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	power_n	17,679	5	5.2026	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91366	The way step by step to sound and saving conversion, with a clear discovery of the two states, viz: nature, & grace: and how to know in which state one is, and the way to come out of the one into the other. Or, The ready and right path-way for the first Adams posterity to get out of their fallen estate accompanied with sin and misery, into the relation and family of the last Adam, which estate is attended with grace and glory, &c. With many weighty questions answered, and cases of conscience resolved, for the clearing and confirming the truths asserted. / By Robert Purnell.	Purnell, Robert, d. 1666.	1659 (1659)	Wing P4241; Thomason E1800_1; ESTC R209703	66,581	144

Answ The best way to mortifie our flesh with the Affections and Lusts is to meditate on the mercies of God which is one of the most powerfull Arguments to perswade and prevail with a Soul to leave sin Psal 26. 3 4. For thy loving kindnesse is before mine eyes and I have walked in thy truth 1 John 3. 3. he that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as he is pure I have read of five men that were studying what was the best way to mortifie sin The first said to meditate of death the second said to meditate of judgement to come the third said to meditate on the joys of Heaven the fourth said to meditate on the torments of Hell which is the wages of sin the fifth said to meditate on the blood and sufferings of Iesus Christ And certainly the last is the strongest motive of all to mortifie sin surely it is the appearance of Gods grace to us which works a hope of glory in us and this hope of glory doth purifie 1 Ioh. 3. 3. both in kind and degree 2 Cor. 7. 1. Let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse both of flesh and spirit Rom. 8. 13. And so by the Spirit we come to mortifie the deeds of the flesh he that hath the strongest Faith hath the holyest life Sanctification ariseth from Justification let us then make war against our Lusts in the strength of Christ still seeking unto him for assisting grace for as we have said before in this Treatise strength to perform any duty to exercise any grace to subdue any Lust to resist any temptation to bear any affliction is derived only from Christ Quest What is or who is the object of Faith A. God the Father Son holy Ghost is the object of saving Faith no man was ever saved without this for no man ever called upon God but by the help of the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12. 3. As no man can say that Jesus is the Christ so neither can any man say that God is God but by the holy Ghost neither did God ever hear any man that prayed unto him for salvation but for his Sons sake we are in order not in time to believe first in Christ by Christ in God 1 pet 1. 21. Who by him do believe in God We are commanded to believe in Christ 1 Joh 3. 23. and this is his commandement that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ for Christ as Redeemer is the mediate not the ultimate object of Faith for we believe by Christ in God as before As Christ is the object of divine worship Asts 7. 59. And of saving hope Collo 1. 27. And of our greatest love 1 Cor. 16. 22. And of our absolute service Rom. 14. 9. 18. So he is the object of our divine Faith together with the Father and the Holy Ghost so John 14. 1. compared with Acts 20 21. as God in Trinity is the object of Faith so the Scripture seems to be the ground of Faith First the Lord presents us with a command to believe 1 Ioh. 3. 23. and a promise of Salvation to them that believe Mar. 16. 16. and it is the duty of all that do hear the Gospel to believe Mar. 1. 15. Iohn 3. 18. Iohn 15. 22. 16. 7. In the begetting or breeding of Faith in the heart is manifested both the inability of Man and the ability of God here appears the evil of the Spirit of corrupt nature and the good of the Spirit of Grace Sarah her conceiving of Isaac whose birth was a figure of Regeneration was a great work a miracle so Mary her conception of Christ by the power command and blessing of the holy Ghost was also a great work a miracle but for Christ to be formed in the Soul by believing is as great if not a greater work see Ephes 1. 19 20. Quest What incouragement and grounds are there to provoke or perswade us to believe Answ There are many I will instance only in a few which may be reduced to these two heads viz. 1. The benefits in doing it 2. The hurt or danger in neglecting it 1. The benefits that doe attend those that doe believe and they are these 1. By believing we honour God our Creator Christ our Redeemer and the holy Ghost our Sanctifier Iohn 3. 