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	brother_n	lord_n	34	3	4.0641	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A75965	The male of the flock, or A sermon preached at St. Pauls, before the right honourable, the Lord Mayor, and the right vvorshipfull, the aldermen of the city of London, Septemb: the 9th: 1655. By Benjamin Agas, minister of Cheneyes in Bucks.	Agas, Benjamin.	1655 (1655)	Wing A758A; Thomason E861_3; ESTC R206648	27,438	38

eager appetite as a Longing-Woman her much desired Morsel Again we should find as much sweetness in the Word and divine revelation as an elegant Palate in marrow and fatnes How sweet are thy words unto my tast yea sweeter then honey to my mouth Ps 119.103 So likewise in privat and secret to read pray and pour forth our souls to peform all Christian duties of meditation and self-examination c all these are to be done with strength of desires and fulness of delectation Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord that delighteth himself greatly in Gods Commandements he doth what is his duty and delights yea greatly delights in what he doth so that in comparison he Loves and delights in nothing ease As for Wife and Children and the injoyments of this world he Loves them as if he loved them not yee know where I have the phrase 1 Cor 7.30 The rule is to rejoyce as if we rejoyced not to buy as if we possessed not to use the world as if we used it not Now this holy man of God observeth this rule having the maine stream of his affectious flowing forth to God and only some little out-lots to the things of this world God hath his heart and then he loveth in good earnest as it is said of Elias he prayed earnestly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he prayed in praying so they delight in delighting and love in loving and this love of God is like the rod of Aaron among the rods of the Magicians consuming and devouring whatsoever standeth in competition What we have spoken here more largely in the Explication we may find as shortly in the words of our Saviour John 4.24 They who worship God must worship him in spirit and in truth Let this suffice for the first part of the Doctrine we now come unto the second viz why it must needs be detestable unto God if we do not sacrifice unto him the Male of our flock The first reason may be this Because it is so contrary to the way and method of God Confirmation so contrary to the rule and prescript of God provided in the case Let us see the Platform of Gods Ecclesiastes or Church-discipline chalked out to Israel in the Wildernesse and because we are to sacrifice wee 'l bring you to the Tabernacle where yee can see nothing base or common nothing refuse or vile but choice costly and pretious as could be had these dayes upon the earth Read over at your leisure the 25 26 27 28 Chapters of Exodus Let them bring gold and silver and brasse and blue and purple and scarlet and fine linnen and Goats-hair and Ram-skins died red and badgers-skins and Shittim-wood c. and let them make a sanctuary that I may dwel amongst them Every thing in this Sanctuary was very rich and costly either massy-●old or at lest select wood ov●r-layed with gold As the Ark the ta●le of S●●w-bread were shittim-wood yet over-layed with gold but the Cherubims and Mercy-seat were pure gold v ●7 18. c 25. So likewise the dishes spoons and covers ver 29. the candlestick tongs and snuffdishes ver 3● and 38. The oyl for the Lamp was to be pure olive chap 27 20. Now for Aron and his Sons the Priests who were to administer before the Lord Moses was commanded to array them most gorgeously Thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy Brother for glory and for beauty and thou shalt speak unto all who are wise hearted whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom that they make Aarons garments to consecrate him that he may minister unto me in the Priests Office and these are the garments which they shal make a brest-plate and an Ephod and a Robe and a broidered coat a mitre and a girdle c and they shal take gold and blue and purple and fine linnen c. chap 28.2 3 4 and 5 verses These for the Offering God required the first ripe fruits which we all know are stil the choice and the fairest the top ears of corn and the principal wheat If they brought an Offering of the increase of their flock it was to be a lovely Lamb without blemish Levit 1.3 if of the fruit of the field It was to be the finest of the flour and the kidnies of the wheat In one word yee may see what God saith unto Aaron Chap 2 I have given thee the best of the Oyl and the best of the Wine and of the Wheat and the first fruits which they shall offer unto the Lord Numb 18.12 Afterward in the dayes of Solomon when this Tabernacle grew into a Temple it lost nothing of its pompeous ceremoniousness but rather increased in glorie and became much more magnificent for David that great Warriour and most victorious Captain consecrated the spoils of many Crowns and Kingdoms to the House of God and much