Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
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A30159
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Instruction for the ignorant being a salve to cure that great want of knowledg which so much reigns both in young and old / prepared and presented to them in a plain and easie dialogue, fitted to the capacity of the weakest, by John Bunyan.
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Bunyan, John, 1628-1688.
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1675
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Wing B5544; ESTC R36061
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26,724
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65
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best begin to serve God A. Just now Remember now thy Creator now thou hast the Gospel before thee now thy heart is tender and will be soonest broken Q. But if I follow my play and sports a little longer may I not come time enough A. I cannot promise thee that for there be little Graves in the Church-yard and who can tell but that thy young life is short or if thou dost live perhaps thy day of Grace may be as short as was Ishmael's of old read also Prov. 1.24 25 26. Q. But if I stay a little longer before I turn I may have more wit to serve God than now I have 〈…〉 A. If thou stayest longer thou wilt have more sin and perhaps less wit for the bigger sinner the bigger fool Prov. 1.22 Q. If I serve God sometimes and my sins sometimes how then A. No Man can serve two Masters Thou canst not serve God and thy Sins God saith My Son give me thy heart Also thy Soul and Body are his but the double minded Man is forbidden to think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord Mat. 6.24 Prov. 23.26 1 Cor. 6.20 Jam. 1.7 8. Q. Do you find many such little Children as I am serve God A. Not many yet some I do Samuel served him being a Child when Josias was young he began to seek after the God of his Father David And how kindly did our Lord Jesus take it to see the little Children run tripping before him and crying Hosannah to the Son of David 1 Sam. 3.1 2 Chron. 34.3 Mat. 21.15 16. Q. Then I am not like to have many Companions if I thus young begin to serve God am I A. Strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life and few there be that find it Yet some Companions thou wilt have David counted himself a Companion of all them that love God's Testimonies all the Godly though Gray-headed will be thy Companions yea and thou shalt have either one or more of the Angels of God in Heaven to attend on and minister for thee Mat. 7.13 14. Psal 119.63 Mat. 18.10 Q. But I am like to be slighted and despised by other little Children if I begin already to serve God am I not A. If Children be so rude as to mock the Prophets and Ministers of God no marvel if they also mock thee but it is a poor Heaven that is not worth enduring worse things than to be mocked for the seeking and obtaining of 2 Kings 2.23 24. Q. But how should I serve God I do not know how to worship him A. The true Worshippers worship God in Spirit and Truth Joh. 4.24 Phil. 3.3 Q. What is meant by worshipping him in the Spirit A. To worship him in God's Spirit and in mine own that is to worship him being wrought over in my very heart by the good Spirit of God to an hearty Compliance with his will Rom. 1.9 Chap. 6.17 Psal 101.3 Q. What is it to worship him in truth A. To do all that we do in his Worship according to his Word for his Word is truth and to do it without dissimulation Heb. 8.5 Joh. 17.17 Psal 26.6 Psal 118.19 20. You may take the whole thus Then do you worship God a-right when in heart and life 〈…〉 Q. How must I do to worship him with my spirit and heart A. Thou must first get the good knowledg of him And thou Solomon my Son said David Know thou the God of thy Fathers and serve him with a perfect heart Mind you he first bids know him and then serve him with a perfect heart 1 Chron. 