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
A31083	A sermon upon the passion of Our Blessed Saviour preached at Guild-Hall Chappel on Good Friday, the 13th day of April, 1677 / by Isaac Barrow ...	Barrow, Isaac, 1630-1677.	1677 (1677)	Wing B954; ESTC R12876	31,756	46

close with him whereby the heavenly virtue of Gods spirit cooperating they become saved from those destructive sins which from the Devils serpentine instigations they had incurred Another advantage of this kind of suffering was that by it the nature of that Kingdom which he did intend to erect was evidently signified that it was not such as the carnal people did expect an external earthly temporal kingdom consisting in domination over the bodies and estates of men dignified by outward wealth and splendour managed by worldly power and policy promoted by forcible compulsion and terrour of Arms affording the advantages of safety quiet and prosperity here But a kingdom purely spiritual celestial eternal consisting in the governance of mens hearts and minds adorned with endowments of wisdom and virtue administred by the conduct and grace of Gods Holy Spirit upheld and propagated by meek instruction by virtuous example by hearty devotion and humble patience rewarding its loyal subjects with spiritual joys and consolations now with heavenly rest and bliss hereafter No other kingdom could he presume to design who submitted to this dolorous and disgraceful way of suffering No other exploits could he pretend to atchieve by expiring on a cross No other way could he rule who gave himself to be managed by the will of his adversaries No other benefits would this forlorn case allow him to dispense so that well might he then assert My kingdom is not of this world when he was going in this signal way to demonstrate that important truth It was also a most convenient touch-stone to prove the genuine disposition and worth of men so as to discriminate those wise sober ingenuous sincere generous souls who could discern true goodness through so dark a cloud who could love it though so ill-favouredly disfigured who could embrace and avow it notwithstanding so terrible disadvantages it served I say to distinguish those blessed ones who would not be offended in him or by the scandal of the cross be discouraged from adhering to him from the crew of blind vain perverse haughty people who being scandalized at his adversity would contemn and reject him Another considerable advantage was this that by it Gods special providence was discovered and his glory illustrated in the propagation of the Gospel for how could it be that a person of so low parentage of so mean garb of so poor condition who underwent so lamentable and despicable a kind of death falling under the pride and spite of his enemies so easily should gain so general an opinion in the world even among the best the wisest the greatest persons of being the Lord of life and glory how I say could it happen that such a miracle could be effected without Gods aid and special concurrence That King Herod who from a long reign in flourishing state with prosperous success in his enterprises did attain the name of Great or that Vespasian who triumphantly did ascend the Imperial throne should either of them by a few admirers of worldly vanity seriously be held or in flattery be call'd the Messias is not so strange but that one who was trampled on so miserably and treated as a wretched caitiff should instantly conquer innumerable hearts and from such a depth of extreme adversity should be advanced to the sublimest pitch of glory that the stone which the builders with so much scorn did refuse should become the head stone of the corner this with good assurance we may say was the Lords doing and it is marvellous in our eyes Hereby indeed the excellency of divine power and wisdom was much glorified by so impotent so improbable so implausible means accomplishing so great effects subduing the world to obedience of God not by the active valour of an illustrious Hero but through the patient submission of a poor abused and oppressed person restoring mankind to life and happiness by the sorrowful death of a crucified Saviour V. Lastly The consideration of our Lords suffering in this manner is very useful in application to our practice No point is more fruitful of wholsome instruction none is more forcible to kindle devout affections none can afford more efficacious inducements and incentives to a pious life for what virtue will not a serious meditation on the cross