more super-added by Solomon his Son Certainly it was the goodliest pile and most stately structure that ere the sun beheld and all other things were in a just equippage The Priests the Levites the Sacrifices the Offerings the Altars Tables Vessels Vtensils and all the appurtenances all rich and costly and nothing common and forbid among them Now God in all these things did shew clearly as in an emblem that his service and worship was a thing most sacred and solemn that he did expect the best of man in all their approachings unto his Majesty and that nothing lesse should ever be accepted at his hands This likewise is his Law in the Third Commandement Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his Name in vain The first Commandement sheweth who is to be worshipped viz. the only true God the Second after what rule viz divine revelation and not hnmane imagination the Third after what manner Thou shalt not take his Name in vain that is thou shalt not presume to intermeddle with God or his Worship after a slight and empty way bvt holily reverently most devoutly as is beseeming his sacred Majesty for the Lord will not hold them guiltless that is according to my Doctrine he will curse them The fourth sheweth the time of publick Worship and I rather mention it because of that appendent to it making cleer to our purpose Levit 19.30 Yee shall keep my Sabbath but that 's not all it follows and reverence my Sanctuary I will be sanctified in them that come near me and before all the people will I be glorified saith the Lord Levit 10.3 Let them make their addresses to me after such a worthy manner that glory and not dishonor may redound unto my Majesty by their service and homage and this makes way for the second ground of the point viz. The blind and the lame are a reproach unto God and do much derogate from the greatnes of his Majesty of this God seems to convince them in the words immediatly following my

Judgment who can touch the tops and sound the bottoms of this hard and knotty truth Sciat talis se esse theologum Deo gratias agat May not an ordinary capacity even here tu●● sceptique and seeker and say Hoc scio quod nil scio this one thing I know that I know nothing But to our purpose T is manifest there is in man a carnal and a spiritual wil. I see a law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind Rom 7.23 The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh Gal 5.17 T is equally manifest that this carnal wil is a most unruly beast as an untamed Heifer unaccustomed to the yoak flying off and not induring to do homage unto God especially in any strict and pinching Command Now therefore unlesse the spirital wil be the more prevalent and unlesse it hath this potency I cal it not the best wil either he do● not service at all else at the best he hangs in equilibrio as things weighed in an equal ballance sometimes bending towards God sometimes again bending towards his lusts or at the worst having begun in the spirit he ends in the flesh for example sake suppose one covetous and yet who would be godly too many such the dregge of our times have brought forth who have drawn a contract and would needs solemnize a Marriage between gain and godliness but can these deadly enemies ever be brought kindly to imbrace and kisse each other Tunc Ararim Parthus bibet But we come unto the example the man of our times God in his service cals him to part with some unlawful way of gain of which he hath found the sweet say in trading of Merchandizing now according to the potency either of his carnal or spiritual wil he answereth this spiritual voice His spiritual wil complies and saith instantly I wil do it but his carnal wil holds off and abhors and saith I wil not do it wherefore if the spiritual be the stronger he casts off the world and cleaves unto God but if his carnal wil be the more potent he forsaketh God and sticks unto his gain I might mention the same in ambition or voluptuousnes this therefore is the best will which bringeth up all carnal thoughts and reasonings to a determinate issue and wholly overpowreth them to comply with the Command be it for us or against us And now let me tel you that this is a work of the greatest pains and difficu ty Sometimes by arguments and reasons and sometimes by plain force we shal only be ab●e to subdue our carnal wils and desires That three leav'd Book of divers colours the red the white and the black is the best medium for argumentation this we must ho d close to the eye of our Consciences The first is red with the bloud of the Lamb oh a serious apprehen●●on of the sufferings of Christ is able alone to calm the frowardnes of our wit and provoak a willing obedience to all Gospel injunction The second is black with the horrors of Hel and the darknes of the infernal pit dwelleth upon it we must deal roundly with our souls Do this or dye God who gave the command wil revenge the neglect and grind thee to powder in the day of his wrath what thinkest of that devouring fire of those everlasting burnings