Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	ghost_n	holy_a	jesus_n	15,155	5	6.0417	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A56309	The weavers shuttle displayed and the swiftness thereof unfolded, or, The words of a dying man to a dying people, in the midst of a dying nation wherein is held forth I. That the time is short, the way is narrow, the prize is great, the runners are many, the obtainers few, II. That repentance and turning to God is not in one call or command, wherefore wait upon the means appointed by God to work it, and that diligently and constantly this work deferred will be still greater, the time to do it wil[l] be shorter, the strength to do it by wil[l] be less, III. If we endeavour to the uttermost to improve the present opportunity and ability that the Almighty gives us, we shall, for ought I know, live with more comfort here and die in full assurance hereafter, for the greatest evil threatned or feared, may through wisdom be timely prevented / by Robert Purnel.	Purnell, Robert, d. 1666.	1652 (1652)	Wing P4244; ESTC R32258	54,417	168

one of the greatest engagements to engage a Christian to walk in all well-pleasing to God to consider he is always in the presence of God 1. That he is present in all places at all times beholding all actions will appear by these Scriptures Prov. 15. 3. The eye of the Lord is in every place beholding the evil and the good Jer. 23 23 Am I a God at hand saith the Lord and not afar off Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him saith the Lord do not I fill heaven and earth 2 Chr. 16. 9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth c. Psal 139. 7. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence If I ascend up unto Heaven thou art there if I make my bed in Hell behold thou art there v. 8. If I take the wings of the morning and flie to the uttermost parts of the earth even there shall thy hand lead me and thy right hand hold me If I say surely the darkness shall cover me even the night shall be light about me v. 11. Yea the darkness hideth not from thee but the light shineth as the day the darkness and the light are both alike to thee c Thus we see the Lords presence is every where and yet where is there a man or woman that doth believe it or see him The men and women yet in the state of darkness which is the greatest part these neither see it nor believe it And then for the Saints which are but few a little flock I dare say not one of ten of them have so set to their seals to this truth that the Lord God Almighty is present in all places at all times beholding all actions whatsoever Gen. 28. 16. And Jacob said Surely the Lord is in this place and I knew it not Job 9. 11. Lo he goeth by me and I see him not He passeth on also and I perceive him not And as he is by us and we do not see him so he speaketh often unto us and we do not hear him Sometimes he speaketh to us by a voice Isa 30. 21. sometimes he speaketh to us by the motions of the Spirit within us sometimes he speaketh to us by men in our own likeness Luk. 10. 16. Sometimes he speaks to us when we be asleep on our beds Iob 33. 14 15 16. God speaketh once yea twice yet man perceiveth it not In a dream in a vision of the night when deep sleep falleth upon man then he openeth their ears and sealeth their instructions Oh let us then see his face and hear his voice for sweet is his voice and his countenance is glorious c. 2. Let us consider that it is one of the greatest engagements to engage a Christian to walk in all well pleasing to God to consider he is always in the presence of God I have kept thy precepts saith David How so David why saith he All my wayes are before thee Psal 119. 168. Psal 16. 8. I have set the Lord alwayes before me and because he is at my right hand I shall not fall Psal 26. 3. Thy loving kindness is before mine eyes so I have walked in thy truth Now these men that do not behold the presence of the Lord still before them are ready upon all occasions to rebell against him Psal 86. 14. The proud men the malitious violent men are risen against me for they do not set the Lord before them As of God in the sight of God speak we in Christ 2 Cor. 2. 17. As if he had said When we come to do any thing we do it so as knowing the all-seeing eye of God is taking notice not only of the action that we do but also of the principle from which we act he endeavours in all his actions to have the same ends in all he doth as God hath commanded him to have When a soul apprehends it self to be in the presence of his Maker it labours to compose it self as beseeming the presence before whom it is So it endeavours to make the will of God his rule and the glory of God his greatest design and his word and Spirit his guide It comes to God for direction saying O Lord lead me in thy way It expects from God protection And do thou protect me in this way of thine And so it depends upon God for assistance in what it doth and for a blessing upon all it doth Exod. 33. 14 15. The Lord said unto Moses My presence shall go with thee and I will give thee rest Moses was so taken with that word that he breaks forth v. 5. If thy presence go not with us carry us not from hence In a word the Lord even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is always present and the holy Ghost is always present I fill heaven and earth with my presence saith the Father Jer. 23. 24. So I am with you to the end of the world saith the Son But the manifestation of this is by the Spirit and there are but very few that have this Spirit and so no wonder that men are so ignorant of Gods presence the Spirit would have discovered it but men what lieth in them do either quench it or resist it My friends we live in an Age wherein men are talking much of perfection behold here is the way to attain it to put thy self always in the presence of God and let all thy walks be before him Gen. 17. 1. I am God Alsufficient or the Almighty God walk before me and be thou perfect If we walk not in the presence of God then we walk in darkness and do the works of darkness Now God is light and in him there is no darkness at all those then that set the Lord always before them are in the light and so do walk in the light as children of the light 2. The second thing to be considered that so we might be taken off the world and make Religion our business is That we have but a few days to live in this world and they flie away faster and swifter then the weavers Shuttle Job 7. 6. Wherefore if we do think or judge that there be any thing for us to do either for God or our selves do it presently work whiles it is day for the night cometh in which no man can work Joh 9. 4. If thou wilt hear his voice let it be as in Heb. 3. 13. 15 To day c. Thou knowest not whether thou shalt have another day for none of us do know what a day may bring forth but because I have written so long of this subject in the first part of this Book called The Weavers Shuttle displayed or the swiftness thereof unfolded I shall in this place only cite a few Scriptures that speak of our frailty and so pass this point over Job 7. 6. Isa 38. 12. and Isa 64. 6. Isa

