Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	find_v	heart_n	lord_n	5,269	5	3.7260	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A00643	The souls looking-glasse lively representing its estate before God: with a treatise of conscience; wherein the definitions and distinctions thereof are unfolded, and severall cases resolved: by that reverend and faithfull minister of the Word, William Fenner, B.D. sometimes fellow of Pembroke-hall in Cambridge, and late parson of Rochford in Essex.	Fenner, William, 1600-1640.; Calamy, Edmund, 1600-1666.	1640 (1640)	STC 10779; ESTC S101939	116,565	318

may know what estates ye are in by your inclinations and dispositions from whence these actions proceed Psal 119.112 Are your hearts inclined heaven-ward and God-ward as Davids are ye bent to holinesse and self-deniall c. as a bow is bent to shoot the arrow This is a signe of a good estate as 1. Chron. 22.19 there is speech of setting the heart to seek God Ye know when a man will do a thing indeed we say he is set on 't It may be ye do some good duties make some fair offers of seeking God but are your hearts set on 't or are they set on the world and inclined earth-ward The inclinations of every creature in the world do ever shew what the creature is How do we know that a stone is heavy Because it inclineth downward How do we know a man is cholerick Because he ●s inclined unto wrath So a mans estate may be known by his constant inclination either to good or evil 3. One may know what estate he is in by that reflexive act which is proper onely to man There is an act in mans soul we call it a reflex act which no creature hath but onely man whereby he can perceive what himself is and doeth When a man thinketh or speaketh he can reflect upon himself and perceive what he thinketh or speaketh when he prayeth he can reflect upon his own heart and perceive how it carrieth it self all along in his prayers I say no creature in the world hath in it ●his reflexive act but onely man The ●ire burneth but it cannot reflect upon its own burning Oculus non videt se ●videre The eye seeth but it doth not see that it doth see that is That crea●ure doth not perceive what it doeth when it seeth But every man hath this reflexive act in him whereby he is privie to what himself thinketh doeth is None knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man that is in him 1. Cor. 2.11 This is the reason why some know not what estate they are in because they choke their own spirit and hoodwink their consciences Thine own heart knoweth how it is with thee and would faithfully tell thee if thou wouldst enquire of it and hearken unto it Search with Gods candle and thou mayst easily find what is in thee Prov. 20.27 The spirit of a man is the candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of the belly 4. Ye may know what estate ye are in by a certain kind of feeling As there is a kind of bodily feeling whereby every man knoweth the estate of his body whether he be sick or in health so there is a spirituall feeling Luke 24.32 The two disciples did feel their hearts burn Paul did feel a great combat in him between the flesh and the spirit Eph. 4.19 So if men be covetous and worldly they may feel it Yet indeed some men be past feeling Their case is the worse because they cannot feel how bad it is But for the most they may easily feel what their estate is The third use is Vse 3. Impediments to shew you the impediments that hinder this knowledge If you would attein to know what estate you are in then remove the impediments which are 1. Vain thoughts Men who are in a state of sin and wrath yet have many vain thoughts lodging within them keeping them from knowing it God is mercifull and Christ died for sinners and There be worse sinners then they why should they think so ill of themselves and they may be better all in good time These vain thoughts hoodwink their eyes that they cannot see their estate nor resolve that it is so dangerous as indeed it is O Jerusalem Jer. 4.14 wash thy heart from wickednesse how long shall these vain thoughts lodge within thee They were in a very bad estate and yet they had such vain thoughts that they could not see it 2. Presumption is another impediment Men pray and heare and do other good duties and so take all to be well without serious examining This was the case of the Laodicean people They thought they had that in them which they had not Rev. 3.17 and that their estate was good when it was nothing so Another let are the Cares of this life Whereby the heart is so occupied that it doth not find time to search its own estate Therefore our Saviour saith Luke 21.34 Take heed that your hearts be not overcharged with the cares of this life lest that day come upon you unawares intimating that these cares are great lets from considering our estates 4. Another let is an Evil conscience which affrighteth a man so soon as he beginneth to stirre and maketh him afraid to go on to look soundly into his estate John 3.20 Rom. 3.11 He that doeth evil hateth the light 5. Another let is Ignorance There is none that understandeth none that seeketh after God Mark they did not seek in what case they stood before God because they did not understand 6. Another let is