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

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A78206	The only refuge of a troubled soul in time of trouble & affliction, or, The sweet and soul-ravishing mystery of the apple-tree; explained and laid open, in two discourses fron Cant. 2. 3, for the comfort and encouragement of the true believer, in the midst of the worst and sorest afflictions which can (possibly) befal him in this world, and the awakening the most secure sinner, who is yet a stranger to the said mystery. ; Publish'd at the earnest and importunate request of several godly persons, who heard the same preached By J. Barry, an unworthy Minist. of the Gospel.	Barry, James.	1700 (1700)	Wing B970; ESTC R223490	61,710	175

First The gracious Condescension of Christ to lodge in the Believers Nature Thus to do was a Favour and Priviledge deny'd the Angelick Nature which fell by Apostacy it being design'd and intended only for the Seed of Abraham Heb. 2.16 For verily he took not upon him the Nature of Angels but he took the Seed of Abraham This is one Principal Reason why the Devils are so Implacably set against the Lord Jesus Christ and all who bear his Image Because Christ became a Mediator between God and Abraham's Seed but not between God and themselves Mark 1.24 Let us alone cry'd those Apostate Spirits in the Possessed What have we to do with thee c. These Devils knew they had no Interest or Propriety in Christ as a Saviour He took not their Nature on him he was never design'd by God who sent him into the World as a Saviour for any but Abraham's Seed and this inrages them so will all the wicked Reprobates of the World swell with Spight and Madness against the Son of God and all the Elect whom he came to Redeem They are herein acted by the Spirit of their Father John 8 44. Ye are of your Father the Devil and the Lusts of your Father ye will do c. Secondly That Firm and lasting Union which by Christs Incarnation is effected between the ever Blessed God and true Believers As by Adam's Apostacy both himself and all his Posterity in him were Ejected or cast out of God's Favour and Communion which was evidently seen in Adam's Ejection or his being cast out of the Earthly Paradice the Type of Heaven Gen 3. last So by Christ's uniting the assumed Nature of Abraham's Seed to God an unshaken and an immovable Foundation is laid for an Everlasting Union between the Elect Abraham's Seed and God As the Union between Christ's Godhead and his Humanity is for ever Inseparable so the Union and Bond of Friendship between God and Believers shall never be Null'd or made void let Devil World corrupt Nature Death and Hell do what they can The Names of the two Pillars in Solomon's Temple intimated and Typically shadowed forth to the Faith of the Believers under the Old Testament Dispensation that the spiritual Temple which is the Church of God's Elect being built and resting upon the Pillar of God's Omnipotency it shall never be prevail'd against by the powers of Darkness 1 Kings 7.21 To these two Pillars Jachin and Booz the Spirit of God in John alludes Rev. 3.12 Him that overcometh I will make a Pillar in the Temple of my God c. Thirdly The Fruit and Effect of that Union viz. sweet Communion and Everlasting fellowing Fellowship with Father Son and Holy Ghost As is the Union such will be the Communion 1 Jo. 1.3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye also might have Fellowship with us and truly our Fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. Ver. 7. But if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have Fellowship one with another c. Secondly The Work of his Humiliation and self Abasement Christ's Incarnation and his humbling himself in the assumed Nature are two distinct things The Incarnation in order of Nature must precede or go before his Humiliation the former was in order to the latter To make make it obvious and plain Consider the two Natures of Christ which constitutes him fit for the great Work of Mediation between God and and sinfull Men. First His Godhead As Christ is God he is no way capable of being humbled Secondly His Humanity the Nature in which he was humbled Reason teaches that before he could humble himself in the assumed Nature that Nature must first be Actually in Being As touching God's assuming the Human Nature it cannot properly be call'd or thought an Act of Humiliation And that because as is already hinted the Godhead is not capable of being humbled To which I add that the Godheads assuming the Human Nature is no way a humbling but rather an Advancement and that the highest and greatest that ever was or ever will be granted and vouchsafed to any created Being to the Human Nature This Act of God in uniting to himself the Human Nature was a high Act of matchless and unparallell'd Condescention to Abraham's Seed his Elect and chosen in Christ It will then be demanded wherein Christs Humiliation consisted To which I answer in two Particulars First In his laying aside and not pleading