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	john_n	17,081	5	6.2026	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09956	The deformed forme of a formall profession. Or, The description of a true and false christian either excusing, or accusing him, for his pious, or pretended conversation. Shewing that there is a powerfull godlynes necessary to salvation, and that many have but the forme, but not the power thereof. In handling whereof these three things are plainely and powerfully explained and applyed. what godlines is. what the power of it. what the reasons why some have but the forme thereof. together with the meanes, and marks, both how to attaine, and to try our selves whether we have the power thereof or not. By that late faithfull and worthy minister of Iesus Christ. Iohn Preston. Doctor in divinity, chaplaine in ordinary to his Maiestie, master of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolnes Inne.	Preston, John, 1587-1628.	1632 (1632)	STC 20215; ESTC S115055	12,368	16

that is not godlynesse let mee speake unto you as Peter to the dispersed brethren whereafter that he had reckoned up many vertues patience knowledge temperance c. he bids them adde to all these godlynes as if hee had said all the rest are not availeable unlesse you have godlynes also see therefore that all these bee godlynes that is that they all come from him and looke to him for this is the nature of godlynes to come to the wells head and to search higher then nature to have another Alpha and Omega of all that is within us or that comes from us than what is within us of our selves And then againe if wee bee to preach to others wee should learne to preach Christ and God that is to inforce all as from them and to them not only to exhort to morall vertues with such instructions as may be takē out of Seneca or Plutarch thogh these have their use place but as out of the Scriptures let Christ God come in and shew you how all doe come from God and looke to God and so all you that are hearers be sure all you doe be godlynes that is comming from God and tending to him for motions have their denominations from their terminus a quo and from their ends as that is called calefaction that tends to heate so is that truely godlynes that tends to God and hath respect unto him as now a student when he studies and takes pains in his books see whether thou dost it for thy selfe or for thy creddit or doest thou make God thy utmost end examine thy heart and examine it narowly and see likewise you are exercised in other callings doe you doe them that you may doe good to mankinde in them as a servant that uses his talent to his masters service then is this godlynes so if you eat or drink or recreat yourselves doe you doe it that you may doe good better as men whet their sythes that they may mowe the better then this is also godlynes for it tends to God and godlynes But you will say doe you altogether condemne naturall and morall vertues must they do nothing yes you shal have this use of them that they will helpe as winde to drive the ship only it is godlynes is the rudder guides it and aymes at the right haven as for example you are commanded to love your children and your wives you are bound to doe this if you had no naturall affections in you only having these affections in you you doe it with more ease els you must drive the ship with oares wheras now the wind fills the sails you do it with more facility and ease and so likewise you are bound to be patient and meek and you must be so though your natures be not so but if your natures be so you may the more easily be so yet so as godlienes must set the cōpasse and steere the ship morrall vertues are like good horses that draw the Chariot but godlynes is the Auriga the Coachman without which take the most excellent things that nature is capable of if it be not guided by it the Lord regards them not for God regards nothing but that which drawes the creatures unto him but now morall vertues makes us rest upon our owne bottoms and so likewise all things whatsoever they bee that beautyfie the flesh for God wil have no flesh to glorifie in it selfe but let him that glories glory in the Lord Nay I add more take the graces of the spirit wherewith God adornes his saints as an husband doth his wife with jewels if you magnyfie them you doe so much withdraw your hearts from God therefore in heaven it is said there is neither Sunne nor Moone now what is that there is no excellencie in any creature that is magnified there but God is All in all hee is Sunne and Moone and therefore in the Revelation of Saint Iohn it is said and said to their honour it is made their worth that they give all to God glory power be to our God for ever they fal on their faces throw down their crowns though created glorious creatures yet when the evill Angells began to reflect upon themselves it was their ruine they fell from GOD for the creature of it selfe is like a glasse without a bottome if it commeth to stand upon its owne bottome it falls and breakes and so the Angells when they would stand of themselves they fell downe to the lowest pitt and therefore of all graces labour for emptying graces as faith and love for these give all unto God nothing to mans selfe and therefore they are the great graces in religion which you must chiefly labour for Secondly from that there is a power in godlinesse if it bee such a powerfull a thing as you haue heard it is then this may serve to comfort us in the wayes of it Wheresoever it is in trueth there it is in power say that thou hast such a light that thou canst not believe that bee such roades as that thou canst not walke by them yet if thou hast godlinesse thou shalt bee able to overcome for the kingdome of God consistes in power as it is saide when GOD commeth to dwell in any mans heart hee sendeth Godlinesse into it which rules in it as a KING in his Kingdome thinke therefore of it as of Monarches as Alexander was or those which Daniel speaketh of which carry all before it it bringeth in everie thought into subjection and therefore also the spirit is called a spirit of power and if you have godlinesse it commeth from the spirit and therefore is accompanied with power and therefore Christ is said to bee full of the Holy Ghost and of power and so Steven and Iohn the Baptist and grace is said to bee a powerfull thing Bee strong in the grace of GOD and in the Power of his might Now the reason why godlinesse hath power is because GOD hath put virtue into it as when you see such and such an hearbe have such a virtue in it to doe such and such a thing it is because God hath endued it with such a power and so hath hee done with godlynesse if therefore thou hast any thing to doe in religion set on it Hast thou any lust to overcome set on it and let mee speake to thee as hee spake to Gideon Goe on thou valiant man in the might of the Lord. The people of Israel travelling to the land of Canaan they saw the Citties walled to heaven and that the Gyants were there the sonnes of Anax yet Ioshua biddeth them bee of good comfort and feare not for the Lord would fight for them and deliver their adversaries into their hands so though you see difficulties in the way to heaven yet godlynes is a powerfull thing that will carrie you through all therefore likewise the Apostle having prayed for the Ephesians that they might not faint at

