Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	aaron_n	apostle_n	bishop_n	18	3	4.8156	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34689	A practicall commentary, or an exposition with observations, reasons, and vses upon the first Epistle generall of John by ... John Cotton ...	Cotton, John, 1584-1652.; R. D. (Roger Drake), 1608-1669.; Scott, Chr. (Christopher), fl. 1655.	1658 (1658)	Wing C6452; ESTC R5113	587,691	443

require this the Apostle cals a shew of Religion which is hypocrisie and so at this day among the Fryars they have a shew of Religion they take up worships which God doth dot require of which it may be said Who required those things of you the Galatians did observe dayes and months and years therefore the Apostle is afraid that he hath bestowed his labour in vain upon them Chap. 4.10 11. 3. What was the spirit of their discipline and government they did affect primacy the Apostles were no sooner removed out of the world but this spirit began to spring up yea while some of them lived John 3.9 2. That that spirit did affect and exercise tyranny casting out of the Church such Ministers as were more faithful 3 Epist John 9.10 Diotrephes would not receive John himselfe nor his brethren nor would suffer those that would that spirit hath been in the Church of Rome from that day to this A second part of their tyranny was in imposing upon them unprofitable courses unprofitable they were because they did perish in the using Col. 2.20 to 22. 3. There was a spirit of coveteousnesse in Ministers they did not savour the things of God but did relish wealth and ambition Jude 11. they follow the wayes of sin as Cain did In Cain there was first hypocrisie he offers a sacrifice and when he saw his brothers sacrifice accepted being offered in faith and his not there arose in him a spirit of wrath which ended in bloudshed such was the spirit of Popery in Queen Maries days Some walk in the wayes of Balaam the wayes of coveteousnesse putting stumbling blocks before the people and that for covetousnesse sake Thirdly some have the gainsaying spirit of Korah they gainsay the Ordinances of God like as he rose up against M●ses and Aaron this spirit breathing in Antichristian teachers at this day was hatched in the Apostles time There was a spirit of Schism in the Apostles time some saying I am of Paul and I of Apollo c. 1 Cor. 1.12 and so at this time among the Papists Jude v. 19. Vse 1. See the diligence of Satan to sow tares even in the Apostles times therefore Ministers should watch diligently over their people that no such spirit be sown in their hearts Satan will creep in by dissension the affections being once distempered the judgement will soon be corrupted Wherefore Ministers and people should have a speciall care of dissension for if dissension creep in then soon will you have your worship shut up and then there will be a wofull wast of Religion 2. See the impudence of Heretiques that dare look God in the face and rise up among his many bright and glorious lights in the Apostles times but let no Christians be discouraged by this but rather the more encouraged to contend and strive for the faith of Christ 3. This should teach Schollars not to take any ancient doctrine for truth till they have examined it Though Peter was blessed for the testimony of Christ one part of the day yet he was sharply reproved the same day trust not any doctrine almost in regard of the antiquity of it for it may be Antichristianism though in the Apostles times 4. If we would be growing up in grace from day to day take we heed of the spirit of Antichrist of taking up the worship which God hath not commanded take we heed of hypocrisie a spirit of Popery a shew of devotion Come we to the Sacrament as if we would receive the power of the Lord Jesus vailed in much simplicity take we heed of the spirit of Cain Balaam and Korah gainsaying the Ordinances of God but walk we stedfastly in that Religion we have received 1 JOHN 4.4 Ye are of God little children and have overcome them because greater is he that is in you then he that is in the world AS you had before in the former Verse a sign of the spirit of teachers so in these Verses you have a sign of the spirit of hearers which is double First Sign taken from victory which good hearers have got of bad teachers a good hearer is not overcome of bad teachers but he soon findes them out and overcomes them and this is argued from a double cause First They are of an higher off-spring then corrupt teachers are Secondly From the strength and excellency of their spirits above the spirits of worldly teachers Greater is he that is in you then he that is in the world False Teachers are set forth 1 By their Originall 2 By their false Doctrine He that knoweth God heareth us there is another sign of good hearers they did hear good teachers on the contrary He that is not of God heareth us not You see here First A difference between good and bad teachers good and bad hearers good teachers and good hearers are of God on the contrary bad teachers and bad hearers are of the World Secondly Here is a combat between good and bad teachers and a victory also Good hearers doe overcome bad teachers Thirdly You have the issue of the conflict good hearers overcome Fourthly The cause of the victory is the divine descent and excellency of their Spirit greater is he that is in good hearers then in bad teachers Fifthly Here is a congratulation little children you are of God Doct. That there is in the Church of God two sorts of teachers and two sorts of hearers some of God some of the world Quest Why are good teachers and good hearers said to be of God Answ 1. They are of God because they are of a divine Originall they are born from on high from the seed of the eternall God John 8.23 I am from above saith Christ and such are those that are regenerate they are descended from God whereas those that have no higher off-spring then flesh and blood are of the world 2. They both savour and relish that doctrine Rom. 8.15 They that are of the Spirit of God savour the things of God such as hold forth the mighty power of God veiled in humane frailties they are of God 3. He that is of God hath a place in the Church of God 1 Cor. 12.28 God sets the members of Christ in the Church this is a work of God ver 18. not any member of Christ but the Lord hath set him in that place as all men in the world cannot fit one member to the body but it would be both unprofitable and burthensome except God joyn it to the body so all the men in the world cannot put one member into the spirituall body except God put it in indeed those that are of the world they have a place in the Church too but yet they are not of the Church they are superfluous humors as Christ speaks of the Pharisees Mat 15.13 As it is never well with the body till the noysome humors be purged out so the Church will never be well till those superfluous humors are cut off Vse This

