Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	body_n	faith_n	life_n	5,642	5	4.7136	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29134	The sleepy spouse of Christ alarm'd, or, A warning to beware of drowsiness vvhen Christ calls, lest he withdraw in a discontent being the sum of some sermons upon Cant. 5th, and the beginning / by J. B., minister of the Gospel ; recommended in a preface by Nath. Vincent.	J. B. (James Bradshaw), 1636?-1702.; Vincent, Nathanael, 1639?-1697.	1667 (1667)	Wing B4151; ESTC R27223	96,463	214

company and communion with him may live in the light of his count●nance always beholding his most lovely face hearing his most pleasant voice and tasting of his most Royal dainties The breathings of a gracious heart towards Christ are the same for reality though not for degree that Christ his breathings are towards her Cant. 2.14 O my dove Let me see thy countenance let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely It was thus with David Psal 27.4 c. If he might but have one request it should be that he might dwell in the house of the Lord and that for this end that he might behold the beauty of the Lord and enquire in his Temple and whatever became of other things this as the main would he seek after But alas is it not far otherwise with us in these days and that among those that profess love to Christ if we look what most men are busie about what takes up most of their thoughts what their discourse is most about in all companies what they spend most time in and weary themselves in the prosecution of from day to day shall we not finde it rather to be the World than Christ I will not say as is said of the wicked That God is not in all their thoughts but this may be too truely said of many that their most frequent pleasant and abiding thoughts are about the world These lie down with them these rise up these go out and come in with them as if these were their onely business Doth this argue that these Hearts are open to Christ where the door is open a man may enter in without obstruction But here it is an hard matter for a serious thought of Christ to get crowded in If it come to the door it gets no further hath little or no admission into the heart and affections no abiding there We read in Scripture of many very gross sins that the servants of God for some time have been overcome by but I do not remember any mentioned in Scripture that were sincere that were overcome with the love of the World Demas indeed is said to embrace this present World but whether this be to be understood of his total apostacy from the faith or onely his deserting his publick work or station the Scripture leaves us in the dark and leaves this brand of infamy and disgrace upon him We know what the Apostle speaks 1 Tim. 6.9 10. They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition for the love of money is the root of all evil which while some coveted after they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows And the Apostle John tells us 1 John 2.15 If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him Evidently manifesting that there is not room for Christ and the World to dwell in the same heart Christ himself tells us that we cannot serve God and Mammon These two contrary Masters will be encroaching upon each other and imposing their contradictory commands So that from hence I conclude that where the world hath a great share in the heart and affections there Christs interest is but small and the door of our hearts not sufficiently opened to him I am affraid that at the great day when all hearts shall be tried and made manifest there will be many a man found who prayed for Christ had a desire of him yea and hoped that he had an interest in him and a love for him and yet through the prevalency of the world never truely opened his heart to Christ Examine your hearts therefore how the case stands with you If Christ be there and opened to as he should be how comes his mortal enemy the world to have such an interest in you and to bear so much sway with you If your hearts were opened to Christ the world would be more despised and Christs company would be more delightful and more store set by 5. And lastly If the door of our hearts be open to Christ by faith How comes it to pass that there are so few fruits of Faith to be seen There is no question to be made but where Christ the Sun of righteousness shines into the Soul the door of the heart being opened by Faith but that it will be Summer-tide with that Soul Grace will bud blossom and bear fruit And if all other Graces be fruitful why not Faith If Faith therefore be fruitful where the Heart is opened to Christ it concerns us to examine what fruits of Faith we finde in our selves For as Faith hath a large root or foundation having the whole Word of God for its object upon which it acts and from which at all times it fetcheth direction so it hath a large office and work in the soul its work being to purifie both heart and life Acts 15.9 Purifying their hearts by faith Therefore the Apostle James tells us that Faith without works is dead being alone I may well compare Faith to a large and frugiferous tree whose root or foundation is the whole Word of God recorded