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	head_n	unction_n	54	3	11.0998	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13541	The Kings bath Affording many sweet and comfortable obseruations from the baptisme of Christ. Gathered by Thomas Taylor, preacher of the word of God at Redding in Barkshire.	Taylor, Thomas, 1576-1632.	1620 (1620)	STC 23831; ESTC S102223	77,312	281

who easily spied their want of commission mightily preuailed against them Act. 19. 3. That God will blesse his labour and the workes of his calling and make it powerfull and fruitfull because it is his owne worke whereas such as haue not their commission sealed from the Lord finde not their sacrifices burnt by God but often labour all day and night and catch nothing A caueat not to runne vpon mans calling without Gods as the false apostles did against whom the Apostles opposed themselues see that the chiefe Bishop of soules send thee that he hath laid his hands vpō thee that hee hath bid thee receiue the holy Ghost as for the order and ordination of the Church it is onely a manifestation and declaration of him whom God hath fitted Let euery Minister be able to say as Christ himselfe did Isa. 48. 16. The Lord God himselfe and his spirit hath sent me namely to declare what Cyrus in his time was to performe to the Church And here he that would haue good and assured comfort of his commission must examine what kinde of gifts they be which he hath receiued of the Spirit for they be of two sorts 1. Common to good and bad as those of knowledge tongues interpretation eloquence to which if working of miracles if a man haue no more were added while he might much benefit others himselfe might remaine a reprobate For Saul and Iudas had the Spirit of God 2. Proper and peculiar to the elect as iustifying faith true loue inuocation repentance vnspeakable groanes and mourning of the Doue innocencie meeknesse sinceritie and such like testimonies that God hath sent the Spirit of his Sonne into the heart purifying it making it cry Abba Father These are gifts worth hauing making all the former not onely profitable to others but truly comfortable to himself and acceptable to God Now shall a man speake powerfully feelingly and conscionably and resemble those holie men of God who wrote the Scriptures in interpreting thē they shall speake and do as they are moued by the holy Ghost men shall perceiue and after a sort see a fiery tongue vpon their heads such shall be the efficacie and power of their ministerie in separating the precious from the vile 3. Note wheresoeuer the Spirit descendeth on any Christian it descendeth like a Doue that is maketh a Christian resemble the Doue Whence it is that the holy Church or company of beleeuers is called by Christ his Doue Cant. 2. 14. 1. Because the same sweet oyntment as that of Aaron runnes downe from the head to all the mēbers the same graces which this Spirit in the shape of a Doue did fill Christ withall aboue measure hee doth also bestow in measure vpon Christians Thus are we said to receiue of his fulnesse A fountaine sends the same water into the streames that it self hath 2. The Spirit of God is euery-where like to himself both in the head and members as the same iuyce is in the roote and branches in the tree and fruites looke what were the fruites of the Spirit in Christ the same also are in the members Gal. 5. 23. To examine whether we haue receiued this Spirit or no by the properties of a Doue 1. Meeknesse is an essentiall mark of one of Christs Doues and on whom the Spirit of Christ is descēded as himselfe witnesseth Learne of me for I am lowly and meeke 1. He in heart neuer conceiued fierce or reuengefull thought 2. In word being reuiled he reuiled not againe 3. In action hee was led as a sheepe to the slaughter and was dumbe before the shearer 1. Pet. 2. 23. Moses was the meekest man on earth but not like him If any be a rough Esau of a froward and peruerse disposition the Spirit of Christ hath not sate and lighted vpon him for in the kingdome of Christ the lyon and the lambe shall feed together Let vs therefore put on and decke our selues with meeknesse Col. 3. 12. A most beautifull grace much set by of God How glorious a sight was it and how delightfull to God his Father as the voyce witnesseth when the Doue sate vpon Christ and euen so the Apostle commendeth this grace to women as a most precious garment to set them out to God and make him set by them as their most costly garments doe set them out to men neither is it a garment proper to the women as distinguishing the sexe which the cloathing of our bodies doe or ought to doe but the condition between a naturall and spiritual man an old and new creature for this makes difference before God when none is betweene male and female And though we take little notice of a meeke-hearted Christian yet God doth so account of it as he doth denominate the righteous by it and maketh it a speciall title of the iust Zeph. 2. 3. Seeke the Lord ye meeke of the earth as though none were fit to seeke him and he would be found of none else A second qualitie of those on whom the Spirit is lighted like a Doue is simplicitie innocencie commended to vs also by Christ Be wise as serpents but innocent as Doues enforcing it plainly to be a qualitie of those who are baptized with the Spirit of Christ To which purpose he knitteth these two together Cant. 5. 12. and 6. 8. My Doue my vndefiled Elsewhere he calls the Church faire as the Sunne pure as the Moone the Lords holy ones vndefiled in their wayes Saints pure not only in regard of their iustification by the bloud of Christ clensing them from all sinne but also of their endeuour in sanctification These Doues of the Lords Culuer-house are cleane fowles not of the vncleane birds Vultures Crowes and Hawkes that can smell a carrion a farre off to flye to it and feede vpon it the Spirit neuer tooke such a shape Let vs be carefull of our wayes not to foule our selues with sin which is the most filthy vncleannes but rather when the Spirit sate vpon Christs head make knowne that it sate like a Doue on our head by purging our selues euen as he is pure 1. Ioh. 3. 3. as it is a marke of our adoption in that place He is not capable of any grace that endeuoureth not in this wil the Spirit of God dwell in a stye or will hee powre his gracious liquors into fustie and filthie vessels What may wee thinke the hire of those that moyle themselues in all filthie lusts and tumble like swine in their sinnes and in the meane time scorne at those who desire to bee more free and innocent from the riots of the world seeing GOD is good to none but the pure of heart heareth none pray but such as lift vp pure hands accepteth no seruice but a cleane offering and from a cleane offerer admitteth none to the blessed vision of God but the pure of heart and much lesse to stand in his Holy place but hee that is of innocent hands and a

