Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	knowledge_n	understanding_n	wisdom_n	6,916	5	6.5948	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A97271	A touch-stone to try (by our knowledge, belief, and life) whether we be Christians in name onely, or Christians in deed. Or, The character of a true beleever, that walks in some measure answerable to the gospell, his Christian profession, and the millions of mercies he hath received. / By R.Y. of Roxwell in Essex.	Younge, Richard.	1648 (1648)	Wing Y193B; Thomason E1150_4; ESTC R208624	54,772	52

to be the worlds friend is to be Gods enemy yea he esteemes it an honour to be evill spoken of by evill men because when a thing is best they will like it least and a grace to be disgraced for Christ who was farre more disgraced for him Besides the single approbation of one wise experimentall Christian is enough with him to countervaile the disdaine and dislike of a whole Parish of sensualists and an ounce of credit with God more worth then a tallent of mens praises And how little is that man hurt whom malice condemnes on earth and God commends in Heaven If he cannot avoyd their malice and evill words he will be sure not to deserve them which is much at one upon the matter for as the best confutation of their slanders is not by our great words but by our good works so his conscience knowing him innocent like a constant friend takes him by the hand and cheeres him against all his miseries However he will not in the least wrong his conscience to avoyd the imputation of singularity The scoffes of Atheists shall not beat him off from his Profession No if he does well hath Gods Word for his warrant and glory for his aime nothing can daunt or discourage him Neither the threatnings of fire nor the faire and large promises of cunning and cruell adversaries neither paine nor losse can make him shrinke from Christ much lesse the censures and scoffes of lewd persons The conscience of good intentions let their successe be what it will is both a sufficient discharge and comfort to his generous minde 3. § Through the studdy of vertue and Christian prudence he makes the servile passions of his minde feare and anger subject to the more noble faculties of his soule reason and understanding As appeares in the provocation of an enemy for let him be injured he will both forbeare and forgive well considering that it is the glory of a man to passe by an offence and that it is greater fortitude to overcome his owne passions then to vanquish a City Wherefore in stead of returning like for like he will pacifie his enemy with milde words and gentle behaviour which may be resembled to Milke that quencheth Wild-fire or Oyle that quenches Lime which by water is kindled and thinkes it enough for one to be angry at a time He is not like our Ruffians and sonnes of Beliall who when they are displeased with others will fly in their Makers face and teare the name of their Saviour in peeces even swearing away their part in that Blood which must save them if ever they be saved Nor like our Gallants whom the Devill hath so blinded and bewitched that they will contend for the way and strive for the wall even to the death and kill one another as though either of their honours were of more worth then both their soules Or admit one get the victory miserable is that victory wherein thou overcomest thine enemy and thy passions yea the Devill in the meane time overcomes thee perhaps thou slayest his body but the Devill slayes thy soule Nor like those sooles you see walking in Westminster Hall that like two Cockes of the Game peck out one anothers eyes to make the Lawyers sport No sayes he why should I vexe my selfe because another hath vexed me Or why should I doe my selfe a shrewd turne because another would And admit carnall reason shall alleadge to him that his enemy is unworthy to be forgiven rectified reason will answer but Christ is worthy to be obeyed who hath commanded me to forgive him And well may I beare with him when his Maker beares with me and forgive him when Christ hath forgiven me much more Nor can any repute him a coward for this his humble patience the true coward is your Hot-spur that feares the blasts of mens breath and not the fire of Gods wrath that trembles at the thought of a Prison and yet feares not Hell fire But the Beleever is as bold as a Lion if his cause be good yea to speake rightly there is no such coward none so valliant as the Beleever without Gods warrant he dares doe nothing with it any thing He feares none but the displeasure of the highest and runs away from nothing but sinne Indeed he more feares the least sinne then the greatest torment as may be seene in the Martyrs that noble Army But he is so farre from fearing an impotent enemy that he feares not death it selfe no not the Day of Judgement 1 Joh. 4.17 Luke 21.25 to 29. yea he is so strong withall that he is able to prevaile with God Gen. 32.26.28 Exod. 32.10 And overcome the world the flesh and the Devill 1 John 2.14 and 5.4 Gal. 5.24 and all this by his faith and prayer and not seldome does he overcome his enemy too by well-doing for he lives so well that his back-biting adversaries are either put to silence or constrained to praise God and speake well of him 4. § He is more knowing then the men of the world for as he hath the light of the Spirit and the eye of saith above them so the Word of Christ dwelleth in him plentifully in all wisedome and spirituall understanding and he increaseth daily in the knowledge of God and of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ because God reveales himselfe to him in a great measure as to his friend Besides his knowledge is about the best things and one drop of soule wisedome and saving knowledge guided by the feare of God is more worth then all humane learning And to this knowledge unbeleevers are meere strangers Yea be they never so wise and learned in other things they have onely the theory of this wisedome they can prattle of it by roate but they know not what it is by effect and experience Yea if a man want faith holinesse the love of God and the Spirit of God to be his teacher he shall not be able really and by his owne experience to know the chiefe points of Christian Religion such as are faith repentance regeneration the love of God the presence of the Spirit the remission of sinnes the effusion of grace the possession of heavenly comforts not what the peace of conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost is nor what the communion of Saints meanes when every one of these are easie and familiar to the meanest and simplest Beleever And the reason is the Beleever digests his knowledge into practise and imployes it to the glory of the Giver his neighbours good and the furthering of his owne salvation He is neither ungrounded in the Principles of Religion nor unconcionable in the practice Each Booke or Sermon both increaseth his knowledge and lessens his vices Yea he will pick something out of every thing and gather honey from the selfe same thing that others will poyson Anothers hating the truth shall make him love it the more for he is instructed both by similitude and contrariety Whereas let the

