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	word_n	14,465	5	4.9655	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80867	The foundation of God, with the immutability thereof laid for the salvation of his elect; with infallible marks and signs of election. Which may serve as a storehouse of comfort to religious minds, in this season of danger felt and feared.	Crompton, William, 1633-1696.	1659 (1659)	Wing C7031A; ESTC R175852	40,951	136

Law of Nature swell to so high a tide as Grace advance man with God and bring the dribling River to vye with the drowning Ocean By this Rule man must do the hardest work himself and leave the easier for God and his Grace He that can raise himself from death to life is much more able to continue himself in life Of this Opinion was Augustin once viz. that faith was in us and from us primarily but by reading Cyprian citing those words of Paul What hast thou O man that thou hast not received renounced his Errour proving plainly that not only the encrease but the beginning of Faith were the gift of God or else we might say we had something we did not receive Secondly Love Faith first works Love and then works by Love as the Workman sets an edge on his Tools and then cuts and carves with them And therefore for the most part they are in Scripture joyn'd together No Love no Faith And Love advances by equal paces with Faith as the heat of the day advances with the shining of the Sun Thirdly The power of Prayer and Supplication with zeal and fervency No sooner was Paul converted but the next word is Behold he prayeth Heb. 9.11 It is reported of Luther that when he prayed it was with so much reverence as if he were praying to God and with so much boldness as if he had been speaking with his Friend Gods Spirit tunes the strings of the affections and then they shall make sweet melody in Prayer The symbols of the Spirit were fiery Tongues and a mighty rushing Wind and where-ever the Spirit is there will be Prayer in the Spirit Where life is there will be breath God never had nor ever will have a still-born Child Fourthly Perseverance and constancy in all these with resolution and purpose of heart to rely upon Christ call upon his Name Love his People what ever befall them Philip. 1.6 We are confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it unto the day of Christ That in the end we may say with Paul 2 Tim. 4.7 I have fought a good fight I have finished my course c. Rom. 8.38 39. If God be for us who can be against us I am persuaded that neither life nor death principalities nor powers things present nor things to come shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus Therefore the Foundation of God stands sure both in regard of God and Man A Doctrine naturally flowing from the Text and meaning of the Apostle so expounded by the best Learned in every Age who have by their Writings illustrated the truth of the Gospel confirmed in Scripture plainly and by the works of good men since the Pelagian Heresie began to disturb the Church I may conclude it as Gamaliel doth his speech to the Jews Act. 5.38 39. if the foundation of our salvation were of or in man it might and would certainly come to nought but being in and from God it cannot be destroyed all such as may endeavour it shall be found fighters against God Vse I. In the application of this Point we find matter of instructive information divers ways viz. First To point out unto us the true subject of Apostacy men past over by God and left out of the foundation Every plant my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted out Such and only such are subject to Apostacy the rest are preserved by the power of God unto salvation Secondly It shews us the danger of false Opinions to fret like a Canker to disturb destroy eat into the body of Church and State one infecting another Arius his Heresie was at first but a little spark yet how did it spread and fire the whole World what woful waste was made of many flourishing Congregations Churches when the Orthodox Bishops were exiled and their flocks scattered when the Donatists by their separation made a division in the African Churches what violences and outrages were exercised against faithful Christians both Pastors and People And in like manner when the German Anabaptists separated themselves from the other Reformed Churches what woful work did they make how much did they obstruct and even hazard the work of Reformation begun so happily by Luther and successfully carried on for some years together And thus with grief we live to see Popery and Arminianism to do the like mischief in our days Men should be afraid to raise such Opinions to bring such Owls amidst the glorious light of Truth that hath shined so splendidly in our Horizon and be ashamed to receive them being raised Authority should be carefully vigilant to suppress beginnings to oppose all those who seek craftily to undermine the foundation of God that they may be cured or cut off Thirdly Hence we learn that Hereticks are never able to seduce the Elect however they may entromb themselves in the ruins of that Christianity which they once professed Hymenaeus and Philetus destroy the faith of some nevertheless the foundation of God stands sure God will have a Church for ever See the answer of God when the Prophet complain'd there was none left but he I have left unto my self seven thousand which never bowed the knee to Baal This constancy of all those fair and generous Souls who have in all Ages been setled in the Truth like Pillars of Diamonds not shaken with the Counterbufs of damnable Errour took not rise from themselves Noah David Peter left to themselves to stand on their own bottom fall strangely and wofully and make known to a world of Ages that they are but sinful flesh and the best of men living if left to themselves but one moment would destroy themselves in that moment they are but like glasses without a bottom which break as soon ae they are out of hand If they continue to shine it is not by their own lustre but by borrowed beams of the Sun of Righteousness and the light remains no longer than the Sun shines The fairest Flowers of Paradise would wither if not watered with drops from Heaven How have the mighty fallen when the Almighty hath not stood by them All their ability proceeds from the Love of God in the foundation and the power of his grace stirring them to renew their repentance Neither is there any ground here laid for presumption that a man should grow careless and secure because of what God hath done no Grace never relaxeth the sinews of obedience in the least degree It is perfectly innocent of that abuse The Poison is not in the Rose but in the Spider Besides there are signs of Election after described which if they cannot be found in persons they cannot be assured of any portion in the foundation That man who daringly presumes saying Let me live as I list the foundation of God stands sure and so gives way to his unswayed fancy and makes this a pillow for his sloath

