Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	only_a	zeal_n	zealous_a	22	3	8.3052	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10010	The saints qualification: or A treatise I. Of humiliation, in tenne sermons. II. Of sanctification, in nine sermons whereunto is added a treatise of communion with Christ in the sacrament, in three sermons. Preached, by the late faithfull and worthy minister of Iesus Christ, Iohn Preston, Doctor in Divinitie, chaplaine in ordinary to his Majestie, Master of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometime preacher of Lincolnes Inne.	Preston, John, 1587-1628.; Sibbes, Richard, 1577-1635.; Davenport, John, 1597-1670.	1633 (1633)	STC 20262; ESTC S115180	353,805	720

of chaffe preserv'd from burning Is it not because there is some Corne some Wheate mixed therewith If the Corne be once out will not the Lord as men use to doe after winnowing set the chaffe on fire As women with childe are grieved to be delivered so the Lord stayes till the world be delivered as it were of all his Elect ones of all the Saints of all his holy and zealous ones and then shall be brought forth the Iudgement of the great day The World may cast out these men as the Sea doth Pearles among mire and dirt but they are Pearles notwithstanding God knowes them to be so and wise-men know them to be so yea Pearles excelling other men as much as Iewels doe common stones as much as Lilies and Roses doe Thornes and Bryers among which they grow What 's the reason that Elijah is called the Chariot of Israel and the Horsemen thereof but because hee was an holy man that did much for Gods glory that did more advantage the State at home and did more prevaile abroad than all the Chariots and Horsemen And may not we apply this to the zealous among us Therefore when we injury any of them doe not wee cut off the haire from Sampsons head wherein the strength of every Countrey and Nation and every Citie and Towne consists Yea the cutting off of them is like the cutting off of his lockes which the more the grow the more strength a Kingdome hath I say no more but commend it to every man in his place wishing that you would let it be your generall care to encourage true Religion and Zeale the omitting whereof I am perswaded is one of those things which causeth the Lords hand to be stretched forth against us Secondly if it be Zeale that turnes away the LORDS wrath then where is the Zeale that should be among us Are wee not rather fallen into those later times the Apostle speakes of which should have a forme of Religion without the Zeale and Power and Life of it And if Zeale turnes away Gods wrath certainly then this formalitie this overlinesse of Religion this coldnesse without Zeale and Power is it that brings on his wrath It is true and we cannot deny but knowledge abounds amongst us as the waters in the Sea But where is the Salt That is where is that Zeale and holinesse that should season all our knowledge Where is the Fire that should adde practice to our knowledge and make it an acceptable sacrifice to GOD Wee have the light of former Times but not their heat As he complaines Ignis qui in Parentibus fuit calidus in nobis lucidus The Fire which in ancient Times was hot is now onely light We thinke it enough to goe to Church to receive the Sacrament and so to keepe a round as it were to doe as most doe being carried about with the generall course of the World as the Planets are with the rest of the Spheres contrary to that which should bee their proper motion But I beseech you consider it Is this Religion Is this the Power of Godlinesse is this to be Baptized with the Holy Ghost which is as Fire Surely Religion stands not in these outward formalities but in changing the heart in making us New Creatures in mortifying our Lusts and thorowly purging out the love of every corruption Therefore if you will turne away Gods wrath turne your formality into Zeale that is content not your selves with the performance of the duties of Religion externally but get that wherein the power of godlinesse consists else the outside of Duties will not divert Wrath. Againe did Zeale turne away the wrath of the Lord then where are our zealous affections Why are we not zealous for the Lord and zealous against sinne You know Christ died for this end that hee might purifie unto himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good workes Titus 2.14 Men doe good actions as a Taske they are glad when they be over but doe you them with much intention much f●rvencie much desire be you a people zealous of good workes Therefore in Rom. 12.11 They are put together be fervent in spirit and serving the Lord implying that the Lord respects no service but as it is joyned with fervencie Therefore know that it is not enough to serve the Lord in an ordinary Tract you must mend your pace to heaven it is not enough to goe but you must runne the way of Gods Commandements And as you must