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
A75459	Gods presence mans comfort: or, Gods invisibilitie manifested unto mans capacitie. The heads of which tractate were delivered in a sermon at the Abbey of Westminster, and since enlarged for the benefit of the Church of God. / By the Lords unprofitable servant, Ch. Anthony. Imprimatur: Ja. Cranford.	Anthony, Charles, 1600-1685.	1646 (1646)	Wing A3477; Thomason E328_1; ESTC R8561	58,663	111

it is because there is no light in them In the word onely is that true light to be found that can best direct us to see the face of God comfortably shining upon our souls When ever therefore wee take the sacred Bible into our hands to reade in which as I have shewed God most brightly looketh upon us let it be with holy devotion with reverend intention and attention supposing the title of every page to be Holinesse to the Lord. Exod. 28. 36. And although there be extant many excellent books lively discovering Almighty God unto us yet let us know that they all borrow their light from the Bible branches they are of this Vine slips from this Root sweet flowers but gathered out of this Eden of God streams of wholesome water clear as crystall but yet all flowing from this Spring-head So that I may say that the Bible is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the book of books because written by men inspired by the holy Ghost who is 2 Pet. 1. 21. the Spirit of truth and therefore ought not this book to be denied to the people that they should not see God in it much lesse be undervalued slighted or corrupted by any And let us know that the more our souls are affected towards God the more will hee graciously manifest himself unto us even as David whose meditation being daily in the law of God found the light of Gods countenance shining more and more upon him in-so-much that hee earnestly requested God not to turne his face away from him this also was that that made him wiser then his teachers Psal 119. 99. Saint Peter commending the majestie of Christ at his transfiguration of which himself was an eye-witnesse 2 Pet. 1. 16. commends also the sure word of prophecie that is of preaching the word and saith that it is a light shining in a dark place till the day dawne and Ver. 19. the day-starre appeare in mens hearts Sith then the ministery of the word is a chiefe means to bring this light to our soules let us both heedfully attend it and highly prize it What although to the worldly-wise it be accounted foolishnesse yet to 1 Cor. 1. 23. the heavenly-minded it is the joy of their hearts and the savour of life to salvation by it God is 2 Cor. 2. 16. pleased to save them that beleeve Listen therefore 1 Cor. 1. 21. unto it attentively practise it faithfully and despise not the message respecting the meannesse of the messenger though it be the idle humour of too many to distaste the word preached because they dis-esteeme the preacher but know that God is pleased by earthen vessels to magnifie his mercy 2 Cor. 4. 7. Luk. 10. 16. and let the other also know that whosoever despiseth us despiseth him that sent us If a malefactour adjudged by the law to die should refuse a gracious pardon because his enemy brought it all would condemne him of impudency and so dying censure him guilty of his own perishing But this by the way Return wee to the observation of the benefit which wee receive by the Scriptures The Lord telleth the Jewes and in them us that hee had taught them statutes and judgements Deut. 4. 5 6. Keep them therefore and doe them saith hee for this is your wisdome and understanding in the sight of the nations who shall say Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people And as daily meditation in the Scriptures brings you neerer unto God so by its illuminating vertue it renders you more heavenly-minded towards God Pray then as Saint Paul adviseth you That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Col. 3. 16. word of Christ may dwell richly in you in all wisdome and spirituall understanding and not be onely at your fingers ends nor in your mouthes onely for discourse sake nor yet in your hearts only like a guest or tenant which stayeth for a time and then is gone but that it may be like a king dwelling ruling and reigning there as in its proper seat by the power of his Spirit even that word which so lively setteth forth to you him whom Abraham fore-saw whom Jacob prophesied John 8. 56. Gen. 49. Isa 7. 14. Jer. 33. 15. Mal. 4. 2. of whom Isaiah calleth Immanuel Jeremiah The branch of righteousnesse and Malachie The Sun of righteousnesse that comes with healing in his wings that that morning-starre may shine in your heart which was typified in the old law but exhibited in the new so that what was foretold in the one is manifested in the other him I say that you may see in the light of the Scriptures by the eye of faith search them then for they testifie of him hee through them as through windowes looketh upon you With Timothy know them from your youth practise them in your riper yeers and let them be your studie in your old age so shall you discerne so much of him even in this life through these grates as shall even ravish your soules with desire of a fuller fruition of him hereafter And as God manifesteth himselfe to you in his word so also in the blessed Sacraments And first in the Sacrament of Baptisme when beleevers are regenerate and born anew of water and the holy Ghost when they are received into the Ark of Christs Church and made lively members of his mysticall body by remission of their sinnes and bestowing on them his holy Spirit by means whereof they receive such blessings from God as make them to live in him by grace in this life and assure them that they shall reigne with him in glory eternally hereafter Secondly but most cleerly of all in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper wherein hee giveth them his flesh