Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	believe_v	ghost_n	holy_a	11,216	5	5.5398	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A27214	Some observations upon the apologie of Dr. Henry More for his mystery of godliness by J. Beaumont ...	Beaumont, Joseph, 1616-1699.	1665 (1665)	Wing B1628; ESTC R18002	132,647	201

the heartiest Schismatick or Fanatick could wish But first because he confidently appeals to his Preface let me reminde the Reader that there the Doctor ranks Episcopacy with the worst of Factions Presbytery Independency Quakerism c. That he professes pag. 19. that Episcopacy simply in it self is not Antichristian And pag. 20. That Episcopacy joyned with Presbytery is better then Presbytery alone Is not the Authour of these passages one who speaks for Episcopacy Now for his bold affirmation that he speaks not against any Church-government I crave the readers patience till I rake up some of his dirt Page 526. of his Mystery he saith Now our Religion is wrapt up in so many wreaths of hay and straw that no man can see nor feel the edge of it And if thus wrapt up by whom is it done but by the Governours of the Church Doth not this strike at both the Government and the Governours Again pag. 492. Freely to profess what I think in my own conscience to be true The most universal and most fundamental mistake in Christendom and whence all the corruption of the Church began and is still continued and increased is That conceited estimation of orthodox Opinions and external ceremony before the indispensable practise of the precepts of Christ c. Instead whereof there is generally substituted curiosity of Opinion in points imperscrutable and unprofitable obtrusion of Ceremonies numerous cumbersom and not onely needless but much unbeseeming the unsuspected modesty of the spouse of Christ c. This self chosen Religion in all the parts of Christendome though it be such as a wicked man may perform as dextrously and plausibly as the most truly righteous and regenerate being so highly extolled and recommended to the people is almost an irresistible temptation to make them really and morally wicked And pag. 496. That I may not seem to slander the state of Christendom I mean of the whole visible Church in what nation soever under heaven if we may believe Historians there is none neither Greek nor Roman Lutheran nor Calvinist but will be found guilty of this fault If this be not to inveigh against Church-government and universally too for all Christendom is his scene What is seeing the tragical miscarriages he thus charges upon all the Christian World must lie at the doors of the Church-government and Governours or no where Again in his Preface page 28. falls he not foul upon the Governours Who saith he instead of holy love c. with zeal scalding hot seek to hale and force other men by external compulsion to their foolish and useless Opinions and Ceremonies c. for here he must mean the Church-Governours seeing they alone have power of compulsion Ibidem It is injustice and barbarous cruelty to afflict men for what they cannot help and in what they do not sin and it is plain rebellion against God to wrest the sceptre out of his hand by which he rules in the Consciences of Men and to usurp this Empire to themselves Here he makes the Churches censuring her factious schismatical or heretical members to be Rebellion against God Yet this man in veighes not if you will take his own word against any Church-government More such stuff I could rake up out of his Mystery but that I am loath too much to turn the Readers stomach But he goeth on and in his second Sect. of this 9th Chapter pleads thus If any one will call my free and zealous Advertisements to the guides of Christendom sharp invectives that doth not change their nature they are still wholesom reproofs and advertisements not Invectives forasmuch as they proceed from no Hatred nor Ill will but out of a sincere affection to the truth and a desire of promoting the true interest of the Kingdom of Christ in the world Truly a spade must be called a spade and if any one will call it a fan of feathers that doth not change its nature for it is still a spade and not a fan of feathers If the Doctor will call Invectives Reproofs and Advertisements that doth not change their nature they are still Invectives and not Reproofs or Advertisements And indeed if this kinde of language be onely Advertising or Reproving it is impossible there should be any such thing as inveighing I but it was not out of Ill will but out of sincere affection to the Truth and a desire of promoting the true interest of Christs kingdom Doctor I know not your heart I leave that to God but this I know that a good meaning and intent cannot justifie a bad action and therefore you may do well to consider how you will answer for having spoken evil of Dignities to him who is the authour of them What you add for your justification out of scripture is so far from mending the matter that it onely shews how boldly you dare abuse Gods sacred word First you tell us that S. Paul bids Titus exhort and rebuke with all authority chap. 2. And charges him to rebuke the Cretians sharply chap. 1. And what of this I pray did S. Paul give any such kinde of charge to Dr More Titus was Bishop of Crete and S. Paul commanded him to exhort and rebuke offenders in his Diocess what could be properer Doth this authorize you who are no Pope I trow no pretending Universal Bishop but a private person Fellow of Christs Colledge and not Master of his whole Church to Rebuke all the Bishops of the Christian world Then you go on thus Is it not also said Isa 11. He shall smite the earth with the Rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked Which our Saviour Christ doth even in his true and living members also as well as in his own Person his spirit in them kindling their zeal and directing their words to the just reproof of ungodliness And I am sure I inveigh against nothing if it can properly be called inveighing but what is confessedly wicked and ungodly Here you presume that you are a true living member of Christ and that Christs spirit kindled that zeal and directed your words in these Invectives If so then your words are sacred and infallibly true because proceeding from the Direction of the Holy Ghost but that they are such all the wit you have will never perswade men in their wits to believe May not any rayling sactary say as much for himself if this will serve may he not vouch himself for a true living member of Christ may he not call his passion zeal and father it upon the Spirit of God and yet will not all sober persons count that such a one Blasphemes Because some lymphatick Pulpiteers of late were wont to broach what wilde rebellious antichristian Invectives would seem most to promote the Cause and then in their concluding Prayer tell God Almighty that he had taught them thus and thus was the Auditory therefore bound to believe that Gods Spirit was the Authour of such