Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	life_n	live_v	sin_n	7,486	5	4.8306	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66098	Covenant-keeping the way to blessedness, or, A brief discourse wherein is shewn the connexion which there is between the promise, on God's part; and duty, on our part, in the covenant of grace as it was delivered in several sermons, preached in order to solemn renewing of covenant. By Samuel Willard teacher of a church in Boston in New-England.	Willard, Samuel, 1640-1707.; Mather, Increase, 1639-1723.	1682 (1682)	Wing W2272; ESTC W37635	100,188	164

love Him we cannot but be in love with them They are the product of infinite Wisdom suted properly to the condition of Man and therefore most desirable They are the great things of the Law and hence deserve greatest esteem Every Rule of Duty is a Rule of Life and therefore ought to be as dear un-unto us as our own lives It is not at all to be questioned but that the cause of the great neglect of duty among Professors and their remisseness in doing what the Covenant requires and the hard coming off of many duties which cross flesh and blood ariseth from the want of such a measure of love as ought to be 4. Carefully avoid the throwing of your selves upon unnecessary Temptations to break Covenant with God There are enough will come unsent for and ever when the People of God do go about to set themselves in a most solemn manner to engage in the service of God Satan is then watching for an opportunity to give them a furious assault God no sooner gives Adam the Covenant but the Serpent forthwith assaults him We had need to keep as much as possibly we can out of the way Vnnecessary compliance with wicked men carries great temptation in it Can one touch Pitch and not he defiled Solomon was drawn away by his strange wives his wisdome though uncomparable was befooled and the great familiarity which God held with him who had appeared twice to him was forgotten Jehoshaphat laid a snare for himself and for his Kingdome by making affinity and entering into a league offensive and defensive with the house of Ahab and it proved pernicious in the event If Men will stand in the way of sinners it may be in a little while we shall find them sitting in the seat of the scornefull The People of God should be acquainted with their own infectious hearts and know how apt and ready they are to be born down by the body of death it self much more when weights of temptation are hung upon it else they are not like to be true to God or faithfull in His Covenant They that unnecessarily frequent publick houses will in time learn to to be drunkards They that make a trade of keeping vain Company will grow themselves vain persons They that frequently converse with Hereticks and like society with them will at least become favourers of their Heresies The counsel of the Apostle was very seasonable and needfull for a People in Covenant with God to follow if ever they intend to be true to it 2 Cor. 6. 14. c. Be not unequally yoaked together with unbeleevers c. Nor let us promise our selves that God will keep us if we watch not over our selves He that walks circumspectly only walks safely Men may think their hearts Temptation-proof but if they will run the hazard in this confidence they are like to come off as Peter did in the High-Priest's Hall As then you would have God hear when you pray Lead us not into Temptation do not throw your selves into it 5. Maintain and daily keep in exercise the work of Repentance Though I know it is dangerous and presumptuous for Men to adventure to Sin upon hope to make all good agen by Repentance as though a Man should boldly and frequently take poyson because he hath a precious Antidote by him and indeed such a frame of spirit cannot reign and rule in a Beleever to whom Sin it self is in its own nature abominable yet such is the state of fallen Man though converted that except they keep the grace of Repentance in continual exercise they cannot keep Covenant with God There is no living a life of Gospel obedience without it The state of Beleevers in this life is a very imperfect state in regard of Sanctification it being but in part or degree not perfect there is in a Child of God a great deal of foolishness by reason of which he often misseth his way and wandreth from the precept much weakness which makes him to fall seven times he stumbles at a small thing that lyes in his way Every difficulty is ready to be an obstacle unto him Much also of rebellion is in his heart by reason of that Law which is in his members which frequently leads him Captive Hence the wise Man makes that peremptory demand Who can say I have made my heart clean Pro. 20. 9. His errours and wandrings are so many that alas he cannot know them Psal 19. 12. Hence hath God in much mercy accommodated the Covenant of Grace to this imperfect state of His own People so that a principal part of our keeping Covenant with God lyes in our upholding of the constant exercise of true Repentance And God in His gracious condescendency is pleased to acknowledge the penitent though imperfect Beleever to be a Covenant keeper and though we ought not thereupon to be bold to sin yet if at any time through our own frailty and the subtilty of our own deceitful hearts we are overtaken He hath provided Christ to be an Advocate for us 1 Joh. 2. 