Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	heart_n	holy_a	lord_n	17,551	5	3.7649	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A60385	Ergon pseudous kai misthos alētheias, or, The wicked mans sad disappointment and the righteous mans sure recompence being a sermon preached the 17th day of October, 1661, at the solemn funerals of the Right Worshipful Sir Abraham Raynardson, Knight, late alderman of London / by George Smalwood.	Smalwood, George, 1604-1679.	1661 (1661)	Wing S4006; ESTC R10143	27,597	40

against the fear of death when all the wealth and greatness in the world will stand you in no stead For as the wise man saith Riches profit not in the day of wrath but righteousness delivereth from death Prov. 11. 4. It will deliver you from the evil of death temporal and from the power of death eternal That which is a terror to others shall be a rejoycing to you and when death approacheth you shall be able to lift your heads with comfort as knowing that your redemption draweth nigh You shall be able to say with good Hezekiah Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight Isa 38. 3. You shall be able to worship God and say with holy Jacob Lord I have waited for thy salvation You shall breath out your souls with Saint Stephens Prayer Lord Jesus receive my spirit You shall have life and light and joy and peace and blessedness and what not that is good to have As God hath given you grace to make you righteous so he will give you glory to make you blessed As you have sown the righteousness here so you shall be sure to reap the reward of righteousness hereafter For to him that soweth c. Amen And so I leave the Text. And now let me crave your patience a little longer to speak a few words of the occasion of our present meeting though it is not my custome to make large Panegyricks or commendatory Orations at the Funerals of the dead because I know the comfort of a sincere Christian is That his praise is not of men but of God Yet for example and encouragement to others I cannot but speak something of this worthy and Heroick Citizen Sir Abraham Raynardson Knight late Alderman and sometime Lord Mayor of this honorable City of London upon whom my Text is a fit Commentary and I am perswaded may be truly applied to his practice For as far as I was able to judge by the course of his conversation for those many years acquaintance which I had with him and the experience I had of him I think I may truly say of him he was one that sowed righteousness For as to his life and conversation he always appeared to me and I think to all others that knew him to be very innocent and inoffensive a man of a very strict life walking as it was said of Zachary and Elizabeth in all the Ordinances and Commandments of God though not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without sin for who walk so yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without blame No man as ever I heard could justly charge any thing upon him 1. As for his piety to God he was a man Orthodox and sound in the Faith not tainted with any Heretical opinion or drawn away from the truth established amongst us as too many have been in this time of Apostacy He was a diligent and constant attender upon the publick Ordinances upon the Lords dayes a carefull observer of holy Duties in his Family and as I have been informed his closet was conscious to his secret devotions He was a man of few word and affected not as many do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make a fair shew in the flesh and to say wirh Jehu come see my zeal for the Lord of hosts but I am perswaded by all probabilities he was constant in putting up his suits and supplications at the Throne of grace in secret remembring our Saviours counsel Matth. 6. 6. Thou when thou prayest enter into thy Closet and when thou hast shut thy door pray to thy Father which is in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly this I have reason to think was his practice 2. For his relations he was a loving Husband and a careful Father one that not onely made good provision for their outward estate by his industry in his Calling and Gods blessing upon it but was also carefull of the welfare of their souls witness the good admonitions and counsels to his Children upon his Death-bed which I hope will make such an impression upon their Spirits as shall not easily be forgotten viz. to be constant in calling upon the Name of God and to serve him faithfully to be dutifull and obedient to their Mother and to live in love and unity one with another The Lord grant them grace to remember and practice these things and follow their deceased Fathers advise as the Rechabites did the counsel of their father Jonadab that the blessing of God may rest upon them 3. For his dealing with men he was very carefull to sowe this seed of righteousness he was very exact and just in all his dealings oppressing no man defrauding no man as I hope all that he dealt with can bear witness I never heard the least blemish cast upon him in this re +spect and this is no mean commendation We finde nothing more pressed in Scripture then righteous dealing with men and nothing more condemned then the contrary God saith He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God Mi●h 6. 8. The wise man telleth us That a false ballance is abomination to the Lord but a just weight is his delight Prov. 11. 1. This is the voice of God throughout the Scriptures he had rather no sacrifices should be offered upon his altar then that they should be the fruits of wrong and violence he professeth plainly I the Lord love judgement I hate robbery for burnt-offering Isa 61. 8. Indeed it is no true piety that is separated from justice and honesty nor real honesty if it be divided from true piety he that seemeth to be zealous in the duties of Religion and yet makes no conscience of his dealings with men is but a glorious hypocrite and he that dealeth justly with men and hath no due care of the duties of piety to God is but an honest Infidel both joyned together make a sincere Christian and such a one I am perswaded was this worthy Knight 4. For his mercy and liberality to the poor he did not blow a Trumpet before his alms-deeds neither shall I onely thus much I can say his hands were opened to the necessities of the poor and those of the place where he lived are sensible that they have lost a good Benefactor The stream of his bounty did run chiefly in one Channel viz. in taking poor children and placing them in such Callings wherein they might get their own bread and provide things honest in the sight of men This was a very good work an odour of a sweet smell yet this was not all the beams of his charity did shine upon other objects while he lived and as the Sun after his setting casts some light above the Horizon so now his Sun is set some beames

