Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
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A26953
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Memorables of the life of faith taken out of Mr. B's sermon preached before the King at Whitehall : published thus for the poor that want money and memory / by one desirous to promote the common salvation.
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Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691.
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1690
(1690)
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Wing B1307; ESTC R14225
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5,750
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1
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Memorables of the Life of FAITH Taken out of Mr. B's Sermon Preached before the King at Whitehall Published thus for the Poor that want Money and Memory By one Desirous to promote the common Salvation Hebrews 11. 1. Faith is the substance of things hoped for the Evidence of things not seen Q. 1. WHat means the Apostle by these words A. He means that tho' the glory promised to Believers and expected by them be yet to come and only hoped for and be yet unseen and only believed yet is the sound Believer as truly affected with it and acted by its attractive force as if it were present and before his eyes Or thus That the Nature and Vse of Faith is to be as it were instead of Presence Possession and Sight Or to make the things that will be as if they were already in existence and the unseen things which God revealeth as if our bodily eyes beheld them It is true 1. Faith changes not its Objects 2. Nor gives it the same DEGREE of Apprehension or Affection as the sight of present things doth give No but 1. Things Invisible are Objects of our Faith 2. And Faith is effectual instead of sight of them It is so unto four Uses namely 1. The Infallibility of our Apprehensions 2. The Determination of our Wills choice 3. The Moving of our Affections in the degree necessary unto Holiness 4. The Ruling in our Lives and bringing us thro' Duty and Sufferings for the sake of the Happiness believed Q. 2. Do you count Faith an Infallible sort of Knowledge then Why so A. Why 1. So speaks the Scripture Joh. 6. 69. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ the Son of the living God Rom. 8. 28. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose 1 Cor. 15. 58. Therefore my beloved Brethren be ye stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord 2. Believers know as sure as they know there is a God that God is true and his Word true Heb. 6. 18. That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us Titus 1. 2. In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began 3. They know that the Holy Scripture is the Word of God by his Image which it beareth the Evidencs of Divinity which it containeth and the many Miracles by which it is confirmed God besides this gives them to believe Phil. 1. 29. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake Eph. 2. 8. For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God 4. And Believers have the Spirit of Christ within them to actuate Faith and help them against Temptations 1. Cor. 2. 12. Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God 5. Spiritual Experiences also advantage Faith They have part of the Holy Scripture verified in themselves and that much confirms their Faith of the whole 6. Likewise very Nature affords us undeniable Arguments to prove a future Happiness and Misery And that doth exceedingly help us in the Faith of the Supernatural Revelation of it 7. And those that have seen the Objects of our Faith have given us their Infallible Testimony Joh. 1. 18. No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him Joh. 3. 11. Verily verily I say unto thee We speak that we do know and testifie that we have seen and ye receive not our witness 1 Joh. 1. 1 2 3. That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the word of life For the life was manifested and we have seen it and bear witness and shew unto you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested unto us That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ Add 8. Satan's rage against the Life of Faith discovers there is more than a fancy in it Q. 3. But why would not God let us have the SIGHT of Heaven and Hell being that would have prevailed for our Conversion more generally and more certainly A. 1. Who are you that dare dispute against God Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus 2. It is fit God's Government suit the nature of its subject Your Nature is a reasonable one And Reason is made to apprehend more than we see and by reaching beyond Sense to carry us to seek nobler things than Sense can reach Should a man understand no more than he sees a wise man and a fool and a man and beast would then be very like In worldly matters men can go to much cost and pains for things they never saw why not in spiritual matters You shall believe God's Promises if you have ever the Benefit of them and believe his Threatnings if ever you escape the Evils threatned If the Reward and Punishment were seen what should difference wise men and fools good men and bad No man plays the Adulterer in the face of the Assembly No Thief will steal before the Judge Q. 4. Who is it then that with you goes for a Believer or a Christian A. 1. He is one that lives as if he saw the Lord that in some measure so lives He does all as if he saw God stand by All the day he waits on God Psal 25. 5. Lead me in thy truth and teach me for thou art the God of my salvation on thee do I wait all the day 2. He is one that liveth on a Christ whom he never saw Lives on him with Trust in him Adherence to him Love of him Joy in him 1 Pet. 1. 8. Whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory 3. He is one that judges of men by their invisible insides Pitying the ungodly who pity not themselves because they see not what he sees And admiring the inward beauty of the Saints thro' all their poverty seeing God's Image Valuing none for stature complexion cloaths or learning c. Psal 15. 4. In whose eyes a vile person is contemned but he honoureth them that fear the Lord he that sweareth to his own hurt and changeth not 4. He is one