Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	angel_n	hear_v	zion_n	27	3	8.5211	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93061	The hypocrites ladder, or looking-glasse. Or A discourse of the dangerous and destructive nature of hypocrisie, the reigning and provoking sin of this age. Wherein is shewed how far the hypocrite, or formal professor may go towards heaven, yet utterly perish, by three ladders of sixty steps of his ascending. Together with a looking-glass, clearly discovering that lurking sin of hypocrisie. As also another glass to try sincerity of grace by. / By Jo. Sheffeild minister of the word at Swithins London.	Sheffeild, John, d. 1680.	1657 (1657)	Wing S3063; Thomason E1570_1	172,287	360

go into the house yet go not in himself the glass to hold the wine for others to drink but tastes none it self a Lamp that spends it self to give Take heed of a fic vos non vobis here light to others yet hath no part in it it self Hee may bee as the Porter that carries another mans treasure but hath no part in it onely is paid for the carriage a groat or sixpence If Ministers bee not partakers of the Gospel with beleevers 1 Cor. 9 23. they have but a slender recompence of reaping temporals for sowing spirituals The Counsellor hath the perusing and keeping of his Clients Evidence but the Land not his 15 Hee may bee so well as to his own thinking to have done nothing amiss which hee needs to bee humbled for he is one of the ninety nine that never went astray hee is one of those that need no repentance Luke 15. 7. Matth. 18. 13. Luke 18. 11. Gen. 20. 4 ● Luke 15. 29. Such a one was Saul 1 Sam. 15. 13. 20. There was no convincing of him but hee had done all which was commanded The Pharisee had done nothing amiss Abimelech was righteous and innocent if hee may bee his own judge The Prodigals brother had never offended in all his life the father was rather to blame than hee Non deest qui impleat deest qui Jubeat hee saith with the proud Pelagian Laodicea wanted nothing no not any thing The young man had Rev. 3. 17. Matth. 19. 20. kept all hee rather wanted more Commandements than more obedience The sloathful servant brought forth his Talent if any was to blame it must needs bee the hard Masters not the careful servant and others plead not guilty Jer. 2. 25. Mat. 25. 24. Because I am innocent surely his anger shall turn from mee Behold I will plead with thee saith the Lord because thou sayest I have not sinned The like Hos 12. 8. They shall finde no iniquity in mee that were sin Oh how great is that Generation that are pure in their own eyes yet are not washed from their filthiness Prov. 30. 11. SECT 4. The five last steps of the second Ladder 16 Hee may live all his dayes in peace and prosperity This is a high step 1 For outward prosperity hee may have as much as heart can wish Hee Psal 73. 7. Job 2● 13. spendeth his dayes in mirth and in a moment goes down to hell 2 His soul may dwell at ease and hee may have inward peace Luke 11. 21. When the strong man armed keepeth his house all is in peace Pax ea sed bello pax ea deterior But that is not the best peace wee have had longest and cost us least As some Nations are inriched by war and beggered by peace So the Christian ever gets more by open wars than peace with Satan There is a peace which wee have been bred and born in wee shall bee fired out of As wisdome so that peace is best that is dearly bought The Canaanite was bred and born in Canaan and enjoyed it long in peace they and their Fathers at last were fired and rooted out of it whereas the Israelites that had it by promise and came hardly by it after many a bloody battel fought injoyed it peaceably A man may get a Crown too easily by craft and treachery as Zimri and Athaliah but how long do 1 King 16. 9. 2 King 11. 12. they hold it Adonijah came by the Crown too easily to injoy it long Solomon whose it was from the Lord by promise 1 King 1. 25. 1 King 2. 15. and by his Fathers designation though hee came in with some difficulty yet held it all his dayes and in much peace The hypocrite layes the foundation of his salvation with shouting on Peace and the top-stone is peace too The godly layes his foundation on Grace and Grace is the Top-stone onely the foundation is laid in mourning as the second Temple was Ezra 3. 13. but the Top-stone is laid on with shouting and rejoycing Zach. 4. 7. 17 Or hee may after much trouble and disquiet of conscience come to quiet and ease again And now hee reckons himself safe indeed and saith What lack I yet If trouble of conscience bee good I have had my part in that If peace I have that if both I have had both But it matters not how soon and gently the sore is cured but how soundly it may bee healed lightly and break out again in a worse manner thy hurt of conscience may be healed lightly and thou cryest Peace peace when as yet there is no peace It matters not how rich a scarf thy broken arm is carried in but how well it is set thy conscience may now bee seared which before was sore when searched How knowest thou but thou art the tree twice Jude v. 12. dead thy conscience being plucked up by the roots The raging spirit is gone out and a worse spirit of slumber comes in the room of it here the last state is Rom. 11. 