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	holy_a	word_n	6,715	5	4.1599	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A36453	A sermon preached before the Right Honorable the Lord Mayor of the city of London and the court of Aldermen at Bow-Church, on the feast of S. Michael, 1682 : the day for election of a Lord Mayor / by Henry Dove ...	Dove, Henry, 1640-1695.	1682 (1682)	Wing D2049; ESTC R31365	14,854	36

perform it because nothing can oblige us to do evil But what if the thing commanded be neither good nor evil but of an indifferent nature what must we do in that case why then we must undoubtedly obey it for otherwise there will be nothing left wherein the Magistrate may use his Power What is good or evil in it self must be done or avoided for Gods sake what is not so in it self but only in regard of the end for which it is enacted being judg'd so by the Magistrate for the good of the Community this must be observ'd both for God's sake and his too because God requires our Obedience to him in these things But what then becomes of our Liberty if another must judg for us It is where it was before we must obey and yet we are as Free as Christ hath made us nay I doubt not to add we are most Christ's Freemen when we duly obey our Governors just Laws for seeing Christ hath commanded us to be subject not only for wrath but for conscience sake that so we may avoid the guilt of sin that Obedience which keeps us from sin which is the only vassallage of a Christian can by no means infringe but does rather advance our Christian liberty As free says the Apostle 1 Pet. 2. 16. and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness but as the servants of God As though he had said Don't urge your liberty for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a pretence to cover your craftiness as if that would excuse your Disobedience you are free indeed from sin but not from your Obedience Servants of God and yet Subjects to your Prince and so much the better Servants by how much the more you are good Subjects Another pretence of near a kin to the former is that of Private Conscience for here again 't is pleaded if I judg the thing commanded to be evil I cannot be free from sin for to me at least it is sin if I comply with the command during that persuasion because the Apostle assures me Whatever is not of Faith is sin But what if that persuasion be false and erroneous dost thou not in cur a greater sin What if it be not assuredly grounded on the clear word of God but only in thine own Opinion must a private Opinion weigh down the ballance against the publick good the laws of the Community the conscience of thy Governors and the great Rule of Faith and Conscience which is the Word of God That Word commands thee to Obey and so binds thy Conscience thy Conscience bids thee not and so binds thee which of these in reason shall take place must the Word be null'd by the Conscience or the Conscience guided by the Word What a sad condition is that man in who brings himself into these straits where Conscience which should be his guide becomes his greatest snare For such is the nature of an erroneous Conscience that it unavoidably betrays a man to sin whether he follows it or whether he resists it if he follows his Conscience he sins because it is erroneous if he resists it though it be erroneous he sins against his Conscience What then shall be done or which way shall he turn him in these perplexities Why I know no expedient but one that he speedily burst his shackles which himself has fastned and not God by ridding himself of such a Conscience And the way to do it is this That he be not overwise in his own conceit nor lean too much to his own understanding but allow the possibility at least of his being in an arrear that he is but a man and not infallible That he lay by Passion and Prejudice Partiality and Interest and sincerely examine the grounds of his persuasion not as pleasing men but God who tryeth our hearts That he humbly consult better judgments whose Office it is to inform and ease his Conscience namely his lawful Pastors whose lips preserve knowledg and are set over him in the Lord for that purpose That he believe his Governors have a conscience too for which they must answer as well as himself and seriously consider whose plea is most likely to be admitted at Gods high Tribunal And above all that he earnestly pray for the spirit of meekness and humility the spirit of wisdom discretion and holy fear while he compares his Conscience with the Rule of Gods Word impartially and God himself hath promis'd that he will not deny his Spirit to such an humble Petitioner and Enquirer To these we may add in the last place the pretence of both together I mean liberty of Conscience To which I shall only say two things and I leave 'em to your sober thoughts First that Liberty of Conscience if it be well weigh'd sounds like a contradiction for Liberty imports Freedom without restraint but Conscience was always bound ever since it was plac'd in humane souls and though I am free indeed in regard of my actions which proceed from my Conscience yet my Conscience is not freed from the antecedent rule of my actions which is the law of God for by that it is always bound The second is this There is no such phrase throughout the Bible as Liberty of Conscience not one place in Scripture where these words are joyn'd together but for Obedience to our Governors there are twenty I speak to knowing men judg ye what I say 3. The Duty of Pastors and Teachers inculcated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Put 'em in mind admonish 'em often of it and bring it to their remembrance as S. Peter does twice together in another case 2 Pet. 1. 12 13. I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things though ye know them and be established in the present truth Yea I think it meet as long as I am in this tabernacle to stir you up by putting you in remembrance There are some Duties we are apt to forget or very unwilling to remember and some people there are who care not for a Preacher that tells 'em often of their duty insomuch that a moral Preacher is made a by-word to fright the ignorant and to render 'em averse since they know no better to their Parish Guide If he rub up their memories and touch 'em in a sore place they have a present remedy for it by hearing him no more and think it sufficient excuse for their absence or going astray to say They do not like his way But if a man set up a separate Congregation in opposition to the Established Laws and Worship if he fill their heads with aiery Speculations instead of practical and searching Truths if he daub with untemper'd mortar or sow pillows under their elbows and can but help 'em to an evasion from this Duty of Obedience he shall have followers enough This is a certain sign that tho men know their Duty yet they do not love to hear it since they forsake the Assemblies where they are