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	believe_v	people_n	29	3	4.5469	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A70812	The glasse of Gods providence towards his faithfvll ones held forth in a sermon preached to the two Houses of Parliament at Margarets Westminster, Aug. 13, 1644, being an extraordinary day of humiliation : wherein is discovered the great failings that the best are liable unto, upon which God is provoked sometimes to take vengeance : the whole is applyed specially to a more carefull observation of our late covenant, and particularly against the ungodly toleration pleaded for under pretence of liberty of conscience / by Herbert Palmer ...	Palmer, Herbert, 1601-1647.	1644 (1644)	Wing P235; ESTC R5391	64,078	71

we not see the like in the other Sacrament Because very many even the most have had little regard to prepare themselves for the LORDS Supper and have come many a time unduely unworthily without examination of themselves and now is it not come to that passe that great numbers fall off from it altogether and question whether they may come with such and such persons as they like not and if any thing be there done which they like not of and so because they never got any good by coming as some have not stuck to confesse they make amends by staying away altogether and so are wanting still to the Honour of Christ and the good of their own soules to the augmentation of which that Sacrament was ordained and to which it is effectuall in all those that come with faithfull and prepared hearts to it what ever become of other men 2. As we find Moses unwilling to venture himselfe upon the wrath of Pharaoh and to undertake a troublesome and difficult worke So may we not find among us a great deale of guilt in this kind How few are there of us that can afford to venture upon undertakings that are like to provoke the wrath of men specially great men against us How doe we shrinke and draw back and make excuses when we fore-see any difficulty more then ordinary in the imployment Or who can almost find in his heart to engage himselfe in a taske whose certainest wages from men is like to be displeasure and rage 3. As we find Moses complaining in a sort even of GOD Himselfe that he was by Him set about a Thanklesse and Fruitlesse Imployment and that things were worse now after his setting upon it then before though GOD had forewarned him it would be so at the first and afterward that he was not able to endure it any longer and desires to be out of his Life So are not these the Vsuall complaints of many of us in our severall businesses though gone about at the Vndoubted Command of GOD Doe we not often wish that we had never undertaken them How many speake so of this most necessary defence which their owne Consciences still tell them is the Command of God and frequently cry that things grow every day worse and worse and that we are not able to abide it if it continue thus with us but a while longer and we would gladly runne any whether if we knew whether and sometimes wish we could runne out of the World So impatient are we of the frowardnesse of the generation with which GOD will have us to wrastle Even though His Word and all Experience proclaime to us that every worke and every Generation hath its difficulties and that reproaches have ever attended the most noble enterprizes and the Speciall Nature of those we are set about does oftentimes forewarne of speciall difficulties to be Vndergon● as certainely as foule wayes in the depth of Winter But when these come upon us doe we not very often expresse a great deale of discontent and impatience in our families and to others and scarce forbeare repining at GODS owne dealings with us or know how to make a composed Prayer to GOD So disquieted are our minds with disturbances 4. Againe as we find Moses Distrusting GOD the rather because the Perversenesse of the people provoked his spirit So that he Discovers Passion and some Unbeleefe both together even before the people which was to the Dishonour of GOD as GOD Himselfe charges him and Aaron both in the forecited Numb. 20. Yee beleeved me not to sanctify me before the Children of Israel c. And so he takes away which GOD had not appointed him All which together Provoked GOD ●o against him So doe we not every one of us more then Once in our lives even in the sight of others in whose Eyes we should be specially carefull to Sanctify and Glorify GOD Breake out into some impatiencies Specially when men deale perversely with us not to speake of many of our frowardnesses when our selves only are in fault and even visibly manifest Vnbeleefe and Distrust and upon this Venture upon Actions which GOD hath not allowed us And if we find these things in our selves as very few are able to pleade Not guilty We have surely great cause to Humble our selves for them this Day and hereafter and the rather because of the Vengeance we find to our Cost that GOD takes upon our Inventions and Practises in this kind And specially when our Sinnes are such as come into publike View GOD bore with Moses his Impatience and pang of Vnbeleefe Numb. 