Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	baptist_n	zeal_n	zealous_a	19	3	9.5422	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34874	The history of the Old Testament methodiz'd according to the order and series of time wherein the several things therein mentioned were transacted ... to which is annex'd a Short history of the Jewish affairs from the end of the Old Testament to the birth of our Saviour : and a map also added of Canaan and the adjacent countries ... / by Samuel Cradock ...	Cradock, Samuel, 1621?-1706.	1683 (1683)	Wing C6750; ESTC R11566	1,349,257	877

marrying a wife from thence did soon set up his wifes Idolatry in the land and the worship of the true God was in a manner neglected and disregarded and the Prophets and servants of God that would not bow to Baal were persecuted see Ch. 19.10 yet there were never more Prophets sent to them than at this time we see Ch. 18.13 that Obadiah had hid an hundred of them in caves nor never more eminent ones than now And of all the Prophets that God raised up in the Kingdom of Israel we find not any of whom so strange things are recorded both for courage and miracles as there are of Elijah And therefore at the Transfiguration of Christ Mat. 17. Elijah as chief of the Prophets appeared together with Moses talking with Christ to signifie that both Moses and the Prophets had in their several seasons given testimony of him This Prophet Elijah was at this time sent to the Israelites a man of transcendent courage and zeal as being fitted for those corrupt times whence 't is said of the Baptist who in his Ministry was very zealous and fervent Luk. 1.17 that he should go before our Saviour in the spirit and power of Elias Ahab and Jezebel were very zealous to promote Idolatry and now God raises up a Prophet as zealous to oppose it and to defend Gods own worship Elijah seeing how things went in the Kingdom of Israel and being exceedingly moved with the horrible wickedness of Ahab and Jezabel and particularly perhaps with the contempt and scorn they cast upon Gods Prophets did it seems by the instinct of Gods Spirit pray that the Lord would shut up the heavens for some years and not suffer it to rain till he sought unto him for it that so the wrath of God against the iniquity of that time might be discovered and the precious account he makes of his Prophets might be manifested And being by the same Spirit of God assured that his prayer was heard he came to Ahab and threatned him beforehand that he might see it was of God with an approaching drought for three years and an half and a great famine that should ensue thereupon As the Lord God of Israel liveth saith he whom I continually serve and in whose presence I now stand and who is a witness of the truth of what I say there shall not be dew or rain these ensuing years but according to my words and as I have declared to thee from God And according as he threatned so it came to pass For during the space of three years and six months it rained not See Jam. 5.17 * See Luk. 4.25 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months The drought now beginning and Ahab seeing there was no rain for some time together as Elijah had threatned he was greatly enraged against him and being also stirred up as 't is probable by Jezabel his wife he sent presently out to take him that he might be revenged on him See Ch. 18.10 but the Lord foreseeing what would happen gave his Prophet warning of it and appointed him to withdraw and hide himself by the brook Cherith in Manasseh beyond Jordan that is in some solitary place or cave near the brook where he should be fed by Ravens with bread and flesh morning and evening and should drink of the brook Elijah did as the Lord commanded him and was accordingly fed by Ravens who being a very greedy and ravenous kind of bird so that they often neglect the feeding of their young ones to feed themselves it was the more miraculous that God should make them Caterers for Elijah and in such an orderly manner to bring him his provision morning and evening he directing them where they should have it possibly out of some rich mans pantry or storehouse Thus we see by what unlikely means God can provide for his servants when they are in their straits After some time possibly about six Months the brook quite dried up thus the Lord was pleased again to try the faith of his servant Elijah Then the Lord commands him to go to a widow of Sarepta in the Country of Sidon telling him that he would command her that is dispose her heart to entertain him Accordingly he went thither and when he came to the Gate of the City he found a widow-woman gathering sticks he desired her to fetch him a little water She going for it he desired her to bring him also a morsel of bread She knowing him by his habit to be a Prophet of the Lord she said to him As the Lord thy God liveth I have not a cake to give thee I have but an handful of meal in a barrel and a little oyl in a cruse and behold I am gathering two or three sticks that I may go and dress it for my self and my son that we may eat it and so die Hereby its manifest that the drought * There is not the least intimation of any want of rain that was in the land of Judah at this time and yet Elijah is sent to a stranger rather than to the widows of Israel or Judah such an one being very unlikely to relieve him especially the famine being there as well as in Israel but herein was shaddowed forth Gods further mercy intended to the Gentiles when the Jews should be rejected whence that of our Saviour Luk. 4.25 26. and famine was in the Country of Tyre and Sidon as well as among the Israelites and indeed it being sent among the Israelites for the Idolatry of Baal which Jezabel the daughter of the King of the Sidonians had brought in among them no marvel if the Sidonians were involv'd in the same judgment Elijah bids the woman not to fear but to do as she intended but only to make for him a little cake first for saith he thus saith the Lord God of Israel The barrel of meal which thou hast shall not wast nor the cruse of oyl fail until the day that the Lord sendeth rain on the earth The woman did as Elijah enjoined her and she and her house did eat thereof many days viz. for about three years neither the meal nor oyl failing but being miraculously supplied and renewed This recompence had this poor widow for entertaining the Lords Prophet she for giving unto him one meal hath many meals from him and by his procurement But great blessings are oftentimes mixed with some imbittering afflictions For some time after the Prophet had been with her the womans Son fell sick and died Upon this she comes to the Prophet and crys out What have I done to thee thou man of God wherein have I offended thee art thou come to bring my sins to remembrance † When God punisheth any for their sins whom for a while he did forbear he is said in the Scripture to remember

