Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	ability_n	able_a	infirmity_n	30	3	8.7281	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A28383	A plain and brief explanation upon the church catechisme different from what hitherto hath been extant : wherein the first elements and grounds of religion are reduced to such plain and familiar questions and answers ... : to which is added, a plain and useful tract of confirmation / by Nathaniel Blithe ...	Blithe, Nathaniel.	1664 (1664)	Wing B3197; ESTC R5761	48,274	155

until he do publickly own and profess that he will faithfully stand to those conditions and terms that were made in his Name when through the gate of Baptism he was graciously received into the number of Christs Holy Catholick Church that he will not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified but couragiously continue persevere in that high calling wherein he is called magure all opposition to the contrary and manfully fight under Christs Banner against sin the world and the Devil and continue Christs true and faithful Servant and Souldier to his lives end And that this is the Church of Englands sense of confirmation is very plain from the office which is then to be used which requires that all persons who are confirmed shall audibly and publickly in the presence of God and of the Congregation renew that solemn promise and vow that was made in their names at baptism ratifying and confirming the same in their own persons and acknowledging themselves bound to believe and do all those things which their Godfathers and Godmothers then undertook for them She only hereby intends that we should be in reality and truth what we outwardly profess our selves that as we at large bear the name of Christians Because of the number and living amongst the Society of them and in communion with them so likewise we should specifie as much by our actions having our Conversation such as becometh the Gospel of Christ denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts and behaving our selves soberly righteously and godlily in this present evil world which is no more than that duty which the Grace of God that hath appeared unto all men and bringeth salvation hath taught us It is no more than what we have strictly obliged our selves to perform when we took upon us the honourable name of Christians for then we faithfully engage to renounce the Devil and all his works that is to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and to keep Gods holy will and Commandements walking in the same all the dayes of our lives whose sacred Laws teach us to behave our selves soberly righteously and godlily in this present evil world So that the Churches design is very good and pious in continuing this wholsome Institution and as clearly opposite from either Superstition or Will-worship as light is from darkness it is only the spiritual good of her sons that she would advance by the administration of this Rite cause them openly to acknowledg themselves Gods faithful Servants that they are resolved by his assistance so to continue chearfully and heartily performing his sacred pleasure stopping up their cares and barring up their hearts against all corrupt and wicked insinuations that may tempt them to the contrary 2ly It is an Act of Confirmation on Gods part who confers a new Grace to strengthen in those persons that are confirmed those holy principles and that good resolution of which they have made a faithful profession and to enable them to continue and persist in it so that God doth confirm our confirmation that is he doth by the assistance of his good Spirit confirm and corroborate our resolutions and purposes in performing our vow made at Baptism The Reverent Bishop of Down enforms us in his Epistle before his Treatise writ upon this very subject that some wise and good men have piously believed which is no small addition to the honour of this Ministration that when baptized persons are confirmed and blessed by the Bishop that then it is that a special guardian Angel is appointed to keep their souls from the assaults of the Spirits of darkness And all that he adds to it of his own sentiments is this that the piety of this supposition is not at all disagreeable to the intention of this Rite for since by this the holy spirit of God the Father of all spirits is given it is not unreasonably thought by them that the other good Spirits of God the Angels who are ministring spirits sent forth to minister for their sakes who are heirs of Salvation should pay their kind offices in subordination to their Prince and Fountain Neither can I discover any thing in this opinion which is Heterodox but that it may be very safely entertained for if these glorious Angels as the Scripture enforms us minister for the good of mankind namely that part of it as are obedient to the divine Laws of the great Soveraign of the Universe then certainly there cannot be a more proper season for them to enter upon this charitable employment than about that age as it is requisite for confirmation to be administred and it is very agreeable both with the goodness wisdom of Almighty God then to place the securest guard over his Servants when they are the most vigorously assaulted by their spiritual enemies which is at the publick owning of themselves to be Christs real members and declare a profest enmity against the Devil and all his works when we openly profess Christianity and acknowledge out Baptismal vow then it is that the rage of the Devil is most furious and violent imagining if ever he can seduce us it will be at the first hand before we are well settled and throughly grounded in our holy resolutions But howsoever as the above mentioned Bishop very well observes there are greater and stranger things than this that God does for the soul of his Servants and for the honour of the Ministries which himself hath appointed and in this very Ministry will have the powerful assistance of the spirit of all spirits the eternal spirit of God is our guide and our coadjutor to assist our own abilities and undertakings in abiding in that high calling whereunto we are called at our Baptism he now by his gracious influence and blessed aid helpeth our infirmities and supplies our natural imperfections making us able to do that which is good and what the Lord requires of us As in Baptism the Holy Ghost was conveyed as a sanctifyer so herein as a comforter and strengthener now that the person is entring upon a great contest and conflict with himself his own unruly lusts the world and principalities and powers and spiritual wickednesses in high places It is true in Baptism we receive the Spirit of God by it we are then regenerated made members of Christ Children of God and shall in the end be made inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven that is if we continue constant in the profession of the Faith of Christ crucified performing our part of the Covenant made in Baptism to do which it requires a greater and more powerful assistance of the Holy Ghost which is given in confirmation By Baptism we are Heirs and are adopted to the inheritance of Sons admitted to the Covenant of Repentance and engaged to live a Godly life yet as the judicious Prelate learnedly observes this is but the Solemnity of the Covenant which must pass into other Acts by other influences of the same Divine Principle untill