the Perfection of his sinless Nature and the perfect Conformity of his Life to the Law of God If the Lord Jesus had not stood as a Surety for the Elect the Curse of the Law could no way Reach or take hold of him and the Reason is because he was never guilty of transgressing the Law Christ was Made not Born under the Law So saith the Spirit of Truth Gal. 4.4 It is one thing to be Born under the Law and it is another thing to be Made under the Law To be Born under the Law presupposes that Party Partaker of a sinful polluted Nature which lays him open to the Sentence and Curse of the Law To be Made under the Law presupposes Christ's voluntary Act of subjecting himself to the Law of God Not only to the preceptive commanding Part of it that he might keep the Law for the Elect of God for whom he became a Surety But to the minatory and cursing part of it too to the end he might be made a Curse for them and that by bearing in his own Body and Soul the Laws-curse which was due to Gods Elect for their breach of the Law Phil. 2.7 But made himself of no Reputation and took upon him the form of a Servant and was made in the likeness of Men. And being found in Fashion as a Man he humbled himself and became obedient unto Death yea even the Death of the Cross 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sed ex●●anivit semet ipsum he emptied himself The word properly signifies he ●ob'd or he utterly emptied himself he debased or made himself vile And this he did himself it was neither his Fathers nor any of his Enemies Act. This is to be taken in no other sense than as was said already his laying aside and not pleading his own spotless Innocency whereon if he had stood no Accusation brought in against him would have held water to cast him at the Law Bar. Secondly His voluntary subjecting himself to a Liableness to stand charg'd with all the sins of God's Elect as truly as if they had been Personally committed by himself together with the Shame and Curse due for them Christ standing bound for the Elect could object nothing against Gods just Proceedings against him seeing i● was his own voluntary Act to become their Surety neither God Angels o● Men could force him to it On this Account it was that he stood speechless at the Laws B●r. Esa 53.6 A● we like sheep have gone

and Comfort to poor fainting desponding Souls Esa 50.4 The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary c. The Spirit of God by Solomon tells us that a word fitly spoken is like Apples of gold in Pictures of silver Prov. 25.11 Here we are to understand that a word in due time and place and pertinent to the purpose As beyond all dispute it is Amiable and Ravishing to the Eye to behold so orient and dazling a sight as Apples of Gold drawn to the Life in Pictures of Silver So undoubtedly a word of Counsel and Comfort brought Home to the Conscience of a doubting wounded Sinner ravisheth and gladdeth the broken Heart As cold water to a thirsty Soul so is good news from a far Country Prov. 25 25. When the word suited to a poor tempted Souls Distress is brought home in the nick of time as we say Oh! how sweet is it then Thirdly A third thing which bespeaks the Word of Christ sweet to a real Believer is the Holy Ghost his Efficiency and quickening Power accompanying the same what we say of corporal Bread Rayment Physick Drink c. what can they avail to comfort and nourish the Body without the Spirit of God bless and sanctifie their use to the end for which they are appointed The same may be truly said of the Word and Sacraments c. what can they avail for the Souls good if the Efficiency and quickning Influence of the Spirit of God go not along with their use It is for want of this quickening Virtue of the Spirit of God that so many Sermons are Preached and so few sinners really Converted It is for want of this quickning Efficacy of the Spirit that so many Ordinances of Religion are attended and enjoy'd by thousands of Professors without any sensible or visible Growth in Grace The Word of God is like a well made Knife or Razor tho' never so keen and sharp yet without a living Agent they can neither Cut nor Shave So the Word of God neither the Law can awaken convince or wound the Conscience for sin Nor yet the Gospel Heal or Comfort a Soul in Distress without the Energy and quickening Efficacy of the Spirit of God There are two sorts of People who hereby appear to be in a woful Condition First such as frequently hear and read the Word Receive Sacraments and go the Round in all external Acts of Religious Duties and yet without any motion of spiritual Life from the Spirit of God in their Souls These are like blind Horses in a Mill going round all day long alway treading in the same Tract not seeing or considering where they are or what they are doing These keep to the Form in a Customary way but heed not the inward Power which is that which renders all Acts of Religious Worship both pleasing and acceptable to God and which proves the Soul to be in Reality a living Member of Christ's