Spirituall sloth and sluggishnesse of heart Men cannot en●ure to take pains with their own hearts till they have made out a true iudgement in what case they are They ●egin and quickly give over and so for ●●●vant of diligence and pains-taking ●ake nothing sure The last use is for exhortation Vse 4. Of Exhortation That all men would bestirre themselves and set in earnest upon this enquirie That we may every one know in what state we stand 1. Consider this is an enquiry about our souls We enquire about our outward man about the estate of our bodyes and worldly affairs c. oh let us not neglect this main enquiry Am I in Christ yea or no Am I a new creature yea or no Doth my soul live to God or ●●o 2. Consider this is a question about our everlasting estate We can never have comfort untill we have put this out of question and therefore this is a question which all questions must give way unto If ye be not in Christ ye had need lay aside all and look about it onely How can men eat drink sleep c. sith the wrath of God abidet● upon all unbelievers Me thinks ou● souls should take no content do no thing else but faint after Christ until we know our interest in him I say again This is the grand enquiry that businesse which all businesses must give place unto Oh the sloth of our souls Let us in time awake and rouse them up and never rest untill we know our own estate to be good before God that so our hearts may have comfort and that with God A treatise Of Conscience ROM 2.15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts their consciences also bearing them witnesse and their thoughts in the mean while accusing or else excusing one another I Have shewed you What Conscience is That every man is in an

he hath given us consciences to guide us so also he would give our guides eyes that they may be able to direct us aright The truth is it is God onely that can soundly illighten our consciences and therefore let us pray unto him to do it All our studying and reading and hearing and conferring will never be able to do it it is onely in the power of him who made us to do it Psal 119.73 Thy hands have made and fashioned me O give me understanding that I may learn thy commandments He who made our consciences he onely can give them this heavenly light of ●rue knowledge and right understanding and therefore let us seek earnestly to him for it 2. We must seek it in humility alwayes suspecting our own knowledge We are not too confidently and presumptuously to trust to our ●wn judgement and despise or neglect ●he judgement of others Psal 25.9 The humble ●od will teach Pride and self-conceited●esse blindeth exceedingly 3. We must ●eek with sobriety alwayes contenting ●ur selves with that knowledge which ●s most necessarie and not be curious a●out vain and idle-braind questions or solicitous to answer every objection ty offendeth conscience and conscience will keep a grudge a long time and will give many a secret wound deading the heart to duty making faith and confidence in God dull we cannot pray with courage nor come before God with boldnesse If our hearts condemn us not we have confidence saith John 1. John 3.21 An erroneous conscience will defile you a doubting conscience distract you a scrupulous conscience unsettle you but above all other an illightened conscience if it have any thing against you will exceedingly disable you this stabbeth at the heart your confidence towards God Go then and labour to purge conscience else conscience will hinder you whether you pray or heare or receive the Sacrament c. it will deprive you of comfort Matth 5.23 If thou bring th● gift to the altar and there remembrest tha● thy brother hath ought against thee leav● there thy gift before the altar first go an● be reconciled to thy brother and then com● and offer thy gift The case is greater an● more dangerous when conscience hat● something against us there is no offering will be accepted untill conscience be satisfied If thou shouldest be about to pray and conscience should stand up against thee as an adversary and tell thee thou hast been vain and loose and carnall all this day thou hast not set thy self to keep close to God this day thou hast fallen into this and that sinne this day thou art not fit to pray till thou hast reconciled thy self to conscience Alas thy conscience will secretly undermine all thy praying First ●herefore reconcile conscience by hum●ling thy self and breaking thy heart and resolving I have sinned I will do no more When conscience can say thy sorrow and repentance and resolution for new obedience is sincere then thou ●●rt fit to pray but not before So what●ver other duty thou goest about be ●ure to reconcile conscience else all will miscarry V. A faithfull conscience THus I have expounded the adjuncts of conscience which shew themselves in the discharge of its duty every motion and inclination to evil it is awake to see when evil is conceived to tell us of it to oppose it and to disswade us from it like a watchman on the top of a tower alwayes awake to see when any danger approcheth It is Gods minister with eyes on every side to espie seasons of good and stirre up to make use of them and of evil and give warning to avoid them 2. As a faithfull conscience is