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spirit_n ghost_n holy_a scripture_n 19,615 5 6.1818 4 true
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A02762 The burning bush not consumed wherein (either vnder all deepe sense of wrath; or hardnesse of heart, one may iudge, whether he be the childe of God, or not, &c. Chiefly receyuing satisfaction concerning the sinne against the Holy Ghost. Perused by I.D. and diuers other diuines. Hart, John, D.D.; Dyke, Jeremiah, 1584-1639, attributed name. 1616 (1616) STC 12891; ESTC S103842 61,708 194

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and yet are farre from the wrath of God Minist 1. Those who neuer haue felt wrath but alwayes peace 2. Those who haue felt the tentations of despaire and doubting yet afterwards haue obtained peace 3. Such who feele a hardnesse of heart and can haue no present reliefe Schol. Who bee they who haue neuer felt wrath but alwayes peace Minister Those whom God at their first conuersion hath called with much sweetnesse in melting their hearts by little and little for their sinnes Next such on whom God hath powred out a sense of his loue working in them a perswasion of mercy with ioy renuing the minde working a study of holinesse a hatred of sinne and a loue of righteousnesse Schol. Who be they who haue found the tentations of despaire and doubting and yet thereafter haue found peace Minist Those whom God hath inlightned to see their sinnes and the wrath of God for them and haue bin terrified doubting of their saluation and election yet God afterwards shineth vpon their soules touching them with a sense of remission of sinnes election and glorie whereupon ariseth that peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding and that ioy of the holy Ghost vnspeakeable and glorious Schol. Who are those who feele the hardnesse of their heart yet are not able to shake off the same Minist Those who haue once felt that mollifying power of the Spirit that light which draweth the soule to see it selfe and it owne wildnesse to see also God in the face of Iesus Christ and yet in the present finde a kind of deadnesse within Scholler How may it be knowne that one is not vnder the wrath of God in such a disposition Minist First such a one must looke backe vnto his former experience remembring the dayes of old and the yeeres of ancient time and next againe vnto his present disposition Schol. What must the present disposition be Minister A sense of hardnesse deadnesse and blindnesse A sad heart for the absence of God with a longing for his blessed presence Schol. What must be the exercise of one in this estate Minst A labouring and striuing with the heart to attaine feeling Schol. Wherein must this strife consist Minist In a wrastling with God against the hardnesse of the heart in Prayer and Mourning Schol. But what if one be neither able to wrastle nor striue Minist Yet must hee speake vnto God and shew him the disposition of the soule intreating him to helpe it for his Christs sake Schol. What if one be not able to speake for burden and trouble of soule Minist Hee must grone vnto God hold vp the hands and eyes vnto him desire to desire vse the outward meanes though vnwillingly and with torment for when we are not able to vse our feeling the outward meanes may ease Schol. What comfort can this afford to any one since God will be worshipped in Spirit and Trueth which he in such a case is not able to doe Minister It affoordeth singular consolation 1. In that wee haue a feeling of our selues and our great miserie Next in that such a disposition is vnpleasing vnto vs. 3. In that we would gladly haue it made better 4. In that we feele there is no comfort in heauen or earth for vs vntill God come Schol. How should the soule rest in such a hard estate Min. 1. Rest in hope 2. Waite 3. Say vnto God Giue mee such a heart as thou desirest Lord and then require thou of me such a heart and such a worship as thou desirest Schol. Wherefore doth the Lord suffer his cildren to haue and feele hardnesse of heart Minst First that so much the better they may vnderstand how miserable by nature they are 2. That they may see where only helpe is to be found 3. That being humbled they may not bee lifted vp with spirituall pride Lastly that they may much esteeme and cherish the fauour of God when he commeth in the power of the meanes Schol. In such extremities at what times commeth God to the soule Minist Vnlooked for when we are at the brinke of despaire or else when we haue yeelded as ouercome and almost left desiring or then when hee giueth an earnest and violent desire which neither can nor will be satiate vntill he come Schol. Yet why suffereth the Lord his children many times to vse all the meanes and yet not to finde him in the meanes before hee come thus vnlooked for Minst That wee may know he onely commeth when hee will nothing mouing him but his owne good pleasure Schol. What should wee learne heereof Minist 1. Not to conclude reprobation because to our feeling wee find desertion 2. Not to measure