1. Hence we find the Gospel-precepts are summarily comprehended in those two words Repent and Believe Mark 1. 15. And God hath abundantly promised in His word that if His People do at any time repent of and heartily acknowledge and turn from their sinful faults He will Hear in Heaven and Pardon and their Sins shall be in His account as if they had never been committed Now to the end that you may order your Repentance aright take these few Rules 1. Labour to uphold and strengthen in your hearts a true and genuine hatred of all Sin This is the great Principle on which true Repentance acts Our commission of Sin ariseth from our Love and liking of it on our corrupt part Now Repentance acts in a direct contrariety unto this and hence it proceeds from hatred of Sin Repentance is properly a change of the minde and affection All Self-Justification ariseth from the Complacency which Men have in their sinful wayes hence arise excuses and diminutive extenuations And we are not so much afraid of Sin as of the wrath and punishment which attends it Whereas if Sin were in it self hatefull to us we should both avoid it with all care as a Man would the biting of a Serpent and also when at any time we are overtaken we would loath our selves for it Let Sin then be exceeding sinful in your esteem grow more and more out of love with get therefore more acquainted with the odious nature of it See how contrary to God's holiness it is how impure and what defilement it pollutes the Soul withal 2. Dwell much and frequently upon the Work of Self-examination We are very apt to be curious Criticks upon other Mens actions but very superficial in calling our selves to a through accouut Hence so little practical Repentance because we know so little that we have to repent of and the reason is because we are such strangers at home

only as a consequent condion or the way in which we are to attain unto felicity Jam. 1. 25. Besides in the former it was to be performed by Man's own strength or the improvement of that Grace which was given Man in his Creation In this it is to be done by the help and strength of Christ Phil. 4. 14. In the former it was to be done perfectly else Man was to lose his Reward In this though every Beleever ought to press earnestly after perfection and be sensible of every defect and bewail it before God yet none is to expect to be perfect in this Life but God hath respect to and readily acknowledgeth the sincerity and integrity of His People In the former God punished the least defect with Death in this God is tender and pittifull to His poor People bearing with their many infirmities and accepting of their humble confession and Repentance There God animedverted on the least defect here he covers many transgressions There he cast the Sinner out of His favour Here His Children are only chastised but His Love is not taken away nor Covenant prophaned Psal 89. 30. c. In the former Repentance was of no worth nor account for it left no room for it in this the People of God may in a way of Repentance obtain Pardon and there Sin is done away Psal 32. 7. 2 Sam. 12. 13. These differences well observed will give us Light into the true Nature of Gospel-Obedience and there are these things requisite in it 1. That there be a sincere and hearty Love and respect to all God's Commandments David an Evangelicall Man professeth his endeared Love to God's Law and declares that His precepts are his delight yea that they are sweet and precious to him Psal 19. 7. c. Yea though he is not unacquainted with his own frailty yet by this token he is quieted and not afraid of being put to shame Psal 119. 6. 2. That this be confirmed by a faithfull endeavour after conformity to the whole known and revealed will of God This hath its rise from the former for if we do love God we will keep His Commandments Joh. 14. 15. i. e. According to the measure of Grace received we will observe them with an upright and devoted heart David will exercise himself in the Law day and night because he loves it Psal 119. We must avoid Temptations abstain from fleshly lusts walk according to Rule do our outmost that God may be glorified by us and therefore endeavour conformity to His holiness in our whole conversation 3. To bear about an humble sense or consciousness of and a Spirit of mourning for our frailties and dayly neglects we must bewail both our impotency and exorbitancy Though we do Sin for who lives and Sins not yet we do not allow it though we do omit much of our duty yet we condemn our selves for it Though Sin be too subtile and potent for us and often we are entangled by it yet we do account it a sore Oppression a distressing Captivity and cry out earnestly to Heaven for help and deliverance This was Pauls Spirit and practice Rom. 7. This shews the heart is true to God and is therefore in his account and interpretation esteemed Evangelicall-Obedience 4. That we do constantly repair to Christ for His strength to help us and that solely relying upon His Grace to give us favour and acceptance with God and ultimately resolving all our hopes not into our own but His Righteousness This is that which we are engaged and required to do in the New-Covenant and if we do not this let our Obedience be never so specious it is still reputed but legall and so becomes worthless Sense of our own infirmity disabling us