33 compared with Rom. 3. 34. 2. By believing we come to be established Isay 7. 9. 3. By believing we shall be kept in perfect peace Isay 26. 34. compared with Rom. 5. 1. 4. Whosoever believeth in him shall not be ashamed Rom 9. 33. 5. Our naked believing in God and cleaving to him in his free promises will carry down all our distempers at once and fill our Souls with joy and peace in believing 6. This is the way to have God take pleasure in us Psalm 147. 11. the Lord taketh pleasure in those that hope in his mercy Psalm 33. 18. the eyes of the Lord is upon them that fear him upon them that hope in his mercy 7. Our believing doth instate the Soul in the possession of Heaven whiles the body remains on ●arth Iohn 3. 36. 8. For our incouragement to believe consider Christ outbids all Merchants for thy Soul he out-bids the World Sin and Sathan they do not present pardon remission redemption salvation but Christ doth present these and many more such like choyse things 2. Let us consider the evil of Unbelief and the misery that doth attend it it is a dishonouring of God a denying of Christ it as much as in it lyeth makes void the great Counsel of God and purposes of his mercy viz. 1. We do what lyes in us make void Gods end in sending Christ his end was that we might believe and live for ever in blessednesse 2. We as much as in us lyes make void the death of Christ all his sufferings and bloodshed to be to no purpose 3. We make void what lyes in us the great counsel of God and all the thoughts of his wisedom in contriving such a way to advance his glory in the salvation of man 4. By continuing in a state of Unbelief we rob Christ of the reward and fruit of all his sufferings and death 5. We wrong God by our Unbelief we obscure his glory we limit his power we contemn his wisedom we give a lye to his truth we abuse his love we slight and reject all the Precious thoughts of his mercy and grace we proclaim the Devil a Conquerour and lift him up above Christ himself Iu●as did sin more by Unbelief and despairing than by his betraying of Christ as might be gathered from Scripture 6. We hasten damnation to our selves Iohn 3. 18 36 Were we in Adams created innocency then we need not to look after a Saviour but we are all fallen but we are broken but we are sold under sin but we are transgressors from the wombe but we are by nature the children of disobedience and wrath What shall I say more

Unbelief is the greatest sin in the world because it is a sin against the greatest love Iohn 3. 16. compared with Rom. 5. 8. it is a sin against the only remedy the sentence of the Law may be repealed by the Gospel but the sin against Gospel remedy there is no repeal of it is a sin that makes void and vain all the covenant of grace turning all the sweetnesse thereof into bitternesse and all the truth of it into a lye 1 John 5. 10. Therefore God is more severe against Unbelief than any sinne because Unbelief is most severeto God God hath no greater Enemi●s in the world than Unbelievers 7. Let us consider that a man without Faith is like a naked man in a storm or like an una●med man in a Battel like a ship unanchored and unballanced in a storm he is like a Sea without Banks a world without a Sun or a ship without a Pilot he is under the command of all his passions and enemies c. Qu. In what way are we to conceive of God when we pray to him Answ We are not to conceive of him under any shape or resemblance Deut. 4. 12 15. we are not to think that the Godhead can be resembled to any thing Acts 17. 27 29. compared together for unless we should equal God to any thing how can he be likened to it Isay 40. 18. 25. Who can by searching find out the Almighty to perfection Iob 11. 7 8 12. We are to conceive of him as one not to be fully conceived by us and so pray to him with such apprehensions of him yet we are to believe that he is and that he is a rewa●der of those that seek him Heb. 11. 6. namely that he to whom we pray is such a God which seeth and knoweth all the secrets of our hearts and all our thoughts that he is present with us where-ever we are comprehendeth us though we cannot comprehend him he is most holy most wise most mighty who is ready to do for us above what we are able to ask or think Ephe. 3 18 19 20. This is to conceive of him in the glorious and precious dimensions of his love so shall we comprehend with all Saints the heighth and breadth length and depth and know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge in this sence may we see him that is invisible Heb. 11. 