mercy by our present feeling 3. To waite vntill he come though we cannot feele his presence if it were vntill the last gaspe Schol. What if in the meane time there be no other sense but of stinging torments and Wrath Minist Yet must wee make claime vnto his promises In wrath beseech him to remember mercie saying vnto him with Iob Lord although thou wouldest slay vs yet will wee trust in thee thus waiting vntill hee come not being hastie and then in his owne good time he will appeare to our comfort Schol. Who be they who feele no wrath yet remaining vnder the heauie wrath of God Minist First such as haue no effectuall calling from God 2. Such as haue neuer had any true sense of the bitternesse and grieuousnesse of sinne 3. Such as are not mooued with the loue of the trueth neither doe loue God or haue had any sense of his loue or the earnest of the Spirit Lastly all such who make a shewe of godlinesse but haue denied the power thereof Schol. How diuide you those who are in this estate Minist They are partly out of the Church and partly in the Church Schol. Who be they that are out of the Church Min. Those who haue not amongst them the profession of the true God as hee hath reuealed himselfe in his word Schol. Who be they in the Church that lye vnder the wrath yet feele it not Minister First those who professe without knowledge 2. Those who haue conscience without knowledge and holinesse 3. Those who haue attained light yet fight against their enlightning Lastly those who through the custome of sinne are hardned so as with greedinesse they runne forward in all outward and inward impieties God for the present hauing giuen them ouer to a reprobate sense Schol. How farre may one proceede in shewe of true profession and yet be vnder the wrath of God Minist First hee may haue a litterall knowledge 2. A temporall and Historicall faith yea and the faith of miracles 3. He may haue a sorrow for sinne 4. He may haue a desire of heauen 5. He may taste of the good word of God and of the powers of the
testifieth when hee saith Thy hand was heauy vpon mee day and night my moisture is turned into the drought of Sommer And againe There is nothing sound in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there rest in my bones because of my sinne for mine iniquities are gone ouer my head and as a mighty burden are too heauy for me My wounds are putrified and corrupt because of my foolishnes My reines are full of burning and there is nothing sound in my flesh yea hee further testifieth that the indignation of God lay vpon him Againe he saith Thy indignation goeth ouer me and thy feare hath cut me off Schol. Yet declare further how far may the Childe of God be cast downe feeling of Gods absence being in continuall vexation by the apprehension of his anger yet continuing the Child of God Min. First the Child of God may be driuen to such an extremity and narrow pinch that to his feeling God hideth his face from him the Lord reiecteth his soule and when he roareth crying out that he shutteth foorth his prayer Next to his sense feeling he will feele the God of heauen to be his enemies pulling him in pieces causing the arrowes of his quiuer to enter into his reines filling him with bitternesse and causing his soule to be farre from peace Againe the Childe of God to his feeling may through the affliction of his soule be at the brinke of despaire and at the point of death yea and from his youth suffer terrors doubting of his life Lastly the Child of God through the manifold tentations of his soule will be so deiected that when he prayeth his spirit will be full of anguish and vexation and agony thinking that God hath either forgotten to bee mercifull or that hee hath shut vp his tender mercies in displeasure that hee hath ouerthrowne and destroyed him on euery side that being gone God hath kindled his wrath against him Schol. Can the Childe of God after he hath felt terror become so senselesse that he will bee hardened from the feare and awe of the maiestie of God Minist He may as the Prophet Isaiah testifieth when hee saith Why hast thou made vs to erre from thy waies hardned our hearts from thy feare as also experience of the Saints of God in all ages witnes the same Schol. How farre may the Childe of God after his effectuall calling runne riotously in prophane loosenesse Min. First he may stray and fall away in his affections of loue and hatred Secondly hee may loose the reines in outward actions Schol. How may the Child of God degenerate in his affections Minist First his loue and obedience may grow cooler vnto Christ Iesus his hatred likewise of sinne may be diminished the loue of righteousnes be remoued a little and yet remaine the Childe of God As we see in Dauid a man after Gods owne heart and Peter Christs deare Apostle who thus for a while did fall away in their affections Schol. What are the degrees by which the Child of God commeth vnto this disordered riot and loosenesse in his affectiones Min. First he suffereth the presence of God to goe foorth of his heart and the minde to be