from doing duty perfectly ought not to discourage us from endeavouring to do it sincerely but its use is to teach us this Lesson that since our strength is not in our selves but in another we ought to go out of our selves and repair unto Him All the Grace and Strength of Jesus Christ is exhibited and profered in the Covenant for the help of a Beleever in performing of his duty and here appears the VVork of Faith in quickning and enlivning of Obedience that it enables us to rely upon this Strength of Christ for our help and having placed our hope here in this confidence to set about our duty And now having cast our selves upon Christ to go on in it with courage not being dismaid for its imperfection but leaving it with Him to render the Services we do acceptable with His Father looking to have our Prayers and Performances offered not by themselves but with his sweet incense And hence when we have thus by the grace of God done our duty we are to have no confidence in the worth and merit of our Obedience to purchase ought of favour and happiness for us but to acquiesce in the way of Obedience only in the Righteousness of Christ Phil. 3. 8 9. Thus we see the Dependance between the two Covenants of Grace The Covenant of Reconciliation must alwayes be considered with the respect it hath to the Covenant of Redemption going before it and making way for it for till we are Redeemed we cannot be Reconciled And when through the grace and help of Jesus Christ our only Surety we are enabled thus to walk and do then do we in God's account keep Covenant with Him we answer the Laws and perform the Conditions of the Covenant of Grace enjoyned us and are acknowledged by him to be the subjects of His special Grace and Heirs of everlasting Mercyes IV. What are those everlasting Mercies that are engaged in the Covenant Ans These Mercies comprize under them the whole blessing of the New-Covenant whatsoever is in particular promised to the People of God in His Word comes under this generall Denomination in our Text. These Mercies are called Everlasting for severall Reasons 1. From the Bigger and better Part of them which are Positively and properly so Not but that there are Transitory and Passing Mercies included in the Covenant-Promise For Godliness hath the Promise of the Life that now is as well as of that which is to come 1 Tim. 4. 8. But these Temporall Mercies are though great in respect of our deserving who are lesse then the least of God's Mercies yet Little and of Low Consideration when they are compared with those which are in reversion in another World and are therefore Swallowed up and lost in the Contemplation of these 2. To note to us the Originall and Continuance of the whole Series of Covenant-Mercies For their Originall they proceed from Everlasting Love and are therefore said to be from Everlasting The Love of God decreed them before the Creature had a Being yea and in the Covenant of Redemption they were provided secured for God's Elect before Man either was or actually stood in need of any Mercy for their continuance also although some Mercies are

cheerfully impart it Peter is winnowed that he may be able to strengthen his Brethren Bear one anothers burdens Be sure that you leave none that is weak and faint behind in the way to the Kingdome but take them along with you 3. By mutual bearing and forbearing Such is our state in this Life that there are many unavoidable frailties will discover themselves in our conversation it is impossible that Christians should have frequent converse together but now and then they will manifestly discover a dark side and if we be not ready to bear and cover a multitude of infirmities we are not fit to keep company with Men nor shall we ever forward one anothers Graces And more especially bear much in what may personally concern our selves Paul will not readily challenge his Galatians of doing him any injury 4. By an holy Emulation As there is a sinful so there is an holy strife among Christians when we do not envy to others their Graces but when by looking upon them we are the more ashamed of our selves and are thereby excited to be the more industrious in imitating and constant in endeavouring to overtake and if it were possible to out-do them The Life of a Christian is a Race and every one there runs with might and main and counts it his interest and honour to get first to the Goale c. Paul in his Epistles often propounds the pattern of one Church to another to the end that he might stirr them up to this emulation Runners are not wont to let others go before them if they can help it 5. By a yeelding and complying Spirit Be willing rather to lose part of your own liberty then by making use of it be a means of wronging anothers Conscience who would through your occasion by reason of his own weakness abuse the liberty unto Sin against God Paul's charity on this account was so high and his study to promote the spiritual good of Souls so Zealous that rather than obstruct it in the least he would chuse to debarr himself of the most common liberty of Christians 1 Cor. 8. ult 6. By praying one for another God is the Author of Holiness pray therefore that He would poure it out upon His People and make it to abound And in special pray for those whom God calls to dispense the means of Holiness to you this boon Paul beg'd of his Ephesians Eph. 6. 