Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	grace_n	heart_n	holy_a	14,318	5	4.7839	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13082	Scotlands warning, or a treatise of fasting containing a declaration of the causes of the solemne fast, indyted to bee kept in all the Churches of Scotland, the third and fourth sundayes of this instant moneth of May Anno 1628.& the weeke dayes betwixt them, as they may be goodly keeped in Townes. Together with a direction how to proceed in the religious obseruation of any soleme fast. Written at the appointment of superiors by Mr. W. Struther, preacher of the Gospel at Edinburgh.	Struther, William, 1578-1633.	1628 (1628)	STC 23370; ESTC S120441	41,231	90

priuate worship is not onlie to be vnderstood when the whole Family meeteth together in their Hall or other conuenient roome but beside that when the Master of the house hauing discharged that duety with his Family goeth a part to some reteered corner of the house there is yet more free in his deuotion than hee can bee in the sight of his Familie And so other of the house who are come to vnderstanding or any measure of Grace This is the Familie aparte and their wiues aparte In end we haue three thinges to consider in all his work 1. First our preparation for it The worke is transcendent to the naturall man and craueth preparation to lift him aboue Nature in so heauenlie an exercise Though sudden ejaculations waite not on preparation because in them wee are set to worke vpon an instant by some urging occasion yet in the set dyet of his worshippe we are bound to an holie preparation And in this solemnitie we haue neede to double the measure of our deuotion beeing called to the highest extent both of afflicting Nature and stirring vp the grace of God in vs. It is therefore needfull to try if God prepare vs for the worke This we shall know 2. If he open our eyes to see how needfull this humiliation is for vs by seeing our sin his just wrath that wee may be driuen to that resolution that wee must either breake off our sinne by Repentance or else be consumed in his anger 3. And by this sight if he wakē our sleeping conscience and make it to set vs to worke that we giue God no rest till hee giue rest to his beloued 4. This is some proofe of that which God telleth I haue beene sought of them that answered not and found of them that sought mee not And before they call I will answere Isa. 65. 1. Where our miserable State hid from our selfe is seene of him so as hee pittieth it to helpe it that our miserie vnwitting of vs calleth for mercie As the sores of a sleeping Childe moue the Father to compassion And though wee neither seeke him nor call on him in anie knowne or sensible incalling yet his Fatherlie pittie answereth the cry of that our necessitie when wee know not This is a preuenting Grace in this point Whereby God finding vs in the pitte of miserie setteth downe Iacobs Ladder to vs afore wee know of our estate or thinke of a deliuerie Next wee should try our disposition in the worke it selfe if Gods preuenting Grace in preparation bee seconded by an assisting Grace which standeth in those points 1. If hee soften our heart to powre out it selfe as water before him and bruse it so as to bee an acceptable Sacrifice 2. If hee powre vpon vs the Spirit of Grace and Supplication his Spirite making intercession for vs to helpe our infirmities in teaching vs both what to aske and how to pray with groanes that cannot bee expressed 3. If hee giue vs Boldnesse to draw neere to the Throne of Grace and to finde accesse to him in the blood of Christ and libertie of Spirit in all our deuotion 4. If he giue vs the desire of our heart in disposing it as we desire to be both casten down for his offence and raised vp in hope and confidence of his mercie To feele our hearts melting in a godlie sorrow is matter of vnspeakable joy while that sorrow is melting the heart the sense conscience of that disposition cōforteth our heart whē we find Gods Spirit hath giuē vs our will ouer our hard heart to sacrifice it to God 5. If wee see his beautie in the Sanctuarie when hee holdeth the golden Scepter of Peace like Assuerus and commeth downe and moueth people to teares and groanes When the Angel of the Lord or the Prophet charged the people of their sins they did mourne so that the place was called Bochim or mourners And assisteth euery one according to their necessitie and place making the Pastours as Trumpets to speak and not spare his words in their mouth is as the Hammer that breaketh the Rocke in pieces Ierem. 23. 23. When hee casteth downe and raiseth vp woundeth and healeth vs againe and worketh so in the Congregation that it may bee seene hee hath appointed that meeting and keepeth it to reconceale his people to himselfe 6. If as hee worketh a godlie sorrow in our heartes so bee putteth wordes in our mouth for his intreatie Take to you wordes and turne to the LORD and say to him Take away all our iniquitie and receiue vs gratiouslie so will we render the calues of our lippes Hos. 14. 2. And againe Let them say Spare thy people Lord and saue thine Inheritance Ioel. 2. 17. It is a token God will heare vs when he giueth vs his Spirit to helpe our infirmities and dytteth our bill Hee cannot refuse that supplication which hee formeth himselfe Hee heard Daniel and send him comfort while he prayed While I was speaking and praying and confessing my sinne the Man Gabriel beeing caused to flee to mee swiftlie touched mee and said At the beginning of the supplication the Commandement came foorth Dan. 9. 20. So sonne as wee are humbled on Earth and send vp our supplications to God hee is readie to answere vs to our heart Thirdlie how vvee close that Exercise If as it beginneth in sorrow for our felt miseries so it end in ioy because our sacrifice is turned in ashes VVee haue sufficient grounds of good successe vpon his promises But beside these promises in his vvord his vvorke in preparing vs for it and disposing vs in it are a good inducement to our hope When hee powreth out the Spirit of Supplication on Ierusalem then assuredlie hee will breake vp a Fountaine to the house of Dauid for sinne and for vncleannesse Zac. 13. 1. VVee know not his purpose and thoughts concerning vs but his Spirit vvho knoweth his minde reuealeth them and this is an sort of reuelation by his working For as he knoweth the minde of God so hee vvorketh the godly to that disposition vvhich he knoweth is most requisite for obtaining the purposed blessing Therefore that holie and heauenlie libertie is ●ome sort of euidence to vs that God hath both purposed for vs and will giue vs the blessing which wee craue after that manner When he strengtheneth vs to wrestle with him like Iacob hee will not depart till hee blesse vs and of wrestling Iacobs make vs his preuailing Israel on whom is his peace But let none deceiue himselfe by a voluntar apprehension of Peace or fainzie to himselfe a ioy where hee hath none God hath giuen vs the infalible mark of good successe of Fasting in new obedience Who so after Fasting walketh not in a newnesse of life is deceiued by his seduced heart This is cleare both by the Nature of Repentance and remission True Repentance is not onelie in a sorrowing for sinne and refraining from it for a day or