27. For the true God is invisible as appears by these Scriptures Coll. 1. 15. 1 Tim. 1. 17. Tim. 6 16. The divine essence is not visible to bodily eyes in this life the essence simply considered cannot be seen by the Soul in this Life Exod. 33. 20. In the life to come though it be seen apprehensively so far as the spirits of just men made perfect are capable yet not comprehensively and fully Job 1. 1. 7 8 9 10. Q. How or in what order are we to direct our prayers to the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity namely to Father Son and Holy Ghost A. In our Prayers we ought not to fix our ey● or minds so upon one in the Trinity as not thereby to be led to the other the Father being in the Son and the Son in the Father and the holy Ghost in them both Iohn 14. 10. we cannot look at one but we must eye the other they that look on Christ as their Mediator must see and eye the Father as giving of him so to be yea and at the holy Ghost as one with the Father sent and consented to his designment to that office as the Lord Christ himself sayeth Isay 48. 16. and now the Lord God and his spirit hath sent me c. we cannot look aright to the Father but we must look to him through the Son neither can we look upon the Son but by the Spirit It is true that in order we are first to direct our Prayers to God the Father yet not as first or chief in honour above the other two for even the Son who albeit as man and as Mediator he be inferiour to the Father Iohn 14. 28. yet as God as the Son of God he is equal with him Iohn 5. 18. Phill. 2. 6. and the Son is to be honored as equal with the same honor as the father Iohn 5 23. Albeit as was said the holy Ghost be not excluded but included so are we to pray unto God through Christ by the help of the holy Ghost Iohn 16. 23. we are to ask the Father in the name of the Son by the help and assistance of the holy Ghost Rom. 8. 26. Again we are baptized in the name of the Father Son and holy Ghost and therefore we are to pray unto and worship Father Son and holy Ghost we are to believe in the Father Son and holy Ghost and therefore we are to pray to the Father Son and holy Ghost so that in all external worship of God one in the Trinity being named the other are understood and are not to be excluded Q. How can there be three and yet but one God Answ God is one in essence one Jehovah one God and no more and therefore God calleth himself I am Exod. 3. 14. all besides himself are but created results of God bits of dependances upon him all Nations are before him as a drop of a Bucket as the small dust of the Ballance as a very little thing as nothing as lesse than nothing as vanity Isay 40. 15 17. This one God in essence saith Mr. Thomas Cobbert in his Treatise of Prayer pag. 542 to which I assent viz. is in personal properties three subsistences really distinct yet we are not so to let our thoughts feed themselves in musing upon the blessed persons as distinct in personal properties but with an apprehension of thē as one in essence one Jehovah one God and no more the property of begetting is applyed to God the Father and not to the Son or the holy Ghost he to whom the Scripture giveth the property of the only begotten Son of God he is Jehovah God the Son and no other and so he to whom the Scripture applyeth the property of proceeding he and only he is God the holy Ghost the Scripture applying to none other that property of proceeding or being as it were breathed forth from the Father therfore is called his Spirit Nū 8. 11. from the Son therfore is called the Sons Spirit Gal. 49. yet the holy Scriptures never mention but one Jehovah even when it mentions him in personal distinction three yet essentially but one 1 John 5. 7. There be three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one the Dvine essence subsisting in three relative properties Father Son and holy Ghost The personal property of the Father is to beget Ps 2. 7. The personal property of the Son is to be begotten John 1. 14 18. The personal property of the holy Ghost is to proceed from the Father and the Son John 14. 26. 15. 