28.9 Q. Is it easie to get a true knowledg of God A. No Thou must cry after Knowledg and lift up thy voice for Understanding If thou seekest for her as Silver and searchest for her as for hid treasure then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledg of God Pro. 2.1 2 3 4 5. Q. How comes it to be so difficult a thing to attain the true Knowledg of God A. By reason of the pride and ignorance that is in us as also by reason of our wicked ways Psal 10.4 Eph. 4 18 19. Tit. 1.16 Q. But do not every one profess they know God A. Yes But their supposed knowledg of him varieth as much as doth their faces or complexions some thinking he is this and some that Q. Will you shew me a little how they vary in their thoughts about him A. Yes Some count him a kind of an heartless God that will neither do evil nor good some count him a kind of an ignorant and blind God that can neither know nor see through the Clouds some again count him an inconsiderable God not worth the injoying if it must not be but with the loss of this World and their Lusts Moreover some think him to be altogether such an one as themselves one that hath as little hatred to sin as themselves and as little love to holiness as themselves Zeph. 1.12 Job 22.12 13. chap. 21.9 10 11 12 13 14 15. Psal 50.21 Q. Are there any more false Opinions of God A. Yes There are three other false opinions of God 1. Some think he is all Mercy and no Justice and that therefore they may live as they list 2. Others think he is all Justice and no Mercy and that therefore they had as good go on in their sins and be damned as turn and be never the better 3. Others think he is both Justice and Mercy but yet think also that his Justice is such as they can pacifie with their own good works and save themselves with their own right hand Rom. 3.8 Jer. 2.25 Job 40.14 contrary to these Scriptures Hab. 1.13 Isa 45.21 Q. How then shall I know when I have the true Knowledg of God A. When thy Knowledg of him and the holy Scriptures agree Q. The Scriptures do not all false Opinions of him flow from the Scriptures A. No in no wise 't is true Men father their errors upon the Scriptures when indeed they flow from the ignorance of their hearts Ephes 4.18 Q. But how if I do not understand the holy Bible must I then go without the true knowledg of God A. His Name is manifested by his World the Scriptures are they that testifie of him and they are able to make the Man of God perfect in all things and wise unto Salvation through Faith in Jesus Christ John 17.6 7 8. John 5.39 2 Tim. 3.15 16. Q. But what must one that knoweth not God do to get the knowledg of God A. Let him apply his heart unto the Scriptures as unto a light that shineth in a dark place even this World until the day dawn and the day-Star arise in his heart Eâ—â— 22.7 chap. 23.12 2 Pet. 1.19 20. Q But how shall I know when I have found by the Scriptures the true knowledg of God A. When thou hast also found the true knowledg of thy self Isa 6.5 Job
INSTRUCTION FOR THE IGNORANT Being a Salve to cure that great want of Knowledg which so much reigns both in young and old Prepared and presented to them in a plain and easie Dialogue fitted to the Capacity of the weakest By JOHN BUNYAN Hos 4.6 My People perish for lack of Knowledg LONDON Printed for Francis Smith at the Elephant and Castle in Cornhil near the Royal-Exchange 1675. To the Church of Christ in and about Bedford walking in the Faith and Fellowship of the Gospel your affectionate Brother and Companion in the Kingdom and Patience of JESUS CHRIST wisheth all Grace and Mercy by Jesus Christ Amen HOly and beloved Although I have designed this little Treatise for publick and common benefit yet considering that I am to you a debtor not only in common Charity but by reason of special Bonds which the Lord hath laid upon me to you-ward I could do no less being driven from you in presence not affection but first present you with this little Book not for that you are wanting in the things contained herein but to put you again in remembrance of first things and to give you occasion to present something to your carnal relations that may be if God will for their awakening and conversion accept it therefore as a token of my Christian Remembrance of you Next I present it to all those unconverted old and young who have been at any time under my Preaching and yet remain in their sins And I entreat them also that they receive it as a token of my love to their immortal Souls yea I charge them as they will answer it in the day of the terrible judgment that they read ponder and receive this wholsom Medicine prepared for them Now the God of Blessing bless it to the awakening of many sinners and the salvation of their souls by faith in Jesus Christ Amen Yours to serve you by my Ministry when I can to your Edification and Consolation J. B. Instruction