grieved for the abominations that are done by others to the dishonour of God and slander of religion or the ruine of mens soules § 14. Nor does he only abhorre and depart from evill but he cleaves unto that which is good he is not only dead to and made free from sinne but as he hath once been the servant of sinne so he becomes the servant of righteousnesse and as he hath been instrumentall to Satan so he will now be as active to serve Christ and be as fruitfull in good workes as he hath formerly been in evill workes § 15. He is conformed to the image of Christ and is led by the Spirit walkes in newnesse of life lives holily justly and unblameably for now he walkes not after the flesh but after the Spirit and brings forth the fruits of the Spirit mentioned Gal. 5.22 so that he is changed and renewed in every part power and faculty his understanding is enlightened his minde renewed his will changed his affections sanctified c. and he who thinkes he beleeves and findes not a palpable change in his judgement affections and actions does but deceive himselfe § 16. He goes often and upon all occasions to God in prayer in which lyes all his strength yet not as his but as it is the intercession of Gods owne Spirit in him poured out in the name of Christ and according to his Will for being truly sensible of his sins and wants he chiefly prayes for the pardon of sinne the effusion of grace and for the assistance of Gods Spirit that he may more firmely beleeve more soundly repent more zealously doe more patiently suffer and more constantly persevere in the practice and profession of every duty Nor does he for the most part fall into prayer without meditation and preparation nor utter words without devotion and affection nor without some assurance and perswasion that God will heare and grant his requests yea he mostly takes notice of his enlargements in prayer and of the successe afterwards and is accordingly thankfull or humbled not that he measureth Gods hearing his suit by his present answer or his present answer by his owne sence he will pray at least in some poore measure at all times striving against deadnesse of spirit and distractions as an heavie burthen § 17. He heares the Word with attention mindes observes and remembers it carefully receives and applyes whatsoever precept or promise is spoken out of the Word as spoken by God to himselfe in particular is astonished at the deepnesse of Gods wisedome power and goodnesse seriously meditating upon the Nature Attributes Word and Workes of God he layes it up in his heart ponders on it in his mind and practiseth it in his life neither will he approach unto the Lords Table without due examination and preparation § 18. He loves and longs after a powerfull and searching Ministry above all earthly treasures as finding a greater necessity of Spirituall then Corporall food and therefore will take any paines or be at any cost or suffer any disgrace to injoy it § 19. He is never offended at any wholsome truth be it never so untoothsome but affects that Ministery most which most layes open and rebukes his owne sinne even therefore comming to the light that his deeds may be made manifest When he heares his owne sins spoken against he does not apply the same unto others as is the mannor of too many nor is he wise to defend the evill he does but loves to be admonished nor will he after warning and conviction from the Word goe on in an evill way because his principall care is to be saved § 20. He will not plead against God nor aske a reason of his actions if he meets with hard Scriptures he runs not into error nor is offended but suspends his judgement and blames his owne blindnesse you may know him from an unbeleever by this he is wise to defend the truth when he heares it spoken against but never argues against it whereas the unbeleever being prompt by Satan can most subtilly argue against the truth though he hath not a word to speake for it yea he thinkes it religion enough if he can but dispute against the religious which is a manifest signe of a wicked man Briefly he neither carpes nor frets against a faithfull Minister nor seekes to intrap him or pervert what he delivers but prayes for him and is ready to speake in his defence § 21. He hath an high estimation of the Ministers and meanes by which he was converted and findes more sweetnesse in the Gospell then in any thing else in the world § 22. Spirituall judgements as a famine of the Word the blindnesse of mens mindes hardnesse of their hearts c. he accounts more wofull then any judgement the world can be sensible of § 23. He is enlightened with the saving knowledge and hid things of the Gospell and to see truth from error good from evill together with his owne wretchednesse by sinne and the riches of Gods free grace and mercy in Christ towards his owne soule he is not ignorant of the principles of Religion as most aged people are but is able and ready to give a reason of the hope that is in him § 24. He prayes for the enlargement and rejoyces at the progresse of the Gospell and in the common good of the Church and so at the graces or good successe of any member in particular and will be some way instrumentall for Christ praying for and earnestly desiring the salvation of others and likewise endeavouring to win all he can to Christ rejoycing no lesse when any good thing is done by others then if himselfe did it He highly respects all such as any way promote the Gospell and is thankfull to them § 25. He is willing to be at cost to serve the Lord will freely administer carnall things where he partaketh of spirituall things and counts the same as a due not as a benevolence yea he thinkes it most just that they who preach the Gospell should live of the Gospell and that as freely as men of other Callings which signe or character shewes a world of men that professe themselves Christians to be but counterfeits § 26. He beleeves impartially the whole Word of God threats and precepts as well as promises and things above the reach of reason as well as what experience hath made plaine to him he feeles the power and efficacie of Gods Word and Spirit perswading his conscience that his sinnes are pardoned in Christ and he in favour with God so that he can truly apply Christ and all his benefits and promises unto his owne soule trusting in him and casting himselfe only upon him for pardon and salvation § 27. He hath a sweet and sanctified peace in his conscience arising from the assured forgivenesse of his sinnes a sound and strong joy in the Lord and in his Word through beleeving not seldome the Holy Ghost inwardly setting too Gods privie