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	love_n	soul_n	5,414	5	4.9498	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85401	Irelands advocate: or, A sermon preached upon Novem. 14, 1641. to promote the contributions by way of lending, for the present reliefe of the Protestants party in Ireland. In the parrish church of St. Stephens Coleman Street London, by the pastor there.	Goodwin, John, 1594?-1665.	1642 (1642)	Wing G1178; Thomason E149_2; ESTC R5164	23,228	41

among themselves doubtlesse it is their duty also to manifest this love in the full proportion and in all the dimensions of it with expressions sutable to it and every waie commensurable with it when opportunity requireth A candle is not lighted to be put under a Bed or a Bushell as our Saviour speaketh no more is an excellencie or fervencie of love injoyned the servants of God to be dissembled or to be kept prisoner in the hearts or soules of men but chiefly for this end and purpose that the heat light and beauty of it may be the comfort riches strength and glory of the whole society or body The Greeke word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} translated fervent properly signifieth that which is extended or stretched out at large or at length and doubtlesse the spirit and soule as it were of this injunction or exhortation is that there ought to be such a love vigent in the hearts of all beleevers that should be able and ready upon all occasions of their Brethrens necessities to doe execution if need be a great way off and to stretch out it selfe in the fruites and expressions thereof beyond the line of the ordinary affections of men as a fire that is very hot and hath much wood burning upon it will warme men at a great distance from it I forbeare the drawing together any more Scriptures for this service the minde of them I conceive this way is better known unto us generally then to require any anxious or long examination Let us make forward to the grounds and Reasons of the point Reason 1 First we ought to rise to the highest in our expressions of love to the Brethren in Christ when their conditions doe require it because God requireth this at our hands as ye have heard It is one of the impositions of heaven upon us It is a tribute of thankfullnesse which God hath said upon the Great and rich commodity of salvation by Jesus Christ to be paid toties quoties as oft as the necessities of our fellow-Beleevers call for it We ought saith the Holy-Ghost in the words of the Text to lay down our lives for the Brethren Now the laying down of our lives we know is an expression of love that goeth very farre and reacheth very high So then if we acknowledge a lawfull Authority and Soveraignty of Heaven over us in other things and all things meet and fit to be done every thing to be just matter of duty that God requireth us there is no withstanding the truth of the Doctrine which requireth the deepest and weightiest expressions of our love to our Brethren in Christ when they stand in need of them Reason 2 Secondly Because God doth not only require this at our hands but he hath himselfe begun unto us in the highest and deepest expressions of his love unto us he hath provoked and ingaged us hereunto not so much by his own example as by the choice of his Subject upon whom he was pleased to exemplifie this exceeding love of his in the highest demonstrations of it viz. our selves So God loved the world i. the inhabitants of the world men that he gave his only begotten Sonne as John 3. 16. If God had shewed the same love unto the lapsed Angels which he hath done unto Men if he had lifted up the like horne of salvation for them there had bin the like Example but there had not bin the like engagement or provocation unto us to rise to those heights of shewing love likewise where he should appoint as now there is As the example of love which he hath now shewn to men is not any such obligement upon the reprobate Angels to shew love anywhere as it would have bin had themselves bin the object of this love of his Reason 3 Thirdly Like Father like Sonne Jesus Christ himselfe hath walked in the steps of his Fathers love and hath gone as high in the declaration and expressions of his love as the Father hath done in his He hath given himselfe and offered up himselfe in sacrifice upon the service of the peace and happinesse of a most miserable wofull and sinfull world For we must not look upon the death and sufferings of Christ simply as the ransome and attonement of the world nor as the gift of the Father only unto the world for the ransome of it for then we shall fall short in our reckonings but further as the free and glorious testimony and pledge of the unspeakable and unconceivable love of Christ himselfe unto the world The Holy Ghost is very carefull to vindicate the honour and glory of the love of Iesus Christ himselfe in his death and so to recommend and set forth the love of God the Father in giving his Sonne unto the world that he may not drowne or quench or prejudice in the least measure the glory of the love of Christ himselfe herein Here in perceive we love those words of God were not in the former translation neither are they found in the best Greek copies that he i. e. Christ hath layd down his life for us in the word immediately before the Text besides many like expressions wherby it appeares that the death and sufferings of Christ were not of constraint or necessity as the typicall sacrifices of Beasts under the Law were who had no inward principle to incline or make them willing to offer themselves they were faine to be drawn and dragged to the Altar by a strong hand and to be bound with cords to the horns thereof otherwise there was no sacrificatorie death to be had of them but the sufferings of Christ were absolutely and intirely free and consequently excellent and high expressions of his love unno us And the truth is were the frame of our hearts eminently spirituall and our apprehensions truly Noble and keene in touch and tast of things of highest worth and excellencie the death of CHRITT would be more taking and transporting with us in respect of the Parent that brought it forth I meane his love to the World then in respect of al the Children that are brought forth by it I meane all the great benefits and blessings and priviledges that are procured and purchased by it for the world But generally we are even the best of us no better then a generation of spirituall pothunters all for the prey but little or nothing for the game So then this is another ground or reason of the Point we are bound to rise high in the expressions of our love when CHRIST shall require it because we have received like measure from his hand and where much is given much may very lawfully and equally be required Reason 4 Fourthly by such excellent expressions of your love to your Brethren in the Faith as are required of you you shall glorifie the Name of CHRIST on earth and convince the judgements and Consciences of ignorant and wicked men that he is what he is viz. the Sonne of

