Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	flesh_n	jesus_n	sin_n	5,612	5	4.6374	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A15496	The anchor of faith Vpon which, a Christian may repose in all manner of temptations. Especially in that great and dangerous gulfe of desperation. Wherein so many ouer-whelmed with the weight and burthen of their sinne, and not resisting themselues by the hand of faith, vpon the promises and inuitations of Christ, haue with Caine and Judas most fearefully fallen and shipwrackt themselues, to the vtter confusion both of body and soule for euer.; Physicke, to cure the most dangerous disease of desperation	Willymat, William, d. 1615.	1628 (1628)	STC 25763.5; ESTC S102508	45,869	112

the middest of the bondage of sinne for sinne is the death and damnation of the ●oule Now hee cannot saue vs except sinne bee first taken from vs And therefore and for this cause came Iesus Christ the Son of God Ioh. 8. and hee hath declared himselfe to the world to the end that he should take away sinnes and should destroy the workes of the Diuell If it bee so that Iesus Christ be come into the world to take away sins and if the same were his intent and his message the purpose of Iesus Christ shall not fayle at all and his message remaineth stedfast and true he then without all doubt hath taken away this which the Diuell would perswade vs to be a cause of Desperation this great seruitude and bondage of sinne from all those that trust in him and do verily beleeue and perswade themselues in the bottome of their consciences that it is most true but yet how comes this to passe to wit by Iesus Christ onely by his owne free grace and mercy by the benefitts and merites of himselfe who is our onely Sauiour without any other meane or merit Ioh. 1.29 for he is the only Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world As also S. Peter said to the Iewes Act. 4 12. There is none other saluation but onely in Iesus Christ for among men there is giuē none other name vnder heauē wherby we must be saued And so Christ himselfe said after he was risen from the dead It must needs haue bin Luk. 24.44 that Christ must haue suffered death that he must haue risen the third day frō the dead that amēdmēt of life forgiuenes of sins must be preached in his name to all people to all nations O ho● swe●te and comfortable are these wor●s and sayings of God which is the onely eternall truth indeed O how worthy are they to bée laid v● in the depth of our hearts and to haue our whole confidence reposed freely vp●n them And to the Collossians it is sai● Collos 2 God hath quickened vs which were dead in sins with Iesus Christ forgiuing vs all our trespasses hath put out the hand-writing that was against vs he euen took it out of the way fastened it on the Crosse What meaneth he by this but onely that Iesus Christ hath taken away the obligatio● of our debt to wit that we did owe for our sinnes and hath taken it tied it wi h himselfe vpon the Cross● ●ath indéed paid it full bitterly w●o also is for vs will surely take away this grea seruitude bondage of sin wh●ch the Diuel would vse as an instrument of Desperation against vs in case we wil belieue his word that we can setle our minds quiet our hearts to account esteeme his bitter passion and merits to bee so great and of such value that they are able effectuall and of sufficient strength to obtaine these oforesaid thinges for vs. And Christes prayer to his heauenly Father is heard and remaineth heard continually when he praied saying Ioh. 17 20 I pray not for these alōe meaning his three present Disciples but for them also which shall belieue in me through their word Wherefore the same prayer includeth euery one of vs so farre forth as wee belieue and place the same in our hearts and wholy repose our selues thereon And S. Peter saith Iesus Christ hath cōmanded vs to preach vnto the people Act. 10.42 43. to testifie that it is he that is ordayned of God a Iudge of the quick the dead that to him all the Prophets giue witnes that through his name all that belieue should receiue remission of sins Moreouer S. Paul saith 2. Cor. 5.21 God hath made him which knew no sinne sinne for vs to the end that wee should be made the righteousnes of God in him And here is to be noted What manner of righteousnes God●●quireth at our hands what righteousnes or Iustice goodnes that is which God requireth and esteemeth which is no other but that onely which