unclean because it had little meat and required a great deal of labour to get it so may they be reputed who feed upon hard Questions and unprofitable Discourses and to as little purpose as those in Robertus Gallus his Dream who laying aside the pure Manchet fed upon hard stones and so had little nourishment at the Feast Niceties and Criticisms in Religion taking up Mens thoughts Faith and Holiness are neglected and and so they labour about a Shell-fish pick Bones and feed not on Meat 2. The Subversion of the Hearers Ministers therefore should study to divide the Word aright applying it to the capacity of their Hearers unmasking the Truth that each Eye may see and every Soul be enamour'd with its beauty shunning as profane Ver. 16. so affected terms and curious expressions which with their paint and meretricious bravery keep out the light of solid Truth That 's the best Glass which most truly shews the face not that which is richly set with Pearls and that 's the best preaching which hath most to do with the Conscience which hath plus operis quam ostentationis and speaks to the Ears of that which St. Peter calls the hidden man of the heart to which the Plain-song always makes the best Musick Such was the practice of that Golden-mouth of the West of zealous Mr. Bradford and the renowned Perkins of whom it is said that he came so close in his Applications that he was almost able to make his Hearers hearts fall down within them This Evil here rebuked he compares to a Gangrene Ver. 17 which creeps from part to part till the whole be infected So it hath been with contentious Verbalists sophistical Wranglers who study more for words than matter and dote more on a Criticism than on a practical truth catch more after an Elegancy than a Promise For Example he brings in Hymenaeus and Philetus shewing first their Opinion about the Resurrection V. 18. and then the danger of it overthrowing the faith of some It must needs be a strange Opinion indeed that none will follow and scarce any so monstrous but if it hath had a Mother will also find a Nurse Many shall follow their pernicious ways A sad judgment upon them who receive not the truth in Love Fifthly He endeavours to remove the offence might arise from the falling away of such Ver. 19 20 21. shewing 1. That Gods Elect were exempted from that danger being fixt immoveably in their Orb like glittering and never falling Stars Their foundation being of God not in or of themselves 2. How Christians might be assured of their Election than which there could be no greater comfort on this side Heaven 3. That there ever have been are and will be a mixt multitude in the Church the Moon hath her spots and clouds are among the stars comparing it to a great House wherein are Vessels of gold appointed to Honour and of wood appointed to dishonour Vessels of gold and silver implying diversity of gifts in the Elect Vessels of wood and earth shewing a difference of sin in Reprobates Those of Gold must not run from those of Wood God is and will be glorified in both No final separating from the true Church because of wicked men Vessels of dishonour therein As God doth not so neither must man punish the innocent for the nocent I flye from the chaff lest I should be such saith St. Augustin I forsake not the floor lest I should be nothing Which consideration should serve to qualifie the excessive heat of some among us who are zealous but not according to knowledg Lastly He exhorts to a peaceable profession of Holiness shewing how Ministers should behave themselves in the Church to work this in the hearts of people viz. 1. To shun youthful Lusts So call'd because youth is most subject to them Neither are we men in Christ till we have in some measure subdued them Understanding here the Lust of striving boasting and vain-glory not excluding other evil motions of Concupiscence 2. To follow Righteousness Faith and Charity in study conference and disputation that so foolish and unlearned Questions may be ever distasteful to them 3. With meekness and gentleness to reprove such as go astray especially on the right-hand Galat. 6.1 Set them in joint again so that Text runs Reprehension is not an act of Butchery but of Chyrurgery and Ministers must do as Chyrurgions use to do with broken bones and dislocated joints who restore them with tenderness patiently expecting the manifestation of Divine goodness upon them in their Repentance Who would wound those whom they design to cure A word will do more with some than a blow with others Downright blows do not always pierce deepest Stormy spirits are not often efficacious It is not the sparkling flame but invisible heats which melt metals Furious proceedings do often bind faster when a loving persuasion upon certain grounds recovers many from Satans snares By this time this occasion of the words in hand is manifest Hymenaeus and Philetus teach false Doctrine and thereby seduce others after them such as had but a temporary faith and made an outward profession without inward sincerity True justifying faith being an infused habit cannot be destroyed by any act or acts of men that were to make the foundation void or uncertain and the building ruinous When the Apostle tells us plainly the foundation of God stands sure c. Yet by the falling away of temporary Professours especially being men of eminence and worth St. Paul saw or foresaw that good men were or might be offended 1. Seeing Learned men fall away they might begin to affect a change to think or say Why should not we be of the same mind with them they see more than we can or do 2. They did or might fall foul on the Church how can that be a true Church which breeds Hereticks wherein are so many Sects and Divisions These are so many stumbling-blocks in their way producing such scandals and prejudices in their minds as cannot easily be removed as the Papists do with much outrage object against the Reformed Churches though they do it with many false aggravations 3. When they saw men of great account and note in the Church to destroy that faith which once they maintained they began to doubt of the Churches continuance of the Promises of God made unto it or at least that there was no certainty of any thing therein no assurance of perseverance to salvation in that Church when such great ones fall To all our Apostle here answers that there was no such cause of fear or doubting for although some of principal note err or be seduced and fall away yet the foudation of God stands sure the Lord knows who are his and none can pluck them out of his hands So that the Text is nothing else but a comfortable conclusion against that damnable and Spirit-quenching doctrine of Saint-Apostacy Which St. Paul might foresee should be broached in