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	part_n	whole_a	9,166	5	5.5416	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86325	The glory and beauty of Gods portion: set forth in a sermon preached before the honourable House of Commons at the publique fast, Iune 26. 1644. / By Gaspar Hickes, Pastour of Lanracke in Cornwall, a member of the Assembly of Divines.	Hickes, Gaspar, 1605-1677.	1644 (1644)	Wing H1838; Thomason E2_10; ESTC R2493	29,927	47

stand acquitted before the supreme Tribunall Upon whomsoever the spirit of judgement which is the Spirit of the Lord hath fallen let them goe in this their might let them put forth their strength and exercise their facultie the Lord cals and sends them and will do great things by them 4. The spirit of judgement is impartiall As the soule in the body it diffuses it self in a just proportion thorough the whole into each part according to its severall need and capability Who so small or inconsiderable who so high or uncontroleable as to be without it influence or reach by it rulers must governe by it the governed must be ruled The Lord gives a charge and prescribes a method to the executioners of his justice Ezek. 9.5 6. he commands them to strike home and to spare none that bore not his owne caracter or marke and to begin at his Sanctuary at the ancient men before the house T was the Popes old trick to exempt his Clergy from the Civill which detractingly he cals the Secular power but the Popes patronage now I hope will nothing help our bad Ministers Oh that they might feele the most speedy and heavy hand of justice as they have had the deepest hand in occasioning our decay and misery Charles the fifth was wont to say wittily If the shavelings had been good Si Sacrificuli frugi essent non indige●ent Luthere there had been no need of Luther Let the guilty hang the head they that are faithfull and conscionable need not feare nor decline the decisions of a Parliament the censures of righteous Magistrates If any say that I seek the ruine and publish the shame of men of mine own calling I answer no they are the proud the persecuting the prophane the popish the temporizing the insufficient the lazy the drunken the scandalous Prelates and Ministers that disgrace the holy function and make us asham'd of them as Gentlemen are of their beggarly kinred or rather as an honest man is to see his brother goe to the gallowes And as they have troubled our Israel so let the Lord trouble them Let their owne dung be spread upon their own faces but let Gods Sanctuary be purged of them Moreover why should the spirit of judgement shrinke or be abashed at the stout looks of any overgrowne great one Criminosior cu●pa est ubi honestior status Salvian li. q. de Guber Dei any blustring Belialist let such feele the force the omnipotency of justice 'T is a true saying The higher the condition of the sinner the baser alwayes is the sin What! will men steale murther oppresse commit adultery sweare falsely or blasphemously drinke drunke live dissolutely and debauchedly and thinke they are delivered to doe these abominations Jer. 7.9 10. because they are great in the world Methinks noble spirits should hold it more base to deserve then to suffer sharpe and shamefull penalties of just lawes which they breake If you improve your greatnesse to quit your selves from them your priviledge is no other then theirs who run mad unchained and post to perdition without controll 5. The spirit of judgement is uniforme It casts mens minds and aimes and actions into one mould or fashion Jam. 4.5 The spirit that is in the world lusteth to envie a distorting distracting evil Corrupt men differ as much in minds as faces or if they accord they meet only in evill Great spirits are lyable to great impulsions violent concussions when they are whirled by excentrique passions or wheeled by byassed and selfe respects their motions must needs be disordered and turbulent But when this blessed principle in my text is the Primum mobile the first mover then all the spheares whether superior or inferior in place swifter or slower in motion hold on their owne course evenly and constantly and accord with others in an exact correspondence and the harmony is really by farre more sweet then the imaginary musique of the heavens was fained to be There are diversities of gifts 1 Cor. 12.4 5 7. and differences of administrations but one and the same spirit and the manifestation of that spirit is given to every man to profit withall all tends to mutuall helpfulnesse to the common good of all and every one that partake of that Spirit hence all gifts become serviceable and contributary each to other and 't is a most blessed and beneficiall intercourse or trade that passes betweene sanctified abilities It hath ever been a rich blessing to good Magistrates to be instructed and abetted in their most glorious acts by faithfull Ministers David had his Seers so had Salomon Asa his Azariah 2 Chr● 15.1 19.2 2 Ki. 19.2 ●2 14 Iehoshaphat his Iehu besides a number of teaching Priests and Levites whose Catalogue we find registred 2 Chron. 