26. What shall Isay more As God for the helping of us to understand his essence is pleased to take unto himself certain names and attributes by the help of which we may the better understand his essence so also is he pleased to take unto himself certain names appellations to help us to the better understanding of his subsistance c. yet there is but only one living true God who is infinite in being perfection a most pure Spirit invisibly without body parts or passions immutable eternal incomprehensible working all things according to the counsel of his own will he is the alone Fountain of all beings of whom through whom and to whom are all things in his sight all things are made manifest his knowledge is infinite infallible and independent he is most holy in all his Counsels in all his Works in all his Commands c. But if any demand farther How can there be three and yet but one God I answer great is the mystery the Son in the Father and the Father in the Son and the Spirit of truth which is by the Father and the Son John 14. 11. John 15. 26. 14. 26. So that in this mystery a Christian is to believe what reason cannot comprehend the Father sent forth his Son the Son sent forth the holy Ghost yet Father Son and holy Ghost was never separated one from another Take a candle burning and there is substance light and heat and yet not three candles but one candle Look upon the good man of a House and you shall find that he is a Husband to his Wife a Father to his Children a Master to his Servants and yet not three men but one man so in the unity of the God head there be three of one substance power and eternity God the Father God the Son and God the holy Ghost the Father is of none neither begotten nor proceeding the Son is eternally begotten of the Father the holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son c. FINIS

that doth beget or breed grace in us doth build up nourish and increase the same these forementioned means are both the begetters and the nourishers both the breeders and feeders of grace viz. Hearing the Word preached reading the Word prayer promises good company considerations and choice experiences all these are full to nourish and strengthen grace also the Sacraments were instituted and set up for this end to increase our grace and assure us of the pardon of our sinnes and the salvation of our soules Baptisme is a seal of our entrance into the Church of God the Supper of the Lord is a seal of our continuance in the same the former is a seal of our new birth the latter is a seal of our spiritual growth● in Baptisme some of our senses are exercised in the Lords Supper all our senses are or ought to be exercised this Ordinance is to be used often baptism but once for these is but one entrance into Christ but there are many degrees of growth in him Again Consider that we are to wait on God in the use of means frequently as we must not forsake our meals for our bodies so we are not to neglect our meals for our souls cut not off religious exercises too short turn not these holy duties into matter of fashion or form but come with an hungry appetite and that thou maist so do dip thy morsels often in the sharp sawce and sowr herb of humiliation look back and consider what once thou wast Now though we grant that the Ministery of the Word whether Law or Gospel is but as it were a dead letter and profiteth little without the Spirit 1 Cor. 3. 7. Neither is he that planteth any thing nor he that watereth but God that giveth the increase We cannot prevail with the blind to see nor with the deaf to hear or with the dead to live yet are we with diligence to attend upon God in the use of means for though the means cannot work without the Spirit the Spirit ordinarily will not work without the means Man is a reasonable creature therefore God proceedeth with him by way of arguments or means but because man in some sense is a dead creature therefore he must work in him that which he perswades him to he commandeth us who are unwilling to be willing and then by the powerful efficacy of the Spirit changing the will of unwillingness he makes us willing By the first he stands at the door and knocks Rev. 3. 20. By the second he opens the door and comes in and sups with us He in his Word calls upon us to will and to do the Spirit of Christ worketh in us both to will and to do God in the Creation spake the word that such a creature should be and therewithal sent forth a ●ower causing that creature to be according to his word So whilst the Angel revealeth unto Mary the conception of Christ the power of the Holy Ghost overshadowed her whence it was with her according to his word Luk. 1. 35 38. So also whilst Jesus cried with a loud voice John 11. 43 44. Lazarus come forth there proceeded from him a power whereby he came forth So Luke 5 24. He commanded the man that was sick of the palsie to take up his bed and walk and conveyes a power together with the command whereby vers 25 He did immediately arise took up his bed and went to his house and glorified God So again Ezek. 2. 