died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Iesus will God bring with him The Holy Ghost in this place forbiddeth not Christian sorrow for the dead but Heathenish sorrow not moderate but excessive and immoderate either in respect of time or measure of our grief we may water our plants for our deceased Friends but not drown them 7. Let us consider the priviledges of Believers after death for death is unto them but a Porter opening a door into a dark entry or a servant of thy Fathers sent to put thy dear friend to bed for a little while till corruption shall have put on incorruption and mortality shall have put on immortality Death is but a sleep and the grave a bed and all things that be on the other side death are taken away by Iesus Christ Death openeth the great gate that leadeth to thy Fathers house that so thou mayest go home for we are but Sojourners Pilgrims and Strangers here in this World it is true unbelievers are at home whiles they live here they be called the inhabitants of the earth and dwellers upon the earth when they die they do not go home as thou doest it is true they go to their own place and to their own Father so that death to them is the King of Terrours but to thee and thy believing deceased Friend death should be looked upon as the Messenger of glad tidings which is come only to crack the clay walls which is our Prison that you may flie home and be at rest and when thou comest home to enjoy the presence of thy Father and Saviour Christ and to be filled with the Spirit and to be with all the holy Saints of Heaven thou wilt then rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory 8. Let us consider that although I and thee be like to loose our own lives or else have lost some of our nearest and dearest friends yet let this comfort us this also shall work together for our good Rom. 8. 28. Wherefore let us not so fear death but hearken what death doth whisper in thy ears saying fear not me I came from the Father and have no Commission to hurt you although my countenance be grim my message is sweet and pleasing Christ your beloved husband hath taken my sting from me before he would let me come to you I am come without a sting to tell you that God and Christ loves you and hath sent me on purpose to invite you into their presence where is fulness of joy and pleasures at his right hand for evermore only you must put off your filthy garments that the earth may return to its earth the fire to its fire the water to its water the aire to its aire for these were the Elements thy body was made of and so thou must endure a little pain in putting off these cloaths they be somewhat little and strait but thou must with Paul put off this earthly Tabernacle for that must be dissolved before thou canst be with Christ in whose presence there is fulness of joy where all relations will be made up in God there is no complaining in the Streets of this new Ierusalem no want of Relations God will be a Father Christ will be a Husband Saints gloryfied our Brethren Sisters and associates so we shall want no Relation neither shall any Relation want Perfection There is but a breath between thee and this condition 9. Let us consider that the Scripture doth pronounce them blessed that die in the Lord Rev. 14. 13 For from henceforth they rest from their labours See Eccles 4. 2. Job 3. 17. The greatest evil death can bring unto us is but a more speedy way to happiness Lastly let us consider that our dear beloved brother David although he mourned fasted and prayed whilst his Child was sick yet as soon as it was dead he arose and began to comfort himself saying I shall go to it ere long for my dayes are swifter then the Weavers shuttle saith Job Then shall the dust return to its earth saith Solomon Eccles 12. 7. The dust that is the body to shew the original of it Gen. 2. 7. and the weakness of it Dust is the weakest part of the earth Psal 103. 14. the basest and vilest of it Job 4. 19. Phil. 3. 21. Job 30. 19. Our original from the dust our return unto the dust This should humble us in our own eyes and should warn us to improve all our ability and every opportunity to make our calling and election sure that there might be nothing wanting in us to secure a better life before this be ended and not to put off the endeavours towards it as most do unto old age which haply we may never attain unto and if we do it will bring it self work enough for us to do Death comes swift and uncertain Sin the longer lived in doth the more harden Repentance is not in our call or command when we please it is a work of the whole man and of the whole life this work deferred will be greater the time to do it in will be shorter the strength to do it by will be less bodily infirmities will disinable spiritual actions God will have less honour and service from us and we our selves shall have more sorrow and less comfort For my own part I can speak something by woful experience of the sad effect of not imbracing the present opportunity and ability that God hath given me I am assured that I have lost much of my comfort here for hearkening to the motions of my own spirit and slighting the motions and strivings of the Lords Spirit by which means I have deprived my self of manifestations and apprehensions of heavenly and spiritual things that the Lord begun to pour out upon me And now if I would give all the world I cannot recall one day that is past nor one of those blessed opportunities that I have lost Only I desire if the Lord will to redeem this little inch of time yet remaining like an idle servant that hath loitered all the forenoon begins to work twice as hard in the afternoon I have two Requests within me to make unto thee whosoever thou art that readest these lines If there be in thee any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercy then my first Request is I do beseech thee beg thee in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ if thou mindest his glory or thy own good that thou wouldst seek the Kingdom of Heaven in obedience to his command in the first place for in so doing the Lord will be glorified thy light shining before men that they seeing thy obedience to him may glorifie thy Father which is in heaven that so while the whole World with Martha are troubled about many things thou mayst with Mary choose the better part That so while some are giving all diligence to get