this wil be thy portion if thou humble not thy self before God and submit unto his wil. The third is white with the joyes of Heaven yea brighter than the Sun with the everlasting light Oh blisfull Paradise oh blessed mansion of God how sweet art thou in contemplation how ten thousand times more in a real fruition and what shal I loose all to have my wil is there any carnal lust as good as Heaven why dost thou then stand up to retard my motion I am resolved to go to God follow me or I le dragg thee after And this is that which sometimes we must do when argument and reasons wil not prevail to compel our wils by force and violence As they I conceive of old with an untoward Lamb or an untamed Heifer which would not be caught for sacrifice they use many words and cals but in vain wherefore in fine they even tire and hunt it down Wel caught it is and brought unto the Temple but now that it sees the fire and the Altar and the sacrificing knife it bellows and struggles and were it possible t would get away wherefore the Priests lay violent hands upon it and by plain force fasten and tie it to the Altar This sure is the next sence of that place Psalm 118 27. Bind the sacrisice with chords even to the horns of the Altar what other use the horns of the Altar did serve unto for the present I do not remember Just such is the impetious hadstrongnesse of our carnal wils notwithstanding all moral and divine swasions wherefore with the same kind of violence we must force them to their good abearing And now let me tel thee for thy comfort thou hast shot the gulf thou hast triumphed glorious sly I see how thou draggest base lusts at thy Charriot wheels yea thou shalt conquer more more and tread down Satan under thy feet The wil of man is all in all sind me wil I le find all the rest as in civils so in divine actions as the Sun among the Orbs domineereth in his Light and gloriously illustrates the superior and inferior Planets so the wil in the mi●dle between the understanding and the affections hath a wonderful influence both upon the one and the other to set them in good earnest about the service of God 3ly With our best affections as with fear and reverence God is exceedingly to be reverenced in the Assembly of Saints and to be had in honour of all those who are round about him Psa 89.7 So likewise with love joy defire delight and in a word with zeal as hot as fire We must be passionate Lovers of God and of his service Be fervent in spirit serving the Lord Rom 12.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal 4.18 It is good to be zealous in a good work This is a good work and we must be zealous in the transacting it Zeal is the intention of any affection as strong desires is zeal vehement love is zeal which should be a perpetual concomitant to all our devotions if we have not this fire upon the Altar our sacrifice wil not burne T is not enough we take up our Bow and our Quiver but we must strain the string up to the arrows head by a strong nisus and labouring of the spirit He that sets out for Heaven must betake himself to the swifter Chariots of Aminadab Cant 6.12 and not drive on so heavily and sluggishly with the world We must not only be content to come to Church and hear a Sermon and spend an houre c but long for the Courts of Gods house with the same

in evil wayes They have appetitum caninum and swallow down Hel at a bit as if they were afraid others should get the lest share of it besides themselves As I have seen an hungry Dogg swallow a bone without chowing for feare his fellow should come to touch it Oh how mad and how violent are wicked men in the prosecution of their Lusts shal not their excessive wickedness provoak us to exceed in goodness do we not serve a better Master are we not about a better work do we not expect a better reward when Job provided a sacrifice for the World 't was the Male of his flock and when we provide a sacrifice for our God shal it not be the Male of our flock God put us not off with Saints or Angels though he had store and choice but one better then all the only lovely Lamb in the Fold for brightness and perfection even his own dear Sonn He spared not his Son but delivered him up for us all Rom 8.32 what therefore shal we render unto the Lord gratitude wil answer I have nothing good enough but the best which I have sha● forever be at his service Which that we may do let us observe these following rules Let all our services be ordered according to the rule of the Word Meanes we may not presume to know above what is revealed To the Law to the testimonies we may expound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Romans 12.1 by 1 Pet 2.2 where we have the same epethite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is there translated the milk of the Word and not reasonable Milk and then our sacrifice wil be the service of the Word viz according to the word of God Here we must stick otherwise we shal strangely vanish away in our own foolish imaginations and set up graven images which we all