1 2. And he said unto me Son of man stand upon thy feet and I will speak unto thee and the Spirit entered into me when he spake and set me upon my feet and I heard him that spake unto me c. But in the use of these and the like precious means observe these cautions 1. Be sure that the means you make use of be means of Gods own appointment of his own providing to which he hath annexed his promise 2. Consider it is not the means singly that helps but Gods blessing upon the means without which the most likely means bringeth nothing to passe 3. Consider his blessing is dispensed not so much according to the means as according to the uprightnesse of the heart in the use of them 4. Consider notwithstanding all this we are to wait upon God in the use of them frequently as it is Gods way of conveyance for where ordinary means may do he will not use extraordinary The walls of Jericho must fall Josh 6. from vers 4. to ver 15. but they must use the means although but weak means that we might not slight the means So John 9. from the 1. verse to the 7th when our Saviour opened the eyes of the man that was born blind He made clay of spittle and annointed the eyes of the blind man and bid him go wash in the pool of Siloam and be went and washed and came seeing So the stone must be rowled from Lazarus grave and Moses must sinite the rock to get water for the Israelites all which are written for our learning to ingage us to be diligent in the use of means and presents us with our duty viz. that we should leave no means unattempted for the accomplishment of what God hath promised for the means are Gods pipes of conveyance which if we cut off how can we expect the things we want which God hath promised to give Christ did not discharge us from the debt of sinne to free us from the debt of service but therefore he did pay the one that we might wait upon him in the use of the other he that withdraws himself from the promise cannot long keep close to the precept and he that keeps at a distance from the use of means shall never attain the mercies conveyed to others therein The Sacraments were instituted and set up for this very end to increase and strengthen seal and establish us the Lord knew he had to deal with doubting staggering misgiving persons and therefore he doth not only give the promise his covenant and oath for the confirmation of us but to all these he annexeth his seal the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper Here I shall give the Reader a brief accompt of the sum and substance of what hitherto in this Treatise hath been presented and so proceed c. We have began with mans creation and of his estate before he fell of the manner of his fall and the subtilty of Satan therein and of the miserable estate he fell into and how he can never be saved unless born again renewed and restored there are four Gates shut and five exceptions made against him there be amongst the Sons and Daughters of men eighteen sorts that shall not either see nor enter into the kingdome of God there be four strong reasons why he will execute justice upon them there are four sorts of changes and but one of them spiritual and saving Man is in misery and unable and unwilling to help

it is a great incouragement to one Christian to see the forwardness of another in the waies of well doing 3. To win others to the imbracing of the gospol 1 Pet. 3. 1 2. that they may be won by the conversation whilst they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear c. A man doth teach by his conversation as well as by his doctrine 4. Good works and an holy conversation are good in respect of others for an example of Vertue Joh. 13. 15. I have done this good work to give you an example said our Lord Christ Again we read Thes 1. 7. So that ye were examples to all that believe And indeed each Officer in the Church should walk so as to be a good example to the Flock there is ateaching by Example as well as by Doctrine See Phil. 3. 17. By all which we may see that good works are necessary in respect of the Lord which doth command them and of our selves that doth them and of others that behold them although there is no man saved for his good works yet there is none saved without them Many other Arguments might begiven to engage us to be rich in good works to instance in few and so to close this Answer to this Question consider then 1. That all the commands of God to walk holy are but as so many perswasions to perswade us to be happy Deut. 5. 29. That it might go well with us and our Children 2. Because Christians are the salt of the Earth the light of the world a City set upon a Hill that cannot be hid Mat. 5. 