in the whole body of Scripture The ground or seat of Faith is the heart the commanding power of the soul the body or trunk of this tree is the habit or principle of Faith infused into us and nourished in us by the Spirit of God The several branches of this tree spreading themselves every way are the several emanations or flowings forth of Faith guided and directed by the several parts of Gods word The fruits of Faith are the several particular actings of the whole man guided by Faith according to the direction of Gods Word Now where the ground of the heart is made warm by the presence and influential beams of the Sun of righteousness being opened unto Christ at his coming the tree of Faith must needs flourish and drawing in fresh supply of sap from the rock of truth which being digested in our hearts by Faith must needs bring forth suitable and proportionable fruit of all kinds in our lives and conversations If therefore thy heart be open to Christ by Faith Where then are the fruits effects actings and flowings forth of Faith in all the parts and passages of thy life and conversation Where is thy dependance upon and embracing of his Promises relying upon his All-sufficiency Where is thy universal obedience to his commands discharging duty in every part and condition of life living by and acting according to the rule of Gods Word in every thing thou goest about leaving the issue success and event of all thy business and concerns to God to his care and faithfulness Where is thy constant watch against the deceitfulness of thy Heart the temptations of Satan the allurements and enticements of the World and thy faithful resistance of all Temptations thy deep repentance for and faithful

knock or call Rev. 3.20 I stand at the door and knock if any man will open to me I will come in unto him and will sup with him and he with me Rev. 22.17 The Spirit and the Bride say Come And let him that heareth say Come Let him that is athirst come And whosoever will let him come and take of the waters of life freely Isai 55.1 He every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price Christ knocks not onely at the Hearts of his own people as here of the Spouse Open my sister my love my dove my undefiled But also at the doors of others such as are unregenerate and know him not Only with this difference at the doors of his own regenerate ones he calls for the awakening and ●●●●ring up the grace which he hath bestowed upon them but to such as are unregenerate and yet strangers to him he calls them to Faith and Repentance and to come unto him that they may live and finde rest for their Souls Matth. 11.28 29 30. To Believers he calls to awaken their Graces that are already implanted in their Hearts But to Unbelievers he calls to awaken them out of their sleep in Sin and security And of these there is not the meanest Soul nor the greatest Sinner left out of his call and if any man will but open to him he will come in though their Sins be as Scarlet and crimson he will make them as Snow and Wool Isai 1.16 17 c. 3. The next enquiry is How or with what Christ knocks and calls And to this I answer Christ doth not ordinarily knock and call by an immediate voice from Heaven as he did upon Saul Act. 9. but under the Gospel God ordinarily calls some one or more of these ways 1. Christ knocks or calls sometimes by his Providences Christ many times sends some remarkable Providence or other to awaken Sinners out of their sleep in Sin and to awaken the Graces of his People when they are sleepy and sluggish and these Providences they are of two sorts sometimes such as we call Mercies though all his Dispensations in this case are Mercies and the fruits of his faithfulness but by Mercies I mean such things as are Joyous and desirable for the present He sometimes loads his people with Blessings and Benefits Hos 11.3 4. And every Mercy in this kinde is an awakening and quickning spur unto duty Therefore God complains Hosea 2.8 that they did not consider that he gave them corn and wine and oyl wool and flax silver and gold which they should have served him withal and because they did not threatens to take them away Therefore we finde this laid down as the ground of that God's Expostulation with his People Deut 32.6 9 10 c. The goodness of God should lead persons to Repentance God expects it and by this many times calls Sometimes God calls by his Corrections and Judgements striving by the smartness and severity of his Judgements to awaken Sinners that are rather hardned by Prosperity and to affright them out of their sleep in sin and to awaken his own people out of that sleep which they have lulled themselves into by Prosperity Thus we read Job 36.8 9 c. when he lays persons in Fetters and Irons of Affliction Then he shews them their way and their transgression wherein they have exceeded And of these two ways of knocking usually Mercy and Goodness leads the way and if that will not do then Judgement and the Rod follows after For God doth not willingly grieve and afflict the children of men Lam. 3.33 But if need be they must be in heaviness through manifold tribulations and temptations 1 Pet. 1.6 Thus God calls by his Providences 2. Sometimes God calls by his Ordinances reading the Scriptures and the Labours of his faithful Ministers hearing the Word preached and the like God hath qualified and sent forth his Ministers and Messengers to call and hire Labourers into his Vineyard to bid Guests to his Wedding-supper Matth. 