Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	law_n	life_n	sin_n	22,698	5	5.7840	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A42940	Gods mercy and justice displayed, in the wicked life and penitential death of Dorothy Lillingstone executed the 7. of April, 1679. at Kennington, for murthering her bastard-childe. Published at her earnest request. With Allowance.		1679 (1679)	Wing G960B; ESTC R223686	10,967	23

sometimes a Beam of hope would shine in upon my soul from the consideration of the merits and blood of Christ my dear Lord and Saviour yet the same was imediately clouded by the revolution of the thoughts premised and now it was I found how hard the work of repentance let the world pass what sentiments they please thereon was to bring about how many were the conflicts with the flesh and the Devil that I grapled with how many bitter sighs and groans how many fears and terrors was I wrapped up in ere I could bring my self to a serious and hearty repentance for my past crimes It is true the condition I was in under a sentence of Death made me sorry that I had committed the offence that had brought me thereto yet the fear of death more then the greatness of the crime against God was the cause of that sorrow and had not that sentence been past upon me I fear my heart would never have been affected with that sorrow Whence I would beg and request of all to whom these lines shall come that they take it as the advice of a dying woman who being nearer can see further into the things of another world then those who stand at a distance thence that they would not deferr the great work of repentance till they come within prospect of eternity which every day brings them nearer to then other Thus much in general I shall descend to particulars in shewing you how God hath pleased to work upon me in order to the settlement of my thoughts under these confusions I was at present under wherein notwithstanding all those suggestions the Devil and my own evil heart did terrifie me with I have found that God is a merciful father to repentant and returning sinners though just against obstinate offenders To his free grace in Christ Jesus my Lord I attribute all the comfort I have and must receive here and hereafter Wherefore in the first place I shall shew you that God hath been pleased by a graciously powerful hand to work upon me in turning me to a perfect detestation of my sins more in that they are and have been an affront to his Majesty then the Cause of that temporal Death I am to suffer therefore To make out this I am to acquaint you that having received my Sentence on Thursday night I continued in great confusions as aforesaid for two or three days and though a good Friend who tarried most part of the time with me assisted me with his advice and prayers yet could I not bring my self to so setled a temper but that my fears clouded my hopes and deprived me of those comforts which otherwise and under other Considerations I might have received the devil being all this time busie in stirring that mud my own evil heart had too readily raised On the Munday following I was visited by a Minister of worth within the City of London who after several questions by him propounded and threats of the Law against such criminals as my self were laid open I began to see my transgressions without that vizard the Tempter had generally masked them with the uncomely shape whereof did administer that amazement to me which was the first step of that abhorrency I have since conceived against them and no wonder that poor creatures are so much deceived in their opinion of sin considering the specious advantage under which a representation by that evil one is made thereof the which till the purblinde eyes of man come to the nearest view thereof to wit in a punishment therefore or by Gods speciall grace he can never discern it in its true proportion or colour but continues under a fancied deceit that there is in sin somewhat exceedingly amiable profitable or reputable amongst men without which he could never live under that injoyment of happiness and content as the same would at all times afford him Thus with many thousands in the like case with me I was always deluded and on this account did I run on in those sinful courses whose end is a scertain'd destruction as I to my cost have found it but the time is now come that the vail is drawn aside and I begin to consider the inside and bottom of those crimes which before that time lay covered under a specious and fair superficies and thereby came to a discovery of what before I never did really possess my self with I now consider'd every sin a breach of Gods Law and a provocation of that vengeance that might every moment have spurned me into an abysse of misery and turned me out amongst those who are weeping wailing and gnashing their teeth in the pit of perdition from whence to the throne of grace and mercy no appeal can be and that it was the exceeding patience and forbearance of God that he had spared so vile so impure a wretch as my self so long under such continued and repeated impieties to violate his laws and contemn his most Sacred and august authority which considerations as they raised my detestation and hatred against sin so did they inhance the value and price of Gods mercy the two first stones to that great work of conversion which I hope God has in me the unworthyest subject of his choice in some measure graciously effected as arguments of which my own heart gives me these five evidences which laid together confirm the same to my comfort 1. That under the sence of my Sin I confesse and acknowledg my self deservedly a condemned creature unless the application of the blood of Christ my Saviour and his intercession at the throne of grace joyning with the free love of God shall repeal the sentence against me 2. I do throughly and from my heart detest and abhor sin in general and should God please to lengthen out my days I should continue my resolutions of a through repentance and reformation of life forsaking all courses contrary to Gods holy word and Law 3. I find in my Spirit a delight in reading and prayer things I formerly omitted and eschewed 4. A fiduciary expectation of forgiveness from God of all past crimes through Jesus Christ freely relying and reposing my self on him for Salvation 5. I do freely and from my heart forgive all the world and bear to none the least ill will Which considerations are the ground of that hope that balmes my wounded heart and cordialls my decaying spirits under the great change I am so shortly to make To discourse of which is the next and last thing I have to say and would to God I could now lay by all the cloggs of flesh and earth and mount up upon the wings of faith into such a state as the Apostle was when he desired to be dissolved and be with Christ but alas how many difficulties am I now to graple with what Mountains of opposition stand in my way too high and great to travel over before me I see a fair Heaven inviting and alluring the aspect to an