watchfull so also it is rigid and severe 2. It is severe In every cause it delivereth its judgement nothing can escape its sentence it will not favour our lusts in any particular If there be any opportunity of duty to God or man it maketh us to heare of it though it be such a duty as none other will call upon us for or it may be dare not put us in mind of as of love and care and help towards inferiours yet conscience will It titheth mint and cumine and will tell us of the least duty And so on the other side it will not swallow the least sinne As it will not swallow a camel Luke 16.10 so it will strain at ●gnat A faithfull conscience is faithfull in the least If David sinne but in the lap of a garment conscience smiteth him for it It made Abraham so precise to a thread or a shoe-latchet he would not take so much as that of the king of Sodom It made Moses strict to a very hoof It made Paul find fault with the Corinthians about their hair It made Augustine condemn himself for an apple 3. As a faithfull conscience is watchfull and severe so also it is importunate 3. It is importunate 〈◊〉 all its counsels It doth not onely deliver its judgement but doth with importunitie urge the following of its counsel It will have no nay but will be obeyed It leadeth us bound in the Spirit to do it as Paul said Acts 20.22 I go bound 〈◊〉 the spirit See how importunate this ●●ithfull conscience was with the Psal●ist I will not give sleep to mine eyes Psal 132.4 nor ●●mber to mine eye-lids untill I find out a ●●ace for the Lord. It will not take any ●●y say we what we will say we be ●●epie say we be busie say we be loth ●●d full of excuses it will be importu●●te and that with vehemencie It will omitting good or committing evil will not let thee slumber and sleep in securitie but continually joggeth and awaketh thee Hath he given thee a severe a precise conscience that will not favour thee in the least evil It is a most comfortable signe that the Lord meaneth well unto thy soul Vse 3 III. Labour to be a friend unto conscience that it may continue faithfull unto thee True friends will deal faithfully and plainly one with another and will be importunate to do one anothe● good Conscience will not deal thus with thee unlesse thou be a friend unto conscience Now then are we friends unto conscience when we do what conscience requireth As our Saviour said to the Disciples John 15.14 Ye are my friends if y●● do whatever I command you So I may say of conscience For conscience if i● be truly illightened will command nothing but what Christ commandeth I● we deal so in our constant course with conscience be willing to hearken to it and be ruled by it then if we be out o● the way now and then conscience will be true to us and be importunate with us for our good Vse 4 IV. Be sure thou stand not out a●ainst conscience when once it is im●ortunate It is a great sinne to stand ●ut against conscience though it be not ●mportunate but it is a sinne a thousand ●●mes greater to

you happie It is Christs legacie which he bequeathed to his Church John 14.27 Peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you It is glorious and honourable Beest thou never so mean in the world thou art glorious if thou hast this peace beest thou never so despised and disgraced among men thou hast honour enough if thou hast this peace Rom. 2.10 To every one that doth good glory honour and peace Mark how it is accompanied namely with glory and honour But shame and confusion and dishonour is upon all them that have it not III. Examination Whether we have a quiet conscience COncerning a quiet conscience I propounded three things 1. What it is 2. How it differeth from that quiet conscience that is in the wicked 3. The examination whether we have this quiet conscience yea or no. The two former we have handled already namely What a quiet conscience is and How it differeth from that quiet conscience which is in the wicked Let us passe on now unto the third namely to an examination of our selves whether we have a true quiet conscience yea or no. A quiet good conscience is such a marvellous blessing that it cannot possibly be but we must like it and wish O that we had it Let us then examine our selves and see whether we have it or no. Many have peace and quietnesse as hath been shewed alreadie arising from false grounds they have peace of conscience because they know not what belongeth to trouble of conscience or if they know that a little as some of the wicked do yet they do not consider that sorrow which one day will burst in upon them and sink them utterly Let us trie then our peace by these notes I. If the quiet of our consciences be good it is such as we have carefully sought for at the mercies of God in the bloud of Jesus Christ when being pinched with the burden of our sinnes we did fly to the promises of God ●o seek comfort to the bloud of Christ to find ease and to get assurance ●f Gods favour If our peace come not ●his way it is naught and we were bet●er to be without it then have it It may be we speak peace to our selves ●ut doth the Lord speak peace to our ●onsciences Psal 85.8 I will heare what the Lord ●ill speak for he shall speak peace to his ●●ople and to his saints but let them not ●rn again to folly for