Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
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A65309
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Religion our true interest, or, Practical notes upon the third chapter of Malachy the sixteen, seventeen and eighteen verses : seasonable for the times / by Thomas Watson ...
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Watson, Thomas, d. 1686.
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1682
(1682)
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Wing W1139; ESTC R34736
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91,573
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245
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the love of many to the Truth Though only Christs blood doth Save yet the blood of Martyrs may strengthen St. Paul's Prison Chain made Converts in Nero's Court two of which were afterwards Martyrs as History relates Mr. Bradford's holy advice and example so confirmed Bishop Farrar that he would not touch with the Roman Pollution 4. How sad will it be for Christians to fall off from their former Profession and espouse a novel Religion Iulian Bathed himself in the blood of Beasts Offered in Sacrifice to the Heathen Gods and so as much as in him lay wash'd off his former Baptism In the time of Iulius Cesar this Prodigy happened after a plentiful Vintage there were wild Grapes appeared upon their Vines which was looked upon as Ominous When men seemed to bring forth the Fruits of Righteousness and afterwards bring forth the Wild Grapes of Impiety it is a sad Omen and Prognostick of their Ruine 2 Pet. 2.21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of Righteousness than after they have known it to turn from the Holy Commandment Let all this make us maintain the power of Holiness in the worst Times Though others wonder we do not sin after the rate that they do yet remember it is better to go to Heaven with a few than to Hell in the Crowd How may we keep up the briskness and fervour of Grace in times of Apostacy 1. Let us beware of having our hearts too much linked to the World The World damps zeal as Earth chokes the fire We are bid to love our Enemies but the World is such an Enemy as we must not love 1 Iohn 2.15 Love not the World The World bewitcheth with her Blandishments and kills with her silver Darts He who is a Demas will be a Iudas a lover of the World will for a piece of Money betray a good Cause and make Shipwrack of a good Conscience 2. Let us be Voluntiers in Religion that is Choose God's service Psal. 119.30 I have chosen the way of truth It is one thing to be good out of Design and another thing to be good out of Choice Hypocrites are good only out of worldly design they embrace the Gospel for secular advantage and these will in time fall away The Chelidonian Stone keeps its Vertue no longer than it is inclosed in Gold take it out of the Gold and it loseth its vertue False Hearts are good no longer than they are inclosed in golden Prosperity take them out of the Gold and they lose all their seeming Goodness But if we would retain our Sanctity in Backsliding times we must serve God purely out of Choice He who is good out of Choice loves holiness for its beauty and adheres to the Gospel when all the Jewels of preferment are pulled off 3. Let us be inlaid with sincerity If a piece of Timber begin to bend it is because it is not sound Why do any bend and comply against their Conscience but because their hearts are not sound Psal. 78.37 Their hearts were not right with him neither were they stedfast Sincerity causeth stability When the Apostle exhorts to stand fast in the evil day among the rest of the Christian armour he bids them put on the Girdle of truth Ephes. 6.19 Stand fast therefore having your loins Girt about with truth The Girdle of Truth is nothing else but sincerity 4. Let us get love to Christ. Love is an holy transport it fires the affections steels the Courage carries a Christian above the love of life and the fear of death Cant. 8.7 Many waters cannot quench Love Love made Christ suffer for us If any one ask what Christ died off it may be answered he died of Love If we love Christ we will own him in the worst times and be like that Virgin Basil speaks of who not accepting deliverance upon sinful terms cried out Let Life and Money go welcome Christ. 