19. that they may enjoy the presence of God's holy Spirit and receive Grace to be faithful in delivering the whole counsel of God to you and successeful by His presence with and blessing upon their labours and endeavours that so you by them may be helpt forward in the way to the everlasting Kingdom All these Dutyes you owe one another by vertue of the Covenant of God with you 2. Beware of suffering one another in Sin but in all faithfulness endeavour each others recovery None so much needs a helping hand to be lent him as he that is fallen and it is a main part of that Love which the People of God ow one to another to be faithfull in reproving Sin If we are not to turn aside from nor to neglect to help our Neighbour's Ox and Ass when they are fallen much less the Soul of our Brother Not to reprove Sin when there is need of a reproofe is if we will credit the interpretation of the Spirit of God accounted to hate him in our heart Lev. 19. 17. And I the rather urge this because this duty seems to be much laid aside And there are indeed many temptations to neglect it yet such is the Condition of the People of God that they do often stand in need of it To omit it then arguesa Spirit either of flattery or cowardize It is the duty of Christians to be faithful in giving and candid in taking of reproofes not with the Galatians to count him our Enemy that tells us the truth But with David to take it as a kindness to be faithfully reproved Psal 14. 5. It is the way which God hath appointed for our recovery out of Sin and it is a great Judgment upon a People where there is no Reprover And not only so but not to reprove is many times interpreted to approve Moreover by this means we may prevent a great deal of Sin Reprooses are like the North-wind which cleanseth the Air If by reproving we should offend our Brother it is only his corruption that we offend when His Grace begins to stirr this will blow over and our fidelity will be greatefully acknowledged However if Asa imprison the Prophet yet he saves his own Soul This you have promised by Covenant to do And that you may do it aright and to good effect Observe these Rules in doing it 1. Be sure all your Reproofes proceed from Love and not from bitterness Labour therefore after a meek a gentle and a bearing frame of spirit you must not alwayes expect to meet with Grace but often to encounter with Corruption and beware that you do not set your Corruption against it A Reproverundertakes the Place of a Spiritual Physitian must deal with the malady according to the state of the Patient aiming at the recovery and gaining of a Soul Hence that direction Gal. 6. 1. You must mix meekness with add Patience to all your rebukes as those that desire to cover rather than discover anothers frailties * * * Non modo Accusator sed ne Objurgator quidem ferendus est is qui quod in altero vitium reprehendit in eo ipse deprehenditur Cic. in Verrem Act. 5. Pag. 300. 2. Let your lives as well as your words be a conviction of Sin in your Brother Loose and scandalous Professours are very unfit for this service Noah's Life as well as his Preaching condemned the Old World he that carryes his Beam with him is not fit to pluck away a Mote Mat. 7. begin It greatly weakens a reproof when it is applyed to a Sin we daily live in commission of and are known too much to allow in our selves That which we not only speak against but live contrary to will help our reproofes to carry evidence along with them will give them credit of our sincerity and care with a great deal of authority 3. Be as ready if occasion be given to receive as to minister a rebuke There are no follies and mistakes which may overtake one Christian but are also incident to another and therefore it may be our turn sometimes to need help and when we do it is our interest not to refuse but thankfully accept of it And if we carry such a spirit with us we shall by this means gain the more credit and be more likely to win upon others 4. Be sure when the Glory of God and the spiritual good of your Brother requires it that you carry on your reproof to Conviction There are some things that arise only from sudden Passion and there a

Covenant that will secure you except you be keepers of it The Promise in our Text is not to them that are in it but to them that keep it There is in this Temptation no little danger that the Children of the Faithful are exposed to by being deluded by Satan There are many that have acknowledged it and bitterly complained of it when God hath a wakened them They are ready to lean the weight of their Hope upon the Covenant The Jews in Jeremiah's time deceived themselves with this pretence Jer. 7. And in our Saviours time Joh. 8. We are Abraham ' s Children Nay we have one Father which is God Many carry with them a strong confidence that they must needs do wel they have strong hopes of salvation their plea for it is their Parents were godly they themselves of the visible Church owned and acknowledged as the Children of the Covenant and hence they think the Gospel-Promises are theirs Christ is theirs by Covenant But this will not hold Remember there is a Jew that is so outwardly there are that are so inwardly there is a Circumcision of the flesh and of the heart a Baptisme of Water and of the Holy Ghost The one External the other Internal and that will never stead a Man without this Covenant-priviledges are to be improved not to be boldly relyed upon The Name of the Lord our God is a great and a fearful Name God is Holy and expects all should be so that will prove themselves His People Hence that counsel 2 Tim. 2. 