that will break 〈◊〉 their peace O go to God then and ●eare whether he speaketh peace to ●our consciences whether it be God in Christ reconciling the world to himself ●at speaketh it to you It is not true ●eace without we have sought for it at ●e throne of grace without it be peace 〈◊〉 Gods making Now the Lord speak●h peace to his people who come to ●m for peace three wayes 1. He ●peaketh peace to them by his word ●his speaking is thus When the word ●romiseth peace to those who walk by such a rule and they walk by that rule then Gods word speaketh peace to their souls The rule is set down Gal. 6.15 In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new creature and the● followeth As many as walk according to this rule peace be upon them 2. God speaketh peace to his peopl● in their consciences This speaking i● thus When the conscience can say ● am in Christ I am engraffed into Christ then the Lord speaketh peace by th● conscience 1. Pet. 5.14 peace be with you all that 〈◊〉 in Christ Jesus so also when the co●science can say I hunger after righteo●nesse I truly mourn for sinne I desi● in all my wayes to please God Thirdly God speaketh peace by his Spirit Th● speaking is thus When the word hat● spoken peace by the promise and wh● the conscience speaketh I am thus a● thus qualified and therefore I have pe● then the Spirit of God cometh in a● witnesseth Yea you say right peace b●longeth unto you indeed and I say A●● to it When the Spirit of God do● say thus then the Lord speaketh peace ●o the soul Gal. 5.22 The fruit of the Spirit is ●ve joy peace Peace is the fruit of ●e Spirit it speaketh it to the soul ●reedeth it in the soul Now beloved ●xamine your selves Is your peace of ●is stamp do ye seek it of God and ●et it in the bloud of Christ Jesus do 〈◊〉 get it by the word and by your true-●eaking conscience and by the holy ●irit of God If ye get it on this wise ●en it is true peace of conscience in●ed If ye get it by your own vain ●pes and by your good meanings c. ●s peace will not hold alwayes when ●ur consciences come to be awaked ●ur peace will all vanish away and be 〈◊〉 more This is the first note to try ●d examine your selves by II. If our quiet and peace of con●ence be good it is accompanied ●th such a life as is agreeable to the ●ll of God it avoydeth sinne as the ●ng that disturbeth the peace How ●n any man have true peace of consci●ce when his life doth not please God ●t provoketh his wrath against him It cannot be that he should have tru● peace who in his heart doth regar● sinne There is no peace to the wicke● saith my God No where ever tru● peace of conscience doth inhabit 〈◊〉 dwelleth with godlinesse of life and unblameablenesse of conversation as th● Apostle Peter joyneth them togethe● 2. Pet. 3.14 Wherefore beloved seen● ye look for such things be diligent th● ye may be found of him in peace witho● spot and blamelesse Mark the words In peace without spot and blamelesse 〈◊〉 ever we would be found in true peac● we must live without spot and blamelesse A wicked mans conscience ma● seem to have peace and tell him he ha● served God Prov. 7.14 This day I have paid 〈◊〉 vowes saith the conscience of the who●● but this is a rotten and deceitfull peac● True peace of conscience is ever acco●panied with such a kind of life as is ●greeable to the will of God in his wo● III. If our peace be good it w● make us endure to heare any point 〈◊〉 Gods word with joy and delight 〈◊〉 wicked heart can heare points of merc● and comfort with joy so long his peace ●steth Every man that calleth upon the ●ame of the Lord shall be saved If we con●sse our sins God is just to forgive us our ●ns If any man sin we have an Advocate ●ith the Father Jesus Christ the righte●s Whoever shall confesse that Jesus 〈◊〉 the Sonne of God God dwelleth in him ●d he in God Such points as these a ●icked heart can reade with delight ●hough if they were truly opened and ●pounded they would yield him cold ●mfort yet he can heare them with ●light in the lump But if a search●g point or some terrible point co●eth he is afraid to heare that

abroad do disquiet us how comfortable is it to have something at home to chear us so when troubles and afflictions without turmoil and vex us and adde sorrow to sorrow then to have peace within the peace of conscience to allay all and quiet all what a happinesse is this When sicknesse and death cometh what will a good conscience be worth then Sure more then all the world besides If one had all the world he would then give it for a peaceable conscience Nay what think ye of judgement and the tribunal of Christ Do but think what a good conscience will be worth then When Paul was accused and hardly thought of by some of the Corinthians this was his comfort I know nothing by my self 1. Cor. 4.3 4. saith his conscience I count it a very small thing to be judged of you Nay he goeth further His conscience telleth him he hath the Lord Jesus who justifieth him to judge him he hath a sweeter Judge then his own conscience even his Saviour to judge him O there is no created comfort in the world like the comfort of a peaceable conscience The heathen Menander could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conscience is a little pettie god We may not give it such