dwelleath and holdeth vppon the Iustice Goodnesse and merit of Iesus Christ being vtterly ignorant of the Iustice or Righteousnes and goodnes which many do seeke in their owne good workes But yet when I stand so much vpon this point to prooue that our sinnes should be no cause of Desperation a thing which the diuell greatly vrgeth obiecteth against the conscience of an ignorant man for that our sins are taken away by the innocent Lambe Christ Iesus that he hath sufficiently paid the ransome therof that we are become righteous by the righteousnes of Iesus Christ it is not here my meaning neither wold I haue any man so to mistake mee and mis vnderstand me that I thinke or would haue any other men to thinke hereby that there is no more sinne in vs or that sinne dwelleth not in these our mortall bodies Sin dwelle●h euen in the beleeuers in the most righteous men in the world but yet raigneth not in th● 〈◊〉 for I confesse it plainly and it is too true that sinne indeede dwelleth in vs but yet to the great comfort of an afflicted conscience against desperation I affirme it hauing the holy scriptures for my teachers herein that although the roote of sin the naughty disposition and inclination to sinne remaineth alwaies strong in a Christian and neuer can be wholy vanquished before we put off by death this sinfull flesh of ours although I say it doe dwell in vs yet it doth not raign in any Christiā beleeuer yet it is not able to damne a true faithfull beleeuer it cannot I say damne vs for as much as we are in Iesus Christ and that we doe fight and striue against the remanent of sinne albeit we stagger and wauer sometimes and doe feele and perceiue our selues to be assayled somtimes by the strong temptations of the diuell and the flesh This is it that S. Paul writeth of when he saith Rom. 8.1 There is now no damnation to them that are in Christ Iesus which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit The remanent and roote of sin dwelleth alwaies in vs but we like vnto licentious worldlings giue it not the bridle and suffer it not to range too farre and to take too deepe a roote but wee breake it tame it and make it subiect vnto vs by walking after the spirit c. and then nothing more sure then that there shal be no condemnation at al vnto vs thereby neither any cause of desperation therby for that we are iustified by our faith and deliuered from sinne to wit these sinnes which might condemne vs the roote originall and mother of sinne yet notwithstanding still abyding remayning and dwelling in vs against which we warre and striue as long as we continue in this life but the victory remaineth to our Chieftaine and head-Captaine Iesus Christ by

the law of his spirit which maketh vs to liue in him and hath set vs free from the right of sin and death in such sort that wee may no more feare sinne nor death by Iesus Christ who hath ouercome all for our wealth and hath reconciled vs eternally to his Father who as our deare Father from hence-forth will shew fauour vnto vs for the loue of Iesus Christ his deare Sonne and so will take from vs all our sinnes as though we had neuer committed them Euen so doth he promise saying Mich. 7.18 19. God is one God willing to shew vs grace mercy he wil turn to vs wil be fauourable he wil take away our iniquities cast our sinns into the depth of the sea And again it is said of Gods wōderfull mercies The Lord is full of compassiō mercy Psal 103.8.9.10 c long suffering of great goodnes He wil not alwaies be chiding neither keepeth he his anger for euer He hath not delt with vs after our sins nor rewarded vs according to our iniquities For look how high the heauen is in comparison of the earth so great is his mercy also towards them that feare him Looke how wide also the east is from the west so far hath he set our sins frō vs. Yea like as a father pittieth his own children euen so is the Lord merciful vnto them that feare him for he knoweth wherof we be made he remembreth that we are but dust c. Of the great mercies of God towards sinners read more in Psal 145.8.9 Places of holy Scriptures setting forth Gods great mercies and 147.8.10 in Ioel. 2.13 Math. 18.11 2. Cor. 1.3 Eph. 2.4 1. Tim. 1.13 vnto the 18. verse Surely these places are words of most rare and singuler comfort and they be certaine firme sure and vnchangeable spoken and pronounced by the eternall verity it selfe therefore not to be mistrusted or dispaired of But yet let vs take heed least that