blinded 2. Hee leaueth off seriously either to seeke God or to mourne for his absence 3. The vaile and snares of hardnesse of heart thus commeth vpon him 4. The heart becommeth senselesse and dead 5. The party thus lying open vnto tentation vnarmed sinne deceiueth with the enticements thereof defiling the affections perswading them to fulfill the lusts of the flesh 6. The sense of heauen and of hell become strangely decayed And lastly there may well abide a light to conuince and conuict the conscience thus defiled but no power to resist sinne in the act Schol. What should wee learne from hence Minist First to beware we loose not our peace and communion with God 2. To shun hardnesse of heart and blindnesse of minde 3. Not to suffer the conscience to be senselesse without feeling but euer to retaine a sight and sense of sinne and the terror of Gods wrath for the same with some measure of remorse and godly sorrow 4. To be watchfull that the vile bewitching pleasures of sin benumme not the conscience making it consent vnto such abhominations for if we so doe the strength of sinne will ouercome vs and by the righteous iudgement of God we shall fall into some great danger which although it bring vs not to hell shall be a staine in the conscience and as a thorne in our side all our life long Schol. Is it possible for the Childe of God to fall into such grosse sinnes as those who are ordained vnto destruction the sinne against the holy Ghost excepted Mi. Nothing more certain he may fall into the same sins and yet be no cast away Esau a Reprobate was a fornicator Dauid an Elect did commit adultery Lot an Elect was ouertaken with drunkennes incest so also was Noah with wine Peter an elect denied Christ and Ioseph did sweare by the life of Pharaoh so that he hath no freedome if Gods spirit be absent more then these not to fal into such grosse sins the sinne against the holy Ghost excepted Schol. What is the sinne against the holy Ghost Min. There are sixe names giuen vnto this great sinne 1. It is called a sinne against the holy Ghost 2. A blasphemy an impious blasphemy extreamely impious 3. A sinne that neuer shall be forgiuen 4. A falling away an Apostasie 5. A sinne against knowledge and conscience in great light in despite of the spirit of grace 6. A sinne vnto death Schol. Why is it so diuersly named Mi. Because God in his word hath beene pleased so to expresse the same vnto vs yet if we list to looke more neerely into the same we shall finde sundry causes 1. It is called A sinne against the holy Ghost Not in respect of the substance of the holy Ghost for the essence of the three persons is all in one and the same God nor yet in respect of the Person of the holy Ghost for whatsoeuer is done against any one of the persons is done against all three but it is sayd to be done against the holy Spirit because done against the immediate effect worke and office of the holy Spirit to wit against the shining light of the said spirit this light is indeed an effect of the Father and of the Son as well as of the holy spirit yet it is said to be against the holy Ghost onely because it fighteth against a speciall immediate worke of his against that light and worke of grace kindled by him 2. It is called a blasphemy an impious blasphemy extreamly wicked There be diuers blasphemies a blasphemy of men a blasphemie directly against the Sonne of man a blasphemy impious wicked such as was Pauls blasphemy
I be not strucke with any extraordinary terror yet haue I extreame discontentments not reioycing in any thing Minist Certainly there must bee some causes of your discontentment you must banish doubting and carnall reason beleeue in God and you shall find ease Sch. If there be a God this is my infidelity that I cannot beleeue in him and then is my estate a great deale more feare full in this that all my actions haue bin hypocriticall that now I finde my selfe to be giuen ouer to a hardhart with a reprobate sense ioyned with an impossibilitie to fight or striue for grace or which is more fearful to haue no desire to striue for the same Minister Before wee passe any further let vs lay this infallible foundation that most certainly there is a God Schol. My infidelity and doubting is such that I shall neuer bee fully of your minde vnlesse by reason I be conuinced of the same Minist There must bee no disputing against receiued grounds and principles chiefely against this the ground of all Schol. Yet as you remember I beseech you shew me some reasons prouing a Deitie or that there is a God Minist Nature it selfe fully prooueth the same 1. From the Creation for if the world be without beginning so is it also without ending and so it and all therein is God hauing made it selfe which were most absurd to thinke but since it shal haue an ending all the creatures thereof tending to corruption hence it followeth that it must needes haue a beginning the Creator whereof is God 2. The excellencie of all the creatures shew the same so infinite in formes shapes colours diuers dispositions chiefly the supernaturall