Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	abel_n	abraham_n	enoch_n	63	3	10.7013	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A43727	Apokalypsis apokalypseos, or, The revelation revealed being a practical exposition on the revelation of St. John : whereunto is annexed a small essay, entituled Quinto-Monarchiæ, cum Quarto Omologia, or, A friendly complyance between Christ's monarchy, and the magistrates / by William Hicks ...	Hicks, William, 1621-1660.	1659 (1659)	Wing H1928; ESTC R20296	349,308	358

constancy and faithful Martyrdom unto Christ and his truth It is great encouragement to the living to have the pattern of former worthy men before them It is said that it was the reading of Achilles life in Homer that made Alexander ambitious to be his competitor in noble atchievments Again Julius Cesar taking up Alexander's example endeavoured to be sole Lord of the whole World So also it is on a spiritual account Abraham is called the Father of the faithful for his approved faith in the promises of God and they are his children and the true seed of Abraham that walk in the steps of faithful Abraham And so Abraham Abel Enoch Noah Sarah Moses c. are made ever-living examples of faith and godlines for imitation to all generations to come Heb. 11. It much comforts us and bears up our spirits in sufferings when we hear that Christ our head and captain hath perfected our salvation by sufferings he having trodden to us our first this thorny way let us not be ashamed to take up our cross and follow him whensoever he shall call us to it and so in all things else in him that are imitable by us not as he was Mediator but as a holy person and head of his mystical body the Church and so he presents himself as a gracious example to his Disciples Jo. 13.15 For I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done to you As he is the perfection of all the creatures and the light it self and wisdom of the Father so sure o all patterns and examples his in the ways of grace are most sound wise and perfect And blessed are they they that follow their Lord and Master for he is the way and the life Vers 14.15 But I have a few things against thee because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam who taught Balack to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel to eat things sacrificed unto Idols and to commit Fornication So hast thou also them that maintain the Doctrine of the Nicolaitans which thing I hate The churches of Smyrna and Laodicea only of the whole seven did pass the approbation of the Spirit without any but prefixed or annexed to them The church of Pergamus had her commendable graces of constancy in the faith and profession of the truth in the worst of times and amongst the vilest people even where the Seat of Satan was Yet all in her is not well or sound for Christ comes on with a but against her But I have a few things against thee because c. Whence by the way Observe Obs 1. That many Churches of Christ and persons may suffer much for Christ and the profession of Christ yet not sound and right in all the truths of Christ Doubtless the church at Pergamus had and enjoyed but sad and afflicting days when Antipas Christ's faithful Martyr was slayn for then she denied not the faith but held her profession with much constancy The church at Thyatira too was commended for her faith and her patience verse 19. yet both these churches notwithstanding their fair profession they had much rottenness and unsoundness in the root their Doctrines were not strait that they had among them there were those in the one held the doctrines of Balaam and the doctrines of the Niolaitans in the other the doctrines of Jezabel and her wicked practises both most unsound both in doctrine and practise yet both highly suffering for the Name of Christ We see that the profession of the Name of Christ amongst the Gentiles was sufficient to bring suffering on the Disciples but suffering for that profession was not sufficient to make them sound in all things Some may prophecy in Christ's Name and cast out Divels in his Name and suffer and give their bodies to be burnt for his Name and yet at the last day Christ may tell them he knew them not He that will attain a comfortable Martyrdom for the profession of the Faith of Christ let him first see that his ends be right First That it be truly and really for Christ Secondly That it be out of love to Christ and his truth Thirdly That it tends wholly to the glory of God and not at self This is the true suffering that will attain to the crown of life But to proceed Christ hath a charge against this church of Pergamus and it is Because thou hast there them that hold the Doctrine of Balaam who taught Balack to cast a stumbling block or a stone of offence in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before the children of Israel Because thou hast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast that is thou keepest holdest and intendest to keep and hold thou hast these Balaamites not by accident or chance but by choyce thou hast them because thou delightest in them and wilt have it so Thy habendum and tenendum go together thou hast them and wilt not part with them because thou lovest them therefore thy sin is the greater herein And what hast thou Those that hold the doctrine of Balaam c. the doctrine of Balaam was when he saw that God had blessed Jacob and that there was no Inchantment against Israel he cursedly advised Balack the Prince of the Midianites to make a great Sacrifice to Baal Peor and to invite the Israelites unto it Now Baal Peor was the filthy lascivious Idol Priapus as Godwin's Jewish Antiquities testifie whose Festivals and Sacrifices were celebrated by both Sexes in most shameless postures and manners And therefore Hos 9.10 It is said they went to Baal Peor and discovered themselves to their shame because it made them shameless and to discover their nakedness before that Idol Now the cursed advice or doctrine of Balaam for a man's doctrine is his advice or counsel consisteth of two parts First To sacrifice to Idols and to participate at their cursed Altars in eating of their idolothites expresly against the Law of God and that of S. Paul 1 Cor. 10.20 28 Acts 15.29 Secondly In mixing with the Midianitish women a notion utterly forbidden to the Jewish Nation not to meddle with in such a way So that though Balaam could not curse Israel according to Balack's desires being overmastered by God yet it seems his heart went still after the wages of unrighteousness as 2 Pet. 2.15 testifies that is his desires and heart was to take Balack's hire and reward to curse Israel if the Lord had not overmastered both his tongue and heart and instead of cursing them he was enforced to bless them and seeing he could not pleasure Balack according to his expectation and desires as a Prophet in his malediction yet he was free as a private Machavilian or an Achitophel to counsel Balack that the readiest way to bring the people of Israel at enmity with their God was to bring them to Idolatry and Adultery and so God that was their keeper and Saviour against all enchantments and cursings would