8. worse than the first Out of the fear into the pit out of Charibdis into Scylla escaping the sword thou dyest of the Pestilen●e Ease doth slay the silly one the Pro. 1. 32. Scripture saith and the prosperity of fools doth destroy them It is given him to bee in safety and therein hee resteth and pleaseth himself but they are exalted for a little while but are gone and brought low and cut off as the tops of the ears of Job 24. 23 24. corn The salt is not the better if it smart not nor the mustard if it bite not it were better if it made thy eyes run all over a water so conscience is then worst when it doth not stimulate excite admonish check and reprove thee 18 Hee may bee drest as an Angel of light and rise up to such perfections and attainments as passeth such a man was Balaam heare him speak for himself The Spirit of God came upon him and hee Num. 24. 2 3 4 15 16. took up his Parable and said Balaam the son of Beor hath said and the man whose eyes are open hath said hee hath said who heard the words of God which saw the vision of the Almighty falling into a trance but having his eyes open and verse 16. hee saith the same and addeth Hee that knew the knowledge of God There is a man for you There are expressions somewhat like as wee say There is never a Quaker of them all could have said more nay never a true Prophet of God could say more The true Messias came meek and lowly a man of sorrows no come liness in him no man Matth. 21. 5. Isa 53. 2 3. cared for him hee came in his Fathers name no man received him when others came in their owne name and were honoured Joh. 5. 43. Nor John Baptist neither the one a Devil the Matth. 11. 18. other a Glutton both

the broadest that ever were yet came Jer. 51. 53. to bee made a heap of Nettles So the new and mystical Babylon that hath sate so long a Queen and hath set her Throne as the Throne of God must come down and bee burnt to ashes 2 So it is in Spirituals they who are now in an imaginary heaven of Gospel-happiness may bee thrown down to the lowest hell And on the other side the godly whose beginning was small and their present condition sad may bee lifted up in due time so was Jacob Joseph David Mordecai Job and others lifted up from poverty the dunghil and the dungeon and set among the Princes And which is better the Church which is at present afflicted and tossed but not comforted shall have her stones laid with fair colours and her foundations with Saphires Isa 54. 11. And which is better yet the soul that now sits in darkness walks in distress being deserted tempted discouraged may come to enjoy beauty for ashes the oyl of joy for mourning the Es 61. 3. garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness and shall come to Sion with songs and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads they shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing Es 35. 10. shall bee done away And which is yet better best of all They who n●w sow in tears and mingle their drink with weeping being in much heaviness at present through manifold tem●tations are smitten into the place of Dragons and covered with the shadow of ●eath yea are in continual bondage all their life and wade through great tribulations shall at length bee ●et on Thrones cloathed with long white Robes and shall have their Palmes in their hands and glorious Crowns on their heads Observ 2. It is not the past or present state wherein men now are whereby they may bee denominated happy or miserable but the eternal state which they must abide by Capernaum had been lifted up to heaven The Apostate Angels had been possessed of heaven but neither the happier Woe to you that are full now that laugh now that are at ease in Sion now Go to now yee rich worldlings yee secure Professors Weep and howl your present delights shall end in eternal miseries After a short heaven a long hell After a short reign as Zimries of seven 1 King 16. 15. dayes a dreadful end after a sumptuous revel and riotous feast a terrible hand-writing on the wa●l as to Belshazzar after a merry sitting down a sudden and confused taking away as Adonijah from his usurped Crown after the second 1 King 1. 49. Banquet of wine a shamefull and unexpected execution as to Haman The Ester 7. 2. 10. joy of the hypocrite is short his sorrows to come not so his triumphing is but for a moment but his destruction is not Job 20. 5. for a moment They shall bee destroyed with an everlasting destruction from the 2 Thess 1. 9. presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power But as for you that are godly though you now lye among the pots and mourn as Doves in the valleyes Psal 68. 13. lift up your heads you shall bee as the wings of a Dove covered with silver and her feathers like gold You do weep and lament and the world doth rejoyce but your sorrow shall be turned Jo. 16. 20. into joy and their joy into bitterness It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you who are troubled rest when the 2 Thes 1. 