be zealous for him so you must be zealous against evill For you must know this and marke it well it is not enough to abstaine from sinne it is not that alone that God will accept but he lookes that you should hate sinne As it is said of Lot his righteous soule was vexed with the uncleane conversation of the Sodomites that is his heart rose against them there was an inward distaste against them the like you shall see in David and Moses You will say I hope I detest sinne and am angry with it It may be so perhaps you are angry with sinne but Zeale you know is an intention of the affection of hatred and it is required that you hate sinne Revel 2.6 This thou hast that thou hatest the worke of the Nicolaitans which I also hate You will say How doe they differ You shall know hatred by this First it is a constant affection it abides with us Anger goes away as all passions doe it is but for a fit for a flash on some occasion Againe hatred is alwayes of generals the sheepe hates all Wolves we hate all Toads all Serpents I say wheresoever there is hatred it turnes to the whole Species Now doe you hate all sinne all kindes of sinne one as well as another Doe you not only abstaine from them but also hate them of what sort soever they bee Lastly Hatred seekes the utter destruction of the thing hated Anger would have but a proportion of Iustice as Aristotle sayes Now is it so with you Doe you seeke the utter destruction of sinne abstaining not onely from grosse sinnes but from all dalliances from the least touch of sinne cleansing your selves from all pollusions of the flesh and spirit If you will be zealous for the Lord then know that this is required that you not onely doe things but that you doe them zealously that you not onely abstaine from sinne but that you hate it Againe if it be Zeale that turnes away the wrath of the Lord then where is our boldnesse our courage our forwardnesse for the Truth Why are we so fearefull and shie of doing the thing that otherwise we thinke meet to bee done For Zeale hath that pr●pertie among the rest it makes men bold the Zeale of the Apostles was knowne by their boldnesse But you will say A man may be too bold It is very true when the horse runnes up and downe and is at libertie

in the world what outward imployment soever wee exercise our selves in yet our maine businesse is in heaven we be ready on all occasions to look to the face of the Ruler of the Physition of men and creatures but we forget that the swaying of the ballance this way or that way is from the Lord When Iacob had prayed earnestly to be delivered from Esau God answers him thou hast prevailed with God and thou shalt prevaile with men so whatsoever businesse you have on earth if you will bring your enterprize to passe prevaile with God and you shall be sure to prevaile with men turne him and all is turned with him for all depends upon him Whatsoever is done on earth is first done in heaven and concluded there and then we feele and taste the fruit of it here From this generall we may descend to particulars and from hence you may learne That it is not our Army by Land nor our Navy at Sea that shall secure us at home or prevaile abroad though it bee well that these things bee done and therefore you doe well in contributing cheerefully to his Majesty for the maintenance thereof for the common good yet still remember that all your businesse is in heaven and that you must trust more to your faithfull prayers then to your preparations for successe in all enterprises It is not our woodden wals that will guard us it is not the Sea wherewith you are invironed nor our policy counsell and strength that will secure us and defend us but it is turning to the Lord and cleansing the Land from the sinnes wherewith he is provoked that will doe the deed Turne to him and then he will turne to you that shall bee a blessing on us and all our enterprises This is to see God in all things this is to sanctifie and exalt him for God in our hearts and without this all is nothing I will end this point with this briefe direction you know there is in every man I speake now of every man that is holy and not of others who are strangers from God the flesh and the spirit there is faith and sense and one of these two every man sets on worke to take a view of the things that are before them If you set faith and the spirit on worke to looke on things they will tell you it matters not what outward things are what the Creature is for it is God that doth all set the flesh on worke set sense and carnall reason on worke and they will bring quite contrary newes like the wicked Spies that were sent into the Land of Canaan who when they did but cast their eye on the state of things there they were first discouraged themselves and then discouraged the hearts of the people Oh there bee Gyants and wals reaching up to heaven Whereas the good Spies that looked on things with another eye brought another kinde of message