Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	body_n	hand_n	soul_n	5,719	5	5.1086	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A50328	The bruised reed, or, A sermon preach'd at the cathedral church of St. Asaph, for the support of weak Christians by D. Maurice, D.D., sometime chaplain in New Colledge, Oxon.	Maurice, David.	1700 (1700)	Wing M1357A; ESTC R43437	22,707	31

THE BRUISED REED OR A SERMON Preach'd at the Cathedral Church of St. ASAPH FOR THE Support of weak Christians By D. MAVRICE D. D. sometime Chaplain in New Colledge OXON OXFORD Printed at the THEATER 1700. Matth. 12.20 A bruised reed shall he not break and the smoking flax shall he not quench 'till he send forth judgement unto victory IF the Scope of this Chapter be seriously consider'd it may be of use to Preachers and Hearers a division which contains all the Members of the Church universal the whole Christian World for in the Pharisees here all Hearers may see what is to be avoided and in Christ all Preachers may see what is to be practis'd by what is culpable in the one and commendable in the other 1. The Pharisees entertain hard thoughts of that great Prophet of his Church which was sent to bring them from Darkness to Light and from those devious paths of Superstition and Errours which they ran into unto the way of Life and Salvation Secondly This Prejudice against their Teacher was a strong Bolt upon the Doors of their Hearts that hinder'd them from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 receiving the Truth in the Love of it Thirdly They proceed to blaspheme Christ's Doctrine and are offended at his Followers and from the weakness of the Disciples in plucking the ears of corn on the Sabbath day they take occasion to oppose the Gospel as if it were a door open'd by Christ to Licentiousness and Prophaness Fourthly They have a cloak for their Malice namely the strict command of observing the Sabbath tho' indeed it was as Christ proves but their own superstitious Conceit and false Exposition of the Command for the Law allow'd of Works of Necessity such as plucking the ears of corn to satisfy Hunger and Works of Mercy such as healing the man with the wither'd hand on the Sabbath day Fifthly They were obstinate in their Errours and would not be convinc'd by him that was Truth it self tho' he endeavour'd it by Scripture Reasons and Examples and those so strong and forcible that they could not gainsay them Sixthly The Prejudice in their Hearts broke out at their Lips in calling him a devil and their Malice was vented in their Counsels and Purposes to kill him so that as all the Expositours that I have read on the 31. and 32. v. conclude they stop'd not 'till they sinned against the holy Ghost which is the unpardonable Sin spoken of there Therefore let Hearers take heed lest they give place to the Devil by entertaining any Prejudices against the Persons Conversation or Doctrine of their Teachers for that if cherished will break out into opprobrious Speeches and at last end in a wilfull Opposition to the Truth against Knowledge and Conscience and in a bidding defiance to the Almighty Take heed you stand not against Convictions and avoid that rock of offence on which the Pharisees suffer'd Shipwrack but open the windows of your Souls that the Light of the glorious Gospel may shine in your Hearts and that you may walk as Children of the Light in your Lives 2. Here is a Pattern propos'd to Preachers the grand Exemplar for us to write after the LORD JESUS and that in the Prophecy and the History First In supporting the weak Disciples and defending them against the Aspersions and Calumnies of their Adversaries as you may read in the Beginning of this Chapter Secondly In stopping the Mouths of Gain-sayers with invincible Arguments drawn from Scripture Reasons Authority and Examples v. 3 4 c. Thirdly In Meekness Patience and Calmness of Spirit withdrawing himself from the hand of Violence and going where he might do more good v. 14 15 c. Fourthly In Mercyfulness and Tenderness to Men's Souls and Bodies in Diligence and Constancy in Preaching and doing good without any leaven of Ostentation or vain Glory v. 15 16. for he charged them that they should not make him known Fifthly In encouraging and cherishing the least measure of Grace wherever he found it and using all means to bring it to perfection as in the Text A bruised reed shall he not break c. For there is in the words a Litote where less is spoken than is meant and a double Metaphor expressing the wonderful Mildness Gentleness and Tenderness of Christ towards his weak Servants who are so feeble as a Reed and that bruised too not only toss'd too and fro like a Reed by every wind of temptation but bruised dejected and cast down not able to stand or look up towards Heaven being so full of Deadness and Diffidence and Despondency Such weak Believers he is so far from slighting trampling upon and laying aside as well he might as being unprofitable and useless for what is a Reed crush'd and bruis'd good for unless it be for the Fire that he will encourage support and strengthen them And when poor Believers are as smoking flax having the least Sparkle of Grace in them for as the Proverb is there is no smoke without some fire tho' it be buried in ashes Christ will be so far from despising the day of small things and extinguishing this Sparkle that he will cherish and nourish it and blow it to a Flame 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 donec pronunciet sententiam quâ se victorem declaret omnium inimicorum suorum 'Till he pronounces the Sentences and declares himself the Conquerour of his and their spiritual Enemies that would really break the bruised reed and quench the smoking flax Having thus strip'd the Text of it's Rhetorical Garments the Observation is naked and plain and that is this The Lord Jesus is very tender of weak Christians and exceeding carefull to preserve the least measure of Grace in them I am not ignorant that some take the Words for Christ's mercifull dealing with troubled Consciences and afflicted Souls that are bruised and crushed under the sense of Divine Wrath for Sin that are full of Doubts and Fears touching their everlasting Condition without any Candle-light of God's Countenance and Favour But I conceive the Metaphor may reach both Senses especially the first and methinks the learned Jesuit Maldonate hits the nail on the head when he saith Adeo quietè attentè ambulabit ut etiamsi super arundinem quassatam ambulet tamen non confringet He will tread so tenderly so warily so gingerly that tho' he tread upon a bruised Reed yet it shall be no more bruised for him I proceed therefore to handle the point which I shall endeavour to do by shewing I. What is the least measure of Grace II. That Christ is tender of such III. How he doth shew it IV. The Reasons why he do's so V. and Lastly Apply the whole to our selves I. First then I am to shew what is that which we may term the least measure of Grace the minimum quod non of Grace without which a Man cannot upon Scripture Grounds be denominated gracious and having which he may be assur'd that he is