22. and the beginning And this is their work which they are sent about and is given them in charge Matth. 28.19 20. Go teach all nations baptizing Teaching them to observe what I command you So Acts 26.18 Paul is sent to the Gentiles To open their eyes to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God Christ himself came and preached for this end and his Doctrine or Sermon was Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand Matth. 4.17 And John the Baptist came with this message Mark 1.4 Yea the Apostle tells us that this is the work of every Minister 2 Cor. 5.18 19 20. Hath committed to us the word of reconciliation so then we are Embassadors for Christ as if God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled to God So that every Sermon that the faithful Ministers of Christ preach is a call and knock from Christ to open unto him 3. Sometimes Christ calls by the secret impulses of his Spirit and convictions of our own Consciences Thus we read Acts 2.37 when they heard the Apostles Sermon They were pricked at their hearts and cried out Men and brethren what shall we do to be saved Here was an inward impulse of the Spirit upon their Consciences accompanying the outward preaching of the Word Thus God secretly opened the Heart of Lydia to attend to what was preached by Paul Acts 16.14 And thus the Jaylor was wrought upon by the Spirit of God Acts 16.29 30 31 c. This secret impulse of the Spirit and conviction of Conscience sinners many times have when they are going on in their sins though they do not always give heed and hearken to it And this many times the people of God have when they begin to be lazy drowzy and to fall asleep in security and therefore the Apostle bids us not to quench or grieve the Spirit of God 1 Thess 5.19 Ephes 4.30 And indeed the two former ways of Christ his knocking and calling are ineffectual unless they be accompanied with this last way of calling For neither Ordinances nor Providences can awaken sinners unless the Spirit of God work by them And therefore we read Job 36.8 9 c. that he first binds them in Cords and then opens their ears to discipline 4. The next thing to be enquired into is For what end Christ knocks and calls or what it is which Christ would have when he knocks And to this I answer In general That the end or reason of Christs knocks and calls are various according to the different state and conditions of those at the doors of whose Heart he calls But usually when he calls he would have or designes one or more of these ends or things 1. To awaken sinners out of their deep sleep in sin and security

Sinners are by nature so fast asleep in such a dead sleep of sin and security that nothing less than the voice of the Son of God knocking and speaking at the door of their Hearts will awaken them hence we read John 5.25 That the time is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live Which must be meant not of a natural Death or of the day of Resurrection but of a Death in sin because he saith the time now is And therefore saith the Apostle Eph. 2.1 You hath he quickned i. e. by the powerful voice of his Spirit Who were dead in trespasses and sins Would you see what one of Christ's calls are in this case read Eph. 5.14 Awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead and Christ shall give thee life This he speaks not onely to the Ear by his Word but to the Heart by his Spirit 2. Christ his calls at the doors of our hearts many times designe Repentance Repentance is a Gospel-duty incumbent upon every person Acts 17.30 But now commands all men every where to repent And for this end he sends forth his Ministers to preach the Doctrine of Repentance to shew the necessity of Repentance and that there is great reason or cause for Repentance because we have sinned and thereby departed from God and cannot come to him again but by Repentance It is called The Doctrine of Repentance because Repentance is properly a Gospel-doctrine a Doctrine that the Law preacheth not for the Law or Covenant of Works admits of no Repentance but upon our breach of the Law immediately pronounceth a Curse Gal. 3.10 Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to do them But the Gospel-covenant admits of yea calls for Repentance as the way and means to obtain Mercy yea promiseth Mercy and Pardon upon our Repentance Prov. 28.13 He that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall find mercy Therefore the Gospel tells us that Except we repent we shall all likewise perish Luke 13 5. If persons be in a state of unregeneracy then Christ knocks by his Word and by his Providences by his Mercies and his business with them is to shew that there is a necessity of their Repentance and that they must either repent or perish everlastingly If persons be in a state of regeneracy and have by some temptation or other lapsed or fallen into Sin or it may be have some Sin lodging in them not yet truely discovered and consequently not