Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	according_a	act_n	active_a	58	3	9.7803	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96748	Epistolium-vagum-prosa-metricum: or, An epistle at randome, in prose and metre. To be delivered, to all whom it may concern; but, was first intended only, for two or three of the authors friends in authority (if he hath so many left) to mediate in Parliament, the redress of his destructive grievances; in the expression whereof, many particulars of publick concernment are interwoven. The author, is George Wither Esq; who, in writing this address, being transported beyond the sense of his personal sufferings, discovers by a poetical rapture, that whereon the peace of these nations depends; and, what is, and what vvill be, their sad condition; as also, what new-purgatories, and fiery-tryals, they are likely to pass, if God's mercy, prevents not: which that they may endeavour to obtain, their old remembrancer gives them, once more, a fore-warning; resolving, this shall be his last time, of sounding them an alarm.	Wither, George, 1588-1667.	1659 (1659)	Wing W3156; Thomason E763_6; ESTC R204085	47,030	31

EPISTOLIUM-VAGUM-PROSA-METRICUM OR An Epistle at Randome IN PROSE and METRE To be delivered to all whom it may concern but was first intended only for two or three of the Authors Friends in Authority if he hath so many left to mediate in Parliament the Redress of his destructive Grievances in the expression whereof many Particulars of Publick Concernment are interwoven When Justice raigns the Land doth flourish When 't is unthron'd the People perish The Author is George Wither Esq Who in writing this Address being transported beyond the sense of his Personal Sufferings discovers by a Poetical Rapture that whereon the peace of these Nations depends and what IS and what VVILL BE their sad Condition as also what New-Purgatories and Fiery-Tryals they are likely to pass if GOD's Mercy prevents not which that they may endeavour to obtain their old REMEMBRANCER gives them once more a Fore-warning resolving this shall be his Last Time of sounding them an ALARM When Disrespects to Wrongs doth Ruine adde He may be wise who seems a little mad And in that FIT speak things that needfull be To turn those men that are more mad then he Printed at London in the Year 1659. August 10. 1659. Epistolium-Vagum-Prosa-metricum OR An EPISTLE at Randome in Prose and Metre OUr English Proverb saith that Charity begins at home and this Divine Precept Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self implies that there ought to be in every man such a moderate and well-regulated self-love as may be a standing Rule whereby to regulate his love to other men Also from this saying of Paul He that provides not for his family is worse then an infidel I do collect that He who provides not for himself is worse then a Beast It is every mans duty in order to the preservation of his Country to preserve him also as much as he can who loves and studies the peace and welfare of it and I knowing no man living who affects the welfare thereof more then I do may be culpable perhaps of unfaithfulness to my Country by neglecting my own preservation Therefore that I may discharge the duty which I owe to my Country my Self and my Neighbours by taking timely care of my own preservation being at present in much hazard and by none else regarded I have sent abroad this wandring Epistle to fetch in aid which if it come into such hands as I purposed it should and to whom I did first and principally intend it then you who are now perusing it are none of those Idol-Gods who are insensible of those Prayers and Complaints which are presented unto them Or one of those men in honour without understanding who are like the Beasts that perish but one in whom I hope to finde that Candor and Humanity which renders men heedful and sensible of their Neighbours Grievances In that hope and on that account onely I am emboldned hereby to crave your furthering the presentation of that my Petition Narrative to this Parliament which if no other charitable hand shall first undertake it you shall receive in Writing to be presented to the House and also printed Copies of them for your private Information touching my Cause with two Preparatory Addresses directed to every Individual Member of the said Parliament if you give me an encouragement thereto after the receipt hereof as I hope you will for if there hath been offered to this Parliament any Grievances more considerable then mine all Circumstances and Consequences considered I will be contented they should cast my Cause out of their House and me out of this Commonwealth I am inforced to such a Whimsie as this because all my endeavours hitherto have been as ineffectual as if I had sollicited the Statues in Westminster-Abby or in White-hall Garden and because also I having lately made tryal finde no Member of Parliament willing to offer unto it a Petition at this busie time though a little longer delay may prove destructive to me injurious to many and dishonourable to this Commonwealth wherein Justice hath been already deferred as to a main part of my Grievances nigh 17 years For it will be no little dishonour nor a slight disadvantage thereto if at such a time as this a faithful servant to this Republick after so long and great sufferings as mine shall not seasonably be indemnified from dangers and damages soly occasioned by her defective Securities and unperformed Ingagements which will else destroy him especially when large Indulgencies are granted to her malicious Enemies and notorious Offenders Vouchsafe this Wanderer such respect as it shall deserve for it begs not contrary to Law hath a Pass under my hand who employed it onely to prevent those Provocations which may be occasioned by being slighted in a Personal Address and I will take order that it shall be no further troublesome then you please after it hath declared my Requests I am in a streight from which none under GOD can deliver me but the supreme Power of these Nations whereto though it be difficult to procure access by reason of those Insurrections which are now begun I am necessitated to attempt it and do conceive that the supreme Authority now in being is obliged to vouchsafe me Protection yea and Hearing and Relief in some measure even at this season which may seem unseasonable I act in matters concerning GOD and my Soul according to that measure of Illumination which he vouchsafeth by his Word and Spirit neither uncharitably judging or inwardly disaffecting them who do the like It is also my Principle to submit unto that civil Authority which hath the most visible Power and to be Active and Passive under it both for preservation of the Common-peace and of my private interests without much busying my self in examining how rightfully or by what means it got into the Throne considering how difficult it is for a private Person to discover the Mysteries of State with the many Intricacies wherewithal they are involved and how dangerous it is to dive into those Whirl-pooles wherein are so many contrary Fluctuations I content my self with such a Notion thereof onely as GOD brings to my knowledge who hath by his Word informed us that all Powers that be whatsoever they be are of him And as I am injoyned obedience by his Precepts to that which is in present being so I have the practise of the Apostles and of their Master CHRIST himself to warrant it who submitted to the Roman Monarchs in those times wherein they lived in all Civil Matters though they were Infidels cruel Tyrants and very wickedly obtained their Soveraignty I am carried into this Digression to prevent what I know is spoken privately to my disadvantage and therefore bear with my proceeding in it a little further According to this Principle I acted and suffered with a good Conscience whilst the supreme Power was divided betwixt the late King and Parliament so I did when it was soly in this Parliament and when GOD permitted

