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	moses_n	223	3	7.3051	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B23015	The confirming worke of religion ..., or, The true and infallible way for attaining a confirmed state in religion ... with a short and confirming prospect of the work of the Lord about his church in these last times / by R. Fleming ...	Fleming, Robert, 1630-1694.	1685 (1685)	Wing F1263A	80,672	168

of his word and to sanctify him before the world which is so important a duty as the Lord was wroth even with a Moses and Aaron for one short-coming when he called for the same Numb 20 12. and its sure in no time was such a special trust more reposed thereon then in this age both as a publick debt on the Church personal on each Christian how to witnesse for the Lord upon that great interest of his faithfulnesse and for transmitting the same to the ages to come by a confirmatory seal and testimony therto II. To reckon our selves also under some more then ordinare call this day each in their present capacity and station how to appear for the credite of the truth and stemm so visible and impetuous a tyde as is now running of distruct and of a discreditable faint for it may be said never was the Church under the New Testament so remarkably sisted under such a trial as that wherein the Lord did prove the Church of Israel Numb 14. or had a more evident resemblance therto in the same circumstances as in this day if they were seriously pondered as I how in the same manner such a false evil report is too visibly raised upon the blest ways of the Lord to discourage and faint the spirits of his people as was then by the spyes that there were insuperable difficulties in the way of the promise by reason of the Anakims and of their walled cities and did thus oppose the credite of sense to all these assurances which God had given to their faith II. That this highly dishonourable faint and distrust did so sease on that people as was like to resolve in a visible revolt and to cry for a leader to goe back to Egypt again which amongst too many in this time may be justly feared III. That this was after such extraordinare confirmations which the Lord had given to the faith of his Church then who had by his own immediate and outstretched hand so latly brought them out of the house of bondage and from the iron furnace in Egypt as rendred their misbeliefe to be a guilt under such aggravations as the holy God did in that manner plead vers 22. These ten times have they tempted me who have seen my glory and my miracles which I did in the wildernesse c. IV. But herein we hope and are confidently sure of a blessed disparity in this resemblance as to the numberousnesse of such who shall be found of the Reformed Churches to act something of that part which these heroick witnesses a Caleb Joshua did were then put to stand alone therein who through grat shall yet appear with some measure of that spirit and withstand so high a tyde of fears discouragment and misbeliefe as is this day and thus to plead against the same as these did Num. 14 9. if the Lord delight in us then let us not rebel against him neither fear the greatest difficulties can be in the way c. V. And is not the same precedent of providence of so singular a respect as the Lord did then testify to his Caleb and Joshua who were of another spirit in following him fully in that day a continued assurance for all who shall be helped to any honourable appearence of this kind by making them see and inherit the truth of his promise yea that such a residue who outlives this great and amazing storme shal have something of that testimony to bear also which Caleb gave Josh. 14 8 10. My brethren which went up with me made the heart of the people faint but I fully followed the Lord my God and now behold the Lord hath keeped me alive c. o blessed they whose souls are raised with that holy zeal for the truth to stand up in this great breach by a resolute profession of their faith and witnesse to the faithfulnesse of God as such great and extraordinar confirmations given thertho now calls for III. It is one of the special duties of this day we stand also accomptable for how to stemm this high and growing tyde of prejudice and reproach against the Reformed Religion which in some unusual way is now aloft and by manifestation of the truth to gain some more awfull regard herof on mens conscience that they may see somthing of the glory of our profession and in what maner it maintains its conquest as no way else can possibly claim I. Which reckons none else to be the true and genuine professours hereof who imbrace not the same upon evidence and with respect to its intrinsick excellency and worth nor does judge the interest of religion to goe by number and poll where this is wanting but to pursue that end to have men ingadged first to be Christians that they may be true and sincere Protestants and therfor can admitt no such methods of any base compliance with the humour and interests of men which its principles will not bear II. Which in its course is ever regulare and certain according to that rule of an uncheangable and eternal truth without dependance on the will of man herein or any mutable revolutions of the time III. Which doth with the greatest lustre shine forth in the brightest light and is maintained by the clearest knowledge yea by the furthest plainesse and opennesse of heart towards all commends it self so that the world may see it espouseth not mens affection before it gain on their conscience and to have their judgment fixed on a judicious tryal before their resolution nor accounts the truth of religion can ever subsist by an external shew and profession without is known evidence and the efficacy therof on mens soul IV. Which sincerly follows the Catholick interest of Christianitie and publick good of mankind in promotting the great ends of the Gospel so as the world may see its highest intent is to exalt all divine institutions and advance the simplicity and spirituality of Gospel administrations according to the revealed rule amonghst men as that which doth most nearly conceirn the vitals of religion and ane inward life of communion with God V. Which pleads an impartial tryal of al its adversaries whither the principles of our profession or of Popery gives the greatest security to Civil Government founds the strongest obligations to Magistracy and to all Civil and Moral duties by which the awe and venerable esteem of religion is kept up in a nation It is high time that men should cease to be implicit upon this greatest interest they have within time which is the truth of their profession in the matter of religion when a deceit or mistake here is of an eternal conceirn upon which account without respect to interest party or education I have this day sought to know the truth and what adversaries could possibly pretend to reproach or prejudge any at the Reformed Religion which can only amount to charge mens corruption and offences in their practise upon the