know is abominable in the eyes of God that service is peformed in the best manner which God saith is the best for God is sole Judg in this matter and not our foolish and fond opinions we may see groves and Idols a world of vanity and wil-worship in the world among all Sects and perswasions But while they take freedom to abound in their own sence doing what is right in their own eyes let us only do what is right in the eyes of God 2 Let all our sacrifices be offered upon the golden Altar Jesus Christ It is the Altar that sacrificeth the gift Mat 23.19 yea and inricheth it too and only makes it of worth and value Christ is Gods beloved Son in whom he is wel pleased and for his sake wil not quarrel with us or our Offering though we do not attaine unto the perfection of the Sanctuary yea the spots of our sacrifices are easily covered by his spotless righteousness so that God himself wil say here is an Offering according to my mind Where ever Christ is there God is fully satisfied for his eye is so taken with this lovely object that he cannot look off to see else-where what is done amiss 3. Time also and its opportunity is much to be observed for helping on this work especially there let us put our selves upon service when the good fit is upon us I intend soberly and seriosly when the spirit of grace moveth more sensibly upon the face of our souls warming and melting our affections and unkindling gracious desires in us and there are such golden seasons now strike while the iron is hot now to reading praying thanksgiving c for now thy hands wil drop with myrh and thy fingers with sweet smelling myrh O how holy are such breathings how seraphical such expressions how wil thy soul mount upward how near wil it come unto God! and thou whether in the body thou canst not tel or out of the body thou canst not tel 4. Keep a sacred reserve of the strength of thy Spirit and the best of thy affections for God and for his service and let them not consume and blaze out among the lying vanities of this world if we do not use the world as if we need it not we shal serve God as if we served him not There was a time when Solomon gave unto the Lord the Male of his Flock but when afterward he suffered his heart to be taken with si ver and gold with Wine and Women with Men-fingers and Women-fingers with Orchards and gardens and Vineards with Apes and Peacocks and all other the vainer delights of the Sons of men Solomon was another Man and now presently instead of a Male he offered unto the Lord a Corrupt thing The Lord said unto Moses Exod 30 34. take unto thee sweet spices and thou shalt make it a perfume a confection after the Art of the Apothecary tempered together pure and holy and as for the perfume which thou shalt make you shal not make unto your selves according to the composition thereof Whosoever shal make like unto that to smel thereto shall even be cut off from his people This was a sweet only to be smelled in the Sanctuary and not else-where upon paine of death so I conceive there are several aims and high breathings in our affections which are only for God but to spend them upon our selves would be the greatest sacriledg and moreover puts us upon an in possibility of performing the duty I have alwayes observed people high and hot in their pastimes and pleasure as low and as cold in their prayers and performances They who suffer themselves to admire Romances and Play-books and seldome seen to affect Sermons and Gods-Book but they hear and read with a certain kind of loathing and fastidiousness The reason is this the purer strength of their spirit is spent upon vanity and therefore feeble and weak in the things of solidity A tree running out in foolish excrescences the fruit is rare and little and that too of the basest sort In your common Limbecks the purer spirits being drawn out and gone nothing is left behind but a Caput mortuum fleam and dreggs Therefore we must be careful to keep in our spirits to moderate our Joyes and to check our desires and not to suffer our selves to love any thing beneath God with an excessive love midling affections are enough for these things as for those high breathings of soul let them wholly be sacrificed unto the Lord. Stop up the floud-gates that the pools may be ful when yee go unto God and now open all and let them flow as fast as they can the faster the better I love such a thing with all my heart a common saying but once a grave Christian replied not lesse piously than truly why for shame all thy heart for this trifle and that and for every vanity all thy heart must be for God else thou wilt have for God no heart at all To conclude Thou hast in thy flock a Male but if that be meat for thine own palate if that be consumed at thine own Table then when thou comest to offer thou wilt most certainly sacrifice unto the Lord a corrupt thing Gloria in exelsis AMEN POSTSCRIPT I Have under two or three Heads put in a little more filling which for fear of tediousness I thought good silently to passe over in the Pulpit B A.