Qui fidei ore panem hunc manducant ei tanquam membra uniantur Tilen de Coen Dom. Thes 21. to be their meat and his bloud to be their drink imparting to them that heavenly hidden Manna which they take by the hand and eat by the mouth of faith Every true spouse of Christ in this seeth his super-abundant love in that hee was pleased to vaile his glorious Divinitie with the mantle of our infirme mortalitie that so he might more easily make himselfe known unto us For as hee is God co-equall with his Father hee is invisible but as hee in great humility assumed our nature per operationem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by making himself in forme of a servant who was Lord of all for hee did onely majestatem seponere non deponere for a while lay aside his majesty not quite disrobe himselfe of it hee was visible amongst men hee was conversant with men hee did eate drink sleep talk and at last suffered death by men every way hee did communicate himselfe unto men making the faithfull one with him by spirituall union and conjunction Hence is that saying Paries est verbi Cornel. à Lap. incarnati humanitas per quam stans

which God shineth inwardly upon her soul Haec quasi speculum Creatorem suum repraesentant God through these manifesteth himselfe so farre unto her as shee is able to apprehend him in them and by them Ex effectibus Dei demonstrari Aquin. potest Deum esse licèt per eos effectus non possimus eum perfectè cognoscere secundùm suam Essentiam By the works of God it is evident that there is a God although even by those works wee cannot perfectly discern his Essence Yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what may be known of God by the light of nature is manifested in the creature as that there is a God that there is but one God that hee is Eternall Omnipotent the sole Creator of heaven and earth and all therein that hee is most holy most wise and most just the rewarder of the godly and the punisher of the wicked But yet this light of nature is not of it selfe sufficient unlesse it be holpen by a supernaturall light For Non potuerint Gentiles per solum naturae lumen unum agnoscere solum esse Deum the Heathen by the dim light of nature were not able to know that this God is but One. To those therefore whom the holy Spirit maketh to discern God the same Spirit conferreth the spirit of wisdome and sanctified knowledge by means whereof they doe see God Hence that speech of Christ Hee that seeth mee seeth my Father John 14. 9. also scil opere Spiritûs sancti namely by the work of the holy Ghost On the contrary they the eyes of whose soules the holy Ghost hath not enlightned with the saving beams of divine truth can never see or know the Father in the Son As then none is said to touch Christ when the Mar. 5. 30 31. multitude thronged him save onely shee who had the bloudy issue so none is properly said to see Christ save onely such in whom the holy Ghost hath wrought faith to beleeve him and his word for it is impossible without faith which is the eye of the soule either to see him or know him and according to each mans faith so shall it be unto him For we must know that there is a twofold sight 1. Of the body 2. Of the minde 1. The eye of the body cannot see God for he is invisible his Essence is spirituall and if a man cannot see his own spirit much lesse can hee see God who is the Father of spirits Now if it be objected Heb. 12. 9. Exod. 33. 11. Gen. 17. 1. that Moses and Abraham saw God I answer that they saw not his substance hee only appeared in similitudes by which hee testified his presence But Job saith In my flesh I shall see God Job 9. 26. and mine owne eyes shall behold him Answ By God in that place is meant the second person of the Trinity who being God was incarnate and so God may be seen in Christ But Paul saith that we shall see God face to face Answ God hath not members 1 Cor. 13. 12. as we have but this is spoken per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to our humane capacitie and the meaning is that we shall have such a full knowledge of God as wee have of him whom wee do see face to face But shall our eyes serve us for no use in heaven Ans Yes with them wee shall behold the glorious Saints and Christ our Judge and Redeemer glorified in his humane nature whom to Acts 3. 13. behold yeelds unconceivable comfort 2. The second is the sight of the minde which in this life is imperfect and only seeth God in his works and word c. by which wee may gather the great love of God towards us in exhibiting himselfe so farre but that perfect sight which the minde shall then have of God is reserved till hereafter when seeing him wee shall be transformed into his image This sight of the minde which properly is called the soule is twofold First Simple as when a man sees a thing absolutely and as it is in it selfe thus God cannot be seen by reason of his Immensity filling all places Secondly Comprehensive namely when a man seeth God so farre forth as hee is capable of the knowledge of him and in this sense wee shall see God perfectly in the world to come and be filled with the fruition of his presence as a vessell may be filled with the water of the sea though it hold not all the water of the sea In this comprehensive manner as the Spouse of Christ is sure that shee seeth him so is shee sure also that shee heareth him for saith shee in the verse preceding the Text Behold the voice of my Beloved shee was a partaker of the first resurrection and so heard his voice which enlivened her John 4. 25. soule and shee was sure that it was his voice indeed and not a strangers their often mutuall conference had given her an exact knowledge thereof As then the true Spouse of Christ can onely rightly discern Christs voice so whosoever hath not plighted his faith to him knowes it not from the voice of a stranger and so may soon be deluded as may appeare by Ahab giving credit to the lying spirit in the mouthes of his false prophets 1 King 22. 