the commandement might have secmed somewhat hard and the practise of it might have bin stuck at but now since he who hath ingaged us to ingage our selves so deeply in the behalfe of others when they stand in need hath ingaged them likewise to ingage themselves proportionably for us when we stand in need obedience unto the commandement cannot but seeme very equall and reasonable as well on our part in respect of others as upon others in respect of us The Apostle taketh off the seeming hardnesse or offensivenesse of that demand which he made to the Church of Corinth for somewhat a larger contribution then ordinary the necessities of the Saints in other places requiring it for the present by this very consideration or reason 2 Cor 8. 13. For I meane not saith he that other men be eased and you burdened But by an equalitie that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want that their abundance also may be a supply for your want that there may be equality Reason 7 GOD hath endued those that are his with power from on high to doe it he hath furnished them with a new principle out of which by a due and conscionable improvement of it in themselves they are able to afford all that is required of them in this kinde So that if any man or woman I meane that is borne againe and is a childe of GOD shall finde their hearts low and base and unworthy in this kinde below the line and levell of that duty now presented unto you it is because they doe not effectually stirre up the grace of God within them as the Apostle somewhere speakes they bow downe their backs to the suggestions of the flesh whereas their strength were it put forth accordingly would serve them to goe upright Consider that one Scripture to this purpose 1 Pet. 1. 22. Seeing you have purified your Soules in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the Brethren see that yee love one another with a pure heart fervently Here two things amongst many others are plainely implied First that no man is able out of any naturall principle to love the Brethren that is the Saints the heart must be purified through the word and Spirit of GOD together that is that base and drossie affection of inordinate self-love must be purged away before a man be able to lift up his heart to such a spirituall and heavenly service as this Secondly that a man or woman having obtained such an excellent principle as this a power of loving the Saints unfeignedly through the purifying of their hearts are bound in a speciall manner to give out themselves fully and freely according to the nature strength and importance of this principle to expresse themselves in excellent termes of love and respects unto them as their necessities shall require it This for the 7 and last reason We addresse immediatly to the Vse and application of the Doctrine we shall be very briefe in particulars here By way of Instruction in the first place we may from the Doctrine observe sundry particulars As First that the minde and good pleasure of JESUS CHRIST concerning his Saints and people on Earth is that you should be a societie or body of men and women in the world animated and quickened as it were mooved and acted by a spirit of love as the life or soule of it that you should abound in this affection above all other societies of men whatsoever Doubtlesse he that commands us to lay down our lives one for another commands us also by a commandement involv'd and wrap'd up in this commandement to maintaine a Spirit of most ardent and burning affection towards one another A man can never be instructed or taught to die willingly by any other teacher or teaching whatsoever but by Love yea and that such a Love of such a conquering and commanding power that it must tread downe the strength of a thousand loves and desires besides yea and many of these of soveraigne strength and power also To require a man to lay downe his life for the Brethren out of any other ground or principle whatsoever then out of an affection of love to them and that transcendently glorious is in effect to bid him gather grapes of thornes or figges of thistles Secondly This likewise is by way of instruction observable from the Doctrine That men doe but that which is their duty in this kinde when they are enlarged in the greatest measure in the expressions of their love towards their Brethren if they should give all their goods and part with their whole substance to them yea if they should lay downe their necks and jeopardie their lives for their sakes yet there is nothing to boast of in all this they are never-the-lesse to remaine vile and little in their own eyes If their right hand doth never so much in this kinde yet should not their left hand know any thing at all of it Heights of duty should no waies prejudice or hinder the depths of humilitie So likewise yee saith our Saviour to his Disciples when you shall have done all things that are commanded you say we are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our duty to doe Observe Thirdly by way of Instruction what gratious and blessed provision the Lord JESUS CHRIST hath made for the poore and weake and distressed ones in any kinde in his Church Hee hath ingaged the rich and strong and those that are at libertie and that have meanes of reliefe or support in any kinde in their hand to be ready at all times to minister unto them The necessities of any as farre as they are made knowne are a summons from Heaven to call the rest to looke after them and relieve them If this royall Law were duly observed in the Church of CHRIST one sufferer should create and raise up many relievers neither should there be heard the complaint or crie of any man sinking whilst there remaines any one swimming It is a signe that the minde of CHRIST is not fulfilled by his body if there be one member hungry whilst another is drunken if there be want in any place before there be want in all Fourthly we are yet in the way of instruction If the highest and deepest expressions of our love to the Saints be but matter of duty in us as their necessities may determine it then is it not any discharge of a mans duty nor to be counted obedience unto GOD or unto the Lord JESUS CHRIST when the necessities of your Brethren being great and sore upon them men shall minister unto them in a sparing pinching and contemptible manner when the condition of the Saints requires it may be the one halfe of our substance and we cast in two mites into their treasury when their exigences call us to lay downe our lives for them and we are willing onely to bestow the parings of our nailes upon them Doubtlesse