verse be verified in vs Stulti cum vitant vitia in contraria currunt Let vs not abuse Gods mercies making a cloake thereof to couer our sinnes Let vs not presume too far and say as in Ecclesiastic 5.6 The mercy of God is great he wil forgiue my manifold sins for mercy wrath commeth from him c. CHAP. 4 The fourth Chapter concerning the Remedies to be vsed against the fourth cause of Desperatiō arising of the doubts suggested by the Diuel vnto many men to bring them into dispayre of their saluation by meanes of the small number of those that shall be saued in comparison of the great nūber of the reprobate A catalogue or rehearsall of many thinges whereby the Diuell craftily tempteth men to sin and desperation GReat indeed is the power manifold meruailous are the polices deuices wiles subtilties assaults and suggestions wherewith and wherby that wylie Foxe that old bitten Dogge that subtle Sathan the Diuell dayly and hourely practiseth to entice allure and euen as it were to force multitudes of men heare on earth into one sinne or other wherunto he findeth and proueth them to be naturally inclined and last of all vpon one occasion or other into Desperation If he espieth a man to be rich How the diuel tempteth by riches and to haue worldly blessings through the gift of God then will he apply him earnestly by his prosperity to lull him asleepe in the forgetfulnesse of God in worldly Pleasures pleasant Vanities transitory delights comforts and solaces and by trusting in his riches to lift vp himselfe arrogantly aboue others to swell in pride and to contemne his brethren committing and that with great sawcinesse and boldnesse manie fond palpable and grosse errors and follies against Gods word euen as if hee should say Who is the Lord On the other side if a man be poore he laboureth therby to make him contemptible before the world How the diuel tempteth by pouerty to pinch and nip him with the want of many thinges necessary both for backe and belly that hee seeth before his face many others haue in great in aboundant measure he soliciteth him to steale Pro. 30.9 to take the name of God in vaine to seeke after gaine by vnhonest vnlawfull and vngodly meanes to murmure distrust blaspheme and despayre How the Diuell tempteth by friends Gen. 3.6 Iob. 2.9 Ester 5.14 If a man haue friends he will vse them as his instruments to tempt vnto some euill by their lewd and wicked counsaile as he did procure Euah to doe vnto Adam Iob his wife to Iob. Haman his Wife vnto Haman How the Diuell tempteth by enemies If thou hast enemies then will he prick thee foreward by their procedings and dealings against thee vnto vniust choller wicked anger and diuelish reuenge If thou be carefull for thy family wife and children he will take hold vpon that occasiō to stuffe thy heart with too much desire of hauing How the Diuell tempteth by carefulnes and getting by right or by wrong and thereby through extreame couetousnes make thee to forgoe all godlines and piety How the Diuell tempteth by security and carelesnes On the other side if thou be careles that 's it that he can make vse of also for as S. Bernard saith Infert diabolus securitatē vt inferat etiam perditionem c. In heauē Angels became diuels In Paradise Adam and Euah fel into disobedience In the schoole of Christ Iudas became a traitor to his Lord Maister al this saith S. Bern. through security and retchlesnes to keepe themselues in that good state wherein they were once set Hast thou strength thereby will hee take occasion to embolden and harden thee to doe iniury and wrong and to set vpon thy weaker Hast thou health and a strong able body How the Diuell tempteth by strength by health ablenesse of body beauty by those will hee induce and entice thée to one kinde or other of lewdnes and dissolutnes Hast thou beauty that will he make an instrument for bawdry an inticemēt and an allurement to voluptuousnes wanton delights Hast thou honour and dignity in the world How the diuel tempteth by honour and dignity thereby will he blow the bellows of pride audacity and boldnesse to oppresse to crush and tread vnder foote thine inferiours Hast thou viuacity How the Diuell tempteth by quicknes of spirit sharpnes of wit quicknes of spirit and sharpenes of wit and learning these also will he striue to abuse wrest to serue his turne to excogitate inuent and deuise a thousand vanities yea all the rare and excellent guiftes of God which God doth bestow on any man this Diuell this arch-enemy of mankind will leaue no waies nor meanes vnattempted to procure man to abuse the same to a cleane contrary ende if it were possible to that for which they were bestowed How the diuel tempteth by