hee must necessarily bee turned into a Doue of a creating God become a creature which is high blasphemy 3. The manner or forme of the Spirits descending was in the shape of a Doue Quest. Whether was this a true materiall Doue or an appearance of a Doue only Answ. It is enough to conceiue the presence of the holy Ghost vnder the forme of a Doue and it is no article of faith whether it was or no But yet I thinke it was a true reall body and corporal Doue 1. Because Luke addeth in a bodily shape implying that there was a body 2. Because none of the other signes were imaginary or appearances but reall things whence some of the Fathers conclude that it was as true a Doue as the Spirit was a true Spirit Obiect But if it were so how came it into heauen Answ. He that created of nothing all things created it at this time not for common vse but for this vse and purpose which when it was accomplished hee could bring it to nothing or resolue it into the first matter whereof it was made as it was with those bodies in which the Angels appeared Obiect But the text is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like a Doue therefore it was but a similitude and appearance not a true body Answ. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not to be referred to the Doue but to the Spirit who manifested his presence in this likenesse 2. The phrase doth not alwayes note likenesse and similitude onely but verity and identity as Ioh. 1. 14. Wee saw his glory as the glory of the only Sonne of God and Phil. 2. 7. Christ was in the shape of man and like man shal we thence conclude that he was not a true man but one in appearance onely Why did the holy Ghost appeare in this shape For sometimes hee appeared in mighty winds as to the Apostles sometimes in burning fire wherein he seemes to be contrary to himselfe These diuers symbols and testimonies of the presence of the Spirit argue diuers but not contrary effects all of them his wisedome made choyce of according to the occasion and present vse There was great difference betweene the ministery of Christ and Moses betweene the Law and the Gospell and accordingly the Spirit manifesteth himselfe The Law was confirmed with terrour feare but to ratifie the Gospel the Spirit appeares in the shape of a Doue Act. 2. 2. Hee is noted to come like a mighty rushing winde to shew the mighty power of the Gospell in the ministery of the Apostles who were now to bee sent out so in the shape of tongues to shew the vtterance giuen by the Spirit to the Apostles in the shape of clouen tongues to note the variety of tongues and languages wherewith they were indued in the shape of fiery tongues to shew the fruit and efficacie of their ministery and doctrine which should bee as fire to seuer betweene drosse and pure metall So heere the Spirit would appeare in the shape of a Doue to note 1. what kind of Spirit Christs was 2. what kind of gifts they were which were collated and bestowed vpon him and 3. what was the fruit of those gifts For the first in the Doue obserue two things 1. Of all fowles it is the most mild without gall 2. It is most innocent and harmlesse not rauening and hurtfull Which signifieth that Christ should be indued with a mild meeke and gentle spirit so it was prophesied of him Isa. 42. 2. That he should not cry nor lift vp his voice in the streets a brused reed hee should not breake and how it was accomplished the whole story of the Gospell witnesseth Math. 12. 19. So also that he should be most innocent blamelesse of a most pure spirit In him was no guile no deceit in his lips Who could accuse him of sin being the spotlesse Lambe of God 2. As the Doue hath many excellent properties patience simplicity sincerity tendernesse to her young faithfulnes to her mate c. Euen so God the Father hath fitted Christ with all profitable and necessary gifts humility and patience holinesse and integrity loue and tendernesse constancy and diligence in working out the good of his members 3. The fruit of these gifts is the appeasing of his Fathers displeasure conceiued against the sinne of man for looke as the Doue which Noah sent forth out of the Arke returning with an Oliue branch which argued the ceasing of the deluge brought newes that Gods wrath was now asswaged and decreased with the waters so the Spirit of the Lord is vpon Christ in the form of a Doue sending him out to preach the acceptable yeere of the Lord and good tidings of liberty to captiues the opening of the prison to them that are bound forgiuenesse of sin and conferring of grace life c. Isa. 61. 1. Now this being the end of the Spirits appearing in this shape separating and sending Christ to his ministery that onely for this time and not reserued out of this time and vse it is not now lawfull for any man to represent the holy Ghost by this shape or make an image thereof for this is to make an Idoll as the Papists doe not onely in this but in painting God the Father like an old man because he is called the Ancient of dayes Dan. 7. 22. Both of them flat Idolatry God is aboue his Law if he make shapes Cherubs or bodies it is iust because hee doth it but wee are borne vnder the Law which expresly forbids the making or hauing of any Image of God in any vse or any at all in religious vse and enioynes vs to worship God in spirit and truth onely in the Image of his Sonne And it will strongly follow that if wee may not reserue the shapes which God himselfe hath vsed to manifest his presence much lesse vpon any colour any Images or Idols deuised and beautified by Idolaters abused in times past and in present and for time to come subiect to be abused to the maintenance of Idolatry Heere come all Popish pictures to bee defaced whose Idolatry is as grosse as euer the Heathens was a lamentable thing y t any Christian can feed and please his senses in the cōuicted instrumēts of Gods dishonour in so high a kinde A chaste heart will make a chaste eye The 4. point is the Spirits descending vpon Christ for these reasons 1. To shew that Christ was set apart to his great work not onely by the ministery of man but by the holy Ghost 2. That hee was now endued with gifts fit for such a worke for this was the vnction or anoynting of Christ to bee the King Priest and Prophet of his Church as Isa. 61. 1. The Spirit of the Lord is vpon mee hee hath anoynted mee to preach Obiect But Christ was filled with the holy Ghost from his infancy Answer He was endued with such a measure of the Spirit as was