Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A26689
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Divers practical cases of conscience satisfactorily resolved ... to which are added some counsels & cordials / by Joseph Alleine ...
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Alleine, Joseph, 1634-1668.
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1672
(1672)
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Wing A969; ESTC R170093
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56,044
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102
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on a spirit of zeal and activity How wonderfully is God pleased with Phineas zeal Numb 25. 11 12 13. What a great approbation doth he manifest of him What an attestation doth he give to him he is so greatly pleased with his zealous appearance for him that he turns away his displeasure from the whole congregation of Israel and overlooks their crimson provocations against him On the contrary there is nothing that God is more displeased with then the remisness and lifelessness and indifferency in Religion The luke-warm water is not a greater offence to the stomach then the luke-warm Professour is to God and therefore he will spue such a one out of his mouth Rev. 3. 16. Christians where is your zeal for the Lord of Hosts Christs redeemed must be zealous of good works Tit. 2. 14. not slothful in business but fervent in spirit serving the Lord Acts 18. 25. Rom. 12. 11. Acts 26. 6 7. instantly night and day for the hope of the promise do not only that which is right in the sight of the Lord but do it with all your heart The Lord loveth a willing servant Bestir your selves for the Lord. Be ye followers of Christ who went up and down doing good Every Christian should be a common blessing A publike good This is to be the children of your Father which is in Heaven who is good unto all and his tender mercies are over all his works And be sure the Father doth best love that child that is most like him A private narrow spirit is a low and a base spirit unworthy of a Christian. A Catholick communicative spirit full of great desires and great designes A large heart set upon doing good whose fire though ever hottest within will be breaking forth of his breast and provoking others whose love will not be confined to a party but gladly and thankfully owneth Christ where-ever he sees him This Catholick spirit I say is the glory of Religion the Churches blessing and Gods delight IV. Live by faith Heb. 10. 38. This is a precious grace in Gods account 2 Pet. 1. 1. 1 Pet. 1. 7. It giveth glory to God and therefore God taketh no small pleasure in it By faith Enoch obtains that testimony that he pleased God Rom. 4. 20. Heb. 11. 5. 2 Cor. 4. 18. Heb. 11. 39. Matth. 8. 10. If you would so walk as to please God you must walk by faith Christians must look to the things unseen they must not live at the common rate Christ must be their life and breath their prayers and their promises their dayly bread By faith did the Elders obtain that good report 't was Faith that Christ was so greatly taken with in the Centurion which made him to commend him for a none-such This was that which won such a singular praise and approbation from our Saviour to the woman of Canaan even her victorious faith Matth. 15. 28. Thou hast taken away my heart my Sister my Spouse thou hast taken away my heart with one of thine eyes Cant. 4. 9. that is with thy faith Live in the power of faith and thou wilt please him to the heart Give glory to him by believing Let the life thou now livest in the flesh be by faith of the Son of God Live by faith in prosperity though thou hast the world about thee let it not be above thee Keep it at thy feet use it as thy servant Be much in the views of glory and contemplation of Eternity Buy as though thou possest not rejoyce as though thou rejoycedst not love as though thou lovedst not use this world as not abusing it it is but a fashion not a substance and that which it is passeth away 1 Cor. 7. 30 31. Use it therefore with mortified affections and prove the sincerity of your faith by the victory over your inordinate content and delight in and desires after and cares for the things of this world 1 Iohn 5. 4. Live by faith in adversity Weep as though you wept not enduring the cross and despising the shame as looking unto Jesus Heb. 12. 2. Heb. 11. 26. accounting Christs reproaches your riches his shame your glory Acts 5. 41. Compare these light afflictions with the weight of glory 2 Cor. 4. 17. Rom. 8. 18. Ply your hearts with the Promises Count if you can the riches that are laid up in them Roll your selves upon the Lord Psal. 37. 5. and know that your heavenly Father hath no greater delight then to see his Children trust him with confidence when all visible helps are out of sight and he seems to be their enemy Iob 13. 15. V. Put on the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit this is in the sight of God of great price 1 Pet. 3. 4. Study to be like your Father slow to anger ready to forgive Psal. 130. 1. 8. forgetting injuries loving enemies requiting ill-will with kindness ill words with courtesies neglects with benefits and if any wrong you do him a kindness the sooner so shall you bear his likeness and be his delight And know ye that are of unmortified passions and unbridled tongues God hath an especial hatred and displeasure against a froward heart and a froward tongue Prov. 3. 32. 11 20. 1. 12. 8. 12. Oh seek meekness How can the holy Dove rest in a wrathful heart Christ is a Lamb of meekness how can he take pleasure in an unquiet contentious spirit Verily with the froward he will shew himself froward Psal. 18. 26. If you will not forgive others he will not forgive you Art thou hard to be pleased a froward wife a froward master a cross and willful servant surely God will not be pleased with thee he will mete to you as you measure to others Matth. 16. 24. VI. Get a spirit of self-denyal God is then pleased best when self is displeased most When we can be content to be emptied content to be abased that God may be honoured and with the Holy Baptist are wiling to be eclipsed by Christ willing to decrease that he may increase counting our selves no losers whilst his interest is a gainer Iohn 3. 29 30. rejoycing that we are made low for Christs advancement This is well-pleasing unto God How greatly was he pleased with Solomon's self-denying choice and gives him his asking throwing in riches and honours into the bargain 1 Kings 3. 10 11 12. Strange was Abraham's self-denyal What! to sacrifice with his own hand the whole hope of his Family the Heir of Promise the Child of his Years a Son an only Son when his life was bound up in the lads life Was ever mortal thus put to it But Abraham shall not be a loser God gives him a testimony from Heaven blesses him blesses his Seed blesses all Nations in him Gen. 22. 15 16 17 18. Wonderful was Moses his self-denyal but more wonderful was his acceptation and reward Heb. 11. 24. none like Moses Deut. 34. 10. God preferred him in another manner then Pharaoh could He