THE ANCHOR of FAITH Vpon which A Christian may Repose in all manner of Temptations Especially in that Great and Dangerous Gulfe of DESPERATION Wherein so many ouer-whelmed with the weight and Burthen of their Sinne and not resting themselues by the Hand of Faith vpon the Promises and Inuitations of CHRIST haue with Caine and Judas most fearefully fallen and shipwrackt themselues to the vtter Confusion both of Body and Soule for euer PROV 18.14 The Body will beare his infirmitie but a Broken and wounded Spirit who can beare St. August in lib. de Vtilitate poenitentiae agendae Least wee should increase our sinnes by despayring the gate of Repentance is set open vnto vs. Least by presuming the day of our Death is concealed from vs. LONDON Printed for Robert Wilson and are to bee sold at his Shop at Grayes-Inne new Gate in Holborne 1628. A PREFACE TO THE Christian Reader IT is a Wonder of the World a wonder to bee seriously marked and diligently considered of and a wonder being seriously marked and diligently considered of worthy to bee deepely wayed and inwardly to bee laid vp in m●n● hearts as a thing most necessary profitable and auaileable to Christian piety and euerlasting felicity both of soule and body The thing 〈◊〉 bee ●dred 〈◊〉 seriou● to be ●sidere● to see and to thinke of it how carefull watchfull diligent earnest and painfull almost all the world euery where is to auoyde to preuent to cure and to remedy all such troubles crosses griefes maladies infirmities and sicknesses as do or may befall the body And on the other side to see or finde so few watchfull carefull and painefull to auoid preuent cure or expel the most dangerous wounds of the Spirit the troubles of the conscience or desperation a mischiefe of all other mischiefes most needfull to be looked into 〈◊〉 se● thing 〈◊〉 bee ●dred ●nd se●sly to 〈◊〉 ●d of It is a wonder to see and consider how many there are in the World which either loath and are aff●aide of bodily sicknes or loue like health will send for and seeke run and ride after bodily Phisitions and enquire after the best the most expert most skilfull of them to learne by their direction and to bee aduised by their counsaile though it cost their purse full deare how to purge and auoide such corrupt humours as may breede though not presently bring forth noysome diseases and sicknesses how carefull and how scrupulous they are to keepe a temperate order and a dyet in eating and drinking and how moderate they will be in sleepe and all other bodily exercises And on the other side how few there bee in the World that will either abate their sleepe forgoe their pleasures abridge their dyets or seeke after the spirituall Phisition or prepare Phisicke to purge and expell those dangerous peccant humors of notorious and hainous sinnes which in time will both breede bring forth the most deadly disease of Desperation the very Peste of soule and body for euer It is a wonder to see The 〈◊〉 thing bee ●dred how many abhorre and are affraid of worldly pouerty and for the auoiding thereof and for the loue and liking of transitory riches will with great carke and care rise vp early and late take their rest they will fare hardly and go clad full barely they will hazard both bodies and soules they will toyle and teare their flesh in vnmeasurable labours by land and sea bee the weather faire bee it foule per mare pauperiem fugientes per saxa per ignes And yet on the other side how few can abide any costes charges or paines to escape and remedie spirituall decayes to auoyde pouerty of conscience or in time before it be too late to beware that they be not plunged ere they be aware into the most deadly and diuelish gulph of Desperation as though saluation and peace of a godly conscience were a matter not worthy the talking of or labouring for It is a lamentable thing to behold how many in the world will vndertake and attempt any thing ●ing to ●men● bee it neuer so chargeable troublesome not sluggish nor sleepie not carelesse and slothfull but most earnest and watchfull most careful and painefull at euery assay by Prudence and prowesse by witte and by warinesse by counsaile and by cunning by learning and by labouring ambitiously to hunt gaine and gape after honor and vnfatigably