will not bee grievous they will do them with a naturall delight and inward willingnes so for taking of Christ by faith every man believeth hee doth so but our Saviour Christ tryeth it by this Goe sell all that thou hast and thou shalt have treasure in heaven and so mayest thou trye thy selfe when thou art put to it by losse of goods or credit or otherwise Thirdly It is in the power when it is strong and not weake when a man hath power and strength in doing good dueties and heereby many are discovered who have good purposes onely which though they be heartie in them for a time yet they want power and strength and this is the case of many which bee in the Church who though they have the knowledge of the word of God and approve the truth in their consciences desiring to be saved by the practise of it and so take up many good purposes which yet come to nothing because they want power and strength consider therefore if thou hast power and strength to performe thy purposes and then thou hast the power of Godlynes but not els Many will say I am but flesh and blood and what will you have me to doe now here wants the power as you may see in the fifth chapter of Moses called Deut from the 7. ve to the 29. the people there said to Moses that what the Lord should speak to him they would doe it they said then what they thought and what they meant and minded and the Lord saith of them O that there were such an heart in them that they would feare mee and keepe my commandements c. they wanted the power though they made good purposes Fourthly If thou wouldest knowe whether thy godlynesse bee in the power or no see whether thou hast not only the shaddow of it but the substance for their is a shadow with the substance as if thou pray there is a formall doing of it which is as the shaddow but to pray in the holy Ghost not in the voice of thy owne spirit but out of Gods owne spirit but of Gods not out of memorie or wit but out of thy heart and that an heart sanctified by the Spirit of adoption this is the substance and so for to heare for knowledge only that is the shadow but to heare for practise that is the substance and so againe for us to preach the Gospell for to doe it because necessitie is laid upon us and there 's a woe denounced against us if wee doe it not as saith our Apostle of himselfe there is the shadow but to preach with power and authoritie and not as the Scribes and Pharises with the enticing words of mans wisdome this is the substance Fifthly and finally It is in the power when as a man goeth thorough the work a thing is said to be in the power when it is effectuall when a man bringeth it to an end and doth it not by halfes so some begin indeede but then they leave the worke in the rudiments but if a man haue the power hee will breake through all difficulties hee will leape over all till hee hath wrought out his salvation with feare and trembling And thus having dispatcht the two former particulars I hasten to the third and last of the premises Thirdly the reasons why some have but the forme and not the power and they are especially these First because it is most easie but the power is a matter of more difficulty for the former it doth not call upon a man to cut off his right hand to pluck out his right eye and to deny himselfe in things nearest and dearest unto him as the power doth for it requyres a man should take paines in good duties and goe throughout in them not to omit or slight the least of them in the least measure that may bee or tolye in knowne sins and farther it requires a man should doe this from day to day and that when it crosses the flesh most this is an hard saying and caused many that they would no longer abide with Christ they were willing to obey the forme but not the power Secondly because this power breeds hatred and opposition in the world the world will crosse it again now then when a man may retaine the former and hold in with the world a man may bee of the world still and the world will love his owne whereas the power maks them Antipodes to all the world this makes many care for no more but the forme fit for this purpose is that place Wil'd 2.12 where the ungodly say of the righteous on this wise these mens lives are contrary to ours and their doings reprove our thoughts therefore let us oppresse them and Christ tels us we must look for no other saying we shall bee hated of all men for his names sake and it is no easie matter to have all men in contention with us this then is another reason heereof Thirdly because it is enough to serve a mans turnes for his unregenerate ends for men having a naturall conscience whereof they must stop the mouth and it being injudicious and not able to judge of the power of godlynes they are satisfied with the forme as now when Children are wayward and wrangling because we know they are not judicious wee give them Nutts not gold or silver to still them and it serves their turnes as well so is it heere in the naturall conscience it doth judge the forme to be enough to cary a man to heaven and who would doe more then he needs must Fourthly because if men have but the form of godlynes Satan troubls thē not nor the flesh but Satan for he knowes it will bring them to heaven when men labour for the power of godlynes and goe on any further than the forme then he hath the power of hell against them and he keepes a great busseling with them to hinder them what he can and so doth the flesh too but it will not resist the forme for that will stand with a mans lusts but if he be divided against himselfe he cannot endure it as to deny a friend or a stranger if he be importunate is a hard matter but to deny a mans wife that lyes in his bosome if shee be earnest is more difficult but to deny a mans selfe when he is importunate with himselfe is most difficult and yet this you must doe if you have the power of it Now to deny the power of it is when it is laid open to men and offered they with stubbornenesse of will resist and deny it And so much for the opening of the words now for the solding of them up againe and from the first what godlynesse is Let us learne not to deceave our selves for it is not as I told you naturall or morall vertues onely no nor the doing of the actions of religion a man making himselfe his utmost ends therin content not your selves therefore with any thing

