Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	bless_a	jesus_n	lord_n	6,161	5	3.6174	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A53717	A peace-offering in an apology and humble plea for indulgence and liberty of conscience by sundry Protestants differing in some things from the present establishment about the worship of God.	Owen, John, 1616-1683.	1667 (1667)	Wing O790; ESTC R21637	31,968	40

things spiritual and supernatural that the will of God in these things cannot be known but by Revelation from himself all men will acknowledge and we suppose they will with no less readiness consent That Divine Revelation cannot be apprehended or assented unto but according to the nature and measure of that light which God is pleased to communicate unto them unto whom such Revelation is made That this Light doth so equally affect the minds of all men or that it is possible it should do so considering the divers ways and means of its communication with the different dispositions of them that receive it that they should all have the same apprehensions of the things proposed unto them none will judge but such as take up their profession in these things on Custom Prejudice or Interest It will then hence evidently follow That mens apprehensions of things spiritual and supernatural such we mean as have no alliance unto the ingrafted Light of Nature are not absolutely under their own power or depend on the liberty of their wills whereunto all Law is given And therefore is the diversity in and about them to be reckoned among those unavoidable differences which are supposed in the Law of Civil Society and without which supposal every attempt for any such Society would be destructive of it self Among these apprehensions and the exercise of our consciences towards God upon them lies all the difference from the present Establishment which we desire an Indulgence to be shewed towards not at all questioning but that it is lawful for them who have attained unto an agreement in them so far as they have attained to confirm and strengthen that agreement among themselves and render it desirable unto others by all such ways and means as by right and the Laws of the Society whereof they are they may make use of And it is as we humbly conceive in vain pretended That it is not the apprehensions of mens minds and their consciences unto God upon them but only their outward Actings that fall under the Penalties desired by some to be indispensably imposed on Dissenters from the Established Form seeing those penalties are not only annexed unto Actions which those apprehensions require as Duties unto God but also unto a not acting contrary unto them which directly and immediately reflect on the Mind and Conscience it self other wayes to reach the Consciences of their Brethren it is utterly impossible to find out And to teach men that their Consciences towards God are not concerned either in not acting according to their Light in his Worship or in acting against it is to teach them to be Atheists We cannot therefore but hope that our distance from the present Establishment in some few things relating unto Supernatural Revelation especially whilst in our agreement with it there is a salve for all things in the least intrenching on the Light of Nature and all things whatever that even of Revelation itself are necessary to the grand end of it with Security against any thing that may any way incommodate Publick Tranquility being unto us insuperable and therefore provided for by the Fundamental Law of all Civil Societies that it will not alwayes receive so severe a construction as to deprive us of the Good and Benefit thereof For to annex Penalties which in their progress will deprive men of all those advantages in their outward Concernments which Publick Society doth or can afford unto those Differences without a supposition whereof and provision for there could be no such Society at all is to destroy that whose good and preservation is intended And therefore the different Conceptions of the Minds of Men in the things under consideration with actings consonant unto them being not only an unavoidable Consequent of Natures constant production of the Race of Mankind in that various diversity which in all instances we behold but also rendered farther insuperable from the nature of the things themselves about which they are exercised being of Divine Revelation they were ever in the World esteemed without the Line of Civil Coercion and Punishment untill it came to the Interest of some to offer Violence to those Principles of Reason in Themselves which any outward Alteration in the state of things is capable of rendring their own best Protection and Defence And on these Grounds it is That FORCE never yet attained or long kept that in RELIGION which it aimed at And the Great Roman Historian tells us That it is Indecorum Principi adtrectare quod non obtineat No way honourable unto a Soveraign Prince to attempt that which will never be accomplished But because what may seem obscure in this Reason of things and Principles of Community which usually affect Them only who without Interest or Prejudice give up Themselves to the Conduct of Rational and Sedate Consideration with which sort of Persons alone we have not to deal is exemplified in the GOSPEL whose furtherance is on all Hands pretended We shall thence also briefly manifest that the way pretended for the promotion of its Interest by Severity in external Penalties on the account of such Differences as we are concerned in is both opposite unto the Spirit of its Author and contrary to the Rules of it with the Practice of Those who have walked according to them As among the many blessed Ends of the Conversation of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Flesh it was not of the least moment that he might set us a Pattern and give us an example of that Frame of Heart and Holiness of Life whereby we may become like unto our HEAVENLY FATHER and be acceptable before Him so in his carrying on of that Design there was not any thing that he more emphatically called upon his Disciples to endeavour a Conformity unto him in than in his Meekness Lowliness Gentleness and Tenderness towards all These he took all occasions for our good to shew forth in Himself and commend unto Others Whatever Provocation He met withall whatever injurious Opposition He was exposed unto He did not contend nor cry nor cause his Voyce to be heard with Strife or Anger The Sins of Men indeed He reproved with all Authority their groundless Traditions in the Worship of God He rejected their Errors He refuted by the Word But to the Persons of Men He was alwayes Meek and Tender as coming to Save and not Destroy to keep Alive and not to Kill In the Things of Man He referred all unto the Just Authority and Righteous Laws of Men but in the Things of GOD never gave the lest intimation of Severity but only in his Holy Threats of future Evil in the World to come upon Mens Final Impenitency and Unbelief COERCE FINE IMPRISON BANISH Those that apprehend not aright all and every thing that I would have you instructed in are Words that never proceeded out of His holy Mouth Things that never entered into His gracious Heart And we are perswaded that it is a thing of marvelous