seeke to attaine fame and highly account of it to be gazed on talked of with the eyes and tongues of all men And againe how few take any care at all or once endeauour themselues to auoyd shame confusion in the presence of the Almighty to become glorious in the sight of GOD and his Angels and to vse and exercise any of those good meanes and instruments ordained and appointed of God for the increase of Faith Hope and Charity and for the weakening and abandoning of all desperation and diffidence in Gods infinite mercies and infallible promises It is a lamentable thing to marke and consider how vigilant careful The secōd th● to bee ●mented and heedfull many of the wiser and circumspecter sort of men of this world will bee to escape and auoyd all the penalties paines and punishments prouided and set downe for offenders of mortall mens lawes how painefull they will be in Penall Statutes how skilfull in euery branch of the Ciuill Lawes least they should ignorantly incurre the dangers of imprisonment of losse of landes forfeytures of their goods or death it selfe Many haue greater care of mortal mens laws then of Gods lawes But the mighty God the only highest Law-giuer that Lord of Lordes and King of all Kings Let him ordeyne publish and proclaime his Lawes Statutes and Ordinances to be hearkned vnto obserued and kept and that vnder neuer so rigorous and Seuere conditions punishments and penalties How few men will search his Booke of Statutes and Lawes How few are affraid of his not temporary but euerlasting threatninges and punishments contained in his Lawes and how few men regard esteeme and thankfully embrace his couenant of reconciliation set forth in his most ioyfull and comfortable Gospell And yet most certaine it is that all these aforesaid things so much to bee wondred at and so greatly to bee lamented for so lightly looked on so smally regarded and so little thought on many such other of the like fraternity and order of disorders sins being delighted in and securely continued in without all care or indeauour to forsake them in time by repentance true returning to the Lord doe first breed or in gender and afterwards bring forth Desperation then the which all the Furies and Diuells in hell cannot lightly excogitate nor find out a greater torment or a more intolerable paine and that because that all other torments penalties and paines are but temporall and pursue men no further then bodily death but this endeth not with

rest of the Apostles saying Men brethren Act. 2. what shall we do Euen thus I say let vs come vnto Gods Ministers Counsell f●r the ignorant very necessary and confesse acknowledge our great blindnes and ignorance and say vnto them Help vs instruct vs teach vs set vs in the way guid vs in the paths of the knowledge of God and of our saluation What the true Ministers of gods word are for surely they are the Phisitions and Surgions of our soules so that if w● repayre vnto them they shall giue vs t● drinke of the holesome waters of knowledge to quench our thirst of Ignorance they are the dispencers of the manifolde graces of God the Lords Stewards to giue each one of vs our portions in due time We haue not Christ alwaies amongst vs as appertayning to his bodely presence but as himselfe saith we haue the Poore alwaies amongst vs euen so also we haue not Christ himselfe that body I meane which sitteth at the right hand of God the father alwaies with vs but yet our Lord Christ ascending vp on high gaue vnto men among other giftes this gift also if we could rightly cōsider of it of no smal value euē Pastors Doctors that is the Ministers of the Gospell of Christ that might instruct informe and teach vs in the way of life that might declare vnto vs the secret counsailes hiden misteries of God How the true ministers of Gods word are to be accounted of thet might arme vs with the Sword of the Spirit which is the word of God to encounter resist our deadly enemy the Diuel therwith Let vs ioyfully receiue them for who so receiueth them as they ought to be receiueth also with thē him that sent them whose Messengers they are Let vs heare them for they bring vnto vs the word of life Let vs giue credit vnto the Lords Ministers Glory vnto the Lord himselfe that hath giuen in his great loue this blessing vnto vs to haue his messengers and Ambassadours abiding among vs to declare and make known vnto vs by them what his own good will and pleasure is in all thinges to the auoiding of this