17.7 8. Hezekiah had his Isaiah Iosiah his Huldah Zorobabel his Ioshua the Elders of the Jewes brought out of captivitie to reedifie the City and Temple built and prospered thorough the prophecying of Haggai and Zachariah the sonne of Iddo Temple-work Church-work never goes up without such hands I should be sorry that any here present should judge the Prophets uselesse or burdensome or intermedling without their verge in weighty holy affaires A Reformation pretended without the Councell and Consociation of men of God would be like Adonijahs feast 1 King 1. ● ● 9 10. to which Abiathar the temporizing Priest and bloudy Ioab and other such like were called Courtiers perhaps and Souldiers and Politicians enough but faithfull Zadok and Nathan the Prophet and Salomon the Kings son and true-hearted Benaiah being left out the meeting proved both sinfull and sad it began in conspiracie and ended-in confusion But oh happy meetings-where all sorts of gifts are met together and joyntly improved to mutuall and publique good 'T is the good Spirit of God that joynes and keeps men unanimous in and for that with good and whatsoever tends to the setting of good men or good gifts at oddes though it be never so covertly or speciously carried suspect it as proceeding from the envious one the evill spirit of confusion I need not adde any thing for application of this point 'T is the spirit of judgement which hath been described that fits every man for the weighty affaires of Civill Administration that is intrusted and imployed in the same You see hence Noble Patriots what it is that you should mainly strive for and cherish in your selves and we find what we should most importunately beg for you of Heaven The work before you is glorious the power in your hands ordinate the way of dispensing it the best in the world most sutable to equity and to our spirits wherein as just Soveraignty is not bounded unworthily so community hath some stroke according to its ranke in matters of highest publique concernment Oh then let this spirit of judgement animate and sway all your consultations and proceedings let it season them with sanctitie

of Christ are cast off as disgracefull burdens and new fashioned ornaments forged and worne with much bravery high titles rich revenues popular adoration after these they gape greedily stretch largely climbe ambitiously let soules sinke or swimme they care not so they may lift up their heads and build their nests on high and he concludes that herein the spirit of Antichrist was discovered even as a noon-day-devill Serm. 33. For those amongst us that will not follow the sonne of lesse except they may be sure of Vineyards and olive-yards and may be made captaines of thousands and captaines of hundreds that can shape their designes to no lower a pitch then a lordly dignity or a fat plurality that mind the University and the Ministery onely as a stirrop to ambition or a stale to covetousnesse 't were well if their aimes were frustrated by plucking the prey out of their teeth that they were discouraged yea rated off from the holy function wherein there is no hope they should demeane themselves conscionably seeing they enter upon it with such impure intentions And doubt not but when these offae Cerberi these bewitching baites be removed the Lord will stirre up and qualifie better spirits for his owne worke See this in one instance only Those blessed Reformers of Germany did not only drive the Popes doctrine out of their countrey but his tyrannicall Prelacie his whole rabble of full bellied Clergy whose large incomes were all put into the hands of Princes and States whom I cannot commend for dispensing them to right uses perhaps their unfaithfulnesse therein hath been one provocation to plucke downe the judgements which have since ruined them yet then were their Schooles and Academies most frequent and flourishing and I dare challenge any age within the like compasse of time and ground reserving alwayes due honour to Christs Worthies that have since abounded to paralell that in number and eminency of learned men who did not only vindicate the truth from Antichristianisme but all humane literature from blind barbarisme wherein it had long lien buried Let me not be mistaken here as if I thought there were too much dignity and maintenance for Ministers amongst us if it were duly conferred and distributed We need not imploy our own help so to betray our honour there are two sorts of engineeres that are now plotting against us Some in a prophane policy would keep us in a slavish inferiority to themselves and therefore they like Ieroboams way best they would choose Priests of the lowest of the people or make them so these hold a base condition a poore pittance fittest for us Others againe are for an eleem●sunary salary that Ministers being ingaged to their benevolence they may by the same bond be tied to their conceits and errours But I speake to wise Physitians who know how to purge peccant-luxuriant humours without impairing those that are vitall and benigne And I beseech you the searcher of hearts knowes I plead not for my owne belly but for your honour yea the honour of Christ whose work you have in hand I beseech you let it appeare by some speedy and cleare course that you intend not the diminution or unsettlement of the double honour of Christs servants but the