11. when it was only in secret betweene GOD and Moses But when it came to the Notice of Israel Numb. 20. Then GOD was pleased even to make so faithfull a Servant an Example Then which there is scarce a greater in all the booke of GOD to make us Humble and affraid of any Miscarriage in the sight of Men And if we would observe it narrowly We should find that though GOD be not so severe altogether in outward respects now to the generality of His servants as He was then to some of whom we have the records in Scripture for We have the records but of some and those few in the Scripture that are owned as faithfull and but of some failings of theirs and now and then of some Vengeance taken on those failings Yet seldome doe any of His Servants breake out into faults before the Eyes of by-standers but Some kind of Vengeance or other is ere long taken on those faults even before the Eyes of those that saw their Miscarriage Though this the corrupt and carelesse Heart of Men Seldome observes so much as they doe the other 5. Againe as Aaron severall times is found faulty in yeelding to and complying with others in their practises of untowardnes So how frequently do we the like Those that can and do keep themselves upright when they are alone or in good company out of Temptation Yet are they not very many times overcome with the Importunities of Ill companions Specially of a Multitude to comply with them in their Ills and possibly even to be their Agents and Instruments to doe very badde Acts for them and with them But much more if those that are our neere and deare friends and specially being themselves godly prove to be Tempters to us any way and give us ill example how seldome doe we stand out against such a Shocke But we murmurre against our Superiours and betters as they doe and we distrust GOD and discover our Incredulity to others as they doe before us And indeed doe we not very often thinke this excuse enough for us that the generall Sway of people goes thus and they will have it so and so or that such and such thinke or speake so as well as we and gave us the example before we ventured upon it But GOD by His dealings with Aaron for these

the rock he strikes the rock and that twice vers. 11. And this GOD takes so hainously that He charges him with not sanctifying Him before the children of Israel and not beleeving Him and that therefore he should not goe into the promised Land So that here is a three-fold fault noted in Moses in the story written by himselfe and in the Psalme 1. Some unbeliefe and distrusting that speaking to the rock would not suffice to fetch water thence notwithstanding GODS Word 2. Some impatience of spirit against the peoples untoward murmurings His spirit was provoked by them more and otherwise then it should have been 3. This exprest by unfitting and unadvised speech the story saith he call'd them Rebels and saith Must we fetch you water c. which language though they well enough deserved and worse yet it appeared GOD was not pleased with it in Moses And so you have the account of his faults as the Scripture registers them Then for Aaron 1. This we find in him throughout that what is noted of him is being a second in evill an accessary consenter and actor with others but never alone in any remarkeable fault But particularly three speciall failings are recorded of him 1. Exod. 32 1 4. there is a very great fault that at the peoples sollicitation and importunity he made them an Idol a Golden Calfe and joyned with them in the honouring of it for which GOD was exceeding angry with him to have destroyed him but that Moses interceded for him Deut. 9. 20. A second is Numb. 12. Where he joynes with his sister Miriam who is first named and noted ver. 1. in murmuring against Moses It was strange that he should speake against his own brother so whom he saw GOD had so honoured above him and who had before as was observed but now been a meanes to save him from GODS wrath by his prayers And yet by his sister is he drawne away and become a partner with her in this unnaturall Mutiny And for this GOD is againe angry with him though he layed then no punishment upon his Person yet Aaron confesses himselfe stricken in the leprosie suddenly inflicted for this upon Miriam ver. 10. and 11. His third fault was in consenting to Moses his Distrust and Passion in that 20. of Numb. The Charge was given to both together and GOD blames and threatens them both and accordingly soone after took Vengeance upon Aarons offence and he dies before the end of that Chapter as He did after upon Moses his Of which we have divers Memorandums afterwards shewing the more GODS displeasure against him for this Transgression and of this specially the Text we have in hand speakes This GOD remembers Numb. 27. 12 13 14. And Moses afterward speakes of it with sorrow Deut. 1. 37. and againe Deut. 3. 23 c. where he tels the people how he made a solemne sute of it and prayed earnestly to GOD that He would spare him and shew him that favour that he might goe into the Land of Promise and that GOD would not grant his sute and forbids him to mention it any more to Him ver. 26 27. and once more Moses speakes to Israel of it Deut. 4. 