7 8 9 Lord shall bee revealed from heaven in flaming fire with his mighty Angels when hee shall be glorified in his Saints and admired in all them that beleeve For your shame you shall have double after a sour breakfast a sweet supper after a short hell a long heaven Here is the faith and patience of the Saints Observ 3. It is most dangerous living and dying in the best places if wee live unfruitfully It is better to live and dye in Sodome than at Capernaum Propius Jo●i propius fulmini It is worst living in a land of righteousness if wee work Iniquity A weed is safer in a hedge than in the Garden a stone in the high way than in the Vineyard They next the Sanctuary are nearest danger God will bee sanctified in such as are near to him or hee will get himself glory in their just destruction CHAP II. The chief Doctrine raised cleared and made good by many Iustances BUt the Point wee shall insist upon is this Jamjam tacturum sidera summa-Jamjam tacturum Tartara ●igra A formal Professor may go far flye high and seem to bee in a very fair way for heaven and salvation above all others yet is his last state woful fearful desperate Lifted up to heaven thrown down to hell Babylon was in an Allegorical heaven Es 14 14 15. yet tumbled down and some Expositors suppose our Saviour alludes to that speech in this place Tyre was in the highest terrestrial heaven in the highest region of an imaginary heaven Thy heart was lifted up and thou Ezek. 28. 2 3. 12 13 14. hast said I am a God I sit in the seat of God thou hast set thy heart as the heart of God Thou art wiser than Daniel Thou sealest up the summe full of wisdome perfect in beauty Thou hast been in Eden the Garden of God thou art the anointed Cherub c. who could bee higher yet thou shalt bee brought down to the pit and dye the vers 8. 10. vers 19. death of the uncircumcised yea thou shalt bee a terror and never bee any more Here is a sad conclusion after such an Exaltation Lucifer was in a real heaven lifted not up to but into heaven yet is now in chains of darkness Hypocrites and formal Professors may bee in a high place and form in the Ecclesiastical-heaven in a Scripture-heaven the visible Church is often called the Kingdome of heaven they may bee lifted up three stories high yet fall from this third loft with Eutichus 1 They are really lifted up by the hand of God are as vessels in his hand in a fair way to heaven vessels of honour they are planted in the choysest Vineyard 2 They are higher lifted up by the general acclamation of all that know them And 3 They are lifted up higher yet too too high in their own proud conceit and false opinion of themselves yet after all this miscarry Matth. 8. 12. Many shall come from the East and West and sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdome of heaven but the children of the Kingdome the Kingdome of heaven reputedly shall bee cast into utter darkness there shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth Religio nunquam Periclitatur nisi inter Reverendissimos Luther said well and I may allude Salus nunquam adeo Periclitatur ac inter sanctissimos Religion is in most hazard of being

sleighted But the false Christs they were the men they had the spirit they shewed the signes and wonders and took upon them to foretell things to come These all magnifie but the few Elect Matth. 24. 24. The true Prophets were hissed at and disdained as a company of sowre and silly men Micaiah could say nothing but the word of the Lord The word the word but Zedekiah his Antagonist 1 King 22. 19 v. 11. hee gets him horns of Iron and layes about him like a Prophet indeed with more confidence and reputation too Hananiah the false Prophet in a Prophetical strain takes off Jeremies yoak and breaks it and prophesies upon it very lustily and plausibly and hee carries away the bell from poor Jeremy And Jer. 28. 10 11. when the true Apostles were obscured as despicable and inconsiderable persons counted no more of than the dust under our feet as the filth and off-scouring of all things The false Apostles were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 4. 13. the blazing stars Angels of light Men that had a better spirit more light a clearer Gospel-way and higher Revelations They were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apostles The grand and extraordinarily eminent Apostles 2 Cor. 11. 5. So that at any time the hypocrite may vye with the sincere man and out-go him and take up the Apostles challenge and say Are they Israelites So am I Are they Christians So am I Saints are they So am I Are they Stars I am a Planet bigger than any fixed star a blazing star that shews bigger and causeth more wonderment than stars or planets Are they Apostles I am an Angel of light yea I speak foolishly in this confidence of boasting I am more In labours more abundant in making Proselites more diligent and successful in duties more frequent in gifts more excellent in expressions more Seraphical in parts above measure and though in life more rude and dissolute yet in knowledge more admired my way more extolled my principles more imbraced my speakings more frequented my out-side more adorned my heart more elevated and on all hands more esteemed Well bee it so Wee must bee content to bee fools for Christ that these may bee wise as the Apostle 1 Cor. 4. 