19 Let every one that names the Name of the Lord depart from iniquity 3. Beware of rejecting or renouncing the Covenant of God Do not cast off your subjection to it by any wilfull act of yours And this may be done two wayes 1. By disowning your selves or withdrawing from owning your selves to stand engaged to God in Covenant Not to own is interpretatively to reject When we withdraw the shoulder pluck back the neck and are not willing to submit to the Order and Ordinances of the Gospel when Men count it a liberty to live at large and under no Church cognizance and controll and a bondage to stoop to the wayes and will of Christ in His Word There is a great deal of this spirit amongst us Men are loth to be so much as under any visible tyes of restraint from Sin and this provokes God to bring judgements upon us and therefore tells us that by them He will bring us under the bond of the Covenant Ezek. 20. 37. 2. By not hearkening or yeelding obedience to the institutions of Christ appointed for their good When by any Sin or scandal they have dishonoured the Name of Christ they submit not nor are willing to obey the Rules He hath set down for their humbling and reforming when they are impenitent and will not hear the Church Many will acknowledge this to be their Duty who do yet practically chuse rather to stand off and be from under watch and discipline so debar themselves posterity as much as in them lyes from visible Priviledges This is also a renouncing beware of it Though you cannot by so doing dissolve your Covenant relation yet you may provoke God to reject and cast you off 4. Be much and earnest with God in Prayer that He would afford you His Grace whereby you may keep Covenant with Him This is a great Duty encumbent on Children know therefore that it is no small thing to serve an holy and jealous God Remember that you are by nature averse and obstinate your hearts are estranged from God and Christ from the womb The power to serve God keep his Commandments is not a gift of Nature which is all enmity Supernatural grace is necessary to the doing so great a Work Faith is the great Covenant-Condition and that is not of your selves without this you cannot please God you cannot keep His Covenant Nor can you worke it in your hearts it must be wrought by a creating power and you must go to God for it it is His gift and He will be sought to As long as you live in your unbelief you do nothing but break your Promise violate your Covenant and thereby lay in wrath and condemnation for your selves except you be converted you cannot be true to God See then the sinfulness of your hearts and natures the impotency that is in you you are in your natural estate like Ephraim unaccustomed to the yoke bewail it with him and ask grace Jer. 31. 18. 5. Get as near to God as you can in all those visible and outward wayes of Communion which He affords you the advantage and opportunity of God hath appointed no Ordinance in vain It is a matter of just grief to see so few of the Children of the Covenant seeking after full fellowship in all the Ordinances I speak not this to precipitate such as are unworthy to make more haste than good speed but to rouse up the negligent who either take no care that they may be worthy or do withdraw and keep themselves back notwithstanding they are hopefully prepared for these Ordinances These are both part of the Covenant and helps to our keeping of Covenant I know that a form of Godliness without the power is a Cheat to them that please themselves with it But I know too that if the face of a visible Church cease or be taken away from us it will be a great and sore Judgement And if the Children of the Covenant withdraw themselves from this burden and content themselves without seeking it and setting their shoulders to it it is in great likelyhood thus to go to decay It is a great Sin and a crying shame to see such multitudes of Christians and Professours turn their backs upon the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper if they are unworthy it is their shame that they have no better profited under the Ordinances and a dreadful signe it is of God's departure from such a People If they are in some measure fit it should grieve them that they put such a contempt and undervaluing upon the love of Christ and the seal of the New-Covenant for it is the least that can be said of such an act that it is so practically and interpretatively And let me add this that if you rest in that that your Children may be baptized as your selves are and seek not after means of growth and strength if now you have no spiritual appetite to these things you discover a dangerous signe of much hypocrisie lodging in your hearts 6. Beware you do not wilfully overthrow the foundations which your Fathers have laid I know it is one thing to be charged for doing it another to do it indeed Many have been branded for this injuriously whiles they have asserted those things which though believed by our Predecessours yet there was no such occasion of practice as afterward Besides it 's certain that no pattern or president or precept of