it's essence and cause yet it do's quoad esse exercitium as to it 's well being and exercise and therefore the Lord will not quench the smoking flax 3. Grace may be hinder'd in it's growth by reason of weak gifts and want of natural parts such as Memory to carry away the word read or heard and the gift of Prayer A Sigh from such is acceptable to God for God doth not regard the Logick nor Rhetorick nor Arithmetick but the Divinity of Prayer 't is the sincere broken petitions that flow from a broken heart that prevail with God more than all the gaudy Eloquence of any Hypocrite whatever 4. A Christian's Grace may be weak for want of the means of Grace many people have been unfruitful under and unthankfull for the word of God and therefore the Lord may in Judgement say of them what David said of Gilboa 2 Sam. 1.21 Let there be no dew neither let there be rain upon you A dreadful curse And if a weak Christian chance to be in such a barren Wilderness the Lord will bear with his bruised reed because he has not the means of growth and strength to wit the milk and strong meat of the word Luke 12.48 Vnto whom much is given much shall be required that is he that has been planted by the rivers of waters and enjoyed powerfull Preaching and plentiful means of Grace the Lord do's expect from such an answerable growth in Grace and Knowledge and so without question he doth from you all that do frequent this Church but if a poor Christian's lot has fall'n upon a mount Gilboa the Lord will not expect so much from him but will consider such weaklings in Grace that are so for want of spiritual Food and bear with their weaknesses This is the first reason why our Saviour is so tender of weak Christians and very careful to preserve the least measure of Grace in them to wit because Grace may be hinder'd in it's growth by such things as the Believer cannot prevent and those are first A Believer may be living in a wicked Family as Abijah was secondly It may arise from the temper of the Believer's Body thirdly from the weakness of his natural Parts fourthly from the want of means of Grace as those in Acts 19.2 that knew not whether there was a spirit or no. 2. The second reason why Christ is so tender is because he is the Purchaser of the least measure of Grace this smoking flax is the price of Christ's Blood and what cost him so dear shall never be lost by his good will and the same good will that he had to spend his Heart's Blood to redeem them will surely ingage his almighty Power to defend them This adds weight to the charge of the Pastors of the Church of Ephesus Acts 20.28 Take heed unto your selves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchas'd with his own Blood as if he should say the meanest among you is of an inestimable value no less than the price of God's own Blood and therefore see you have an especial care of them And if he lays so great a charge on his Ministers to look to them surely he will not forget them himself but will make it his constant business in Heaven to intercede for them that none shall pluck them out of his hands whom he paid so dear for He that was made a Priest by God's oath to sacrifice his own Life to redeem sinners from Death continues for ever a priest to intercede for and procure them the full price of his purchase to wit Grace and Glory and this exceeding great care he takes for weak Believers appear'd presently after his ascension into Heaven by the speedy dispatch he made of his Spirit to the supply of the weak Orphans at Jerusalem for so the Disciples were 'till he sent the Comforter unto them and so he calls them Jo. 14.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Comforter he sent to wit the Holy Spirit assoon as he was warm if I may so speak in his seat in Heaven at God's right hand to the unspeakable comfort of them and us and all Believers to the end of the World 3. The third reason is because this Holy Spirit is the Author of the least measure of Grace and therefore will not leave his work unfinish'd or neglect what he hath so graciously begun but having begotten us again unto a lively hope 1 Pet. 1.3 5. he will keep us by his mighty power through faith unto salvation If all the created powers of Heaven and Earth were united and concentred in one person yet he could not so much as make this Flax to smoke 't is the effect of Divine power Grace is the product of the Spirit Jo. 3.5 and therefore since the Holy Spirit is the Father of such gracious dispensations he 'll engage the same strength to preserve what he hath begot Jer. 31.18 19 20. We see how soon doth the Lord hear Ephraim bemoaning himself when he was as a smoking flax a newly tamed heifer brought to God under the yoke of Afflictions his cry soon pierceth God's ears and his ear affects his bowels and his bowels awake his power to be his guardian When Christ brings a wandring sheep into his fold he puts it on his shoulder and rejoyceth all the way he brings it home Luke 15.5 The power of his Spirit is that shoulder on which he carries it the everlasting arms wherein he bears his lambs and those eagle's wings upon which they are both tenderly and securely convey'd to glory Ex. 19.4 nay he useth more care and tenderness towards weak Believers than the strong because of their weakness for the weakest child can call God father and the more weak and feeble the child is the greater is the care and stricter is the eye and observance of the mother upon him what Job says Job 31.15 the weakest and most faint Believer may say the same of the strongest champion in the Lord's house did not one and the same holy Spirit fashion us in the womb and if they are once the workmanship of his almighty hands then will he make them strong and fertile a little one shall become a thousand and a small one a strong nation Isa 60.22 In a word the least measure of Grace being the work of the Holy Spirit of God is therefore call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a new creation or a new creature and be sure none shall be abortive which he begets but go on to be an Heir of Glory and Christ calls this child of the Spirit by his own name Gal. 4.19 My little children of whom I travel in birth again 'till Christ be formed in you This clearly signifies to us that he will be as careful and tender of this Divine nature this piece of himself as if it were himself 4. The fourth reason is because the least measure