himself and his Son Jesus Christ and the Spirit of comfort both in the communications of Grace here and the fruition of Glory hereafter So prayeth Novemb. 15. 1661. Madam Your Ladyships humble Sevant in the Lord Jesus GEORGE SMALWOOD The wicked mans sad disappointment and The righteous mans sure recompence PROVERBS 11. 18. The wicked worketh a d●ceitful work but to him that s●weth righteousn●ss shall be a sure reward THis Booke of the Proverls is made up of Divine Aphorismes and short Sentences which as one of the Ancients 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith upon another occasion are very short if you measure the words but full of spiritual energy and Soul-saving Vertue like a little body full of spirits or like juycy clusters of Grapes filled with the noblest liquour and ready to burst forth with new wine Here are heavenly Apophthegmes fit for all occasions for all persons for all actions Here are comforts for the poor counsels for the rich instructions for the ignorant corrections for the obstinate wholsome precepts and precious promises Characters both of good and bad matter for all to work upon It was pen'd by Solomon who himself was a Proverb for his wisedom a man though not without great failings to shew that the Saints have their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their fainting-fits their imperfections and aberrations as well as others and we must expect no absolute perfection in those that dwell in houses of clay Yet he was one in whom much matter of great worth and excellent knowledge was shut up and contained The Holy Ghost saith He spake of trees from the Cedar-tree that is in Lebanon even unto the Hysop that springeth out of the wall He spake also of Beasts and of Fowls and of creeping things and of Fishes and there came of all people to hear the wisedome of Solomon 1 Kings 4. 33 34. It pleased God to use him as one of his Amanuenses or Divine Penmen of holy Writ and so notwithstanding his failings he is to be reckoned inter Sanctos Dei among the holy Ones of God For Saint Peter telleth us that Prophesie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1. 21. so then he was one of those holy men that were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inspired of God himself and guided by his spirit And this eminently wise man like a careful Physician hath in this Book as it were piled one upon another boxes of Medicines for all diseases cordials to comfort and chear up pious souls in the midst of all troubles and distresses with short inscriptions upon each of them that any man without overburthening his memory may easily learn a compendious and sudden cure for every particular malady and find a Cordial to revive and comfort his heart in any fainting fit whatsoever These words which I have chosen for the subject of my discourse upon this occasion like most of the rest have no dependance at all upon the former but are in themselves two absolute divine sentences or doctrines as contraries one to another as the persons they speak of and so they adde lustre each Contraria juxta se posita magis elucescunt to other For contraries placed together make one another more apparent Now here is an Antithesis or opposition between the state of the wicked and the state of the righteous shewing the vast difference between the one and the other in their respective conclusions or finall events or the issue and result of both their works 1 The wicked mans work how prosperous and happy soever it seems for the present yet at last it proveth vain and deceitfull For the wicked c. 2. The righteous mans work whatever outward evils accompany it for the present yet in the end it proveth most blessed and successful For to him that soweth c. Thus this world is like a common field where both good and bad have ground to work upon But the wicked sow such bad seed that it brings forth nothing but briars and brambles it is all overgrown with thorns and nettles cover the face thereof as it is said of the field of the slothful and the Carduus spinis surgit paliurus acutts Virgil. Vineyard of the man void of understanding Prov. 24. 30 31. And so the wicked work to no good purpose but lose all the fruit they expected and are nigh unto cursing whose end is to be bur●ed Heb. 6. 8. For as the work is false which they do God biding them do one thing and they doing another he commanding them to sow to the spirit and they sowing to the flesh so it proveth a work of falsehood to themselves also wholly frustrating their expectation for it is a deceitfull work It is in the Original the work of a lye or a lying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 work The work of a wicked man telleth him a most notorious lye for it promiseth him good success and he thinks his happiness is placed in it he hugs and applauds himself in his politick enterprises Populus me sibilat sed mihi plaudo domi Horat. as the covetous man in the Poet did in his heaps of money though all the people were ready to hiss at him As the Prophet speaks of the oppressors in his time He sacrificeth unto his net and burneth incense unto his drag because by them his portion is fat and his meat plenteous Habak 1. 16. How many such fishers have fished in our troubled waters and thought themselves the wisest and best men in the Land Thus the wicked mans work makes a fair shew in the beginning nay perhaps it hath a very hopeful progress for a long time for the Tabernacles of robbers may prosper and they that provoke God may be secure into whose hands God may bring abundantly Iob 12. 6. but at last it bringeth nothing but woe and misery and so all his devices fail and vanish into nothing they become a meer lye and there is no truth in them But the righteous sowe the pure corn of righteousness which therefore proveth sincere also and true to their hope it deceiveth not their expectation but bringeth forth the harvest of a plentifull reward which is reaped in Heaven though it were sown upon earth So then these words contain two remarkable dispensations of divine providence 1. The wicked mans sad disappoi●tment after all his tedious toil and labor in the works of iniquity he works a deceitfull work 2. The righteous mans blessed success after he hath laboured in the work of the Lord and passed through many difficulties he loseth not his labor he scattereth not his seed in vain For to him that soweth c. I shall not speak much to the first of these viz. The wicked mans sad disappointment but onely to warn you to take heed of his ways For it is not so sutable to our present occasion save onely to