for the Ignorant c. Quest HOw many Gods are there Answ To the Christians there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we of him 1 Cor. 8.9 Q. Why is not the God of the Christians the God of them that are no Christians A. He is their Maker and Preserver but they have not chosen him to be their God Acts 17.24 Psal 36.6 Judg. 10.14 Q. Is there then other gods besides the God of the Christians A. There is none other true God but He but because they want the grace of Christians therefore they chuse not Him but such gods as will suit with and countenance their lusts Joh. 8.44 Q. What gods are they that countenance the lusts of wicked men A. The Devil who is the god of this World the Belly that god of Gluttons Drunkards and riotous persons and idle pleasures and vanities which are for the most part the gods of the youth Job 8.44 2 Cor. 4.4 Phil. 3.19 Exod. 32.6 1 Cor. 10.7 2 Tim. 2.22 1 John 5.21 Q. Who is a Christian A. One that is born again a new creature one that sits at Jesus feet to hear his Word one that hath his heart purified and sanctified by Faith which is in Christ John 3.3 5 7. Act. 11.26 Act. 15.9 chap. 26.18 2 Cor. 5.17 Q. How do you distinguish the God of the Christians from the gods of other people A. He is a Spirit John 4.24 Q. Is there no other Spirit but the true God A. Yes there are many spirits 1 John 4.1 Q. What spirits are they A. The good Angels are Spirits the bad Angels are Spirits and the Souls of Men are Spirits Heb. 1.7.14 1 King 22.21 22. Rev. 16.13 14. Act. 7.59 Heb. 12.23 Q. How then is the true God distinguished from other Spirits A. Thus No Spirit is Eternal but he no Spirit is Almighty but he no Spirit is Incomprehensible and Unsearchable but he He is also most Merciful most Just most Holy Deut. 33.27 Gen. 17.1 Psal 145.3 Mich. 7.18 Job 34.17 1 Sam. 2.2 Q. Is this God being a Spirit to be known A. Yes and that by his Works of Creation by his Providences by the Judgments that he executeth and by his Word Q. Do you understand him by the Works of Creation A. The Heavens declare the Glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy-work so that the invisible things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his Eternal Power and Godhead Psal 19.1 2. Rom. 1.20 Q. Doth his Works of Providence also declare him A. They must needs do it since through his Providence the whole Creation is kept in such harmony as it is and that in despite of Sin and Devils also if you consider that from an Angel to a Sparrow nothing falls to the ground without the Providence of our Heavenly Father Mat. 10.29 Q. Is he known by his Judgments A. God is known by his Judgments which he executeth the wicked is shared in the work of his own hands Psal 9.16 Q. Is he known by his Word A. Yes most clearly for by that he revealeth his Attributes his Decrees his Promises his way of Worship and how he is to be pleased by us Q. Of what did God make the World A. Things that are seen were not made of things that do appear Heb. 11.3 Q. How long was he in making the World A. In six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that is in them and on the seventh day God ended all his works which he had made Exod. 20.11 Gen. 2.2 Q. Of what did God make Man A. The Lord God formed Man of the dust of the Ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of Life and Man became a living soul Gen. 2.7 Q. Why doth it say God breathed into him the breath of Life is Man's Soul of the very nature of the Godhead A. This doth not teach that the Soul is of the nature of the Godhead but sheweth that it is not of the same matter as his body which is dust Gen. 18.27 Q. Is not the Soul then of the nature of the Godhead A. No for God cannot sin but the Soul doth God cannot be destroyed in Hell but the Souls of the Impenitent shall Ezek. 18.4 Mat. 10.28 Q. How did God make man in the day of his first Creation A. God made Man upright In the Image of God created he him Eccl. 7.29 Gen. 1.27 Q. Did God when he made Man leave him withâ—◠〈…〉 A. No He gave him a Law in his nature and imposed upon him a positive Precept but he offered violence to them and brake them both Gen. 3.3 6. Q. What was the due desert of that Transgression A. Spiritual death in the day he did it Temporal Death afterwards and everlasting Death last of all Gen. 2.17 chap. 3.19 Mat. 25.46 Q What is it to be spiritually dead A. To be alienate from God and to live without