Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
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A15693
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Englands vnthankfulnes for Gods mercie A sermon preached at a funerall at Strovvd in Gloustershire the 16. of August. 1621. By W.W. Doctor in Diuinity.; Sermon upon Ezechiel
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Woodwall, William.
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1621
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STC 25970.5; ESTC S102104
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40,922
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81
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words of this text may be gathered The word of the Lord came vnto me Because euerie word of this text is verye pathetical I wil intreat of them verbatim as they say as they come in order And first wheras he entituleth his message by the title or name of the word of the Lord it giueth vs to vnderstand of some necessarie points to be considered of as namely and first of al what the word of the Lord is what he meaneth thereby in this place Secondly what the dignitie on excellencie thereof is Thirdly what is the vtilitie and last of all the necessitie Concerning the first point what it is being considered in the whole it is reuerenced with many titles as the Lambes booke the Librarie of the holy Ghost fountaines of Israel waters of life the two edged sword Vrim and Thumim So it being considered in part is called the power of God vnto saluation to euerie one that beleeueth But what the Prophet meaneth in this place by it you must vnderstand Rom. 1. 16. that he meaneth no other thing but onely an holy Lesson counsell Doctrine or admonition or else an earnest and sharpe commination and dreadefull denunciation of Gods iudgement such as is contaiued in these words which I haue reade vnto you inspired or taught of God himselfe that is by his holy spirit for their instruction admonition or amendment to whome it was then sent as likewise vnto vs the church militant to whom it shold at any time hereafter be preached And this is both the meaning and signification of it in this place Now concerning the dignitie or excellencie therof although there can be no greater a praise or commendation be giuen thereof then that which you haue alredy heard Ro. 1. 16. c. Yet because the word it selfe is pregnant in this point it shall not be teadious vnto me to giue some tast therof Worthie therefore is that to be called to minde that the Prophet DAVID hath left recorded in Ps 19. ver 7. 8. c. saying The law of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule the testimonie of the Lord is sure and giueth wisdom vnto the simple the statutes of the Lord are right and reioice the heart the Commaundements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether more to be desired then golde yea then much fine golde sweeter then honye and the hony combe yea dearer vnto me then thousands of gold and siluer All which is spoken of the word of the Lord either in generall or particular or in both that men might make good vse thereof and giue good regard thereunto when it is sent or preached vnto them A common fault amongst manye at this day which esteeme of it no better then of a tale of Robinhood or as this Prophet sheweth of the people in his time Ch. 33. ve 31. 32. who esteemed therof none otherwise then of a song of one that hath a pleasant voice to sing wel for the vtilitie or profit thereof The Apostle Saint PAVL will tell vs that the whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to conuince to correct and to instruct in righteousnes that the man of god may be absolute and perfect vnto all good workes 2. Tim. 3. ver 16. 17. And Saint IAMES will say that it is able to saue our soules if it bee receiued with meekenes 1. IAM 1. 21. And for the necessitie therof let that be remembred which Salomon hath left recorded namely that where the word of the Lord is not preached there the people perish but he that keepeth the law shall be blessed Pro. 29. 18. These things being thus laide down doe giue vs to vnderstand not onelye what it is that heere the Prophet hath to say but also who this Lord is whose word is so powerfull precious profitable for althogh he is heere but barelye named Lord without anye further addition of this Title or declaration of his Maiestie yet this his word heere mentioned if we will search it well will teach vs and tell vs that it is euen that Lord of Lords and King of Kinges that onely hath immortallitie and dwelleth in light that Reu. 17. 14 1. Timo. 6. 16 Ps 50. 1. none can attaine vnto whome neuer man sawe nor can see vnto whome bee honour power euerlasting Amen Euen the God of Gods the Lord who hath spoken and called the earth from the rising vp of the Sunne vnto the going downe thereof The Lord of hoasts who buildeth his sphears in the heauen and hath laide the foundation of his Globe of Aug. 9. 6. elements in the earth He calleth the waters of the Sea and powreth them out vpon the earth The Lord is his name Came vnto me How and after what manner this word or message of the Lord came vnto the prophet EZECHIEL not only himselfe sheweth moste plainely Chap. 1. verse 3. and 29. Whereas he testifieth that the hand of the Lord was vpon him that is the spirit of Prophesie and that he heard a voice of one that spake to him But also the Authour to the Hebrewes Chap. 1. verse 1. 2 teacheth that the Almightie God at sundrie times and in diuers maners spake in olde time to our fathers the Prophets as in the first age to the Patriarkes by himselfe personally as to ABRAHAM MOSES c. So afterwards to the Prophets ESAY IEREMIE EZECHIEL and the rest by dreames visions and inspirations But in the fulnesse of time which the Apostle calles the last daies hath hee spoken to vs by his Sonne whome hee hath made heyre of all things like as in these our daies which are the last daies indeed he doth speake vnto vs the holy ministers of his word as vnto your selues by vs by his holy and diuine spirit according as the Prophet IOEL fore-tolde Cha. 2. 28. saying And after those daies I will poure out of my spirit vpon all flesh your Sonnes and your Daughters shall prophesie and your olde men shall dreame dreames and your yong men shall see visions Agreeable whereunto our Sauiour in the gospel saith Mat. 23. 34. Behold I send vnto you prophets and wisemen and Scribes c. And againe it is not you that speake but the spirit of your heauenly father that speaketh in you Mat. 10 20. From whence commeth this obseruation that our moste gratious God in all ages hath had such a care in building vp his Church that he hath vouchsafed to speake vnto the same to send forth labourers into his vineyard from time to time that like as in the beginning creation of all things he said Let there be light there was light let there be a firmament c. I say as in the creation of the materiall frame and substance of this externall and visible world God made al things by his word for he spake the word and they were made Ps 148. 5. So in the new regeneration building