spirit of man not satiate with any thing in Nature 3. Man himselfe sheweth that there is a God for one man leadeth vs to another vntill by degrees we come vp to the first Here I aske where he had his beginning Eternall he was not which his miserable nature so subiect to alteration change well sheweth chiefly his dissolutiō Eternitie change like light and darknes being so directly contrary If it be said this change came by his fall then I ask whence he fell So still all we can thinke it must leade vs vnto God the Creator of all 4. The wel ordered gouernment in the worlde things inferiour seruing still things superiour vntil all things ioyne in mans seruice shewe that there is also some supreame power vnto which he must obey 5. The harmony of contrarie Elements whereof all bodies do consist so farre from destroying one another that they preserue all and agree prooueth a superiour causing power 6. The naturall instinct of all nations rather adoring stockes stones and beastes then no Deitie at all proueth the same 7. The conscience of all being as it were a law against vs in giuing both testimony and iudgment is a most strong proofe for it testifieth neither to men nor Angels neither feareth them Therefore it must bee God himselfe Further would not our reason tell vs by and by if wee were in some faire built ruinous countrey or citie that there had some people dwelt that some hands had built the same So may we say of this world when we see it so replenished with so many goodly creatures that some great power did make the same that must needs be God Moreouer the place of God proueth that there is a God for as one saith euery place is in regard of somwhat contained in the place So the Earth is full of wormes and such like things the sea containeth fishes faire houses containe men women Hell it is the place for diuels Heauen likewise must not bee emptie it being the goodliest of all the rest when wee looke vpon the same we must needes say that there dwelles the Lord of the countrey there dwelles God himselfe Lastly but it were too tedious I might adde how abundantly the Scriptures shewe the same as also the euent of things contrary to reason Miracles Prophecyings continuall mercies of fruitfull seasons c. Which Paul mentioneth punishments in this life with strange iudgements on diuers wicked men as Herod c. with the wonderfull power of the spirit in the experience of the faithfull Further as one obserues that no volume hath euer bin written directly in confutation of the same Sch. My mind is no lesse perplexed cōcerning the authoritie of the Scriptures whether they be the word of God or not Minist The insufficiencie of these doubts may soone bee shewed vnto you Because admit once that there is a God then of necessitie it will followe that hee is King of kings and that as subordinate temporarie Princes haue Lawes and statutes whereby they rule their states so must needes the supreame Lord of all much more haue lawes and statutes wherby to gouerne the whole world And these must needs be the holy Scriptures Scholler Perswasions are no proofes therfore shew vnto me how I may rest assured that the Scriptures are the word of God Min. There bee many reasons to proue yet none are powerfull to perswade vnlesse God ioyne with the same by the effectuall working of his blessed Spirit Schol. So farre as you can remember I intreate you giue me satisfaction Minist The Antiquitie Harmony Consent Sinceritie Miracles and Martyrs testimony of the Scriptures might be sufficient proofes to satisfie any indifferent person But if vnto them we adde 1. That great generall inward change which suddenly it makes in men when but some plaine sentences thereof are dropped into their hearts filling them with horrors so that when the heart is thus wounded no other medicine can comfort or cure the same saue the same word when all mens eloquence will not serue the turne 2. That great power it hath to cast down all the strong holds of sinne and Sathan when they ioyne for destruction of the soule 3. That humble and rich pouertie thereof that in a sober yet loftie stile it farre surpasseth in excellencie of Eloquence all the best Orators of the world containing therein the foundation of all sciences wee may rest fully assured thereof Further our owne doubtings when Satan and our owne corruptions would perswade vs that it is not Scripture strongly proue the truth thereof for Satan is a liar and the father of lies therefore if it were forged he would contend for maintenance thereof As also wee may see those who most study and practise the same most holy and wise Contrarily the others most prophane It were tedious to reckon vp all how miraculously it hath euer beene preserued in all ages how truely all the Prophecies therof haue bene and are accomplished both in the reiected wandering of the Iewes the calling of the Gentiles Incarnation of Christ comming of Antichrist c. How though it were written many hundred yeeres agoe it meeteth with all new sinnes How powerfully being alledged in prayer It wrastleth with God