Mystical Body Esa 29.13 2 Tim. 3.5 Rev. 3.17 Secondly There be others who in pretence of internal Motion and Power in the Soul from the Spirit who to avoid the Damning Formality of the others now mention'd will not only neglect but even slight the Word and Ordinances reflecting on the Word as a dead Letter and the Holy Institutions of Christ in his Churches as carnal poor empty and beggarly Elements Some of these are Seekers in plain English Quakers who are always learning But never come to the knowledge of the Truth 2 Tim. 3.6.7 Others are super-ordinanced who have gotten above all ordinary Means These in their own Conceits at least are so near Perfection that they need not the use of outward Ordinances These are gotten in outward Shew and Profession above Ordinances but never yet were they acquainted with true Piety Both these sorts are under the powerful working of an Infernal Spirit of Delusion which feeds their Souls with Chymerical Whimsies and Enthusiastical Dreams instead of the Doctrin which is according to Godliness These wretched Extreams are to be carefully shunn'd and avoided as the as the Paths which lead to Hell and Eternal Ruin The sure way hereto is to keep within sight and hearing of the Shepherds Tents Cant. 1.8 Be●are of false Teachers and avoid the Doctrin which hath not God's Word for its Foundation Esa 8.20 In hearing and reading and all other Ordinances of Religious Worship see that the outward Form and the inward Power be not separated Those things which God hath joyned together must not be put asunder Esa 59.21 Mat. 19.6 That great Man Augustin us'd to call the Word of God Creating Words Verba Div●na saith he sunt verba creativa And that on the account of the quickening Energy and Power that goes along with them This is a Truth which hath been acknowledged ●s well by Enemies as by Friends to the Truth Jo. 7.46 The Officers answered never Man spake like this Man Luke 24.32 And they said one to another did not our Hearts burn within us while he talked with us by the way and while he opened to us the Scriptures He that brags of the Word of God and is a Stranger to the Power thereof in his own Soul he is an hypocritical Formalist He who boasts of the Power of the Spirit within and holds not the Form of sound Words indited by the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost to be a Rule of Faith and Holy Life he is a deluded Enthusiast From both these Extreams the Care and Faithfulness of the Great Shepherd will keep all who are given him by the Father Thirdly The Works of Christ are all sweet to the true Believer By Works here I intend the Works of his Mediatorial Undertaking Among the gods there is none like unto thee O Lord neither are there any works like unto thy Works Psal 86.8 Besides the Works of Creation and Providence which are common to the whole Trinity there are Works which are Peculiar to Christ as Mediator I will reduce them to six Heads First His Work of Incarnation or his Assuming the Human Nature into Unity with his Sacred Godhead This is the Mystery of all other Mysteries and of this the Temple and Tabernacle of old were shadowy Types To this Mystery that in Prov 8.31 had reference even before Christ came in the Flesh yea before the Birth of Time it self if I may so speak rejoycing in the habitable Parts of his Earth c. The then intended Union between the Godhead and our Flesh is in that Scripture pointed at and this is chiefly intended by John Jo. 1.14 And the Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us c. And by Paul in 1 Tim. 3. last And without controversie great is the Mystery of Godliness God was manifested in the flesh c. There are three things especially which bespeak the Incarnation of Christ to be sweet and delightful to the true Believer

Blessing to all the Members of Christ viz. All who savingly believe in him There are some whose Names I am unwilling to mention who tell Men that bodily Death is a Part of the Curse due to sin and that the Believer as well as the Unbeliever must undergo and bear it as such namely the Curse which is due to the Believer for sin From whom I do and shall for ever dissent and that for the two Reasons here following First Because Death puts an end to all a Believers sinning and sorrowings which occasioned holy Master Dod's Saying that Death was the greatest Friend to a true Believers Grace that is in the World For saith he that which Praying and Hearing and Sacraments c. do but help to weaken viz. sin in the Heart and Life of the Believer Death comes and with one stroak cuts it off And at the same time and with the same Blow puts an end to all the Believers Sorrows and Afflictions And if this be a Curse to a Believer for my part I do not understand what it is to be Blest Though Death in it self be a Curse to the first Adam and his Children as it is the Wages of sin Rom. 6.23 yet to them who are in Christ that Curse is turned into a Blessing so saith the Holy Ghost whose Testimony goes beyond all other Testimonies in Matters of Faith See