Esau Chap. 1. from 1 to the 6. 2. He sharply reproves the Priests for offering blemisht and unlawful sacrifices viz. blind lame sick torn which no Governour would accept at their hands as also polluted bread Gods Table and Altar being in their eyes contemptible and herein they sinned against his greatness and goodness who was ready to reward their meanest services for him even the shutting the Temple-doors and kindling a fire on his Altar and shewed themselves horribly ungrateful towards him who had preferred them to the Priesthood and freely chosen the Tribe of their Father Levi before the other Tribes And having mentioned their Father Levi he adds four things concerning him 1. The honour conferred on him in calling him to that holy Office 2. His faithfulness in the discharge of it both in right interpreting the Law and living a good life answerable thereunto 3. His reward he had for his reward life and peace 4. By his good Doctrine and good life he brought many to righteousness Contrary to all which these Priests now acted who by their false glosses and interpretations of the Law and an ill life led many into error and wickedness yea they caused many to stumble at the Law and corrupted the Covenant made with their own Tribe to their great damage for God would not accept their persons nor their sacrifices yea would reject the Jews and call the Gentiles Chap. 1. v. 11. And would further punish them by cursing their blessings and making them base and contemptible among the people and would spread dung upon their faces 2. Then he reproves the People 1. For their nauseating the service of God and being weary of it and saying what a weariness is it and snuffing at it 2. For their low and mean opinion they had of the service of God Ye have profaned it and say the Table of the Lord is polluted and the fruit thereof even his meat is contemptible 3. In bringing the worst of their herds and flocks for sacrifice 4. For robbing God of his Tythes Will a man rob God yet ye have robbed me c. 3. He reproves the Priests and People joyntly 1. For dealing treacherously one with another 2. For their polygamy and marrying strange and Idolatrous wives 3. For the wickedness and profaneness that was found among many of them who made a mock at Gods justice and judgments and blasphemously said That God accepteth the wicked and that every one that doth evil is good in his sight and he delighteth in them For condemning Gods service as unprofitable Your words have been stout against me c. You have said It is in vain to serve God 2ly We may observe the effect of the Prophets reprehensions especially in the godly who hereby were moved to speak often one to another in detestation of those sins and blasphemies this God takes notice of and rewards them with many promises of blessings As 1. Of gathering them together and taking care of them as of his Jewels 2ly That when he corrects them he will correct them in mercy as a father doth his son 3ly That he will destroy their enemies Chap. 4.1 4ly That he will send the forerunner of the Messias viz. John Baptist who should come in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers with the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just so that his Ministry should be very powerful in converting sinners by his preaching repentance and faith in the Messiah and so preparing the way before him 5ly That he will send the Messias himself into this Temple how contemptible soever it seemed unto them whose coming should be terrible to the wicked He will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and adulterers but his coming would be very comfortable to the godly being a refiner and a Sun of righteous 6ly He directs them to Moses's Law to be their guide until Christ should come till whose coming they should expect no more Prophets but look to Moses who prophesied of Christ Remember ye the Law of Moses and the statutes and judgments which I commanded him in Horeb Chap. 4.4 And so much of this Prophet Thus we see the History of Nehemiah and so of the Old Testament ends with the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes Longimanus which Josephus Lib. 1. contra Apion confirms speaking on this wise From the death of Moses to Artaxerxes King of Persia the Prophets comprized what passed in their times But from Artaxerxes to our times things indeed have been committed to writing yet they are not held to be of like credit with the former And Eusebius in his Chron. on the two and thirtieth of Artaxerxes with which the History of Nehemiah ends hath these words Hitherto the Divine Scriptures of the Hebrews contain the Annals or Year-Books of the times but those things that were done among them after this time we must deliver out of the Books of the Maccabees and out of the writings of Josephus and Affricanus who have delivered a general History of things done among them down to the Roman times Now unto him that sitteth upon the Throne the Father of mercies And unto Jesus Christ the Prince of Peace And unto the Holy Spirit of Truth the Comforter Be ascribed all Wisdom Blessing Honour Power and Glory for ever and ever Amen FINIS A SHORT HISTORY OF THE Jewish Affairs From the End of the OLD TESTAMENT TO THE BIRTH OF CHRIST AN INTRODUCTION TO THE Jewish History THE History of the Old Testament ends as we have shewed with the Book of Nehemiah and extends no further than the 32th year of Artaxerxes Longimanus Now for the better understanding the state of 〈◊〉 Jewish affairs from the 32 of Artaxerxes to the Birth of Christ ●●taining a space of 358 years which is the interval or interstitium between the Old and the New Testament it will be requisite to set down 1. What Persian Kings succeeded Artaxerxes till that Kingdom was conquered and swallowed up by Alexander the Great and so an end put to the Persian or second Monarchy 2. To speak something of Alexander in whom the Grecian or Third Monarchy began and the four Kingdoms into which his Empire was divided after his death till they were swallowed up by the Romans who began the Fourth Monarchy and under whose Empire our Saviour was born 3. To shew who were High Priests among the Jews from their return out of Captivity to our Saviours time where we shall have occasion to speak something of the History of the Maccabees till their power was swallowed up by Herod made King by the Romans For the First the Persian Kings who succeeded Artaxerxes * The Persian Kings that preceded him were Cyrus Cambyses Darius Histaspis Xerxes Artaxerxes Longimanus Longimanus were these Darius Nothus Artaxerxes Mnemon Darius Ochus Arses vel Arsames Darius Codomannus who being conquered by Alexander the Persian Monarchy ceased and the Greek or Macedonian began