13 14. 3. Seeing that death and judgement and the end of this life and world is at hand 2 Pet. 3. 11 c. 4. There is no condemnation to those that walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8. 1. 5. This is the way to have Gods blessing upon all we set our hand unto Psal 1. 3. Qu. You have here presented us with our Duty and the benefits and privileges that will redound to us if we obey but how shall we be enabled to do these things Jer. 10. 23. the way of man is not in himself it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps and Saint Paul tells us from the Lord that we are not sufficient as of our selves to think so much as one good thought and that it is God that worketh both to will and to do c. Answ Strength to perform any duty to exercise any Grace to subdue any Lust or resist any Temptation to bear any Affliction c. is derived only from the Lord one of these three wayes to the Soul 1. Consider That either he hath already before hand as it were enabled us to do the thing commanded by giving us a Talent or Talents 1 Cor. 12. 8 9 10. Rom. 12. 6 Mat. 25. 15. to 28. 2. Let us consider That many times the Lord conveys a power together with the command to enable us to do the thing commanded So when he bid Lazarus come forth of the Grave so when he commanded the man that was sick of the palsi● to take up his Bed and walk Lu. 5. 24 25. So again Ezek. 2. 1 2. And he said unto me Son of Man stand upon thy feet and I will speak unto thee and the spirit entred into me when he spake and set me upon my feet and I heard him speak unto me 3. If we find no power already given us before the command neither any power conveyed to us together with the command then in the next place we are to bring the command to the Promise and so to seek for by Prayer the blessing of the Promise that we may be enabled to do the Duty of the Precept To instance in a few cases for all the rest It is mans duty to believe Mar. 1. 15. Precept Promise Prayer Believing is Gods free gift Ephes 2. 8. This puts the Soul upon praying for it I believe help my unbelief Mar. 9. 24. It is mans duty to wash and be clean Is 1. Precept It is Gods promise to sanctifie and cleanse Promise us Ezek. 36. 25. The Soul seeing its duty and Gods promise Prayer prayes Wash me and I shall be clean Psal 51. 2. It is mans duty to repent Acts 17. 30. Precept Promise The promise holds forth repentance as the gift of God Acts 5. 31. 2 Tim. 2. 25. Prayer sues it out Turn thou me and I shall Prayer be turned Jer. 31. 18. It is required of man as his duty to make him Precept anew heart Ezek. 18. 31. It is Gods promise to give a new heart Ezec. Promise 36 26. Create in me a new heart O God and renew Prayer a right Spirit within me Ps 51. 10. It is mans duty to love God Mat. 22. 37. Precept Promise It is Gods promise to circumcise the heart to love him Deut. 30. 6. The Lord direct your hearts into the love Prayer of God 2 Thes 3. 5. It is mans duty to fear God Deut. 10. 12. Precept Promise It is Gods promise to put his fear into our Precept Promise hearts Ier. 32. 40. Prayer seeks for it Psal 86. 11. Unite my Prayer heart to fear thy name It is mans duty to draw near to God Iawes Precept 4. 8. It is Christs promise to draw men unto him Promise Iohn 12. 32. Prayer falls in sutable herunto Can. 1. 4. Draw Prayer me we will run after thee It is mans dutie to walk in Gods Statutes Precept Psal 119. 4 It is Gods promise to inable men so to do Promise Ezek. 36. 27. O that my ways were directed to keep thy Prayer statutes Psa● 119. 5. It is mans duty to be strong in the Lord Precept Ephes 6. 10. It is Gods promise to make him strong Psal Promise 29. 11. Prayer falls in O give thy strength to thy Prayer Servant Psal 86. 16. It is mans duty to draw near to but not to Precept depart from God Heb. 3 12. It is Gods promise to his people that they Promise shall not depart from him Jer. 32 40. O let me not wander from thy commandements Prayer Ps 119. 10. Let the Reader consider that to each precept there is a promise and to some precepts there are two or three promises the one to enable us the other to reward us and all to encourage us to do our duty the commands in Scripture doth not so much shew what the Creature can do but what he should do yet not by his own natural power but by his assisting and enabling grace In a word Duty is the matter of Gods Promise as well as Gods Mercy as doth most clearly appear by these Scriptures Ephes 2. 8. Phil. 1. 29. Acts 5. 31. John 8. 32. Quest What is the best way to mortifie sin that is so prevailing in us