5. If we would keep up the sprightly Vigour of Grace in evil times let us harden our Hearts against the taunts and reproaches of the wicked David was the Song of the Drunkards Psal. 69.12 A Christian is never the worse for reproach The Stars are not the less Glorious though they have ugly names given them the Bear the Dragon c. Reproaches are but Assulae Crucis the Chips of the Cross. How will he endure the Stake who cannot bear a Scoff Reproaches for Christ are Ensigns of Honour Badges of Adoption 1 Pet. 4.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let Christians bind these as a Crown about their Head Better have men reproach you for being good than have God Damn you for being wicked Be not laughed out of your Religion If a Lame man laugh at you for going upright will you therefore halt 6. If we would keep up the Vigour of devotion in a General Epilepsy let us beg of God confirming Grace Habitual Grace may flag Peter had habitual Grace yet was foyled he lost a single Battel though not the Victory We need exciting assisting corroborating Grace not onely Grace in us but Grace with us 1 Cor. 15.10 Auxiliary Grace which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fresh gale of the Spirit will carry us undauntedly through the Worlds blustering storms Thus shall we be able to keep up our Heroick zeal in corrupt times and be as Mount Zion which cannot be moved CHAP. II. Shewing the Character in general of the Godly and what the Fear of God is 1. HAving done with the frontispiece of the Text I begin 1 with the Character in General of the Godly they are Fearers of God they that feared the Lord. What Fear is meant here 1. Negatively It is not meant 1 of a natural Fear which is a tremor or palpitation of Heart occasioned by the approach of some imminent danger Eccles. 12.5 Fears shall be in the way 2. It is not meant of a sinful Fear which is twofold 1. A Superstitious Fear An Hare crossing the way is by some more dreaded than an Harlot lying in the Bed 2. A Carnal fear this is the Ague of the Soul which sets it a shaking He who is timorous will be treacherous he will decoy his friend and deny his God Three times in one Chapter Christ cautions us against the fear of Men Mat. 10. Vers. 26 28 31. Aristotle saith the reason why the Camelion turns into so many colours is through excessive fear Fear makes men change their Religion as the Camelion doth her Colours 1. Carnal Fear is discruciating 1 Ioh. 4.18 Fear hath torment in it the Greek word for Torment is sommetimes put for Hell Mat. 25.46 Fear hath Hell in it 2. It is Pernitious 1. It Indisposeth for Duty The Disciples under the power of Fear were fitter to Fly than to Pray Mat. 26.56 2. It puts men upon indirect means to Save themselves Prov. 26.25 The Fear of man bringeth a Snare what made Peter deny Christ and
Profession to lose Heaven What think you of the Foolish Virgins They are called Virgins because they were not tainted with any gross Sin yet these Virgin-Professors were shut out Mat. 25.10 Balaam a Prophet Iudas an Apostle both cashiered We have seen some Ships have had glorious names given them the Good-speed the Hope the Safe-guard yet cast away at Sea 2. It is possible to come near to Heaven yet fall short of it Mark 12.34 Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God yet he was not near enough Men may countenance the Ministry of the Word have their Affections moved at an Ordinance and in outward show out-go the Children of God yet not having the Oyl of Sincerity in their Vessels they may be frustrated of happiness And how dismal is that to lose God to lose their Souls to lose their Hopes The Millions of Tears shed in Hell are not sufficient to bewail the loss of Heaven Well may such as have Heaven in them Fear their coming short of it Thus much for the Use of Trial. How shall we arrive at this Blessed Fear 1. Let us set God ever in our eye study his Immensity He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God Almighty Gen. 17.1 He gives laws to the Angels binds the Consciences of men cuts off the Spirit of Princes Psalm 76.12 The Thoughts of Gods incomprehensible Greatness would strike an Holy awe into our Hearts Elijah wrap'd his face in a Mantle when Gods Glory passed by The reason men Fear not God is because they entertain slight thoughts of him Psalm 40.21 Thou thoughtest I was such an one as thy self 2. Let us pray for this Fear of God which is the Root of all Holiness and the Mother of all Wisdom Psalm 86.11 Vnite my Heart to Fear thy Name the Lord hath Promised to put his Fear in our Heart Ier. 32.40 Let us pray over this Promise while some pray for Riches and others for Children let us pray for an Heart to Fear God To conclude this you who have this Fear planted in