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	call_v	high_a	36	3	5.0724	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29529	Stand still: Or, A bridle for the times A discourse tending to still the murmuring, to settle the wavering, to stay the wandring, to strengthen the fainting. As it was delivered to the Church of God at Great Yarmouth, Anno 1643. By John Brinsley, Minister of the Word there, and now published as a proper antidote against the present epidemicall distempers of the times.	Brinsley, John, 1600-1665.	1647 (1647)	Wing B4729; ESTC R217245	80,497	119

Ruler of thy People Pray for them I though they should be persecutors That is the Rule Pray for them that persecute you This doe we and doe we it in the first place So the Apostle there presseth it {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} First of all Oh that murmurers would but take out of this lesson to pray for Superiours first of all pray for them before they let flye at them or murmur against them certainly this would take off the Edge of their murmuring The more they prayed for them the lesse they would murmur against them Sure I am They which murmur most are such as pray least To prevent the one practise the other Pray for ●●r Superiours And that as the Apostle there directs First for the King whom we acknowledge by a divine and speciall Providence set over us as a Supreme Governour in these his Dominions Be we earnest with God for him that he may be made a Moses to us having Moses his spirit put upon him and if it might be doubled upon him as Elias his spirit was upon Elisha a wise and a large spirit proportionable to the charge committed unto him that he may be wise as an Angell of God as the woman of Tekoah said to King David able to discerne betwixt good and evill And with Moses his head beg we for him also Moses heart a heart faithfull to his God that like Moses he may be as a faithfull servant faithfull in all the house of his God A heart tender and affectionate towards his people Carrying them in his bosome lovingly tenderly carefully As a Nurse beareth her sucking child as the Lord requireth Moses to doe to his Israel So making him in truth what he is by office Patrem Patriae a Father a Nursing Father to his People Gods People Every wayes a Moses a Saviour a deliverer to the Israel of God Praying for him Pray we also for those which are in Authoritie over us under him And here in speciall for the Representative Body the great Synedrion our English Sanhedrim the supreme Court and Councell of this Kingdome now assembled together in the name of God to be unto their Prince as those seventie Elders were unto Moses a Councell of Assistance to beare the Burden of the People together with him For them beg we also that God would do for them what he there promiseth Moses to doe to his Counsellours and Assistants viz. take off the spirit which was upon Moses and put it upon them even a spirit suitable and proportionable to the Burden layed upon them Making them a Wise and faithfull Councell to their Prince and Wise and faithfull guides unto his people leading them on in such wayes as God himselfe hath layed out for them so as in due time they may conduct them through this Red-Sea this Sea of blood and this wildernesse of Confusion whereinto at the present we are cast unto a Canaan a Land of rest and peace where Righteousnesse and Peace may dwell together And remembring them forget we not the Sons of Aaron who are now called together to consult about the businesse of the Tabernacle For them also beg wee a spirit proportionable to the worke which they have in hand Even the same spirit that the Lord put upon Bezaleel and Aholiab when he called them to the worke of the Tabernacle The Spirit of wisedome and understanding and knowledge to know how to worke all manner of worke for the service of the Sanctuary according to all that the Lord hath commanded Such a Spirit beg we for them that so all things in this Tabernacle-Temple-worke may be done and performed according to the Patterne in the Mount according to the mind and will of God himselfe Begging direction and assistance for them withall beg we a blessing upon their endeavours that the Rod of Aaron may Bud and Blossome and bring forth fruit No such way to quiet the murmurings of the people as this It was the Lords owne way which he bad Moses take and make use of for this very purpose Numb. 17. The people being subject to murmuring upon all occasions and in particular about the Priesthood as you have heard for a Cure of that Disease the Lord directs Moses to take twelve Rods according to the number of the Tribes for every Tribe one laying them up in the Tabernacle before the Testimony And it shall come to passe saith the Lord That the mans Rod whom I shall choose shall blossome and I will make to cease the murmurings of the children of Israel c. This was the meanes propounded What the successe was the sequell of the Chapter will shew It came to passe that Moses went into the Tabernacle and behold Arons Rod which was for the