particularly repented of Then and in such case Christ calls to renewed and enlarged acts of Repentance for Repentance is a grace that concerns us all our lives long And therefore the calls of Christ in this case may be such as these Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand 3. Christ calls to reconciliation with God When Christ comes to the door of thine Heart he comeS as a mediator and peace-maker to make peace between God and thy Soul which are at variance with each other and by reason of sin have an utter enmity against each other The cause of this enmity Christ hath taken away by his death upon the Cross and nailed it to his Cross The cause being removed he comes and calls to intreat that the enmity it self may be taken away and we would be reconciled unto God 2 Cor. 5.18 19 20. Though there be little reason for it yet man is hard to be wooed and perswaded to cast out of his heart the enmity that is lodged there against God and his way● And therefore Christ is forced to knock and call again and again before we will in this case be perswaded to yield to his suit 4. Christ calls for a closure with himself by Faith as the onely way and means to obtain peace and reconcilation with God We by our Sins are indebted to God more than ever we are able to pay are therefore in danger to be arrested by Divine Justice and cast into prison where we may lie and rot to all eternity Jesus Christ seeing us in this misery and distress comes and calls at the door of our hearts offers to be our Surety to pay every farthing of our debt for us and that upon this condition only that he may have our full and free consent to do this for us and that we will accept of with thankfulness what kindness he shews herein and rely upon him for the perfecting of this work for us and where-ever Justice shall lay any charge or accusation against us we will by Faith confidently and stedfastly plead his Satisfaction for our Discharge This is all that he requires from us and upon this condition only promiseth to pay our Debt reconcile us to God free us from imprisonment and seal us an absolute and full discharge that shall for ever stand good to all intents and purposes And therefore Christ his calls in this case are such as these Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Isai 55.1 H● every one that thirsts come unto the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come and buy wine and milk without money and without price Rev. 22.17 Let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take of the waters of life freely and he assures us John 1.12 that As many as receive him upon these terms to them he will give power to become the sons of God to them that thus believe on his Name And surely one would think this call is worthy to be embraced with all readiness of heart and thankfulness 5. Christ calls to sincere and hearty obedience to his commands and subjection to his revealed Will and Law he calls to take his yoke upon us and learn of him Mat. 11.29 This call is like unto that of Boaz to his Kinsman Ruth 4. Buy Naomi's inheritance but know also that thou must buy it of Ruth i. e. buy the inheritance but thou must take her to be thy wife also to raise up seed to thy kinsman that is dead So saith our Saviour Come and take the inheritance that I have purchased for th●● and thou art freely welcome to it but know that in the day where●in thou dost this thou must also 〈◊〉 me to be thy Lord and Husband and 〈◊〉 solemnly engage to behave thy 〈◊〉 as a loyal faithful and obedient wife to me thou must take me wholly as I am onely absolutely and everlastingly not only for a Priest to make atonement for thy Sins and to sanctifie and offer thy gifts to the Father but as a Prophet to teach thee such Laws Statutes and Judgments as are fit and requisite for thee to observe and as a King to rule and govern thee by my Law Thy heart must be my Throne and there must I sit and exercise my Authority and have thy whole man

no good thing Psal 84.11 and doth not he assure us that he that spared not his Son but delivered him up for us all will also with him give us all things that may be good for us Rom. 8.32 Do you think to live more to your own pleasure contentment or comfort Is it not in his presence that there is fulness of joy and at his right hand that there are pleasures for evermore Psal 16.11 Is it not in him alone that the Soul and Conscience can have true peace and a calm and that when nothing but storms and tempests are without read John 16.33 Tell me who but Christ can put your Soul into Davids frame of Spirit when in Davids condition Psal 63. banished hunted persecuted in the Wilderness destitute of maintenance friends a resting-place Ordinances every hour in jeopardy of his life and yet his Soul filled as with marrow and fatness in the company and enjoyment of God there could he sing and give ●raise In such a condition also was he when he penned Psalm 57. and yet his heart was fixed to sing and give praise If you think you can ●ive more profitably or more pleasantly without Christ in worldly and sinful ways and courses let me desire you to take a view of your time carriages and manner of life that that is by past And let me ask you the same question that