a big title but this is most certain The conscience is Gods echo of peace to the soul in life in death in judgement it is unspeakable comfort Is there any then that want this Exhortation Let them above all things labour to get it It is more worth then all things else Whatever we neglect let us not neglect this It is safer to neglect bodie health means maintenance friends and all that ever we have in the world then to neglect this The more we have the worse it is for us if we have not this Had we all this worlds good it is like a stone in a serpents head or a toads head or a pearl in an oyster not our perfection but our disease Again you who have a peaceable conscience 1. Labour to maintein it Be often in communion with God be not strangers to him the light of whose countenance is the peace of your souls It is the walking with God that breedeth true peace and preserveth it It is said of Levi Mal. 2.6 that he walked with God in peace O let us stirre up our selves to walk close with God that so we may have peace No sweet peace but in so doing 2. We must take heed we do not trouble nor disquiet it that we do not resist it or offer violence unto it by committing sinne against the peace of it but endeavour to maintein the peace of it by obeying the voyce of it Get the fear of God which is wisdome and to depart from evil which is true understanding All her paths are peace Prov. 3.17 We cannot walk in any one path of true wisedome but we shall find in it peace There is peace in humilitie and peace in charity and peace in godlinesse and peace in obedience c. Break any of these things and ye break the peace Ye heare what an admirable thing the peace of conscience is O then if ye have it make much of it nay if ye have it ye will for certain make much of it The very having of it will teach you the worth of it and learn you to prise it and make you above all things unwilling to leave it And thus much of the first viz. a quiet conscience An unquiet conscience I Have already handled a quiet conscience I come now to speak of a troubled and unquiet conscience Concerning which I shall shew you three things 1. What it is 2. The degrees of it 3. The difference of the trouble that may be in a good and that may be in a bad conscience I. What a troubled conscience is What it is It is a conscience accusing for sinne and affrighting with apprehensions of Gods wrath And here I would have you consider two things 1. What are the causes of it 2. Wherein it consisteth First The causes of it are these five 1. The guilt of sinne When a man hath done evil and his conscience doth know it then doth the conscience crie guiltie Lev. 5.4 when he knoweth it saith the text then he shall be guilty This is it which woundeth and pierceth conscience this is the sad voyce of conscience Like Judas I have sinned in betraying the innocent bloud Like Cain My sinne is greater then can be forgiven So the brethren of Joseph Gen. 42.21 We are guilty say they concerning our brother It is like the head of an arrow sticking in the flesh or like a dreadfull object continually presenting it self before our eyes My sinne is ever before me Psal 51.3 saith David When we have transgressed Gods law and our conscience can cry guiltie when the guilt of sinne lieth upon conscience this is one cause of the trouble of it 2. Another cause is the apprehension of Gods wrath for sinne When knowing that we have sinned and offended God we apprehend his wrath in our minds and behold the revenging eye of his justice against us This is a very grievous thing so terrible that no man or angel is able to abide it As we see the kings and potentates the mighty men of the earth call for the mountains ●o fall upon them and the hills to cover ●hem from the wrath of God Rev. 6.15 16. When we have incurred Gods displeasure and our consciences see it when his anger resteth upon us and our ●onsciences feel it this is another cause of the trouble of conscience 3. A third cause of the trouble of ●onscience is the fear of death and of ●ell When we know we have offended Gods law and we know also what our sinnes do deserve namely death and ●udgement and damnation for ever ●his doth most trouble and disquiet conscience when it fastneth on the apprehension of it The Apostle calleth ●t a fearfull looking for of judgement When conscience looketh for nothing else but for hell and damnation this must needs trouble conscience 4. Another cause is privative want of supportance when God doth withhold from conscience the help of his Spirit Ye know the Spirit can inable conscience to undergo all its troubles the Spirit can prompt it with mercies and the promises of God and hold it up but when the Lord bereaveth the conscience of this help and doth no● at all support it this must needs also trouble conscience V. When God doth fasten on the conscience such thoughts as may affright and terrifie it as thus God doth not love me Christ will not own me 〈◊〉 have sinned I am a reprobate past hope c. When such thoughts as these fasten o● the conscience it cannot choose then but be troubled Thus I have shewed you what are the causes of the trouble of conscience Secondly This trouble of conscience consisteth in two things First in want of comfort It cannot apply to