be apt to breed and to cherish to what duty will it not engage and excite us 1. Are we not hence infinitely obliged with most humble affection and hearty gratitude to adore each person of the B. Trinity That God the Father should design such a redemption for us not sparing his own Son the Son of his love dear to him as himself but delivering him up for us to be thus dealt with for our sake That God would endure to see his son in so pittiful a condition to hear him groaning under so grievous pressures to let him be so horribly abused and that for us who deserved nothing from him who had demerited so much against him for us who were no friends to him for even when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his son who were not any waies commendable for goodness or righteousness for Christ did suffer for sinners the just for the unjust and God commended his love to us that while we were sinful Christ died for us that God thus should love us sending his son to be a propitiation for our sins in so dismal a way of suffering how stupendious is that goodness how vast an obligation doth it lay upon us to reciprocal affection If we do owe all to God as our Maker from whose undeserved bounty we did receive all that we have how much farther do we stand indebted to him as the author of our Redemption from whose ill-deserved mercy we receive a new being and better state and that in a way far more obliging for God created us with a word without more cost or trouble but to redeem us stood him in huge expences and pains no less than the debasing his only son to our frailty the exposing him to more than our misery the withdrawing his face and restraining his bowels from his best beloved If a Jew then were commanded by law if a Gentile were obliged by nature to love God with all his heart and all his soul what affection doth a Christian under the law and duty of Grace owe unto him by what computation can we reckon that debt what faculties have we sufficient to discharge it what finite heart can hold an affection commensurate to such an obligation And how can it otherwise than inflame our heart with love toward the Blessed Son of God our Saviour to consider that merely out of charitable pity toward us he purposely came down from heaven and took our flesh upon him that he might therein undergo those extreme acerbities of pain and those most ugly indignities of shame for us Greater love said he hath no man than this that a man

saith S. Peter suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps 13. The willing susception and the cheerful sustenance of the cross is indeed the express condition and the peculiar character of our Christianity in signification whereof it hath been from most ancient times a constant usage to mark those who enter into it with the figure of it The cross as the Instrument by which our peace with God was wrought as the stage whereon our Lord did act the last part of his marvellous obedience consummating our redemption as the field wherein the Captain of our Salvation did atchieve his noble victories and erect his glorious trophees over all the enemies thereof was well assumed to be the badge of our profession the ensign of our spiritual warfare the pledge of our constant adherence to our crucified Saviour in relation to whom our chief hope is grounded our great joy and sole glory doth consist for God forbid saith S. Paul that I should glory save in the cross of Christ. 14. Let it be to the Jews a scandal or offensive to their fancy prepossessed with expectations of a Messias flourishing in secular pomp and prosperity let it be folly to the Greeks or seem absurd to men puff'd up and corrupted in mind with fleshly notions and maximes of worldly craft disposing them to value nothing which is not grateful to present sense or fancy that God should put his own most beloved Son into so very sad and despicable a condition that salvation from death and misery should be procured by so miserable a death that eternal joy glory and happiness should issue from these fountains of sorrow and shame that a person in external semblance devoted to so opprobrious usage should be the Lord and Redeemer of mankind the King and Judge of all the world Let I say this doctrine be scandalous and distastful to some persons tainted with prejudice let it be strange and incredible to others blinded with self-conceit let all the inconsiderate all the proud all the profane part of mankind openly with their mouth or closely in heart slight and reject it yet to us it