Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	flesh_n	law_n	sin_n	20,113	5	5.9622	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A56407	The redeemer's friend, or, A sermon on John II, part of the 11th verse ... preached at the funeral of ... Mr. Samuel Fairclough, who departed this life, December 31, 1691 by Nath. Parkhurst ...	Parkhurst, Nathaniel, 1643-1707.	1692 (1692)	Wing P490; ESTC R479	10,970	32

be that find it If we substract the Numbers of the Ignorant Prophane Worldly-minded and Formal the Remainder is comparatively small And thus it hath been in all former Ages Evermore the Number of the Faithful hath been little compared with the Ungodly In the Days of Noah all Flesh had corrupted their Way Very few in the World had then any serious regard to God He only and his Family escaped the Deluge In David's time Psal 13.3 all i. e. the most were gone aside Psal 13.3 In the times of Elias seven thousand only in Israel kept themselves from the Pollution of Idolatry Rom. 11.4 In the times of Jeremiah the common People were generally poor and foolish and knew not the Way of the Lord and the Great Men had broken the Yoak and burst the Bonds in sunder In our blessed Saviour's time upon Earth the Magistrates and Ministers of the Jewish Church and the People were generally corrupt and wicked In the Apostles time notwithstanding the great Success of the Gospel yet the Faithful remain'd in comparison few so that there were not Friends enough to preserve the Apostles from violent Death And this Age surely is not much better than the former Ages of Christianity or those under the Mosaical Dispensation The Number of good Men is still small I should be glad to find an Error in the Computation but am much afraid it is too true that neither in our own or any other Reformed Church can be shewed a Community of the quantity of a Village wherein the Majority are sincere in the Profession of Christianity Wherefore to use the solemn Words of the great Apostle Eph. 4.17 I say and testify in the Lord Ephes 4.17 that they are in a perishing Condition in Paths leading to the Chambers of everlasting Death who follow the Generality of this present Generation 2. Sincere Christians are in the Family of the World generally of the younger House inferiour in worldly Respects Not many wise Men after the Flesh not many mighty 1 Cor. 1.26 not many noble are called 1 Cor. 1.26 Some Princes some Nobles some Persons of Quality some Men of Parts and Learning are among the effectually called But the Instances are rave And this was mystically represented in the Advancement of Judah Ephraim David and Solomon who were all younger Brothers in their several Families Commonly Men great in Place and Power in Wealth and Honour in Wit and Parts take the wrong Way despise Religion and neglect Godliness Thus it was in our Saviour's time the Jewish Sanhedrim and almost all Persons of Name and Authority in that Church opposed the believing Jesus was the Christ And accordingly it was laid as an Objection against receiving him and his Doctrine that the Men of Reputation did not acknowledg him John 7.48 Have any of the Rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him John 7.48 3. Sincere Christians as they are few and commonly inferiour in the World so likewise they are a scattered and dispersed Generation not in a Body together but as it were one of a City and two of a Tribe mix'd with others till Death makes the Separation As our Lord in respect of the kind of his Death was numbred with Transgressors so in all Civil Respects these are mix'd with the Wicked as Subjects of the same Prince Natives of the same Country Dwellers in the same City Members of the same Family and it may be sitting at the same Table The Divine Wisdom permits them not to be separated in this Life The Tares must grow with the Wheat till the consummation of all Things 4. Sincere Christians tho thus mixed with the Ungodly are yet very differing from them They have another Father another Birth another Country another Spirit another Practice and live another Life They are born of God Citizens of Heaven refined in their Spirits holy in Practice and live a Life of Faith They are in the World but are not of it having their Conversation in Heaven They have differing Employments Affairs that other Men neglect other Joys and Sorrows Complaints and Fears and Hopes than the Men of the World have and Meat to eat the World knows not of They are new Creatures very differing from the Men of this World and from what themselves once were 5. To proceed to their distinctive Character Sincere Christians are Persons of some considerable knowledg of God Christ and the Holy Spirit of the Fall of Man and the depravation of Humane Nature of the Covenant of Grace of God in Christ as a Sacrifice and Mediator reconciling Sinners to himself of the Doctrines Precepts Promises and Threatnings in the Scriptures They are also Penitents weary and heavy-laden under the Burden of their Sins sick of their Offences and Transgressions of the Divine Laws poor and contrite in Spirit And they live by Faith in Christ with entire dependance upon him as a Prophet Priest and King as a Propitiation for Sin and as an Advocate with the Father And they give themselves to Prayer pouring out not only Words but their Hearts to God And in the assistance of the Spirit of God they live soberly righteously and godly crucifying the Flesh striving against Sin resisting Temptations delighting in the Law of God after the inner Man opposing the Law in their Members that rebels against the Law of their Mind endeavouring to have respect to all God's Commands and that none of them may be grievous studying to walk worthy of God unto all pleasing and to adorn the Doctrine of God their Saviour in all things and humbling themselves for their Infirmities and coming short of any Duty Secondly I shall shew what are the Tokens and Instances of the Redeemer's Friendship toward sincere Christians And 1. He converses with them meets them in sacred Ordinances and where-ever two or three are gathered together in his Name he is in the midst of them and in secret Places in Prayer and Meditation manifests himself to them encouraging strengthening them and sometimes assuring them of his Love And hereby he accomplishes that Promise in Revel 3.20 If any Man hear my Voice Revel 3.20 and open the Door I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me 2. Christ doth great things for them He washes them from their Sins in his own Blood clothes them with the Robes of his unspotted Righteousness appears in the Presence of God for them carries their Names upon his Breast in the true Holy of Holies justifies their Persons presents their Prayers to his and their Father perfumes all their weak Services and imperfect Offerings by his prevailing perpetual Intercession and so makes them grateful to God and a sweet-smelling Savour 3. Christ invests them with glorious Priviledges John 1.12 he gives them Power to become the Children of God Revel 1.6 makes them Kings and Priests to God and his Father renders all things subservient to them even the holy Angels who are