establishment and enlargement thereof Isai 46.6 Idolaters lavish gold out of the bag superstition casts excesse upon its instruments let not Religion starve nor pinch them that wait upon her let exorbitancies be pared away but let Christs due be preserved and then I will not doubt to resume what I had in hand that his royalty is not advanced by the worldly height and state of his nearest attendants his throne is not supported by such painted props his Kingdome is spirituall and his Government most full of glory 2 Cor. 10.4 5. when thoughts are captivated and consciences awed by the mighty weapons of his own Ordinances and Discipline when they have free course 2 Thes 3.1 due honour and kindly workings in the hearts of men 2. Truth Worship Ordinances are glorious and beautifull when they hold their simplicity and purity Mixtures to these are not only superfluous but poysonous histrionicall and gaudy dresses of mens putting on are to these as a whorish paint to a good complexion or like that unnaturall burden of haire worne in pretence of ornament wheras there is nothing to sober judgements that can render men more uncomely or ugly Yet how doe men dote upon mixtures how have we seene the pure streames of truth mudded with humane placites and traditions Mat. 15.9 Gal. 1.8 the Commandements of men cryed up and obtruded upon the conscience for doctrines another Gospel preached and entertained though vented by persons of lesse credit beyond comparison then an Apostle or an Angel from Heaven accursed persons for their labour Wanton wits have been lavish in broaching and silly soules have been greedy in snatching up any errours Well the words of the Lord are pure words as silver tried in the furnace purified seven times Psal 12.6 as t is hellish chymestry for sublimated wits to extractor cast out the least scruple hereof as refuse so 't is damnable imposture for any cheating compounders to put tinne among this silver drosse among this pure mettall The compleat body of faith was once delivered to the Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simul semel Jude 3. fully and wholly intrusted with them they that wilfully or remissely loose the least minute thereof hazzard thereby the eternall losse of their pretious foules and they that make or admit the least addition to it shall have added to them all the plagues written in Gods Book Rev. 22.18 19. no lesse dangerous are mixtures in point of worship yet doe multitudes run a madding after them That good old fashion of worship in Spirit and in truth is censured and hissed at as a jejune raw humour or as a fanaticall rash undertaking nothing pleaseth without a pompous outside a visible bravery though never so fond and new-fangled Yea have we not some who think themselves as much injured by paring their nailes and polling their haire as if their hands and heads were cut off that hold themselves spoiled of the very heart and braine of Religion if any of their burdensome and excrementitious superfluities the blemish and bane of Religion be purged out or lopped off And no wonder that men are in love with such trifles they affect a way of worship which pleases the eye fils the belly arrides the sensuality Those Adiaphorists or middle-men of Germany appointed by Charles the fifth to compose the Interim that monstrous miscellany wherewith he thought to please all parties did together with some shreds of truth some patches of Reformation mingle almost the whole lumber or garbage of popish rites and superstitions amongst the rest they would retaine extreme Vnction and it was wittily objected to them that they did it that they might sleeke their owne skinne Vt ipsi proceder●nt

unctiores and provide for their owne panch Questionlesse such a worship as breakes no bones extracts no sweat from the people that costs little paines and brings in much profit and secular advancement to the chiefe actours and upholders of it shall have stiffe fautours and abettours every where But heare what the Lord saith of such mixtures to the Prophet Ezek. 43.7 8 9. Son of man the place of my throne and the place of the soles of my feet where I will dwell in the midst of my people shall not be defiled by their whoredomes and their carcasses in their setting their threshold by my threshold and their posts by my posts and the wall between me and them 'T is as the filthinesse of whoredome as the stink of a carcasse to the Lord to have humane inventions erected or interposed as parts or props of his worship Pompey once in an audacious humour would would needs enter into the most holy place and seeing nothing but a cloud there in derision he termed the Jewes Nubicolas cloud-worshippers before the Romans thought that Apis or Iupiter Hamon or some such soule idoll had been inclosed there how doe men seek after and rest upon the garnished outside the specious paint of worship without which they contemne its spirituall simplicitie as a vaporous or crude conceit whereas the excellencie the vigour the soule of it lies in its internall truth its primitive and native purity 3. The Lord puts glory and beauty upon a people by setting up godlinesse and godly men amongst them by increasing the number inlarging the graces advancing the persons