Iust thus it is with us in sending out our Spies to looke upon the state of things before us if we send forth the Flesh Sense and Reason they bring report of terrible Wals and cruel Giants their power is so great their forces so strong that there is no medling with them but send Faith and the Spirit and the Will like good Spies looke on things with a right Iudgement and indeed that is all the difference betweene an holy man and another the one lookes on things with another eye hee sees a vanity in the Creature which the other doth not he sees an All-sufficiencie in God which the other cannot And therefore he hath onely an eye to the Lord all his care is to serve him and please him in all things So he hath no ill newes from heaven he cares for nothing on earth The other cares not how matters stand betwixt God and him so all things bee well below so his Mountaine stands strong and therefore that we may judge of things with a righteous judgement we must be carefull to see them in their true nature which onely Faith and the Spirit will present And so much shall serve for that point You see then that it is the wrath of God that doth all hurt and the favour of the Lord that doth all the good We come now to the second point which will come in well upon the former That it is sinne that causes wrath sin and wrath are knit together they are inseparable So that as Elisha said when Iehoram sent a messenger unto him to take away his life when he was sitting in the house with the rest of the Elders Shut the doore upon him and hold him fast for is not the sound of his Masters feet behind him So I say to every man If sinne and wrath come together then first shut the doore of sin which is the Messenger suffer it not to come in give it no entertainment for is not the sound of his Masters feet behinde him Doth not the wrath of God follow And shall not that wrath take away our head as Elisha said Therefore if you will keepe out GODS anger keepe out sinne But you will say I feele no such thing I have committed sinne and yet have no experience of his wrath following so close upon it I answer you must know this that as diseases must have a time of ripening so must sinne You know the poison of a disease enters not into the heart at first Sin hath certaine Vestigia which are set downe Iames 1.14 When Lust is conceived it brings forth sinne and when sinne is ripened and perfected it brings forth death The reason why it brings not death presently is because it is not perfect because it is not ripe The sinnes of the Amorites saith God are not yet full Ahab had committed a sinne he had got the Vineyard and slaine Naboth and yet heard nothing of it but when he had killed and taken possession too then came the Messenger of wrath and execution followed God let Iudas goe on till he had made the match taken recompence and betrayed his Master but than wrath came in upon him God stayed a great while till the sinne of Pharaoh was perfected till his hardnesse of heart was come to a ripenesse and then he was drown'd in the Red-sea Therefore in the second to the Romans it is said There is a Treasure of wrath Now in a Treasure there are three things First when a man is once able to treasure up any thing he is still adding to it and by degrees it growes and in that sense the Lord hath a Treasure of wrath as we adde sinnes he addes drops to the viall of his wrath till it be full Secondly it is a Treasure for a Time it lies still a while for else it were not Treasure And thirdly when the time of expence comes then it is opened And so it is with the wrath of the Lord it is gathered by

off but if it be the changing of a Black-moores skin how wilt thou doe that Can the Black-moore change his skinne Therefore seeing it is a change of Nature bee not too secure Thinke not thus for it is the onely thing that keepes men from comming to God I will come in but it shall be hereafter I will goe yet a little further this is a very dangerous case because it is a changing of Nature that is required and no Creature in Heaven and Earth is able to doe this Therefore when thou commest to die or when any crosse comes thou mayest be willing to change and thou mayest take purposes to thy selfe but doe we not see by experience in such cases the Nature is not altered doe not all returne to their byas there is not one of a thousand but doth it because it is a forced action Now a stone forced upward returnes againe so there be many forced actions in times of Temptation and the houre of death but still the nature is the same therefore men returne againe Therefore know this very heart of thine the very nature of it must bee altered it must bee changed into a light ayrie vapour that may ascend else it will not hold out and thou shalt have no comfort from it and when it is turned into an ayrie vapour it must be done by a light and heat that comes from heaven So must thy heart it is the Holy Ghost that must doe it it is