your Souls bless God for it Psalm 135.20 Ye that Fear the Lord bless the Lord. God hath done more for you than if he had made you Kings and Queens and caused you to ride upon the High places of the Earth He hath enriched you with that Jewel which he bestows only upon the Elect. O stand upon Mount Gerizim blessing The Fear of God is an Immortal Seed springing up into Glory Psalm 22.23 Ye that fear the Lord praise him Begin the Work of Heaven now be Spiritual Quiristers sound forth Holy Doxologies and Triumphs say as David Psalm 71.8 Let my Mouth be filled with thy Praise and with thy Honour all the day God hath but little praise in the world Who should pay him this Quit-rent if not they that fear him CHAP. V. Shewing the first Character in special of the Godly namely Speaking of God 2. HAving done with the Character of the Godly in General I proceed next to their Special Characters 1 They spake often one to another When the Wicked said It is Vain to serve God then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another The meaning of this word they spake often is they did discourse Religiously together their Tongues were Divinely tuned by the Holy Ghost Christians when they meet together should use holy Conference This is not only an advice but a charge Deu. 6.6 These words shall be in thy Heart and thou shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy House and when thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest down and when thou risest up Indeed where there is Gratia infusa it will be effusa Grace changeth the Language and makes it Spiritual When the Holy Ghost came upon the Apostles they spake with other Tongues Act. 2.4 Grace makes Christians speak with Other Tongues A good Christian hath not only the Law of God in his Heart Psalm 37.31 but in his Tongue vers 30. The body is the Temple of God 1 Cor. 6.19 The Tongue is the Organ in this Temple which sounds in Holy discourse Prov. 10.20 The tongue of the Iust is as Choice Silver He drops Silver sentences enriching others with Knowledge Mat. 12.35 A Good man out of the Good treasure of his Heart bringeth forth good things In his heart is a Treasure of Goodness and this is not like a bag of Mony Sealed but he brings something out of the Treasure within to the enriching of others Grace is of the Nature of fire which will not be pent up like new Wine it will have Vent There is a principle within constrains to holy Conference Job 32.18 The Spirit within me constraineth me CHAP. VI. Containing the Applicatory part IT shews the Genius and temper of true Saints they speak often one to another their Lips drop as an Hony-comb A man is known what country he belongs to by his Language He who belongs to the Jerusalem above speaks the Language of Canaan none of Gods children are dumb their mouth is a well-spring of Wisdom Prov. 18.4 Here I may draw up a bill of Indictment against five sorts of Persons 1. Such as are silent in matters of Religion They would be counted Good but he must have good eyes that can see it I know not whether it be Ignorance or Bashfulness that makes good discourse waved Many are so mute in Religion as if their Tongues did cleave to the roof of their Mouth had they any love to God or had they ever tasted how sweet the Lord is their mouth would talk of his Righteousness Psalm 71.24 Friends what should we mind but Salvation what are the things of this world they are neither Entia nor Manentia Do not we see men heap up Riches and on a sudden death as Gods Serjeant Arrests them What should we talk of but the things Pertaining to the Kingdom of God Let this cause blushing among Christians that their meetings are so unprofitable they leave God out of their discourse Why is there no good conference Have you so much Knowledge that you need not have it encreased Have you so much Faith that you need not have it Strengthened Silence in Religion is a loud sin We read of one who was possessed with a Dumb Devil Mark 9.12 How many are Spiritually possessed with a Dumb Devil It is a rebuke to such as when they meet together instead of speaking of Heaven they have idle frothy discourse They do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Plutarch said of Alcibiades Their Lips do not drop as an Honey-comb but run as a Spout their speaking is Just like a Childs scribling Psalm 12.2 They speak Vanity every one with his Neighbour If Christ should ask some as he did the two Disciples going to Emaus Luk. 24.17 What manner of Communications have you as you walk they could not say as they did concerning Jesus of