earthly treasure thou mayst give all diligence to get heavenly And while some are spending their time in vanity one endeavouring to exceed another in folly thou mayst redeem precious time for spiritual ends endeavouring to excel others in piety That so while others that have great possessions are with the Young man in the Gospel going from Christ sorrowfull thou mayst with Zacheus receive Christ joyfully and be willing to part with some of thy goods cheerfully My second Request is That in thy addresses to the Father and approaches to the Throne of Grace in the name of the Son by a lively faith in him in whom are all our springs from whom are all our supplies that among all thy requests to the Lord of Hosts both for a supply of spiritual things and natural things for thy self and friends that thou daily standest in need of thou would'st have one request one ejaculation one sigh one breathing or one petition for me also That the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of glory would give unto me a more full cleer powerful knowledge of his will in all wisdom spiritual understanding that I might walk worthy of the Lord being fruitful in every good work that he would pour out upon me that Spirit of Faith spoken of in the Gospel which was once given to the Saints which we are commanded to contend for and that Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him the Spirit of councel and might the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord that I might act for God from a pure principle of love to God that so not onely sinful self might be denied in me but that also natural self and religious self might be laid at the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ as dung and dross in point of justification and salvation which is all of free grace That so when I come to cut off my life like a Weaver for my dayes flie away swifter then his shuttle I may say with Simeon Luk. 2. 29 30. Lord let thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation Or at least I might say with Hezekiah Isa 38. 3. Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart or else that I might say in the sincerity of my soul with Paul 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. I have fought the good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith there is laid up for me a crown of glory O that our Parliament would consider with Job that although they have sate long yet now their days are swifter then the Weavers Shuttle and they shall shortly cut off like a Weaver Isa 38. 12. that so they might minde what David saith Psal 15. 4. He shall abide in Gods tabernacle and dwell in his holy hill that keepeth his word and Promises Oh that it might be your study so to do and that you would yet further improve the present opportunity in discharging the Trust reposed to you by God and his People for his Glory and their Liberty and this will bring you more comfort in the end then all your honour and estates which hath been now is and ever shall be my request to God for you O that our Armies whom God hath made so victorious would now pay their Vows that they made to the Lord of Hosts in the day of their distress and that speedily because their days are swifter then the Weavers Shuttle O that Magistracy and Ministry would consider how swift this Shuttle flies and yet their days flie swifter that so the one might not judge for Reward and the other teach for hire that so the first wheel that moves them to act might be out of conscience unto God and faithfulness to his People whose servants they are O that all men of all Opinions by what nick-name soever they be known viz. Episcopacy Presbyterie Independency Lutherans Socinians Arminians Anabaptists Antinomians would consider that their days are swifter then the Weavers Shuttle and give off that excessive contending about the garment of Religion and the Form in which they are to Worship which is but as paying Tithe of Commin and Annis and the while the Power of Religion is much abated and the weighty matters of the Law neglected Faith and Repentance Self-denial and an holy Conversation these by many are shut out of doors and so whiles we lie contending for the Form the Power of Religion is much abated and so the gravy marrow and sap of our souls is almost eaten out so that we had need and that speedily to take the Councell of Christ Rev. 3. 2. Be watchfull and strengthen the things that be ready to die for I have not found thy works perfect before God thou hast a name that thou livest but thou art almost dead for thou hast but a little strength ver 8. Now my Brethren let me tell you that I fear most of you instead of considering the great work that you have yet to do and the little time allotted you to do it and how swift that little time passeth away I say instead of considering this you all fall a weaving of the Spiders Web Isa 59 5. that is you are contriving Plots as may intangle others as the Spiders do the Flies to their dammage and detriment or to their utter undoing and destruction but let me tell you as in Isa 59. 6. Your Web shall not become garments which is your devices plots and practises though they may hurt and mischieve others yet they shall not help or avail your selves all the good or gain you gather by them shall stand you in no stead they will not be able to shelter you against Gods wrath no more then a coat of Cobweb is able to shelter you from a fierce storm or a thick volley of shot they shall all prove in conclusion as Cobwebs to your selves for any succour or benefit that you shall receive from them or reap by them See Isa 28. 15. 18. 20. Vse 5. Forasmuch as the soul is a more excellent piece then the body it is but reason that we should spend more time and pains in seeking the well being of the one before the other and if men did so indeed they would make Religion their business In seeking first the kingdom of heaven and the righteousness thereof knowing that all things that concern the well being of the body shall be added unto them But alas we serve the world which was made to serve us and so we become our servants servant Religion is not our business but the world and the things thereof is our business and Religion is a thing but by the by when we have nothing to do about our particular calling we will a little look after our general calling if we be called upon to hear such a Sermon to confer with such Christians about the business of our souls and our thriving in Spiritual things