vp of the New Ireusalem he sendeth forth his word that is he speaketh by his spirit in the heartes mindes of his holy Ministers that they should speake vnto the congregation that which he enioyneth them The second obseruation is that in as much as it is not simply we that speake vnto you but the spirit of our heauenly father that speaketh in vs whereupon the Prophet saith The word of the Lord came vnto me that you yeelde such attention to the word spoken by vs as vnto the word of the eternal liuing God as Christ himselfe teacheth saying He that heareth you heareth me c. Mat. 10. and that especiallye because we are vnto you as this prophet was vnto the people of ISRAEL the Embassadors or Legates of the Lord as Saint PAVL plainely prooueth saying Now then are we Embassiadors of the Lord as though God did beseech you through vs wee pray you in his steede that you would bee reconciled vnto God for hee that made him to be sinne for vs which knew no sinne that we might be the righteous of God through him 2. Cor. 5. verse 20 21. And therfore to conclude of this point I say let him that hath an eare heare what the spirit speaketh vnto the congregation Thirdly by this we may obserue and learne how farre foorth the Almightie God whome the heauen of heauens cannot hold or conteine doth conforme himselfe to our weakenes vouchsafing to speake to vs to talk with vs familiarly according to our capacities whose voice otherwise is so mighty so strong that it is compared to the thunder-claps which breaketh the Cedars of Libanus renteth the Rockes and maketh the Mountaines to cleaue in sunder This the Israelites make plaine who when they had heard the Lord speake vnto Moses and saw the thunder and the lightning they desired that Moses might speake vnto them affirming that if God spake vnto them they should dye Exo. 20. 19. so terrible is the voice of the immortal creator to the mortall creature And yet notwithstanding for our instruction admonition amendment he vouchsafeth to speake vnto man sometimes sencibly sometimes secretly euen in his eare as our Sauiour sheweth Mat. 10. 27. saying Whatsoeuer you shall heare in the eare that is whatsoeuer I shall priuately by my selfe or secretly by my spirit instill into your eares hearts or mindes for thus doth the word of the Lord come vnto vs at this day I meane the knowledge intelligence of his word euen when we are lying in our beds walking on the way looking on our bookes or otherwise sequestred from the affaires of this world in reading preaching meditating or conferring Then I say are our hearts ascending vp to God and his spirit discending downe to vs as the Angels on Iacobs ladder for euen as the naturall mans delight is in those things wherein his corrupted nature taketh pleasure And as the worldely minded mans thoughts do runne vpon his monies and his markets his buyings buildings bargaines brablings profits pleasures or any such like vanities Euen so are the spirituall mans cogitations totally and continually exercised and meditating in the lawe of the Lord and in the misteries of godlines as the Prophet Dauid manifesteth in the first ps v. 3. where he shewing how the godly man bestoweth his talent saith That his delight is in the lawe of the lord and in that law doth exercise himselfe both day and night Or if at any time he doth stoope so low as to associate or busie himselfe with the affaires of this worlde as to eat drinke talke walke laugh buy sell or recreate himselfe with any the creatures for that cause subdued vnto vanitie it is none otherwise then as the Apostle S. Paul saith 1. Co. 7. 31. Vsing this world that is this pleasure or that profit as thogh he vsed it not for why his hart is stablished in the Lord and his principle ioy is in the holy ghost I would say in the law of the Lord or word of God vnto me that is to me Ezechiel the strength of the Lord for so my name dooth signifie As if he would say though I be of my selfe a weak poore simple sinfull soule yet by his grace I am such a one as it hath pleased him to make choise of for the ministery of his word for such is his maner to chuse as S. Paul sheweth 1 Cor. 1. 27. 28. saiing But God hath chosen the foolish thinges of this world to confound the thinges which are mightie and vnnoble thinges of the World and thinges which are despised hath God chosen you and things that are not to bring to naught things that are So I by the Lord though small in the sight of man am now called vnto this holy function to be the Lords Embassador or thus whereas by my naturall Parents and birth I was the childe of death sinne and corruption for I was defiled in the wombe and euer since but now sanctified by the Spirit of sanctification begottē of the immortal seed of Gods word enabled to the ministery therof by my heauenly father both Name Nature is changed and by his grace I am that I am saying If anye demaunde whether this speech vnto the prophet was sencible or secret it is not much materiall whether either for that God vseth to speake both waies vnto his Seruants as before is prooued but seemeth in this place rather to be audible then intellectuall as appeareth in the first Chapter verse 29. where as he saith hee heard a voice of one that spake Sonne of man as if he would say Thou which art but earth and ashes though I vouchsafe to speake to thee in familiar maner to manifest my glorie to thee as in chap. 1. verse 3. 4. 5. 6. c. Yet be not thou proud thereof as some of thy fellowes before thee haue bene for knowledge puffeth vp but rather goe and doe thy message that I shal enioine thee be not as IONAS who being sent to Niniuie went to Tharsis neither as ADAM who beeing charged not to taste of the tree of knowledge of good and euill tasted of the forbidden fruite Neither as that man of God mentioned in the first booke of Kinges Cap. 13. ver 1. 2. c. that came out of Iuda and prophesied a-against the Alter that Ieroboam had set vp Who beeing charged by the word of the Lord not to eate breade nor drinke water nor to turne again the same way that he came who though he denyed the King requesting him so to doe yet afterward yeelded vnto the olde Prophet and was destroyed of a Lyon for his labour Whose example I counsell thee Ezechiel to marke that thou doe not the like least I destroy thee before them as I destroied him before thee for thou art of no better substāce nor strength thē he was or the rest before named nor more able to withstand or resist mee then they were Remember therefore