22. Object But some may object that saying of Christ No man knoweth the Son but the Father neither Matth. 11. 27. knoweth any man the Father save the Son and hee to whomsoever the Son will reveal him Sol. The words are to be understood comparatively that is as the knowledge of the Son is originally in God the Father and it is by the Fathers revealing of the Son that any come to know the Son that is to beleeve in his Name so the knowledge of the Father is originally in the Son and it must be by the Sonnes revealing of the Father that any can come to know him Excellently therefore saith Chrysostome None know the Chrysost Father with that knowledge with which the Son knoweth him that is fully to obey him and in all things perfectly to conforme to his will which is knowledge unto salvation Of this perfection of knowledge which is solely in Christ the best of Gods children come short in this life 'T is true they know him and see him but here it is weakly and imperfectly as from behinde a wall Or thus As by seeing a piece of coine a man may know whose coine it is by the image and superscription engraven thereon so the Spouse of Christ knoweth whose image is engraven in the heavens and who that is that shewes himselfe in the windowes of the Scriptures and in the grates of Conscience Or thus As by seeing a picture a man may know whom it represents especially if there hath been any former acquaintance so the Church which is Christs Spouse seeing the face of God in the light of the Scriptures and the beauty of the Creatures exactly

they shall enter into the joy of their Master Lastly by enjoying Gods presence they shall with the holy Angels whom Augustine calls Hymnidici chori Aug. in Johan praise God without ceasing with a perfect heart freely so the Psalmist Blessed are they that dwell Psal 84. 4. in thy house they will be still praising thee To summe up all together In this beholding of Gods face the saints shall know the power of God the Father the wisdome of God the Son and the goodnesse of God the holy Ghost which is the joy of Angels which is the reward of eternall life which is the glory of the blessed spirits the new Jerusalem the perfection of blisse and that peace which passeth all understanding by vertue whereof they shall praise God and praising him love him and loving him possesse him who is the inheritance of his people witnesse his promise to Abraham I will Gen. 15. 1. be thine exceeding great reward O! say we all then O Lord thou art in thy selfe exceeding great and therefore thou must needs be an exceeding great reward It is life everlasting to see thee it is life Joh. 17. 3. everlasting to know thee and whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ If then the wise men rejoyced to see Christ in the manger what joy will it be to see him in his glory If old Abraham rejoyced to see Joh. 8. 56. Aug. Tract 43. in Johan the day of Christ yet afarre off for hee rejoyced through hope that he should see it by understanding it and hee saw it then which what greater joy could be expressed for if they rejoyce who have their bodily eyes opened what joy doth the unutterable light of the soule bring If a bride rejoiceth not onely when she hears the voice of her bridegroom but more affectionately when shee enjoyeth his presence because they twaine shall be one flesh Or if a loving wife rejoiceth when her husband returneth safe after a long and tedious journey So and much more doth the soule of a Christian rejoice when shee is united to Christ her head Thus you see what inexpressible consolation this union of Christ yeeldeth to all the children of the first resurrection First in that they shall be so changed as that they shall be made capable of eternall glory Secondly in that death shall no more be terrible because their bodies shall be no more sinfull And herein the godly differ from the wicked in three respects 1. In the Causes for the wicked shall indeed rise but it is by reason of Gods summons when the trumpet shall blow and all must of necessity appeare whereas the godly rise to be united to their head Christ Jesus 2. In the Manner for the wicked rise with horrour and griefe whereas the godly rise with joy and comfort 3. In the End for the wicked rise to eternall confusion whereas the godly rise to everlasting glorification They that live in Christ shall sleep in Christ and such as sleep in Christ God will bring 1 Thes 4. 14 17. with him and they shall be ever with him Lastly This union of the godly with Christ shall be glorious in regard of their cohabitation for the wicked after sentence pronounced by Christ who then shall sit as Judge shall be hurled into hell a place loathsome and grievous because of that stinke which never shall be abated and because of that pain that never shall be ended whereas the godly shall be enthronized in a kingdom prepared for them from the beginning of the world which is a kingdome of blisse in which they shall live eternally So then as the pains of the one place are universall so are the pleasures of the other universall also Pain and pleasure in this life are temporall in the other they are eternall and as the torture of the one in regard of the losse of Christs presence is inexpressible so the comfort of the other in the fruition of his presence is unconceivable With old Simeon then who rejoiced to embrace Christ in his arms at the time of his presentation let all true-hearted professors rejoice in that Christ will present them to his Father when the time shall come for their glorification In the mean time while we see him standing behinde our wall let us sing with that old Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen the Prince of peace thy salvation FINIS ERRATA Pag. 7. lin 22. for most reade more p. 10. l. 27. for as r. us p. 26. l. 2. for unto r. to p. 34. l. 21. for for r. forth