Rev. 14.13 And I heard a voice from Heaven saying write Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord From henceforth Yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them And of such it is also said And God shall wipe away all Tears from their Eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying nither shall there be any more pa●n for the former things are passed away Rev. 21.4 Secondly Because Death not only perfects the Grace of a true Believer but it is also an Inlet to the Kingdom of Glory On these two Accounts it is I doubt not that the day of Death is preferrable before the day of ones Birth Eccles 7.1 A good Name is better than precious Oyntment and the day of death than the day of ones Birth On the same Accounts I do not question Paul did prefer to die rather than to continue in the Body as he himself tells us Phil. 1.21 For to me to live is Christ and to die is Gain Herewith also concurs 1 Cor. 3.22 Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the World or Life or Death or things present or things to come all are yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods In this Enumeration of Particulars of second causes wherein the Members of Christ are said to be interrested I understand the same thing to be intended which is held forth in that general Assertion And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose Rom. 8.28 And is not this a sweet Fruit to a Believers spiritual Taste Fourthly The Powerful and Glorious Resurrection of the Lord Jesus from the Dead is most sweet and delightful to the true Believer That Christ was raised up from Death is beyond controversie Acts 2.24 Whom God hath raised up having loosed the pains of Death because it was not p ssible he should be holden of it Acts 17.31 Because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the World in Righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given Assurance unto all Men in that he hath raised him from the dead Rom. 1.4 And declared to be the Son of God with Power according to the Spirit of Holiness by the Resurrection f om the dead This Resurrection of Christ from the dead can be no other than sweet to all true Believers and that on a threefold Account First As it is God the Fathers Actual Discharge to Christ the Publick Head and Representative of Gods Elect and to them in him from that sin of theirs which he as their Surety stood charg'd with and from the whole of that Debt which he undertook to pay for them As Christs Active and Passive Obedience was the full Payment of Believers Debts to God so Gods raising him from Death was Gods Actual Discharge to his Son and in him to all Elect Believers to assure them that the Debt which Christ his Son undertook to pay for them is now fully paid and satisfied witness his Actual Release and Discharge from the Prison of the Grave where Christ as Undertaker and Surety for Gods Elect was detain'd until the Justice of his Father said it is enough I am now satisfied to the full every Iota and Tittle of the Law is by him perfectly obey'd both Actively and Passively I have no more to lay to his or the Elects Charge for whom he became a Surety Discharge him let him be set at Liberty as Christ the Son prov'd faithful to the Father in performing to the utmost what he had undertaken for securing the Fathers Glory and the Salvation of the Elect committed and given in charge to him by the Father So God the Father proves Just and Righteous to Christ in giving him under the Hand of his Unerring Spirit of Truth a full Release and General Discharge not only for himself but for his Redeemed ones also Of this Christ had not the least doubt when he struck Hands with his Father he knew his Father to be the God of Truth who could not lie or deal unjustly with any much less with his own only Son who he could not but know would stick at nothing though it were to empty himself and to become nothing And which was worse to be made a Curse to finish the Work his Father had given him to do For the Lord God will help me therefore I shall not be confounded therefore have I set my Face like a Flint and I know that I shall not be ashamed He is near that justifieth me who will contend with me Let us stand together who is mine Adversary let him come near to me Isa 50 7 8. What was of old predicted by this Evangelical Prophet concerning God the Fathers justifying his Son upon his finishing the Work he had undertaken to go through it is now declared and made known by the Gospel to be Actually accomplished and made good according to those and other the like Predictions of him I have glorified thee on the Earth I have finished the Work which thou gavest me to do Jo. 17.4 5. And now O Father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the Glory which I had with thee before the World was All Power is given me in Heaven and in Earth Mat. 28.18 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins Acts 5.31 And without Controversie great is the Mystery of Godliness God was manifested in the flesh