Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	bear_v	flesh_n	kingdom_n	6,050	5	7.3681	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A94352	Demetrius his opposition to reformation. A sermon very necessarie for these times. As it was delivered (this last vvinter) before a great assemblie in the city of London. by John Tillinghast, sometimes rector of Tarring-Nevill, now rector of Streate in the county of Sussex.	Tillinghast, John, 1604-1655.	1642 (1642)	Wing T1169; Thomason E151_26; ESTC R12132	52,893	59

commotion and is usually spoken of water when it is muddied and stirred It serveth here very fitly to expresse the nature of a sedition Quae omnes in se habet rerum turbas aut certè bonos viros perturbant as Aretius speaketh It was raised against St. Paul who endeavouring the reformation of the Church of Ephesus and labouring to overthrow their superstition was cried down by a company of illeterate Tradesmen Smiths and Tinkers as it s most likeliest by their profession who had gotten for their Captain one Demetrius a silver-Smith by his calling he with this ratlement being met together the most part of them not knowing wherefore ver 32. labour with might and main to suppresse St. Pauls doctrine by sedition From whose example we are taught this point of doctrine viz. It is an usuall thing in the Churches Reformation Doct. to meet with opposition Thus it hath been from the beginning no sooner was order taken for Gods worship and service but hatred and spight fell to the portion and lot of Religion the first man that offered the better sacrifice was y Gen. 4 4.8 slain the like hath been verified time after time even till this our age In the dayes of Moses there were certain z Exod. 7.11 Magicians sorcerers Men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the faith as the a 2 Tim. 3.8 Apostle describes them who wickedly and maliciously resisted the truth of God withstood Moses and kept Pharaoh in his blindnesse by their jugling tricks St. Paul nameth two of the chief of them which he doth as b Sic Chryso Theodoret. Theophilact in 2 Tim. 3. some think either by inspiration or tradition because their names are not elsewhere found in Scripture or else which is most likeliest he had it from some private records kept amongst the Jews as in their Babylonian c Tract Menacoth cap. 9. Thalmud to this day we may read how Johanne and Mamre chief of the sorcerers of Egypt withstood Moses and mocked him thinking he did his miracles by sorceries as the Magicians did This is that which the Apostle speaks of d Galat. 4.29 as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit even so it is now and so it was indeed For to omit those sundrie clamors and oppositions of gracelesse men which our Saviour Christ met withall when he began the reformation of the Church of the Jews sometimes from the Pharisees sometimes from the Sadduces sometimes from the Essens and so from divers others pernicious Sects that which Calvin speaks of this holy Apostle St. Paul is very remarkable for our purpose viz. e Calvin in Acts 17.5 that he could no where erect the kingdom of Christ without some conflict And though he were a man whose courses tended all to peace tempering himself in things indifferent to every mans infirmity yet meets with tumultuous contradictions so soon as any fruit of doctrine appeared there also arose persecution with it Read for instance at your leasure these places Act. 13.8.45.50 and chap. 14.19 and chap. 17.5 6 7. 2 Tim. 3.8 and chap. 4.14 15. Experience in later ages hath verified this truth in those manifold oppositions that Luther Calvin Zuinglius and others found who were notable reformers of the Church in their times and sweepers of many abuses and Popish errours What our times have and are likely to produce in this particular I intend not now to expresse my desire is rather to pray unto God to prevent it then to trouble your patience to hear it Some Reasons for it may be such as these Reas 1. Reason 1 Because reformation breeds dissimilitude and distance of manners dissimilitude of manners breeds alienation of affections there is nothing doth so condemne the lives of wicked men exemplarily as doth the prescribed rules and holy conversation of the godly like Pharaohs f Gen. 41.3 fat kine they make the lean seem more ill favoured And hence it is that they fall into rage and fury and savage behaviour not abiding such as are of a contrary temper with them no more then clay and iron can weild together Put fire to fire and water to water and there is no commotion but put water to fire and then you have a thundring coile Even so when riotous men and enemies of Gods Church meet there is shaking of hands drinking of healths the other pint and the other quart but let the righteous come amongst them and g Psal 141.5 smite them with reproof they will be ready to flie in his face Reas 2. Reas 2 Almightie God though he be able and might in an instant free his Church from opposition yea and so far preserve it as that h Matt. 16.18 the gates of hell shall never prevail nor fight against it yet he will have it so and that for