onely the Author of Nature that can change Nature hee that made it can renue it And as only fire begets fire so onely the Spirit begets the qualities called the Spirit the Holy Ghost must breathe this breath of life in thee This is a thing not considered therefore you are bold to put it off if the Holy Ghost were at thy command if hee would breathe when thou listest it were another case but hee breathes when and where he listeth nothing is so free as the wil of the Spirit he breathes where he lists That it is no more in thee to alter him than the winds when they blow to the East canst thou cause it to blow to the West no more canst thou alter the will of the Spirit Therefore take heed of refusing the offer when the Lord will offer it is a dangerous thing to refuse What the Lord bade them in the Gospell to doe he is ready to doe himselfe When you come into a Citie offer peace if they will receive it so it 〈◊〉 let it come on them but if they will not stay not there let them goe shake off the dust off your feet against them such a people shall perish Consider that and see if the Lord be not ready to doe it himselfe If hee make an offer as hee did when hee gave his Disciples this command take heed that he goe not away in anger he knocks at thy heart againe and againe take heed that hee goe not away in wrath It is the Lords manner no man knowes the time of his offer sometimes at the third sometimes at the fifth and sometimes at the last houre the time is not in thy hand but whensoever he offers take heed off refusing for if he growes angry he returnes no more When he shall sweare in his wrath c. Psal. 95. ult that is a place worth considering The Apostle perswades them not to deferre Repentance but to come while it is to day put it not off and he gives them two reasons Lest you be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne that is you will not be able to come in sin will harden you againe lest the Lord sweare in his wrath as he did to the Israelites Now you must marke they offended him once twice and thrice still the Lord bore with them they were rebellious at the Red-sea and presently after yet this the Lord bore with but there was a time when the Lord will beare with them no longer yet they lived many yeares after then he sware in his wrath and then they were destroyed It is true the Lord is not so angry for every refusing and sin which thou committest but when he comes to sweare there is no retracting of it then wheresoever you finde an oath in the Scripture there is no reservation when he sware he never returned againe Therefore take heed of angring the Lord Iesus though he be the Saviour of the world yet kisse the Son lest hee bee angry Take heed of deferring for a change of Nature is required which is a thing that thou canst not doe but the LORD must doe it Againe if it be a change of Nature I will but urge this a little Then we may learne hence to know that all the desires that come from Nature are nothing for that is not to have another Nature they are Flowers that have a beautie in them but they are the Flowers of the grasse subject to corruption as well as the stalke on which they grow therefore GOD accepts them not Againe it is not Morall Vertues for that is not changing of Nature for they may bee got and lost againe Againe it is not the Transient acts of Holinesse which the Holy Ghost workes in the heart when hee comes as a Passenger for a night or as a Sojourner for a moneth or two but he must come to be an Inhabitant and so as the Soule is in the body to make the Nature another Nature Last of all it is not any good Intentions any good Desires any good Purposes but another Nature Therefore take heed that you doe not deceive your selves and that is a thing we are exceeding apt to be deceived in because we have other purposes wee thinke all is well this wee must looke to for there be many times when men are very prodigall of good purposes as when they come to receive the Sacrament or in time of apprehension of death or it may bee you will purpose to leave sinne when you have smarted for some sinne you have committed you then meane to alter all and you thinke you are well because you have other desires and purposes in you but it is not so there must bee another Nature that is these purposes God regards as nothing for indeed they are worth nothing when there are new purposes and the old Nature continues still they come to the birth and when they have done so There is no strength to bring forth that is when the purposes are new and the nature old they are not able to dwell there but it is like a new peece in an old garment that is old nature is not able to sute with new purposes but the peece breaks forth and the rent is greater than it was So usually it is when we have the old nature and take new purposes there is not a sutablenesse and the rent is made greater than it was A man returnes againe to sin and is worse than hee was but when there