us like strangers and pilgrims abstain from carnal lusts which fight against our souls Again the world is not simply a place of pilgrimage alone but a place of warfare wherein we are assaulted on all sides and by all possible means hindred in our spiritual voyage and therefore séeing our time is but short and so full of trouble let us seat our affections and our hearts on the main business which tends to our spiritual warfare as Jacob saith the daies of his pilgrimage were not onely few but evil also Gen. 47 9. and Job affirmeth that man who is born of a woman is but of short continuance and full of trouble Job 14.1 And therefore while we are here we had néed to be always in the compleat armour of a Christian● because we fight not onely against flesh and blood but against Principalities Powers and worldly Governours the Prince of the darkness of the world which are in high places let us then with the Apostle so run that we may obtain 1 Cor. 9. 24 25. Let us being to wrestle with such mighty enemies like him that proveth masteries abstain from all things which might hinder us to obtain a crown is incorruptible let us come into the field against our spiritual enemies not loaded and incumbred with the burden of worldly trash tyed fast unto us the bounds of carnal love which shall but betray us into the hands of those foes which séek our overthrow but let us run armed with Gods spiritual graces and assisted with the power of his might whereby we shall be inabled to obtain the victory that so we may say with the Apostle I have fought a good fight I have finished my course and have kept the faith from henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. Séeing this is promised as he affirmeth not to him alone but to all them who obtain the victory in this spiritual warfare according to that gracious promise in Revel 3.27 to him that overcometh will I gran● 〈◊〉 with me in my Throne even as I overcame and sit with my Father in his Throne I come now to a second motive to stir us up to look after heavenly treasure and not immoderately to love the world and worldly vanities because we are pilgrims here and therefore must leave them in our passage so we are Citizens of heaven the new Jerusalem the Apostle saith we having through Christ an entrance unto the father by one spirit are now no more strangers and forreigners but Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God and speaking of Abraham the father of the faithful he saith That he abode in the land of promise as in a strange country and as one that dwelt in tents because he looked for a City not made with hands having a foundation whose builder and maker is God neither was this peculiar to him alone but general to all his Children who followed him in the saith of whom it is said that they have here no continuing City but seek one to come Heb. 11. 6 9 10. And the reason is apparent for we are Citizens and subjects of that Kingdom whereof our Lord Iesus Christ is King but he himself hath plainly told us that his kingdom is not of this world but that he reigneth and ruleth in that kingdom of eternal glory and therefore whosoever are subjects unto him they cannot be frée denizons of the world but Citizens of heaven It is no marvel that heretofore we living in ignorance did not estéem of those divine excellencies but preferred before them these worldly vanities because they are subject to our selves for there is no desire of that which is not known and that bright sun-shine day is all alike to him who is stark-blind unto the darkest night But now after that the grace of God which bringeth salvation unto all men hath appeared and taught us that we should deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and that we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the mighty God and of our Saviour Iesus Christ Titus 2. 11 12 13. It were more then madness if we should suffer our selves still to be transported with worldly concupiscence and prefer the present satisfying of our carnal desires before the eternal fruition of our heavenly joys we should not be alwayes children wanting wit and experience in heavenly affairs it is time now to put away childish things Whilst we remain'd in the state of slaves and were the devoted vassals of sin and Satan our base desires did well agree with our base condition whilst we were Citizens of the world and children of the earth it might sute with our calling