of his Saints and Servants When the vilest men are exalted the wicked ruffle and riot at pleasure all things are tumultuous and squalid Psal 12.8 but when the righteous are up there 's change of cheere things are in a joyous and faire state Prov. 29.2 Godly men are the choisest things upon earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clē Alex. the honour the beauty the blessing of the places that hold them such ornaments yea and more glorious are they to the earth then the Luminaries are to the Heavens and when they are fitly placed in the Horoscope of a Church or State in Houses of Dominion oh what an happy aspect what a flourishing influence doe they afford Why then should men of parts and place perhaps well affected to the publike good stand aloofe from Religion for feare of contracting disgrace from it Euseb Eccles Hist li. 6. c. 18. Perhaps the devill tels them as Perph●cy did Origen that it will turne their learning into barbarisme their acutenesse into sottishnesse that it will spoile all their gifts and sufficiencies Or else he frights them as Cajetan did the Electour of Saxony wishing him to beware that he did not blemish his noble house by giving credit and countenance to Luther Caveret nemaculam illus●●is 〈…〉 aspergat M●len Adam in vitâ Luther Profectò inde●●ta venit praepropere af●ectatur periculosè captatur B●za 2 Chro. 9.21 Satan buzzes it into their eares that if they favour those frantique fellowes adhere to those strict truths and wayes they will staine their bloud emasculate their spirits and lose the garbe and repute of gallants But harken rather to the Counsels of God to the Words of truth and sobernesse To you great ones I speake Think sadly how poore vain false the glory is that is without God and godlinesse truly if you have it t is more then is doe to you you seek it sinfully and buy it dearely Summe up all your sumptuous store your birth breeding bravery possessions titles and best t is but like Salomons freight gold and silver and Ivory and apes and peacocks strong mixtures of pride and vanity enough to poyson your excellencies to sinke your ship to damne your souls Whereas if you sincerely affect and honour Religion it will honour you yea it will make you the glory of your God the dignity and beauty of your country otherwise the greater you are the more unworthy burdens and blemishes you prove to the earth that bears you To bring that which hath been said home to our selves Vse I will lay before you only two things by way of information 1. The necessitie 2. The blessing of a present Reformation The necessitie grounded on the dishonourable and odious degenerations whereinto we were fallen the blessing commended and amplified from the glorious and beautifull excellencies to which it would advance us 1. The former the foulnesse of our decayes and distempers I have already touched and so generall they were that they might take up an age of complaining yea and so apparant that you that have your senses about you cannot but see and feele them though I should say nothing of them Methinks we were even come to that passe wherein the ten Tribes lay after their defection For a long season they were without the true God without teaching Priests and without Law 2 Chro. 15.3 Popery atheisme prophanenesse were shouldering out our God our faithfull teachers were crushed silenced or discouraged and Idoll sheepheards promoted that starved soules or edified them to damnation the justice and power of our Lawes nullified force and will carrying all before them We may gather what should generally have been done by considering what is done where the mischiefe prevailes Many dark places of the Land are still the habitations of such cruelties I speake it in the griefe of my soule the parts to which I stand most neerely related are overwhelmed with all the branches and extremities of the misery and I mention it not to informe you of what you know not but now in the day of your humiliation seeing the Lord hath made me your remembrancer to inkindle pitty in you and move you to speedy and thorough helpefullnesse to them If any misinformed or partiall or angry fellowes aske us what ailes us when we lift up our eyes and put forth our endeavours for remedy Let 's answer them thus they would take away our God and what have we more they would bereave us of our teaching Ministers and it would be worse to want them then to feede upon the bread of adversitie and the water of affliction Isa 30.20 they would spoile us of our Lawes divine and civill and t were better the Sun should droppe out of Heaven Act. 11.28 that our hearts should be torne out of our bodies then we loose them Honourable and beloved The Iewes when they conceived their Law and place and Temple indangered by Pauls preaching with a joynt and vehement vociferation they cryed out Men of Israel helpe Let me with a better spirit and upon better grounds bespeake you in the name of the Lord Men of Israel ye that are Israel Israelites indeed helpe helpe every one of you you by your advise and authority you that can doe nothing else by your supplications humiliations reformations we by our instructions intercessions actions passions others by their estates and lives every one