his tribulations for them which was their glorie but that they might be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man to comprehend with all Saints the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge which because they might thinke they should never bee able to doe hee addeth to him that is able to doe above all that wee can aske or thinke according to the power that worketh in us to him bee all glorie as if hee should have said GOD is able to doe it and that by the power which worketh in him so suppose it bee to subdue some lusts of a flesh a thing so hard as you think it will never be done nay you conceive it to be a thing so improbable as that you are ashamd to aske it yet according to that power which worketh in you hee is able to doe above all wee aske or thinke and therefore he prayeth that theîr eyes may bee opened that they may see the greatnesse of the power that wrought in them and it was not that they might see and looke at it idly but for the use to serve their turnes that they laying holde of it and using of it might bee able to doe these things which they desire should bee done even such things to which a mans nature is as untoward as water is to heate when their is none in it onely as Christ said to Marie Believe and you shall see the power of God thou must go to God for it by faith and God will shew it foorth unto you and you shall have fruits of it the end of faith is not onely to apply the promises of Iustification but for Sanctification also as for example hee hath promised to baptize you with the Holy Ghost as with fire that is with zeale and other graces of the spirit which must give them power and strength and all that sinne might not raigne in their mortall bodies goe to God then and urge him of his promise and hee cannot deny you When men therefore thinke to excuse them-selves by saying I am not able to doe such a thing what will you have mee to doe it is no excuse for if they were but willing it is all hee requireth of them the power that belongeth to God which if men would but believe and goe to him hee would undoubtedly give it them I therefore now aske thee wouldst thou turne to God if thou wouldst overcome such and such a lust of vncleannesse drunkennesse c. bee it what it will bee if thou answere no then thou art justly condemned thy blood bee upon thy owne head but if thou sayest yes thou wouldst then come but to GOD bee resolute to bee religious in good earnest and I will assure thee hee will vouchsafe thee power to doe it The Apostle saith that GOD would confirme them vnto the end that they might bee blamelesse in the day of the Lord IESVS for saith hee GOD is faithfull hee hath said hee hath promised it hee shall breake his word if hee doe not let mee reason it a ●ittle with you Is it not an acceptable request to goe to GOD with all thy heart and to saye Lord I desire but the power and strengeh to goe through with thy owne worke Dost thou thinke hee will not heare thee Remember Christ the onely Physitian how readie hee was to heale men of their bodily diseases when they came unto him and hee hath not put off his nature now Dost thou think the power of death and resurrection were but fancies or a notion If not goe on and feare not for as GOD said to Ioshua so shalt thou find him to deale with thee I will never leave thee nor forsake thee and so leaving what I have said to your further consideration I come to a third that seeing godlynes is such a powerfull thing as you have seene that therefore you take heed how you deceave your selves with fond desires and purposes that have no power no force in them so as to thinke that they will serve the turne no yet a few feeble faint endeavours I saye to men that set on religious courses without haveing their hearts changed as Christ said unto his Disciples tarrie yee in the Cittie till yee bee endued with power from on high as if our Saviour Christ should have said if yee goe presently into the world yee will not be able to goe through with your works stay therefore with fasting and prayer till you have received power from on high to carrie you through for new purposes in a man that returnes to old nature is like new wine in old vessells they will breake the vessells and bee too bigge for your hearts it is therfore enough to take up now a purpose and begin to bee diligent in your calling or sanctifying the Sabbath for it is impossible that purposes should live in an heart that is carnall for as the soyle must be sutable to every creature or els it will not live so likewise you will never bee able to performe these purposes In the first place therefore labour to get new hearts as the bottome to these purposes which may be as the root to give sap to thē for then they wil live grow in you when there is a soyle to suite with them Secondly get power in believing Christ our Saviour when he came unto his countrey it is said he would not put foorth his power to worke many miracles there why so one would have thought he should rather have wrought them there then any where else both for his own honour and the good of his countrey men no place then was fitter for that then it yet there hee workes few or none and the reason was because of their unbeliefe they believed not so that it is the want of faith that holds Gods hands from strengthning you you will not I say believe God he hath sworne and it is not an old oath that hee would grant that we should serve him in godlynes and holynes all the dayes of our life when the widow came to Christ to be healed of the issue which she had had many yeares it is said that vertue went out of him to heale her because she belieued and though it have beene a disease of never so many yeares yet if he say be ye whole it is not matter what the disease is so God be the Physitian and therefore believe Thirdly pray and furnish yourselves with all the graces of the spirit not only goe about things but maintaine a stock fill the cisterne every day within whet and point the graces of God in you for the inward man every day is subject to decay as well as the outward man and doe not take ayme at yourselves or at your strength when you are in a good mood or by the present temper for it vanishes if there bee not a supply from day to day from grace within