Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	apostle_n	faith_n	word_n	5,163	5	4.0959	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A52250	A sermon preached at the funeral of Mr. Joseph Aleine by George Newton ...	Newton, George, 1602-1681.	1672 (1672)	Wing N1047; ESTC R16860	20,159	39

storm and from the rain Sometimes they are called Shepherds and the business of a Shepherd is to keep and save the flock Sometimes they are called Angels and Angels are the Guardians of the Lords people They Guard and Cover and Protect a people Now this they do while they instruct them so to walk that wrath may not come upon them while they Intercede with God and stand up in the breach to keep out the indignation that is flowing in upon it A praying Minister and such a one have you lost one that bare you on his heart continually before the Lord as Aaron did the names of Israel on his Breast-plate I say a praying Minister is a protection to the people It s true the fervent prayers of the meanest Saint are an Incredible defence to any place to save it from the strokes of God And therefore even they are stiled Intercessors Isaiah 59. 16 Because they mediate with God when he is Angry and by their zealous Supplications hold his hands But yet however though it be a certaine truth that God hath much respect to the Petitions of his weakest Servants yea though perhaps some private Christians may Excel a holy Minister in prayer yet God hath more regard to the Intreaties of his faithful Ministers who have a special charge and Commission to be his Remembrancers for the good of that people which he committeth to their charge and their Petitions are of more availe and power with God both to procùre his Blessings and avert his Judgments Moses and Aaron among his Priests and Samuel among them that call on his name They called upon the Lord and he answered them Psalm 99. 6. Why doubtless so he heard the prayers of his other Saints But these his holy Priests and Prophets had the Ear of God as special favorites have their Princes Ears and could be heard and Answer'd when others were denied Access and Audience And this is not obscurely Intimated in that protestation of the Lord to Israel concerning their approaching Desolation Ezek. 14. 14. Though these three men Noah Daniel and Job were in it they should deliver but their own souls By which he insinuates that when the absolute decree is once gone forth it can by no means be revok'd so he suggests withall that if it had been feasible these holy Prophets would have done it q. d. were those three men in Israel they would put me to it hard and try me shrewdly to forbear the Land I should be hardly able to deny them He said he would destroy them had not his chosen Moses stood before him in the breach to turn away his warth Psalm 106. 23. Oh how did Moses stand against him and bind the hands of the Almighty when he was about to strike So that the Lord intreats and flatters with him to let him alone Exodus 32. 10. While such as Moses are Intercessors for a people God forbears he holds his hands and restrains his indignation as he that means to strike observes what strength there will be likely to oppose him And when he looks and sees that there is no Intercessor then he goes on with his design Isaiah 59 16. Then his Arm brings salvation to him and he puts on the Garments of vengeance Brethren you are in greater danger then you are aware by the removal of your praying Minister For you have lost one Intercessor if any breach should happen between God and you Yea you have lost your Covering if a storm of wrath should fall So that it may be said of you as it was once of Israel when Moses was away that you are naked And what are you in Laodicea's case indeed do you not know that you are naked Are you naked and are you not afraid Are you naked and not ashamed This would become a state of Innocence indeed in which it was observed of Adam and his Wife that they were both naked and were not ashamed Genesis 2. 5. But will it suit with such a state of sin and danger as the best of you are in do you not find your selves uncovered Have you no sense and feeling of it especially at such a time as this when the Judgments of the Lord are abroad upon the Earth upon the Land upon this very place in which you live more waies then I am able to express Alas alas you are uncovered whether you know it yea or no. And it is perhaps some mercy that you are not quite uncovered Here spend your tears and you shall not misplace your sorrow That is the first branch of Direction Weep for your selves For the sins that you have done and for the Judgments that you may 2. There is a second yet behind and I have done Weep for your children Weep not for me saith Christ but weep for your selves and for your children And why for them Because their children were to bear a share and suffer with them in the wrath that was about to come upon them as you may see Luke 19. 43. For the daies shall come upon thee saith our Saviour that thine enemies shall cast a Trench about thee and compass thee round and keep thee in on every side and shall lay thee even with the ground and thy children within thee Brethren if you have any tears lest drop a few upon your Children you are not able to foresee what miseries your little ones may be reserved for and verily their danger is increased as well as yours by this stroke For you have lost a Catechiser as well as a Preacher you know what care and pains he took and what a gift and faculty he had in instilling holy knowledge into your children and your little ones while he had liberty in Publick and strength with opportunity in Private He took a very great delight to tamper with them and to tole them on to the holy waies of God by all the means that he was able to devise It was his very last design as he was alwaies full of holy projects to take some Course that children might be more generally Principled in the grounds and Fundamentals of Religion then they are And I am very well assured that many of your children have such Liquor poured into them by his means that they will relish of it as long as they have a day to live and it may be bless the Lord and him for it to all Eternity And therefore you have cause enough to weep that you have lost a Minister that was fit and apt to teach not your selves only but your children too and make them know the way of the Lord. Not to feed the Sheep only but to lead the Lambs too and to bear them in his Bosome as the expression is Isaiah 40. 11. I have done with the Directions Weep for your selves and for your children And now for the close of all I say again Weep not for him his sorrow certainly is turned into Joy and therefore so let yours be also He hath receiv'd that blessed Sentence Well done good and faithful Servant enter into thy Masters Joy And let me tell you I speak it upon good assurance he went Triumphantly to Glory an Entrance was ministred to him abundantly into the Heavenly Kingdom As he drew nearer Heaven till his Disease prevailed against his Reason he grew still more Heavenly When Grace and Glory were about to Joyn Grace in him was most Glorious Oh with what Extasies and Ravishments of spirit did he fly away into the Bosome of his Saviour I have but one word to add and it is that of the Apostle Hebrews 13. Remember him that had sometimes the Rule over you who hath spoken to you the word of the Lord whose faith follow considering the end of his conversation And that was a blessed end indeed Remember him to follow him in all that was exemplary in him whether concerning Faith or Life that walking in the holy way that he did you may at last come to the happy end and place where he is FINIS