21 22. as shewing how neere it was to him and how great a Judgement he tooke it to be And so we see GODS taking Vengeance upon his inventions also as well as upon Aarons and the Text verified of two of those it speakes of We have a third to looke after whom we must not forget and that is Samuel He was the Judge of Israel by GODS appointment and trained up to be a Prophet from his childhood under the Wing of GOD in Shiloh and he was a very faithfull Servant of GOD Yet there is a fault of his insinuated 1 Sam. 8. that When he was growne old he was partiall towards his children he made his Sons Judges over Israel and they walked not in his wayes but tooke bribes and perverted Justice and it appeares by the sequele that Samuel was too indulgent and favourable to them and therefore the people tooke such a discontent that they would not have his Sons nor himselfe neither rule any more over them but would needs have a King to rule over them and though this was ill done of the people to reject Samuel himselfe and specially to aske a King as appeares by GODS words in that Chapter and by His Displeasure manifested from Heaven 1 Sam. 12. Yet we may read in it GODS Just Vengeance on the misbehaviour of Samuels sons and so of his partialitie toward them and we may see in both places that it struck Samuel very deeply 1 Sam. 8. 6. in reference to Himselfe and Chap. 12. 2. he cannot forbeare mention of his Sons who were wholly laid aside ever after though himselfe was not altogether And thus we see all these three faithfull men Moses Aaron and Samuel made Examples of Justice in some Vengeance taken on their Inventions and offences notwithstanding GODS favour to them Now we must adde a word how notwithstanding their failings and GODS severity yet He was a GOD answering and forgiving them 1. For Moses he is so famous for GODS answering him that GOD once doth as it were sue to Moses to forbeare Praying for Israel as implying that He could not but answer Moses if he did Pray Let me alone that I may consume them Exod. 32. 10. and accordingly when Moses for all this did pray GOD did answer and spare Israel upon his request ver. 14. and many other times Moses his Prayers were heard and answered 2. Moses and Aaron together in the universall Murmuring and Mutiny Numb. 14. 5. And Aaron specially when after the Rebellion of Corah Dathan and Abiram and the horrible Judgement of GOD upon them the earth swallowing them up alive and fire from GOD breaking out and burning up the 250 Princes that stood to be Priests in opposition to Aarons Calling and the next day all the Congregation murmured and mutined againe against Moses and Aaron as if they had been in fault for the death of those outragious sinners Aaron then at Moses his direction runs to the Altar and fetches fire thence and puts on incense and with that runs among the people and though the wrath of GOD were so hot against them as that while he was hasting to the Altar and coming backe againe 14700. were dead of the Plague yet as soone as he comes among them and as a Priest offers incense and so Prayers for them suddenly the plague ceases Numb. 16. 47 48. 3. For Samuel he was a knowne favourite in the Court of Heaven so that the Israelites ranne to him when the Philistines came against them and they put more confidence in his Prayers alone for them 1 Sam. 7. 8. then in all theirs and GOD then answered him with Thunder from heaven against the Philistines ver. 10. and again after the Israelites had rejected him yet

of GOD Rom. 13. 1. may say something of it Namely That the Ground of Humane Authority is that GOD is pleased to print some Characters of the Image of His Majestie in the faces of Superiours and stamp the counter-part of it upon the hearts of the Inferiours Whereby it comes to passe that they Reverence even a Wom●n and sometimes an Infant in a Cradle as GODS Deputy and Vicegerent among them and so all Others that have Authoritie in their Proportion And if it please GOD as sometimes it doth for the just punishment of abused Authoritie to blot out that stamp which was upon Inferiours hearts they presently withdraw all r●spect from such Superiours how high soever they were before and make no more reckoning of them then of the most ordinary person among themselves Which therefore should be of marvellous Operation upon the spirits of all that have any Authoritie that as they are wholly beholden to GOD for it so they would wholly imploy it for GOD and particularly to set up so farre as their Authoritie can command whatsoever Command of GOD they can find in His Word and to set it up as His Command as hath been said 7. Another thing which I would also recommend from our Covenant is in the second Article out of which as my Reverend Brother singled out the Mention of Popery and Prelacy so doe I specially of Heresie and Schisme taking in whatsoever shall be found contrary to sound Doctrine the Power of Godlinesse Remember I beseech you that we have Covenanted with GOD and Men to extirpate these without respect of Persons And thou let us but