the Apostle doth Rom. 6.21 What fruit had you then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed This I will assure you that either in respect of profit pleasure honour or comfort no company is like to Christs Oh! therefore let not him stand without while worse company is entertained in your hearts What is the reason why Christians hearts are so full of guilt doubts fears and dissatisfactions of every kinde but for want of the company and presence of Christ If this Sun of righteousness did but with healing under his wings arise upon and shine into our hearts he would quickly dispel and scatter all those midnight fogs and terrours that do so disturb and disquiet us and render our lives so uncomfortable 2. Suppose that you could live well enough without Christ while you live in this world Let me ask you what you will do or how you will make up your accounts at Death and Judgment without him You know that It is appointed to all men once to die and after death the judgment You know also that we must all appear before the Judgment-seat of Christ for God hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world by Jesus Christ Acts 17.31 and that in that day We must give him account of all that we have done in the flesh whether good or evil whether secret or open whether in thought word or deed there then we cannot avoid the meeting with Christ how then do you think that Christ the Judge will look upon you at that day who have so slightly looked upon him when he stood knocking at the door of your hearts Read with seriousness Prov. 1.24 to the end Matth. 25.11 12. Oh! the countenance and looks of Christ which to you now is despicable but to the Saints lovely will to you then be most dreadful and terrible Then will you cry to the mountains and hills to fall on you and to hide you from the presence of the Lord and from the wrath of the Lamb for the great day of his wrath is come and who is able to abide it 3. Let me further ask you What is it that hinders you from opening to Christ at present Is it any thing that hath the colour or face of reason in it If not why do you suffer it to hinder you If it have let us examine it and see what strength of reason may be in it I can but at present call to minde these Three great and main hinderances that keep men off from opening to Christ at his call 1. The low and mean esteem which persons have of Christ's company feasts and banquets The generality of the world are clearly for some sensible good thing Who will shew us any good thing Psal 4.6 Something that may yield them some present advantage that may advance their estate their credit pleasure or honour something that they may see with their eyes or handle or taste c. something that is obvious to sense but as for invisible things an interest in Christ in the Covenant of Grace a future reward in another Life only for the present to be received and apprehended in the promise these things are little store set by If Christ would give them of these worldly good things then they would set store by him But if he tell them of spiritual Feasts of a Treasure in Heaven of a Crown of Glory and such like things these are not much taking with the generality of the world And therefore Christ his Feasts Company and Benefits being spiritual are little store set by by carnal hearts and when they are called upon to open to him they make light of it as not judging him worth the opening to But that this is a great mistake I might easily demonstrate for we have little reason to have so low an esteem and value of Christ his Benefits and Banquets if we do but rightly understand our selves We will suppose a man to have all that the world can afford him both in respect of profit pleasure and honour and yet want true peace of conscience true comfort in his Soul can these things give him this without Christ But where a Soul hath Christ he may have peace in his own Soul and Conscience in the absence of these worldly enjoyments David in a wilderness Paul and Silas in a dungeon with their feet fast in the stocks their stripes and wounds unwashed can sing praises to God with a merry and chearful heart Nay my Friends it is impossible for me to express that quietness and serenity of Spirit that abundant peace of Conscience Joy of heart contentation and satisfaction which a Believer enjoys in the company of and communion with Christ therefore it is called a Peace which passeth all understanding Phil. 4.7 It is called A Joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 It is not what a man hath but what gives true Peace Satisfaction and contentment to the Soul that makes a man happy and this none but Christ can do And therefore his company and banquets must needs be not so despicable as many men account them But alas it is their ignorance and want of experience would they but be perswaded to open to Christ and make trial of the excellency of his company and rarity of his banquets they would have a more venerable esteem for Christ than now they have 2. Another grand hindrance that keeps us off from opening to Christ is the urgency of other business When Christ comes and calls persons are so crowded with other business that they cannot be at leisure to open to him or give