10. saith There are many strange and incredible things that some are said to have done beyond the vulgar Professors reach and the ordinary beleevers attainments Many stories of high strains wee read and as many and strange our Affrick quae quotidie aliquid monstri profert breeds and brings forth to the amusing and astonishing of many unsettled ones not onely do the Patists tell us of their St. Francis that hee was often in such extasies a whole day and night together that hee could not speak one word therefore gave charge to his Scholar Len that hee should not so much as call him off to prayers And of their Shee-Saint Clare they say that shee was in a trance and so continued thirty dayes together not so much as minding any earthly thing nor taking a bit of meat But St. Austin tells us what hee hath seen and known of his own knowledge I my self saith hee have seen a man that could bee all over in a sweat whensoever hee pleased And some others hee saith had tears at command and could weep abundantly at pleasure And hee Ipse sum expectus sudare hominem solere quum vellet c See l. 14. Civ Dei c. 24. tells of one Restitutus that when hee pleased could make dolefull lamentations with his voyce so that hee lay for senseless and for dead that pinch him prick him or burn him with fire hee felt nothing at present yea hee stopped his own breath so artificially that none could perceive that he took any breath yet could hee perfectly remember what was spoken by any in those fits 19 Here is a high step indeed hee is almost at the top hee may have the whole form of godliness to the full 2 Tim. 3. 3. There are three forms an hypocrite may have 1 The form of Knowledge Rom. 2. 20. 2 The form of sound words and doctrine 2 Tim. 1. 13. 3 The whole form of fair living and of an unreproved conversation 2 Tim. 3. 3. But there are three things hee wants Three forms 1 Christ to bee formed in him Gal. 4. 19. 2 His heart to bee moulded into the right form of doctrine Rom. 6. 17. 3 To bee transformed in the renewing of his minde that so hee might express Rom. 12. 2. the power of godliness as well as the form These three forms dant esse the other three dant apparere to the Christian they shew him like a Christian these make him bee one Oh it is hard to tell and sad to think how far an hypocrite may go in this road and perish Hee may bee a knowing man and perish a Professor and perish a Virgin and perish a child of the Kingdome and perish bee lifted up to heaven and perish bee called and perish beleeve and perish repent and perish love and perish seek heaven and perish run and perish Matth. 22. 14. Act. 8. Mat. 28. Rev 2. 4. Luke 13. 14. 1 Cor 9. 24. pray and perish weep and perish hope well and perish live well and perish have a Talent and perish keep his talent and perish bee a signet on Gods right hand and perish have the whole form of godliness and perish 20 Lastly and here you see him at the top of the Ladder to bee presently turned off and at the point of his execution Hee may after all this dye in peace The last Ladder brought one hypocrite to his end and that was more sad to dye penitently this brings another to his end who dyes as Agag more chearfully hee dyes in peace hee makes his Will and bequeaths his soul to God in full assurance of eternal life c. and then it must needs stand but both are alike dangerous Let Saul dye by the hand of a Philistine his enemy or by the hand of an Amalakite his friend all is one his life is lost Let the hypocrite dye more terribly and repenting more securely and beleeving all is one his life is lost without all recovery Now an hypocrite may go up to the top of this Pisgah and take a view of the land of promise before his death yet never come nearer it and see it no more And then may that doleful lamentation bee taken up for him that is threatned to Babylon The fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed Rev. 18. 14. from thee and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee and that which follows is most sad of all and will break thy very heart for ever and thou shalt finde them at all no more The voyce of Pipers and Harpers shall bee heard no more at all in thee the voyce of the Bridegroom and bride shall bee heard no more at all in thee nor so much as

nine as one saith which Christ looketh not after and they want the one which hee seeketh for 2 The grace of God This is put in Scripture for true grace 1 Pet. 5. 12. and opposed to fleshly wisdome and ever accompanied with sincerity 2 Cor. 1. 12. Look diligently lest any man faile of the grace of God q. d. There is a great deale of humane grace in the world men call it grace God doth not It goes for grace on earth will not bee found to bee so at the appearing of Christ It will not abide the touch It will not abide the fire as the gold and silver but it will burn and smoak as wood hay and stubble it is not 1 Cor. 3. 12. Scripture-proof grace nor will it bee Death-proof much lesse Judgement-proof Now to put all these together it is as if the Apostle had said Look about you with the greatest diligence lest any of you after your long profession great hopes and faire beginnings should prove Castawayes and that not by reason of a total want or privation but by reason of some defect and imperfection onely Falling short of the grace of God And here are many things to bee looked after 1 For the kinde of it Look that it bee true Grace the grace of God that it have the right stamp that it be renewing sanctifying heart-changing grace Grace accompanying salvation see you take not up with gifts expressions abilities ornaments no nor every Grace as enlightning preparatory exciting sin-discovering heart-amazing soule-terrifying conscience-wounding sin-restraining duty performing Grace you may have this and more and yet walk as men and bee utter strangers to that which the Scripture calls the Grace 1 Cor. 3. 