these reasons 1. For the better clearing of the doctrine of the Church opposition of heresie makes men sharpen their wits the better to confute it the Mysterie of the Trinitie had never been so exactly handled by many of the Fathers in whole Tractates if the Church had not been opposed by divers damnable Heretiques as Arrius and Sabellius and others therefore as wormwood though bitter to the taste yet good to clear the eyes So opposition though no wayes pleasing yet may be profitable for the truth 2. For the greater manifestation of the graces that are in the children of the Church as their faith their obedience their love to the truth and such like these in time of opposition like starres in a dark night make a glorious lustre As in Queen Maries dayes when persecution wrung the Church Martyrdome gave a manifest approbation of many unknown Saints the vertues of divers had been lesse noted if this fiery triall had not put them to it 3. For the better prevention of securitie in the children of the Church that the more they are opposed the better they may be armed and the more subtile the enemies of the Church are to lay snares and gins for them the more circumspect they might be to prevent them As the Palm-tree the more weight is laid upon it so much the more it strives and heaves against it For these and such like respects when the Church in her reformation meets with opposition it fals out just as God would have it Reas 3. Wicked men Reas 3 who cannot abide that their opinions and doing should be i Ioh. 3.20 judged of others they labour to have it so and that for these reasons 1. Because true reformation many times lessens their estates now desire of gain amongst such men will quickly cause them to enter a wicked and ungodly combate Demetrius and the rest of the silver-Smiths perceiving by the means of St. Paul's preaching a diminution of their gains will withall therefore make head against it had they not been like to have suffered losse by the Apostles doctrine they

hath more hindred the happie proceedings of Parliament whereby many illegall taxations have been raised to the great burthen and grief of the Subject what hath more endeavoured the subversion of the fundamentall laws of this Kingdom c. Then divers Innovations and superstitions which have been brought both into Church and State partly 1. By Papists who justifie a religion that gives way to all manner of rebellion both against God and the King Against God as is evident by that complaint of St. Bernard who affirmeth that x Bern li. 4. de considerat ad Eugentum the covetous luxurious ambitious incestuous sacrilegious and all such hellish monsters do flock to Rome to get a Warrant from the Apostolike See for their proceedings Against the King by affirming y Bellarm. lib. 5. de Rom. Pontific cap. 67. 4 2. Sigonius 9. hist Ital. that it is not lawfull for Christians to tolerate an hereticall King they may expell him depose him as they did z Henry the fourth of his Empire making him stand barefoot with the Empresse at the gate of Canessus yea murther him if he favour not their idolatries and superstitions witnesse Walpole Cardinall of Coome in his instructions to Parry about taking away the life of Queen Elizabeth and Sixtus the fifth his oration in defence of the Jacobine that murthered Henry the third King of France 2. By Anabaptists Familists and sundrie other Sects who by their pernitious and devillish Tenents do endeavour to cut the very throat of Reformation and labour what in them lieth to overthrow the true doctrine of Jesus Christ 3. By superstitious Formalisticall Protestants who are ready to embrace and maintain all that is or shall be proposed in hope of preferment whereof if their expectation at any time prove frustrate they endeavour to set all in an uprore and care not what doctrine they prove of though it be never so false and erroneous if by it they may be revenged of their adversaries Like a August Donatus who when he saw Cecilianus preferred before him in the Bishoprick of Carthage turn'd Heretique These are such who endeavour to quench the fire on the harth and leave it burning on the top of the chimney which will reform their least faults and let their worst be marring who like Aesops dog are known to let fall the substance by catching at the shadow whose religion is so mixt with multiplicitie of superstitious Ceremonies as that its hard to say whether they be Papists or Protestants the too too many experiments we have of such persons revives that which sometimes an b Pliny lib. 3. Britannia eam hodiè colebrat tam attonite tantis ceremontis ut dedisse Persis vtaeri possit heathen man affirmed of the ancient Britaines that they were so supendly superstitious in their Ceremonies that they went far beyond the Persians they much exceeded other Nations Now when all these shall meet together in one Kingdom what a combustion and distraction will they make by their severall doctrines one superstition opposing it self against another and all against Reformation furthering the ruine and destruction of a common-weal to the disturbance of peace if not to the generall confusion of all estates And thus of the second sort to these we may adde 3. The prophane and licentious who c Psal 50.17 Prov. 5.12 hate to be reformed and like those Israelites mentioned by the Prophet Amos cannot abide d Amos 5.10 him that rebuketh in the gate i. the Magistrate who gives publike judgement as e Tremel Pis●at in portis exerc●b judicia publica some or else the Prophet which reproves them in the open Assemblies as f See the marginall note others talk of Reformation unto them and they will be ready to encounter with you as the Philosophers and Stoicks sometime did with Paul when he went about to reform Athens of idolatrie g Act. 17.18 What will this babler say or else as the Gergesites to our Saviour beseech you to h Matth. 