time is clearly shewed II. That we may now with some clear evidence judge and have our faith perswaded hereof that the Churches interest is upon the rising hand and on a present advance though nothing would seem more contradictory then all visible grounds now are since this cannot sail John 3 30. that Jesus Christ in his kingdom in the earth must increase yea that the Scripture so clearly points forth Antichrists ruine and progresse of his fall and douncasting with resemblance to that great judgment on Pharaoh as an evident type hereof in the same judicial strocks of induration on both and gradual progresse herein by one plague after another until the last and greatest assault as was then at the Red-sea hath the same effect for a more glorious appearence of God in the greatest step of judgment and victory over this adversary when not only the song of Moses but of the Lamb also shall be then sung Rev. 15 3. as importing something more glorious and a greater brightnesse to be put on this illustrious act of divine judgment reserved to these last times when a more immediate appearence of the Lord will be seen then in any sormer deliveries of his Church III. It is no conjectural thing but what by a clear Scripture conduct we may see that this time of the Church now under so notable a Crisis in her case is evidently falling under that remarkable assault and conflict with that adversary before the accomplishing of that vial on his seat and throne as we may see Revel 17 13 14. that when so conspicuous a step of the Churches victory is near the opposition thereto also will be in some higher degree proportionable to the same when the great men of the earth and such who shall receive power as Kings one hower with the beast shall have one mind and give their power and strength thereto and shall make war with the Lamb but the Lamb shall overcome them for he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords c. Nor is it found through the Scripture where any great thing the Lord hath done for his Church but some unusual darknesse and sore wrestlings hath still gone before and should be no matter of staggering to our faith whatever be of present fears to see so dismal a time of tryal as now is and amazing hight of trouble beyond what former times have known when one of the greatest events of providence in behalf of the Church since the revealing of Christ to the world until his second coming is assuredly near in the fall and overthrow of the man of sin IV. We have clear ground also to judge that so great an eclipse as seems allmost universally over the state of the Reformed Churches is no goeing down of the sun theron whatever did befall the most famous eastern Churches to an utter dissipation thereof if these different periodes of time be justly considered how their sun-set did then fall in with the entry of that great Apostacy of the Christian Church and with that long and dismall night of Antichrists reign whilst now this hower of tryal on the Churches doth meet in that blessed period of Antichrists begun fall and of a growing light of the Gospel and when the Scripture so clearly warrands our faith herein that the worke of providence is to plant and not cutt of but to bring forward that interest of the Reformed Churches in the founding of which the Mediator hath so eminently appeared in the glory of his power in these last times V. It is sure me now live in the evening and extremity of time when the motions of providence may be expected to be more quick and speady as being so near the center and to the last Epocha and period of all prophetick Chronology wherein the glory of God in his truth and faithfulnesse shall most eminently shine forth and these Scripture truths which were formerly dark abstruse with that evidence shine forth in the event as shall cause men to wonder at their former thoughts and stumblings thereat And here I must say that there is such a sight now in the earth as the Romish Church in its complex frame and state in so different a mould cast from any power or jurisdiction else and such a compound of a civil and Spiritual Monarchy in one and the same person is so solemn and undenyable a seal to the Christian faith and divinity of the New Testament that its strang why this is not improven more against the Atheism of this time that such a visible event of the Scripture is now in being which was so clearly fortold by the Holy Ghost 1500. years ago with its proper circumstances as to the manner of that Antichristian state with its rise grouth duration as is to admiration stil evident to the world when not the least shaddow or appearence of so strang future emergencies was to be seen or could have entred in mens thoughts to shew it only could be revealed to the Church by him to whom all his works are known from the beginning This I have looked on as such a confirmation to the truth of Christianity that no miracles in the first times of the Church could have more evidence for the same yea if such a party were not in being both what it now is and in former ages hath been it might in another manner stagger the faith of the Saints to a questioning the truth of the Scripture then its most formidable appearence this day can doe VI. I shall but add here that we know and are sure the Lord hath reserved his greatest works to these latter dayes wherein his judgments shall be manifest and that one of the most eminent manifestations of his glory before the close of time shal be conspicuous in the fall of Antichrist on whose ruines that glorious hous which Christ is yet to have for himself both of Jews and Gentiles shall be prepared and built up and though this great eclipse of Antichristian darknesse should yet more prevail even over the visible profession of the truth in the Churches of Britain and Ireland there is no cause to be staggered in the faith of Romes fatal period being near but to look hereon according to the Scripture as the Vltimus Conatus of that wounded adversary which will be found in the issue to have the most immediate connexion with his greatest downfall and the reviving glory of the Church for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her SECTION IV. QU. WHat is specially called for in this day of such as are accountable for so great a talent of light and confirmations to our faith ANSW If this were suitably taken to heart we could not but reckon our selves under the greatest excitment and call to such an improvment hereof I. That we account it not enough to have a faith for quieting our own spirits but how to confirme others by putting to our seal that God is true in the great assurances