3. of God 2 Next to the truth and kinde of Grace look diligently to the measure of Grace that you fall not short in the degree and measure of it to fall short is not to bee totally destitute or wanting but some steps measures or degrees behinde A little grace is enough to begin the world withall not enough to end withall one Talent faire to begin with dangerous to end with See therefore ye grow in grace that yee go not back or stand at a stay as if already perfect 3 Look to the number of Graces lest any fail or fall short of any one grace but that you have the whole number and 1 Cor. 1. 7. tale and confluence of graces That you come behinde in no gift waiting for the appearance of Christ Any one sin is enough to destroy any root of bitterness if it spring up defiles all but any one grace is not enough to save There must bee an adding of faith to vertue and of knowledge temperance patience c. 2 Pet. 1. 5 6. It was not the lacking of five of the first fifty that Sodome was consumed for but for lack of five of the last ten so it is not for want of five of the fifty Gifts But of the five of the last ten Graces that an hypocrite doth perish 4 Look to your continuance and proceeding in Grace Therefore that word faile of is in the Margin translated falling from Grace The fire that came from heaven was to bee kept continually burning that it might never go out It was not for want of Lev. 6. 13. well-beginning that Judas and Demas perished but for not holding out they had many things they lacked one onely perseverance The Kibroth-Hattaavah the great burying place was between Num. 11. 34. Egypt and Canaan There they were destroyed of the Destroyer Lots wife had as well dyed in Sodome as in Zoar. And it had been all 1 Cor. 10. 10. one with the mixt multitude if they had been destroyed by the Angel in Egypt among the first born as to perish in the wilderness And it was worst of all for the Spies after they had been once entred into Canaan and seen it to hang back towards Egypt again Apostacy is the unpardonable sin An utter want of righteousness is not so bad as decayed righteousness All sin and unrighteousness is forgiven upon Repenting of it and turning from it so that it shall never bee mentioned Ezek. 18. 22. 24. But righteousness repented of and turned from is unpardonable all this righteousness is forgotten but the decaying righteousness is never forgotten 5 Look you faile not in the Activity and lively Vigor of your Graces That your Graces bee acted exercised blown up that they may bee flaming and shining That your hope may bee a lively hope your selves lively stones as your 1 Pet. 1. 3. 1 Pet. 2. 4 5. foundation is a living or lively stone As the Israelitish women were more lively than Exod. 1. 19. the Egyptians so should the Christian bee more active than other men The Apostle noteth and singleth out such Christians men or women as were more eminent and active than others and sendeth them special commendations Salute Priscilla and Aquilla my helpers in Rom. 16. 3. 6 12. Christ Jesus Mary who bestowed much labour on us Tryphena and Tryphosa who labour in the Lord and the beloved Persis who laboured much in the Lord. Seest thou a man diligent in his business hee shall Prov. 22. 29. stand before Kings not before mean men This advanced Jeroboam Solomon saw hee 1 King 12. 28. was ●ndustrious and therefore preferred him so the Lord taketh notice of any that is more forward and industrious in his service and saith There is a man for mee The Holy Ghost in the story of Nehemiah observeth who were more backward and who more forward and laborious in the wall building The Nobles of Tekoah they would take no pains but Shallum a Ruler hee and his daughters Neh. 3. 5. Vers 12. were busie in repairing their part But there is a special note of honour upon Baruch that hee earnestly and Vers 20. actively repaired his part In the Law the Snaile was unclean and forbidden to bee eaten the creeping Lev. 11. 30. 23. things that had wings were to bee had in abomination And for their food among the Beasts the nimble Roe laborious Oxe the Kid and Lamb and the fruitfull Sheep among the Fish such as had sins and scales which make them more swift in swimming and active in their element So should Christians bee active his Angels must bee all Spirit and his Ministers a flame of fire And they especially Heb. 1. 7. should bear a resemblance of those living and lively creatures in Ezekiels Vision who were all life they had foure faces of the most excellent creatures in Ezek 1 5 6. ad 14. their kinde the face of a Man excelling all in wisdome of a Lion excelling all in courage of an Oxe excelling in strength and painfulness and of an Eagle excelling all in swiftness and velocity They had also all members and instruments for motion and activity they had foure faces looking every way without turning foure