house of Levi was budded and brought forth blossomes and yleeded Almonds whereupon the Lord ordereth Moses to take that Rod and lay it up in the Tabernacle before the Testimony there to be kept for a Token against the Rebells and saith the Lord Thou shall quite take away their murmurings I shall not need to tell you that the chiefe ground of our murmuring at this day is if not the same yet not unlike to theirs about the Priesthood O that the wonder-working God would be pleased to worke the like wonder in our dayes that we might see the Rod of Aaron which at the present through the Calamitie of the times seemes to lye secure and dead to Bud and Blossome and Bring forth Almonds yeelding us not onely Hopes but Fruits Hopes of a quiet and comfortable condition to the Church with the sweet and blessed fruits of a Glorious administration in it No doubt but this would have a strong influence upon the present and future distempers of unquiet spirits either to cure and stay their murmurings or else to be a witnesse against them to all succeeding ages This we know our God is able to doe and this we hope he will yet doe In the meanetime let us and all the Lords people Stand still waiting and quietly waiting upon our God for his salvation It is good for us so to do so faith the Church Lam. 3 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord I have done with the first Branch of this Direction which I confesse hath taken more of my thoughts and your patience then at the first in my intentions I allotted it Stand still not Wavering Passe we now to the second Stand still not Wavering This men naturally are very apt to doe being all by nature ever since the first man left his standing become very unstable but some more then others It is that which the Patriarch Iacob saith to and of his sonne Ruben Gen. 49. Vnstable as water Water it is an unstable Element seldome standing still specially if there be any wind stirring then we

see how unequally and unevenly it moveth being carryed this way and that way up and down Such is the Instabilitie of some persons they are as Saint Iames saith of his double-minded man Jam. 1. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} unresolved uncomposed unstable in all their wayes carryed this way or that way as the tyde runnes as the wind blowes up and downe like waves of the Sea It is the same Apostles comparison and it is an elegant one Iam. 1.6 He that wavereth is like a wave of the Sea driven with the wind and tossed A wave you know what the motion of it is how it riseth and falleth now a Mountaine by and by a Valley now lifted up by and by as much depressed againe So unconstant and unequable is the motion of some Christians up and down As their condition change so doe they In prosperitie when things goe well with them heaven and earth smile upon them their spirits are alost none higher In adversitie when things runne crosse with them as much dejected none lower Like men in a stresse at Sea according to the Psalmists description of them They mount up to heaven they goe down againe to the depths their soule is melted because of trouble Thus farre are they moved inordinately moved not knowing how to Stand still But thus should it not be with the Lords people whatever their condition be whatever their straits dangers difficulties be for that is the case which the Text leadeth us to yet their Direction is they must Stand still not being inordinately moved Inordinately moved I say Moved they may be nay ought to be Christianitie doth neither require nor allow a Stoicall Apathy a Bruitish stupiditie that men should not be affected with the hand of God striking or threatning Not to be mov'd with the apprehension of imminent impendent evills what is it but as he saith Hominem exuere To put off the nature of man Which seeing the Eternall Sonne of God was pleased to put on the sonnes of men ought not to put it off Moved they may be but not inordinately moved not Troubled So our Saviour giveth it in charge to his Disciples Joh. 4. Fore-telling them of sad times a comming of great Tribulation that they should meet with in and from the world after his departure Let not your hearts be troubled saith he {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} The word is emphaticall taken from the royling and troubling of waters where they are so stirred as that the mud is raysed up from the bottome That is properly {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Now Christians must beware that their hearts be not thus troubled There is not the best heart but hath some mud some corruption in the bottome of it so as if it be stirred by inordinate passions and perturbations it will rise and roile the spirit This was the case of the Israelites here in the Text Apprehending the eminency of the present danger which they were in their spirits were presently ro●led troubled inordinately moved And therefore Moses for the setling of them biddeth them Stand still Ne commoveaminis ac fluctuetis animo so Iunius as I told you glosseth upon the word Be