8.34 depart out of their coasts they le be plain with you you are no guests for them their secure lives and your severe laws will not cotton May not the Jews keep i Ioh. 2.14 open Market in the Temple and make k Matt. 21 13. Matth. 11.17 the house of Prayer l Becles 5.1 Gods house an house of Merchandise but that Christ must come and disturbe them overthrow their tables and whip them out May not m Luk. 3.19 Herod dally and take his pleasure of his whore Herodias but John the Baptist must prate on 't Cannot Demetrius here make an unreasonable advantage by his silver shrines but Paul must cry down the goddesse and so hinder his trade Cannot the proud weare a garment of the fashion nor yet the drunkard drink with a good fellow at his Tavern-session nor the swearer strengthen his words with the credit of an oath but that the pulpits must ring of it then down shall that Gospel come if they can subject it that will not let them run to hell untroubled n Non turbunt Evangelio dum ab Evangelium non turbentur Let them alone and they will let you alone but if you fight against their sins with the sword of the Spirit they will have you by the eares and salute you with the sword of death How may it be thought then that this work of Reformation should go forward in a Kingdom without opposition wherein almost in every passage so much prophanenesse and licentiousnesse is daily to be observed Run through every particular estate and calling and you shall find by the practise though not of all God forbid that I should think so I know there are in every Profession which make a conscience of their wayes and in all their actions set God before their eyes God hath his number amongst us and I hope it is not small the Lord of his mercy every day increase it to his glory and the Churches comfort yet of the most part that fraudulent and deceitufll dealing or some other unlawfull means is thought the most expedite and beaten way for supporting them Otherwise how comes it to passe that we see so much briberie and corruption in seats of o Qui sedet crimina judicaturus c Cyprian ad Donatum Judicature such perjuries at the Barre partialitie and unjust connivencie in Magistrates Sacriledge in Patrons Symonaicall contracts in unconscionable Levites cozening in bargains breaking of promises perfidious underminings fraud in our houses oppression in the open fields robberie in the high wayes and divers such which demonstrate unto us a generall decay and declination of all goodnesse So that in these dayes not onely the state and strength of the world the alacritie and vigour of the whole creature is much worn but the integritie which was to be found even in our fore-Fathers is much wasted we are fallen into the p 2 Tim. 3.1 2 3

Cistel Act. 4. Scen. 3. Comedie who had rather be banished then derided or contemned this exasperates mens thoughts makes them impatient one of another drives every side upon a peculiar bottome and so procures an inseparable division amongst them The Church of Corinth though otherwise a renowned Church y 1 Cor. 1.2 sanctified in Christ Jesus z Vers 6. confirmed in Christ a Vers 9. called unto the fellowship of the Sonne of God yet are blamed by the Apostle for these b Vers 11.12 contentions amongst them They had three famous Preachers men of extraordinary worth and great eminency in the Church There was St Paul who for his learning zeale sanctification miraculous conversion fiery devotion though he were Novissimus Apostolorum in ordine yet he was Primus in merito being rapt up into the heavens where he learned Divinitie amongst the Angells in the Schoole of Paradise under the tuition of God himselfe There was Apollo who was borne at c Acts 18.24 Alexandria powerfull in the Scriptures fervent in Spirit received amongst the Disciples after some instructions from Aquila and Priscilla teaching Christ eloquently and powerfully and refuteth his enemies boldly There was Cephas who as d Jerom. Catalog Script Jerome stiles him was Princeps Apostolum or as Chrysostome calls him e Supremus praecipuus sive supremum locum obtinens Excellentissimus sive Eminentissimus apud Herodia lib. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Primate and chiefe of the Apostles either for the priviledge of his age or the libertie of his speech or honours conferd upon him by our Saviour as choosing him for his individuall companion in raising the dead in his transfiguration on the Mount in his last Vigils in the garden his speech alwayes directed to him as a person representing the rest his favourite and darling c. All of them no doubt men of grace and excellent gifts though not all of one sort and through this diverfitie the Church of Corinth falls into as great distemper Some will be for Paul professing themselves to be onely his followers others for Apollo magnifying his powerfull Eloquence and slighting Pauls plainnesse others for none of them both but onely for Cephas they will goe heare him he goes beyond the other two Now these dissentions amongst them about their Pastours did not onely hinder the Apostles proceedings who was to impart unto them some great mysteries but also hatcht contentions in their secular affaires as may easily be seene by his gradation cap. 3.3 there being amongst them f 1 Cor. 3.3 envying and strife and divisions The same effects hath this dissention wrought in other Churches What it may doe in ours may easily be perceived if in some reasonable time it be not amended All you then that desire an happy proceeding in the reformation avoyd this dissention You that are Non-conformists despise not them who have willingly subscribed I doe not say like those subtill g Gelas Cyzic part 2. cap. 27. Arrian Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely with their hands but not with their hearts but such as have freely and chearfully conformed It is no impossibilitie for such men to be good and honest and religious and zealous men too yea and to lay downe their lives for the testimony of Gods truth and for the maintenance of the Gospell if they should be thereunto called as many such in this Kingdome did both Bishops and conformable Ministers in the dayes of Queene Mary And you that are Conformists neglect not to heare them who refuse subscription there be of that part also good and honest men of unreproveable conversation who have upright and sincere hearts to God-ward who are unfeinedly zealous of his truth in the maintenance of pure Religion there may be h Sanctistante charitate possunt errare etiam contra Catholi●am veritatem O●cham Dial. part 1. lib. 2. cap. 4. errour in judgement in both both subject to infirmitie and therefore let neither be despised more then either Keepe you close to your owne Pastours especially at such times when they give their attendance within the doores of the Lords Sanctuary i Heb. 13.17 watching for your soules though their gifts be farre inferiour and come much short of the gifts of many others yet they are they that must give an account of you unto God Besides all the Lords servants in the Ministery are not alike endowed some have k Math. 25.15 five talents some but two some but one some have a more excellent gift of conference some of prayer some of exhortation some in opening of a Text some in application c. and yet all are Gods faithfull servants and have their gifts given them to l 1 Cor. 12.7 profit withall and from any of their gifts m 1 Cor. 14.31 all may learne and get profit if the fault be not their owne He that hath the meanest being truly sanctified may yet conferre aliquid in publicam cast his gift such as it is into the common treasury of the Church which may some way or other be profitable unto Gods people and helpe on-ward the edification of those committed to his charge as I have n In a Sermon preached at a Visitation holden at St. M●●haels Church in Lewes Aprill the ninth 1638. elsewhere declared Physitians say that the Constitutions of all mens bodies are of a mixture of hot dry cold and moist and yet the wisdome of God hath so diversly tempered these that scarce in the world are two men to be found in every point of the like temper The face of man is not above a span over yet let ten thousand men be together and their countenances shall all differ So in the Church let diverse men Preach of the same Text and all soundly and to the point yet scarce two of an hundred to be found that have in all things the like gift either of matter or utterance therefore it was to the amazement and admiration of Ptolomie that the Seventie Interpreters being placed in sundry roomes never conferring and seeing one another did yet upon the same Text write the same thing not onely for sence of matter but even for sound of words as Augustine reports but this is the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That manifold wisedome of God that liking not one wee may like another and the varietie of mens affections be satisfied with the varietie of his gifts Accord then in this particular doe not abuse this great mercy contemne none for the meannesse of his gifts if truly sanctified but make a good use of all that by some one or other of them you may be throughly reformed and so brought from all your sinnes unto God And this is the last impediment which must be avoyded if we desire the furtherance of the Reformation viz. dissention about Teachers And thus of the first way how it ought to be endeavoured viz. privatively 2. Now positively and that two manner of