he who put out me whom he found upon the Roll and who am the most antient Commissioner of my Surname and put in him whom he there found not and distinguished him by the place of his abode did intend not only to manifest thereby that another was put into the Commission in my stead but also that it might be the more certainly known I am knowingly put out which a Person being one of the best men who serves for that County and who gave in my name being informed of professed he knew not why or by whom I was strook out I do not insist hereupon with any desire to be restored to what I was or to be invested with any new Trust For I desire the contrary though some of those who were instrumental to have me left out of all authority lest I might perhaps have hindred their late design do maliciously untruly report I seek to be restored It seemeth some disadvantage to have contempt cast upon me at this present But if they prevaile who have now taken Arms against the Parliament I perceive by what I discover already that I and my Family whether I am authorized or not are in hazard to be destroyed with the first and a Justiceship or the little share which I should have had in the Militia would have more endangered then secured me Therefore it best becomes me who so well know the world as I do to retire as much as I can from her intanglements and those employments wherein I am sure to be a looser I take most pleasure in those things which no man can give me or take from me and love not to be tost in and out like a dog in a blanket as I and many better men have been heretofore according as we were thought upon or forgotten or as the Commonwealths friends or our Maligners prevailed in Parliaments Councils and Committees Such usage if no provision be made against it will make every ingenuous man whose free-free-spirit disdains to be made a Shuttlecock for every proud malicious sool to play withal shun those Places out of which he may be cast with dishonour how well soever he shall demean himself I may be very well pleased that I am left out of all Publick imployments as the Common-wealths and my affairs now stand For I may justly say as it was of old Prophecied by Isaiah it should be said at such a time as this and I do now say it I will not be a Healer make me not a Ruler for in my house there is nor bread nor clothing for my Country is ruined and my Country-men are destroyed because their words and actions are against the LORD Isai 3. There are enough ambitious to be authorized who have means to support the Charge and Envy that attends publick Employments let the Ruines of these times be under their hands I am not qualified nor the wisest men among us for such undertakings if this as I belive it is be such a time as Esay describes in the same Chapter the effect of whose words I will here insert that you may judge whether it be so or not The Lord of Hosts doth take away the stay and staff of bread and water the mighty man and the man of war the judge and the prophet the prudent and the ancient the Captain of Fifty and the honourable man the Counsellour the cunning Artificer and the eloquent Orator Children shall be their Princes and Babes shall rule over them the people shall be oppressed every one by another and every one by his Neighbour the Child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient and the Babe against the honourable they grinde the faces of the poor and the spoil of them is in their houses c. Were the Prophet now living he could not have more lively described this Generation then it was pattern'd out in his time by Jerusalem and Judah and recorded in his Prophesie nor can we expect better events thereupon then befel them if GOD be not extraordinarily merciful But how can it be amended whilst malice pride and avarice do mask self-ends under publick pretences even when dangers visibly enclose us and GOD is beginning to visite us again with the Sword or with what comfort can I or any honest man serve his Country where they who should assist him will rather obstruct his endeavours and destroy him verily if I were in a capacity to serve my Country as I have been heretofore I am doubtful whether to be put in or left out of publick employments would be most or least hazardous considering I know not above one person in authority within many miles of the place wherein I must now live with whom I can more safely associate or more comsortably converse then with an open Enemy or a suspected Familiar and may truly affirm that none of those whom I have provoked by engaging against them and their Party in the Field on the behalf of my Country during the Civil War have to me been half so inhumane and mischievous though they are still my enemies as many are who seem to befriend me and that Cause whereto I adhere yea though to some of them I have done good Offices and no disservice in all my life This implyeth somewhat which deserveth heed And if I have any portion of a discerning spirit I do foresee that if I be still neglected as I have been I shall be but singly exposed a little before-hand to that disgrace and outward ruine which will be more universal within a short time after and extend to another Overturning unless there be a more hearty Returning to GOD by executing Justice shewing Mercy and Self-denial then I yet discover By such a Change I may be repaired and eat the Fruits of my former labours in peace during the rest of my life else I must spend my days in bewailing my afflicted Country and my dearest Relations Many in scoff have called me Prophet and though I arrogate not that Title I have been instead of a Prophet to this Generation and have had some part of a Prophets Reward for I have met with that contempt and dishonour in my own Country and among my own Kindred which usually befell Prophets heretofore I have not merited to be called a False Prophet by that mark which the Holy Ghost hath given us whereby to know him that is by fore-telling things to come and endeavouring upon the fulfilling of them to withdraw men from the true GOD or from the true way of his Worship But I have thereby taken many times occasions rather to withdraw men from their sins and bring them neerer to GOD by declaring what shall befal the Penitent and Impenitent according to what is threatned or promised in his Everlasting Word and doubtless whether I be a Prophet or a Poet which two words in the Greek signifie the same thing I have done the work of a Prophet among them in some measure and it will have effects upon