yee not stirred troubled disquieted with anxious and dubious thoughts what shall become of you and yours Give not way to diffident and distrustfull thoughts so much as to call in question either the power or presence of God Stand you still not doubting not wavering Thus should Christians doe in the like cases In straits in exigents when they know not what to doe nor which way to looke then labour so to fix their soules by faith and confidence upon God as that they may not stagger they may not waver It is Saint Iames his direction to him that would obtaine wisedome or any the like mercy at the hands of God Let him aske in faith saith he nothing wavering {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Nihil disceptans haesitans not reasoning not scrupling This Christians are very ready to doe Wee see it in the Apostles and Disciples of Christ when they apprehended any imminent danger or met with any great difficultie they were ready to give way to carnall reasonings and doubtings So did Peter when he was walking upon the Sea treading of the water not finding his footing so firme as he made account of he presently cryes out readie to give himselfe for a lost man notwithstanding that he had his Masters warrant and command for that which he did The Disciples the like in that stresse at Sea notwithstanding that they had their Lord and Master with them yet they cry out Lord save us we perish And afterwards comming unto a strange place having forgot to take Bread with them they began to reason with themselves how that want should be supplyed to them notwithstanding that they had twice before had experience of the miraculous power of their Lord and Master in multiplying of the loaves as himselfe telleth them Such was their weakenesse A weakenesse which our Saviour still reproveth them for taxing their Infidelitie in giving way to those faithlesse feares those carnall reasons and diffident doubts O thou of little faith saith hee to Peter Wherefore did'st thou doubt Why are yee fearefull O yee of little faith O yee of little faith why reason yee among your selves They are his rebukes to his Disciples upon the occasions aforesaid Christians in like cases in cases of Danger and Difficultie are very subject to such carnall disceptations and reasonings whereby their soules come to be disquieted and unsetled But these they must beware of not giving way to them but labouring for steady and stable hearts Be yee also patient saith Saint Iames Stablish your hearts A great blessing where it is A Blessing which Paul prayeth for for his Thessalonians 2 Thess. 2. Now our Lord Iesus Christ and God even our Father c. Comfort your hearts stablish you Saint Peter the like for the Saints to whom he writes The God of all grace make you perfect establish strengthen settle you 1 Pet. 5. What they beg for others Christians should all seeke for themselves stable setled spirits that they may Stand fast and Hold fast So Paul ex●orts those his Thessalonians in the place forenamed Therefore Brethren stand fast and hold fast the Traditions which you have beene taught c. Let us hold fast the Profession of our faith without wavering saith the Apostle to his Hebrewes Thus should Christians Stand still standing their ground against whatever opposition they meet with in respect of the faith which they professe Paul could not but wonder to see his Galathians so inconstant and wavering this way I marvell saith he that yee are so soone removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another Gospell Such Weather-cocks are no ornament to the

a fourth upon Antinomianisme all in hazard to be lost at least to the Church unlesse God be the more mercifull to bring them off and all this for adventuring to put to Sea without their Ballaste O that wee may all of us be warned by their miscarriages not daring to make the like adventures before we have taken in some good proportion of this Ballaste which may keepe downe our spirits unto truths received So as whatever Errors breake in upon the Church to the disturbing and disquieting of the Peace of it yet wee may ride it out and doe what Moses here requires from the people Stand still Here is a second Direction Passe we to a third Thirdly That a ship may be steady and ride steady she must be low-masted and I might adde low built too high-carved and Tante-masted ships they will fetch way in a stresse and therefore as you know the use at such times is to strike the Top-masts and if need be to cut all by the Board that so the wind may have the lesse force and power over them I know your thoughts here run before me in the application That the soule may bee steadie it must be humble and lowly not high-minded if so it will be heady It is not for nothing that Paul putteth these two together heady high-minded 2 Tim. 3. seldome shall we finde them asunder Surely it is none of the least causes why many in these dayes are so heady {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} praecipites Rash and praecipitate in their courses they are high-minded {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} inflati puffed up which some with no great mistake read {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Excaecati blinded swollen with some high conceipts high thoughts of themselves of their owne deserts their owne parts their owne gifts it may be their owne perfections In the meane time looking overby and superciliously upon others whom they apprehend to be inferiour to themselves No wonder if such soules be unstable running from errour to errour Alasse the winde hath too much power over them for them to stand still A stable soule must be a humble a lowly soule And how steadily doth such a soule ride it out in all weathers come what will come it rides snugge as you say lying under the winde not feeling much of it whilst in the meane time those high-carved and tall-masted vessels men of high thoughts and conceipts are tossed to and fro and it may bee soone over-set and over-turned I shall not need to minde you how many otherwise usefull vessels have miscarried this way I suppose there is scarce any of us but our owne experience can furnish us with some instances of this nature making good this undoubted truth that there is no one thing that sooner over-sets and over-turnes the soule then Pride and amongst all Prides none so soone as spirituall Pride when men shall be proud of the Graces of God Would we in our owne particulars be secured from the like miscarriage and would we be steady in these unsteadie times O take the Apostles Counsell to his Colossions Put wee on as the Elect of God humblenesse of minde Col. 3. In lowlinesse of minde each preferring others before our selves as the same Apostle presseth it upon his Philippians And thus thinking meanly of our selves doe not either promise or seeke high things to or for our selves It is that which the Lord bids Ieremie say to Baruch Ier. 45. telling him what God was about to doe viz. to breake downe what hee had built and to plucke up what hee had planted to bring desolation upon the whole Land And saith hee seekest thou great things for thy selfe seeke them not Let it be spoken to every of us as counsell very seasonable for the times into which we are fallen God at this day amongst us who but seeth it he is breaking downe what he hath built he is plucking up what he hath planted Great are the desolations which he hath brought upon this Land already yet threatning greater And what do wee now seek great things high things for our selves Are our eyes upon great estates high places upon riches and honours and dignities and preferments Doe wee seeke these promising or propounding them to our selves Alasse doe it not in such times as these if God may but doe that for us which he there promiseth Baruch to doe for him viz. Give us our lives for a Prey to our selves it is more then we deserve and more then many of our Brethen elsewhere have found Alas how many thousands of them have had not onely their Estates but their Lives also given as a Prey to others How many of them have beene and dayly are numbred to the Sword O if the Lord may but give us our lives as a Prey unto our selves it is mercy and a mercy beyond our deserts I and more then we can promise to our selves Take heed in the meane time of promising great things to our selv̄es Take heed of building our nests on high It is an expression which the Spirit of God is pleased to make use of more then once Though thou shouldst make thy nest as high as the Eagle I will bring thee downe from thence saith the Lord speaking to Edom Jer. 49. Though thou set thy nest amongst the Stars thence will I bring thee downe saith the Lord speaking to the same Edomites Obad. 4. Woe to him that coveteth an evill covetousnesse to his house to set his nest on high saith the Prophet Habucuck Hab. 2. The Metaphor is elegant and for the sense of it obvious enough To build the nest on high what is it but to propound and promise great things high things to a mans selfe Now this take we heed of specially in such times as these If we doe it we will never be stable we shall never Stand still A Truth which that Metaphor illustrates very aptly Birds which build their nests on high in the tops of the Cedars or other Trees wee see how they wave to and againe with every wind ready to have nests and all over-turned whilst in the meane time those Birds which build upon the ground or in the shrubs and bushes they sit quiet and still Surely thus will it be with those who build their nests on high that propound and promise great things unto themselves if stormes come downe upon them if they meet with troubles and disasters if they be driven from their house and home as many of our Brethren at this day are Alas how doth this shake and disquiet them To see all their designes dashed their hopes made abortive their expectations frustrated they cannot beare it they cannot brooke it it commeth neere them and shaketh them terribly It is the speech of the Prophet Ieremy unto the house of the King of Iudah Jer. 22.23 O inhabitant of Lebanon that makest thy nest in