must appear grateful and joyous to us it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a faithful and most credible proposition worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners in this way of suffering for them To us who discern by a clearer light and are endowed with a purer sense kindled by the divine spirit from whence we may with comfortable satisfaction of mind apprehend and taste that God could not in a higher measure or fitter manner illustrate his glorious attributes of goodness and Justice his infinite grace and mercy toward his poor creatures his holy displeasure against wickedness his impartial severity in punishing iniquity and impiety or in vindicating his own sacred honour and authority than by thus ordering his onely Son cloathed with our nature to suffer for us that also true virtue and goodness could not otherwise be taught be exemplified be commended and impressed with greater advantage Since thereby indeed a charity and humanity so unparallel'd far transcending theirs who have been celebrated for devoting their lives out of love to their country or kindness to their friends a meekness so incomparable a resolution so invincible a patience so heroical were manifested for the instruction and direction of men Since never were the vices and the vanities of the world so prejudicial to the welfare of mankind so remarkably discountenanced Since never any suffering could pretend to so worthy and beneficial effects the expiation of the whole worlds sins and reconciliation of mankind to God the which no other performance no other sacrifice did ever aim to procure since in fine no virtue had ever so glorious rewards as sovereign dignity to him that exercised it and eternal happiness to those who imitate it Since I say there be such excellent uses and fruits of the Cross born by our Saviour we can have no reason to be offended at it or ashamed of it but with all reason heartily should approve and humbly adore the deep wisdom of God together with all other his glorious attributes displayed therein to whom therefore as is most due let us devoutly render all glory and praise And Unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his bloud and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Blessing and honour and glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever Amen FINIS Cyril c. Jul. 8. p. 278. 9. p. 303. Joh. 3.36 Col. 3.6 Iren. 3.33 34. ●s 26.13 Iren. 3.8 Gen. 4.7 Gen. 2.17 Iren. 5.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 3.19 Rom. 3.9 Ro. 5.16 18. Gal. 3.10 Rom. 11.32 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 3.22 Rom. 3.23 Rom. 5.22 Rom. 6.12 14.20 22. Rom. 7.18 5. Rom. 7.23 Rom. 6.6 Col. 3.9 Eph. 4.22 Rom. 8.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 4.18 Col. 1.21 Rom. 5.10 Eph. 2.5 Rom. 6.13 11. Ps. 143.2 Exod. 34.7 Ezik. 16.6 Eph. 1.4 9 11 3.11 2 Tim. 1.9 1 Pet. 1.20 Rev. 13.8 Rom. 16.25 Tit. 2.2 Athan. de I●carn Gen. 2.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 9.12 Heb. 7.26 Psal. 49.7 Isa. 43 11.45.21 Hos. 13 4. Is. 59 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXX Eph. 1.8 Luc. 1.78 Eph. 1.5 Tit. 3.4 Rom. 5. Gal. 4.4 Joh. 6.38 Heb. 10.7 Job 1.4 Heb. 5 2.4 15. Eph. 1.6 Conslit Apost 8.12 1 Tim. 2.6 Tit. 2.14 Heb. 9 15.2 9. Col. 1 22. 1 Tim. 3.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is. 53.12 2 Cor. 5.21 Joh. 5 18 1● 30.7 12. Mat. 26 61.27 40. Luc. 23.2 Mat. 27.63 Const. Apo. 5.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 18.30 Cur si Deus fuit mori voluit non saltem honesto aliquo mortis genere affectus est c. Lact. 4.26 Just. M. Hal. p. 317. Orig. c. c●ls 2. p. 83.7 p. 368. Aug. de Civ D. 10.28 Cyril c. Jul. 6. p. 194. * 1 Cor. 1.23 Luc. 22 52. Matt. 26.55 Nemo mihi videtur pluris aestimare virtutem nemo illi magis esse devotus quàm qui boni viri famam perdidit nè conscientiam perderet Sen. Ep. 81. Joh. 5.18.8.37 40 59.7.1 19 25.10.32 38. Joh. 6.64 Matt. 16.21 Luc. 9.22 Marc. 6.12 Isa. 53.6 Act. 2.23 Deut. 1.17 Joh. 19.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 18.37 1 Tim. 6.13 Magnum exemplum nisi mala fortuna non invenit Sen. de Prov. c. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plat. de Rep. 2. Cap. 594. Cicuta magnum Socratem fecit Sen. Ep. 13. Calix venenatus qni Socratem transtulit è carcere in coelum Sen. Ep. 67. Aequalis suit in tanta inaequalitate fortunae c. Sen. Ep. 104. Rutilii innocentia ac virtus lateret nisi accepisset injuriam dum violatur effulsit Sen. Ep. 79. Sen. de Provid 2