Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	pray_v	prayer_n	supplication_n	6,912	5	11.1562	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A94757	A helpe to Christian fellowship: or, A discourse tending to the advancement and spirituall improvement of holy societie. Wherein the practise of it is commended, 1. In the communicating or imparting of their gifts and graces. 2. In their walking together in the ordinances of Christ. 3. In a mutuall serviceablenesse to one another. The particular graces necessary to the qualifying of Christians for it, are propounded. And an invitation unto it is urged by some motives from the benefit and pleasantnesse thereof. Applied to these times for the strengthening of mens hands in the happy work of reformation. By Samuel Torshell. Imprimatur, Charles Herle.	Torshell, Samuel, 1604-1650.	1644 (1644)	Wing T1937; Thomason E37_8; ESTC R11602	27,805	36

accountable unto God how we have layd out our knowledge our utterance our spirit of prayer our ability of discerning our experiences of God our tast of the promises our enlargements after prayer our improvement by conserence our comforts after private humiliation our strengthning by the Sacraments or what else might be instanced in for use of others How we got rid of such a lust how we mastered another temptation how we attained to such a facility in this or that duty There must be this commerce among them that are in this heavenly partnership Ephes 4.16 In this body fitly joyned and compacted every joynt must supply and there must be an effectuall working in the measure of every part to the encrease of the body According to this rule ver 29. the Apostle speaking in the same chapter of discourse and conserence admonishes the Ephesians not to suffer any corrupt communication to proceed out of their mouthes but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace unto the hearers We must lay out our gift of discourse or any other gift profitably with respect unto the wellfare of the whole CHAP. IV. Another exercise of Christian fellowship Walking together in the ordinances of Christ AS this fellowship is exercised in the commerce of gifts so there must be 2. Mutuall walking in the ordinances of Christ Mich. 4 5. A mutuall walking and holding hands in the ordinances of Christ There ought to be a joynt assistance for the confirming of one another in such a resolution as this to be taken up All people will walke every one in the name of this god and we will walke in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever For this I presuppose as a thing granted by all such whom the Lord avoucheth to be his peculiar people Deut. 26.17 18. that it lyes upon them to avouch the Lord to be their God and to walke in his wayes and to keep his statutes and his Commandements and his judgements and to hearken to his voice This is our covenant with God who hath entred into covenant with us which covenant we are unfaithfull in through the neglect of that help we might have from one another by mutuall watching remembrancing and exhortation I remember what a faithfull and experienced Divine Rich. Rogers 7. Treat hath related of the practise of some private men but able and godly professors who in the sense of their unanswerablenesse to the meanes made a covenant among themselves of watching over one another for their better walking together with God This is no novelpractise for besides the many presidents of the Antients this was not of yesterday for it was well neare threescore yeares since in the yeare 1588 if I remember right for I have not the Booke by me but the reader may there see the heads the rules and the forme of their agreement But to pursue the point in hand There may be a fellowship 1. In the hearing of the word quickning one another unto it helping the negligent to apply it taking forth the severall portions belonging to the different conditions and necessities of each praying for one another that it may be usefull and seasonable 2. In prayer for and with each other The Athenians sacrificed for none but themselves and their neighbours of Chios but Christians know a greater latitude of relations and doe also well know the great-benefit of putting their stock together See how St Paul speakes Eph. 6.18 19. Pray alwayes with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all Saints and for me And it seemes he had communicated his condition and present case unto them by Tychicus that he was in expectation to come before some great Tribunall in the cause of the Gospell In those times it appeares they used to transact one anothers affaires in the Court of heaven by prayer But there is one particular instance that I will not omit That fallings out and differences and jarrings may be healed by prayer which it may be is the meaning of that place in James Confesse your faults one to another and pray one for another Jam. 5.16 that ye may be healed Let not the heart rankle when it is wounded by an offence but meet together and humbly acknowledge where the fault lyes and make up the matter before God as a witnesse of your mutuall sincerenesse and only able to search the bottome of the wound and to cure it I have knowne some blessed experiments of this and can tell when a probatum est was written upon it 3. Ezra 8.23 Esth 4.16 In fasting for the afflicting and humbling of the soul 60 Ezra and his men and Esther and her maids maintain'd communion together I have knowne some that for many yeares have strictly and duely obferved this course to the wonderfull improvement of their gifts and of their acquaintance with God Such fasting dayes Mar. 9.29 are soul-feeding dayes and soul-curing dayes Some diseases some lusts will go out no other way 4. In mutuall bemoanings confessions and openings of our sores and our wounds It may be when the Apostle saith Confesse your faults one to another Jam. 5.16 he meanes more then the acknowledgement of offences whereby a man hath sinned against his brother though that be a necessary and most usefull part of this fellowship and without which the heart will rankle and the sinne will remaine upon it unpardoned but also that Christians should bewaile their failings infirmities deadnesse unsavourinesse coldnesse narrownesse unfruit fulnesse or what ever the maladie be to one another to see whether others have been in the same case and what course they tooke and what remedy they procured Many perish through too much modesty and reservednesse 5. In the Sacraments joying in one another beholding their order and stedfastnesse of faith in Christ rejoycing together in the love of God feeding at the same table as those that shall meet and sit downe with Christ for ever in his Fathers house taking occasion to renew the covenant of love among themselves and laying down all grudges rancor prejudice uncharitable surmises c. for Christs sake and giving the right hand of fellowship cordially and unfainedly as those that find themselves to be all retainers to the same Master provided for with the same care purchased by the price of the same blood 6. Lastly to name no more though other particulars might be instanced In holy conference This this indeed is it that might much improve the meeting of Christians to whet upon one another the knowledge of the holy Scriptures to obferve among themselves and speake of the remarkeable passages of providence the great and holy wayes of God the things that he doth gloriously in their eyes In the Prophets time when proud scorners and profane spirited men talkt vainely and did even what they list then they that feared the