grounded upon this point For proof see 1 Joh. 4.3 1 Tim. 4.1 2. Obj. Doth not the Apostle say that Antichrist shall not come untill there be a general Apostacy and untill that which with-holds him be taken away 2 Thes 2.3 what is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which hindred him A. That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was not the Roman Empire for that was not taken fully away many hundred years after and it is still not wholly taken away but stands upon its two Leggs the Emperor of Turkey and Germany but the things which with-held him was indeed the Emperor himself when the Emperor Constantine removed from Rome to Constantinople then the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was taken away the lustre of the Emperor that Monarch of the World and that Antichrist could not stand together but so soon as the Emperor was departed from Rome Antichrist began to be revealed when as all the Bishops of the Christian World did meet together at the Council of Nice the Bishop of Rome requested by Letter came not pretending indeed the weaknesse of his body and Old Age but Bellarmin plainly tells us the reason It was not meet saith he the Head should follow the Members the Members were rather to follow the Head and if the Emperor were present it was likely he would take his place above the Pope which was not meet the Pope being the Spiritual Head therefore because of this and some other inconveniences the Pope in his discretion thought it meet to absent himself At this time Antichrist began to be revealed to the full for though after that time some godly men were in that Seat as Gregory the Great and some others yet the question is not of the Person but of the place Obj. But the Apostle saith that Let must be first taken away which with-held Antichrist and St. John saith here that many Antichrists were come already how can these two stand together A. Though the Antichrist was not then revealed yet the Mystery of Iniquity did then work in many men when St. John wrote this Epistle and Saint Paul his second Epistle to the Thessalonians for then men began to observe the Traditions of men and the Laws of the Church must be as well kept as Gods Laws against whom St. John wrote in his second Epistle vers 5 6 7. besides some then exalted themselves above their Brethren as you may see in his third Epistle and so did put out their Brethren this was the Spirit which made way for the Bishop of Rome exalting himself above other Bishops as the Emperor was above Kings and Princes this Mystery by degrees encreased now as the King may be said to come when he is yet in his Chamber but some Parliament men go before and the King follows soon after so it is here because Antichrist was not to come nakedly but with Pomp therefore way was made and the Apostle wrote against the spirit of Antichrist then working though Antichrist himself was not so fully revealed till afterwards and so it is plain that which was spoken of Antichrist is in some part fullfilled Vse 1 Confutes a conceit of the Church of Rome that cannot yet discern Antichrist but say Antichrist is some singular person But we say Antichrist is a state that hath many fore-runners and followers and the Pope himself is one of them Obj. But the Article signifies a certain singular person A. Somtimes it doth so yet not always for sometimes it signifies a State as we say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the King made this Law here we understand the Kings afore or present or them that shall come after Mat. 13.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Sower went forth here it is not spoken of one singular Minister Paul or Peter but of every Minister of the Gospel Obj. 2 Thes 2.8 A. True he shall continue till the coming of Christ and shall be abolished by the spirit of his mouth and therefore it cannot be said of one singular person no man liveth such an Age as is from the Council of Nice to the coming of Christ Vse 2 Learn hence the near fellowship that is betwixt Antichrist himself and all that make way for him as all Hereticks do Simon Magus Menander Ebion Pelagius Arius c. they all wrought the coming in of Antichrist and though himself hath condemned many of those Errors yet he so corrupteth the lives of men that Charity waxeth cold and false Doctrins are received some of those Errors this Antichrist still holds when the King himself comes the people will give more room than for the Noble-men that went before so when Antichrist comes himself the people most of all yeild to him though formerly they had received many Errors and therefore it must teach us not to keep any error or superstition for there is a strong Combination betwixt Antichrist and Heresies that wee cannot seperate one from another though we use many stroaks at a Tree before it falls yet every blow makes way for the fall of it so every error makes way for Antichrist and corrupts the true Religion and godlinesse is not seen when the Church was infected with many Errors even then Antichrist arose the way was ready for him to corrupt all Doct. Such is the condition of these last times that they cannot be long without an Antichrist For the Apostle argues reciprocally from the last times to Antichrist and from Antichrist to the last times Antichrist is come therefore it is the last time and it is the last time therefore there must be Antichrists 1 Joh. 4.3 2 Joh. 7. for his relation to the last times 1 Tim. 4.1 in these latter times the Spirit speaks expresly Q. What is the condition of the last times that is so prepared for an Antichrist A. This mutual reference proceeds 1 From the state of the times in the Apostles times there was an itching ear after new Doctrine inwardly loathing the truth and affecting any new Doctrin they can hear 2 Thes 2.10 11 12. 2 Tim. 4.3 4. so that the radical cause of the arising of Antichrist is the itching humour of men after new Doctrin therefore God would send such as should deceive and if you survey the whole Body of Popery it consists either of curious speculations of the School-men whereby they deceive Scholars and the Secular Priests fill the common people with idle Fables and so deceive the whole people 2 From the abundance of knowledge that shall be revealed in the last times as Isa 11.1 to 9. now where there is much knowledge and emptinesse of Grace and Faith there is a world of pride in such 1 Cor. 8.11 2 Tim. 3.1 to 8. for want of faith with their knowledge the time was fit to receive new Doctrins 1 Tim 4.1 2. men of knowledge but no conscience and then no marvel if men entertain Errors 1 Tim. 1.19 Hold faith and a good Conscience which some having put away have erred from the faith whilst some