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	pray_v	prayer_n	6,987	5	6.6304	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A88578	A Christians duty and safety in evill times Delivered in severall sermons, upon four texts of scripture, viz. Christ's prayer the saints support, on Iohn 17 15[.] A divine ballance to weigh all doctrines by, on 1 Thes.5. 21[.] A Christians great enquiry, on Acts 16.30, 31[.] A description of true blessedness, on Luke 11. 28[.] By that faithfull messenger of Jesus Christ, Mr Christopher Love, late minister of Laurence-jury, London. Whereunto is annexed The saints rest, or Their happy sleep in death. As it was delivered in a sermon at Aldermanbury, London. Aug. 24. 1651. By Edmund Calalmy. B. D.	Love, Christopher, 1618-1651.; Calamy, Edumnd, 1600-1666. Saints rest.	1653 (1653)	Wing L3147; Thomason E1434_3-4; ESTC R209589	82,542	242

that thou art under a Covenant of Grace which doth not require a perfect but a sincere obedience to the Law of God which accepts of the Will for the deed O remember that thou art not under a Covenant of works but a Covenant of Grace which accepts of what Christ hath done and suffered for thee if thou art a beleiver as if done in thine own person Though indeed that is true which Christ said to the young man Math. 19.17 If thou wilt enter in to Life keep the Commandements Yet you must know that Christ spake this unto him because he knew him to bee of a Pharisaicall temper and that he thought to bee saved by his good works But if Christ should say thus unto any of us thou shalt goe to Heaven if thou keepest every Command thou shalt never goe to Heaven if thou breakest any one Command The Lord have mercy on us we should then all perish to eternity But Christ saith Beleive and live Now promise not work is the object of Faith V●nl●m tanquam ex fide non ex debito sper●mus Rom. 4.16 Therefore Ambrose was wont to say let us hope for pardon as of faith not of debt In a word make conscience to keep what thou hearest bewaile thine inabillity to fullf●ill the Law of God do what thou canst mourn that thou canst doe no better and then God will say though thou canst not keep the Law compleatly yet my Sonne hath kept it for thee I accept of his obedience as thy obedience and his righteousnesse as thy righteousnesse O what grace and mercy is here how may this chear up your hearts in the midst of all discouragments that lie upon you Again for thy comfort know that if in sincerity of heart thou endeavourest to keep what thou hearest in divine acceptation it is all one as if thou hadst perfectly kept all that thou hearest If it bee the desire and labour of thy soul to obay Gods Will and observe his Commands in divine acceptation it is looked upon as if it were actually done by thee It is worthy your notice what is said Heb. 11.17 By faith Abraham when he was tryed offered up Isaac and hee that had received the promise offered up his only begotten Son Abraham did not actually doe it But because Abraham did it in the purpose of his heart because the desire and resolution of his soule was to obay Gods Command therefore the Scripture accounts it as done O take this for thy comfort thou that art a son of Abraham that walkest in the steps and faith of Abraham the very desires and purposes of thine heart are looked upon as if they were really and actually done If thou wouldest pray better hear better and practise more then thou doest in divine account this is looked upon as if thou hadst already done it FINIS THE SAINTS REST OR Their happy Sleep in DEATH As it was delivered in A SERMON At Aldermanbury London Aug. 24. 1651 being the next Lords Day after Mr LOVE was put to death By EDMUND CALAMY B. D. Iohn 11.11 Our friend Lazarus sleepeth Psalm 116.15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the Death of his Saints LONDON Printed for E Brewster and G Sawbridge at the signe of the Bible on Ludgate-hill near Fleetbridge 1653 THE Saints Rest OR Their happy sleep in Death Text. Acts 7.60 the later part And when hee had said this hee fell asleep THese words contain in them the happy closure and upshot of Stephens life wherein we have three particulars 1. The Person that fell asleep 2. The Speech that he made when he fell asleep 3. What he did when he had finished his Speech First We have the Person that fell asleep and that was Stephen He was a man full of faith and full of the Holy-Ghost as you may see Acts 6.5 He was the first Martyr that ever suffered for the cause of Christ hence I might gather this Doctrine viz. That the best of men are subject to violent and unnatural deaths Stephen that was full of the Holy Ghost was stoned to death and Iohn the Baptist that was full of the Holy-Ghost from the very womb was beheaded Peter was crucified and so was Andrew Isaiah was sawed asunder Ieremiah was stoned and Zacharias was slain between the Temple and the Altar But I shall passe this The second part of the Text is the Speech that Stephen made when hee fell asleep Hoc dicto obdormivit that is when hee had finished his prayer He fell asleep Hence observe That it is an excellent way to close up our lips with prayer To die praying is a most Christian way of dying They stoned Stephen calling upon God After this manner Christ died hee prayed Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit and having thus said he gave up the ghost This he did that it might be a patern to all Christians Prayer is a necessary duty at all times but especially when we are adying and that for these three Reasons 1. Because when we are to die we have most need of Gods help for then the Devil is most busie and we most weak 2 Because when we are to die wee are to beg the greatest boon of God that is that he would receive us into his heavenly Kingdom Now prayer is the chiefe means to obtain this mercy for it is Porta Coeli Clavis Paradisi the Gate of Heaven a Key to let us into Paradise Therefore we have great reason to die praying 3. Because when a Saint of God is dying he is then to take his last fare well of prayer In Heaven there is no praying but all thanksgiving there is no need in Heaven therefore no prayer in Heaven Now a Saint of God being to take his leave of prayer when he is to die therefore it is fit he should die praying I beseech you remember this pattern in the Text St Stephen died caling upon the Lord. Let us die praying as that Emper or said Oportet Imperatorem stantem mori so may I say Oportet Christianum mort praecantem it behoves a Christian to die praying Quest But what was the substance of Stephens prayer Answ He prayed for himselfe and he prayed for his persecutors 1 He prayed for himselfe Lord Iesus receive my spirit verse 59. 2 Hee prayed for his persecutors Lord lay not this to their charge v. 60. I will not enter upon this part of the Text for it would swallow up all my time Therefore I shall wave it and come to the third part which is that which by Gods assistance I purpose to speak unto viz. What Stephen did when hee had finished his prayer When he had sayd this he fell asleep that is he died Behold here the magnanimity the piety and the Christian courage of Stephen The people were stoning of him and gnashing their teeth upon him and the good man dies with as much quietnesse of minde as if he had died in his bed he fell