blind ignorance the very mother of Desperation and so consequently of eternall Damnation with the Author thereof and his cursed Angels for euer CHAP. 3 Of the great seruitude bondage of sins and of the remedies thereof COncerning the great seruitude and bondage of sin being the third before noted cause of Desperation for the helpes and remedies thereof this haue I briefly to say that what though we haue bin seruants vnto sinne and haue bene pressed and surpressed with the bondage thereof so that we must néedes confesse vnlesse we should proue our selues lyars and thrt there were no truth in vs that we through our often doing of those thinges which we should not haue done on the other side through our leauing off those things vndon which we should haue done haue most iustly deserued Gods threatned curses and plagues to light on our bodies our soules our children our stockes our croppes euery thing else we goe about put our hands vnto What though our sinnes fight against our soules and gnaw our consciences and be ready euen out of hand to lead vs into the most dangerous state of Desperation Examples tending to the strengthning of our faith hope and patience against desperation What though wee haue contended fallen out with our brethrā as did Paul and Barnabas who were so hot in contententiō one against another that they forsooke one an others company in high displeasure and heat of their stomacks the one taking with him Luke the other Iohn What though wee haue yeelded vnto practised and followed Oppression Extortion polling pilling and wresting that wee can by hooke or crooke from our brethren Luke 19 2 So did Zaoheus yet notwithstanding after his repentance his forsaking ceasing from bad getting his restitution and almes giuing receaued that most chearefull and comfortable saying of Chiist This day is saluation entred into thine house Luk. 19 9 What though we haue bin théeues robbers stealers of our neighbours goods so was the théefe that was crucified with Christ and yet vpon eis humble contrite and sorrowfull confession of his sinnes he heard this most sweete word from Christ This day shalt thou be with mee in Paradise What though we haue murthered and sh●d the blood or caused the bloud to be shed of some of our brethren so did Dauid to Vrias and yet vpon his zealous inward true vnfained sorrowfulnes repentance hee was not taken away in his sinne but found pardon And so did the Iewes which put to death the Lord of life 〈◊〉 Manasses was an Idolater he def●●● th● Temple of God hee with stood 〈◊〉 beat downe the truth 2 K●●● hee set vp Ido●●●ry he was a coniurer a Southsa●●● 〈◊〉 shed aboundance of Innocent 〈◊〉 so that the streets flowed therewith he committed more abhominations thē the Cananites or Amorites whō for their filthines the Lord cut off out of the land of the liuing he sacrificed his sonnes and daughters to Diuells and yet vpon his true returning to the Lord from the bottom of his heart he found fauour and mercy If our sinnes then 2. Chr. 33. or the sins of any one of vs were as grieuous as euer were the sins of Manasses yet vpon our true and vnfained returne to the Lord shall we despayre of his mercy shall we or may we or daie we thinke that the mercy and power of the Lord is shortened or that God is not the s●●●e God he was Is he not as ready to pardon forgiue sinnes the sinnes of a m●● repenting returning faithfully c●●ling vpon him as euer he was the sinnes of Manasses All these examples and many more are written for our learning comfort strengthning of our faith hope and patience that we should in no wise despayre vpon our true repentance neither for the multitude nor grieuousnesse of our sinnes And likewise also it is written for the brusing as it were euen for the breaking of the backe of all damnable Desperation and to hold the hearts and to restore the fainting and dull spirites of all such as the seruitude and bondage of sinne this our third cause of Desperation doth vexe and presse downe It is I say written that the Sonne of man is come to saue mens liues Luk. 9.56 And he himselfe hath said I am come to call not the iust but sinners Math. 10. Math. 20 Ioh. 3. Wherfore Christ came into this world And againe Iesus Christ is come to giue his life a redemptiō for many Also God the father hath not sent his Son to iudge the World but to the end the world may be saued by him Now what is it to saue not to iudge but to deliuer from death and damnation wherein we lay in