A55752:312
Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity…
Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity and duty of Gods children by the late Reverend and Faithful Minister of Jesus Christ, John Preston ...Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity and duty of Gods children by the late Reverend and Faithfull Minister of Jesus Christ, John Preston ...
London: printed by J.T., 1658
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The first benefit is this which a Christian gets by enjoying 1the spirit. That it puts the heart in a good frame of grace, I say that the spirit, and the spirit only doth this: And I speak of them only that have the spirit: That it sets the heart in a frame of holiness and new obedience which nature cannot do, because it keeps it in suspense; That is, the flesh suffereth it not to do what it would, as to break the stubbornness of nature; the flesh will make you very industrious and painful in evil. But the spirit will restrain your liberty in evil: That is, it will not suffer you to do what you would; though the lust and the temptation be violent to carry you away after it, the spirit will not suffer you to be carried after that manner so long as the Spirit lives in the heart; but if once the Spirit depart out of the heart; then he becomes as weak as water. Thus it was with Reuben in Gen. 44. Reuben is become as weak as water: and he became 2thus after he had defiled his fathers bed: that is when lust and opportunity met together, they took away strength: and it weakens us, because it draws away the affections from good. But when the spirit comes then it casts us into another frame, as appears if we do but compare these two places together that in James 4. 5. with that in Act. 20. 322. Saint James saith; That the Spirit lusteth after envy. That is, it laboureth to carry us headlong unto the committing of sin and to the doing of that which is evil; but then comes the sanctifying Spirit and it stays us, and makes us to lust after God, that is, it binds up your spirits, suffers us not to do that which other ways we would do.
The first benefit is this which a Christian gets by enjoying 1the spirit. That it puts the heart in a good frame of grace, I say that the spirit, and the spirit onely doth this: And I speak of them onely that have the spirit: That it sets the heart in a frame of holines and new obedience which nature cannot do, because it keepes it in suspense; That is, the flesh suffereth it not to do what it would, as to break the stubbornness of nature; the flesh will make you very industrious and painful in evil. But the spirit will restrain your libertie in evil: That is, it will not suffer you to do what you would; though the lust and the temptation be violent to carry you away after it, the spirit will not suffer you to be carried after that manner so long as the Spirit lives in the heart; but if once the Spirit depart out of the heart; then he becomes as weak as water. Thus it was with Reuben in