hid treasure but that is all the good they must expect they have all their happiness if it may be so called which is but a Prologue to endless misery in present possession they have none in reversion for the future It is said of them they have their reward that which they desired which they preferred and chose which they loved and liked which they sought after and labored for above all other things above God above Jesus Christ the Lord of Life and Glory above the Holy Spirit and his Graces and Comforts above the Heavenly Jerusalem the City of the Living God and all its glorious enjoyments they have their good things already and they must look for no more good to come not one moment of comfort after their departure from hence not one glimpse of light not so much as a drop of cold water to refresh them not the least minute of rest but woe and misery and darkness and torment for ever this shall be the portion of their cup and they may thank themselves they chose the pleasures of sin for a season they would have their heaven upon earth they would have murmured if it had been denied them they would not be perswaded to make a better choise therefore they must expect nothing for the future but to feel the worm that will gnaw their hearts to eternity But he dealeth otherwise with the righteous he many times cuts them shorter of earthly comforts and keeps them for the most part to a more scanty allowance that hereafter they may enjoy a greater fulness he suffers them to mourn here that they may rejoyce hereafter to mingle their drink with weeping that hereafter he may wipe all tears from their eyes and remove all sorrow and sadness from their hearts their portion is to come their Crown of Righteousness is laid up in flore their inheritance is teserved in the heavens they have a blessed estate in reversion for to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward It is not now but it shall be hereafter that 's the futurity of it 2. The certainty of it it is a sure reward according 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuagint to the Hebrew Text it is a true or faithful reward or a reward of truth so the Septuagint render it The Chaldce and Syriach traslations read it veritas erit merces ejus truth shall be his reward intimating to us that as truth it self is most true and cannot lye nor deceive so to him the reward shall be most certain It is no fancy nor delusion but a certain truth Lahan could not finde his images among Jacobs stuff for Jacob was a righteous man and as Non erat apud cum image sed veritas Ambrose St. Ambrose observes well there was not with him the image but the Truth it self not a deceitful likeness but solid substance of blessedness so it is with the righteous man his reward is not the image of blessedness but blessedness in truth a solid certain true reward The reward of the righteous is accompanied with a fivefold certainty 1. It hath certitudinem beneplacit● the certainty of Gods good will and pleasure of his mere mercy and free grace he hath purposed and decreed from eternity to reward therighteous he hath wi●led it and resolved upon it Our Saviour saith to His Disciples Fear not little Clock for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you a Kingdom Luke 12. 32. Now what is Gods will and pleasure must be performed for he never willeth in vain the pleasure of his will shall most certainly be fulfilled and all his counsel shall stand 2 It hath certitudinem precij the certainty of Christs purchase he hath purchased a reward for the righteous and that at a dear rate with the expence of his own life and blood it is called the redemption of the purchased possession Ephes 1. 14. Now Christ will not lose that which he hath purchased with the price of his precious blood Having by his own blood entred in once into the holy place and obtained eternal redemption for us he will not suffer us to be defeated of our inheritance but as he entred into Heaven for us as our forerunner so he sits in Heaven as our Head keeping possession for us his Members till we shall ascend thither after him 3 It hath certitudinem promissi the certainty of Gods promise God hath promised to reward the righteous Jam. 2. 5. Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him Christ saith The righteous shall go into life eternal Matth. 25. 46. Now all Gods promises are Yea and Amen in Christ that is doubly certain what he hath promised he will undoubtedly perform 4 It hath certitudinem juramenti the certainty of an Oath which for confirmation is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an end of all strife Heb. 6. 16. Ged hath sworn by himself because he could swear by no greater that he will reward the righteous vers 17. 18. God welling more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of prowise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an Oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have strong consolation who are fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us That is the reward hoped for which is most certain and cannot deceive because God hath sworn to bestow it and he will not he cannot break his Oath God hath sworn and shall it not come to pass We may better say that the Covenant of the day and night shall be broken Therefore the righteous mans hope of reward is an anchor of the soul both sure and stedfast and which entreth into that within the vail vers 19. The word is doubled Sure and stedfast to shew the certainty of it It is such a sure Anchor that it will hold fast the soul in the midst of the greatest storms which makes the Psalmist conclude peremptorily A man shall say that is every man if he be endued with right reason That Verily there is a reward for the righteous verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth Psal 58. 11. 5 The reward of the righteous hath certitudinem Sigilli the certainty of Gods Seal he hath set his own mark upon them for his Sheep to whom he will give eternal life he hath set his own Seal upon them to distinguish them from all others The Apostle saith In whom after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance Ephes 1. 13 14. Now they whom God hath sealed with his own Privy Seal cannot miss of the promised reward For the foundation of God standeth sure having this Seal The Lord knoweth them that are his 2 Tim. 2. 19. God will know them and own them for his therefore they must needs be saved Thus the reward of