think in our Consciences what we judge to be Heresie or Schisme Is Antinomianisme at least as it is professed preached and maintain'd by some according as it hath been publikely proved any thing lesse then Heresie and however is it not apparently most contrary to the Power of Godlinesse And is not Anabaptisma at least as maintain'd by divers Schisme and contrary to sound Doctrine What greate● Schisme can there be then to deny both you your selves and all the Land besides to be Christians or that there is any Ministery or Church among us because none rightly baptised by their saying And how can these then be tolerated without Breach of Covenant If GOD were so angry with Moses for a single neglect of Circumcision and you your selves beleeve that He hath put Baptisme in the roome of it and commanded Children to be baptised now as well as to be circumcised then Will not doth not not only the neglect but so outragious a contempt of it as administred to Children provoke Him even against you if you connive at such reproach of His Ordinancs If Christ himselfe hath so threatned all those that breake one of the least Commandements of the Law and teach men so as you reade Matt. 5. 19. Will He endure that those should be let alone that Preach against the Whole Law all and every one of the Commandements of the MORALL Law and say That Christians are freed from the Mandatory Power of it and that It is no Rule for a Beleever to Walke by or examine his life by even that it is of no use at all to a Beleever Will Christ I say endure these things Or may We endure them without His displeasure against our selves I know a difference is to be put when we come to deale with persons tainted with these dangerous opinions Some are to be handled with all compassionate tendernesse as being scrupuled through Weaknesse and Infirmity But others who are not only obstinate but active to seduce and breed confusion must be saved with Feare as pulling them out of the fire and that they may not set others afire also Though still a spirit of Meeknesse is requisite even toward such in regard to their Persons But the Spirit of Judgement and of Burning that is Holy Zeale promised by GOD to His People Isai. 4. 4. against their endangering Doctrines and Practises Hearken not then I earnestly exhort every one that intends to have any regard at all to his solemne Covenant and Oath in this second Article to those that offer to plead for Tolerations which I wonder how any one dare write or speake for as they doe that have themselves taken the Covenant or know that you have The Arguments that are used in some bookes well worthy to be publikely burnt plead for Popery Judaisme Turcisme Paganisme and all manner of false Religions under pretence of Liberty of Conscience Which if they can make good or have then surely We and You specially have need to repent of that solemne Covenant and recant it before all the World to whom you have publisht it But if not then surely even that Covenant will enforce you to shew your steadinesse in unpartiall extirpating without respect of persons all such most pernicious and pestiferous books and opinions which if they might once take place among us would more advance Satans kingdome then any booke hath done that hath been written this 1000. yeeres Surely the Extirpation of Heresie and Schisme besides that Popery is abjured by name and such an universall Toleration and pretended Liberty of Conscience are as diametrically opposite and contradictory one to the other as Light is to darknesse and strict Justice to licentious lawlesnesse If therefore you be true to your Covenant your hand must needs be against such Doctrines and the Promoters of them And those Clauses of Whatsoever shall be found contrary to found Doctrine and the Power of Godlinesse doe lay yet a stricter bond upon you to make you take great heed how you beare with any opinion or opinionist altogether Though if any such be found differing from the received opinions and practises that are neither Schismaticall in disturbing the Churches Peace nor Opposite to sound Doctrine or the Power of Godlinesse they may be borne with notwithstanding the Covenant But I see not how it allowes any more Onely still the Wayes of dealing with opinions and opinionists who are not altogether to be borne must be sutable to the Nature of the opinions and of those also that hold them and not in all matters nor to all persons alike as was noted before But against a Toleration in generall even the Covenant it selfe in that very Article hath a Reason sutable to the Text Lest we partake of other mens sins and thereby be in danger to receive of their plagues saith the Covenant which in the Language of the Text is Lest GOD take Vengeance on their Inventions and ours together It is true that the name of Conscience hath an awfull sound unto a Conscientious Eare But I pray judge but in a few Instances whether all pretence of Conscience ought to be a sufficient plea for Toleration and Liberty 1. There be those that say their Conscience is against all taking of an Oath before a Magistrate Will you allow an Vniversall Liberty