Father and with Christ of the multitude of them that believe of the household of faith or according to the tearmes of the description such as are joyned together in heart mind and affection being made one with Christ are at an agreement among themselves being borne of the same immortall seed nourished by the same breasts called by the same word gladly receiving it and continuing stedfastly in it interessed in the like pretious faith and ruled and guided by the same Spirit These are the subject of this fellowship none else are truely capable of it Profane spirited men no nor hypocrites neither though they croud in sometimes and take up roome cannot may not be acquainted with these joyes Such Canaanites are Merchants of this world they have nothing to doe in the house of the Lord of Hosts Zach. 14 2● Isa 26.2 Isa 35.8 These gates are to be open only to the righteous nation which keepeth the truth that they may enter in for this way is called the way of holinesse the uncleane shall not passe over it No bastard no Gibeonite no stranger no blemisht one is capable of entrance into this sacred Temple of believing fellowship None but sonnes and daughters of the Almighty citizens of the new Hierusalem free denizons of the glorious corporation of Believers are the right subject for such only have the spirit of Communion which unites the members of the Church as the Phylosophers say There is a soul of the world which holds together the parts of it The same spirit the same faith the same heart mind and affections are the sinewes muscles and ligaments which keep this body from loosening and falling asunder I commended the Primitive times and they had this spirit of communion the hundred and twenty that were at Hierusalem Acts 1.14 continued with one accord in prayer and supplication And I commended St Pauls longing after such society and he had the spirit of communion Who is weake saith he 2 Cor. 11.29 and I am not weake who is offended and I burne not And this mind he would have to be in all Christians Rom. 12. Rejoyce with them that doe rejoyce and weep with them that weep be of the same mind one toward another CHAP. III. The other part of the Description The exercising of Christian fellowship The mutuall exchange of gifts and graces MEN being thus qualified for fellowship The exercise of it The exercising of it is in these three things 1. A mutuall exchange and imparting of gifts and graces 2. A mutuall walking and holding hands in the Ordinances of Christ 3. A mutuall serviceablenesse to the bodies and foules of one another 1. A mutuall exchange of gifts and graces In the exercise of holy fellowship there must be a mutuall exchange and imparting of gifts and graces God hath dispensed variety of gifts unto his people all are not qualified alike There are some eminent graces that make the countenances of some Saints to shine Iob 1.8 Job was exemplary for singlenesse and plainenesse of heart Numb 12.3 2 King 22.19.23 25. Phil. 2.20 Moses for faithfullnesse and meeknesse Josiah for tendernesse and a melting spirit and for activity in the cause of Reformation Timothy for ministeriall diligence and a naturall care of the state of the flock Athanasius was prudent and active Cyprian zealous and vigilant Basil heavenly and of a faire sweet spirit Chrysostom laborious and without affectation Ambros resolved and grave c. The gift of Christ is grace according to measure He measures to such a one such gifts to another such to a third such and such as he pleaseth This I take to be the meaning of the Apostle Ephes 4.7 when he saith Vnto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ God gave the Spirit without measure unto Christ Joh. 3.34 considered in his humane nature when he was sent forth as himselfe speakes But we have it according to our scantling 1 Cor. 12.8 9 10. and as he pleaseth to honor and entrust us To one is given the word of wisedom to another the word of knowledge to another faith to another prophecie to another the discerning of spirits to another divers kinds of tongues 1 Cor. 1.7 c. Thus every man hath his proper gift of God one after this manner and another after that One hath quicknesse of parts but not so solid a judgement another is solid but not ready and presentiall one hath a good wit another a good memory a third good utterance One is zealous but ungrounded another well principled but timerous one is wary and prudent another open and plain hearted one is trembling and melting another is chearefull and full of joyes God is a free giver and a most wise disposer that we may be ingaged to use his bounty to each others help The knowing Christian is to impart unto him that is weake in gifts and the other that it may be hath fewer notions but more warmth and fuller of love to those truths that he knowes 1 Cor. 12.21 is to impart of his heate to his knowing friend for the eye the knowing man cannot say to the hand the active man in Gods cause I have no need of thee The members must have care one of another the knowing men of the ignorant ver 25. yea the knowing men are to care for one another not envying the communicating of their notions for some truths may be more cleared and revealed to one then to another who is otherwise every way his equall in habituall knowledge The Christian that hath collected experiences or found out methods for the advancement of holinesse must not deny such knowledge to the body We must like it well that others may thrive as well as we God makes no Patentees nor will he endure any Monopolies Christians must drive an open and free trade They must teach one another the mysterie He that growes rich in notions or in graces must let others know the thriving way Tell your experiences and tell your conflicts and tell your comforts Make all that thou hast the bodies and all that the body hath thine Some say the Art of Medicine was thus perfected as any one met with an herbe and discovered the virtue of it by any accident he would post it up in some publike place and if any were sick or diseased he was laid in some beaten passage that every one might communicate the best receipt and so the Physitians skill was perfected by a collection of those posted experiments and receipts Of all things take heed of the napkin wrap not up the talent thorough envy for then thou art not fit for our great masters family 1 Pet. 4.10 But as every one hath received the gift even so must we minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God We are stewards for the use of our brethren and are