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	soul_n	way_n	5,772	5	4.7678	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A51487	Aug. 7: 1670. A most useful sermon preached in London, By a most worthy and faithfhl [sic] minsiter and servant of Jesus Christs, most learnedly pressed from Amos 8. 11. ... From which text of scripture, he learnedly shews the dreadful and deplorable condition of that kingdom which a famine of the word of the Lord seizes upon; and further shews, that they are the greatest felons who would rob us of the word of God, and that there is more justice in hell then is here upon earth, for in hell they do not punnish the innocent		1671 (1671)	Wing M2931BA; ESTC R213887	17,302	48

Sword the Sword skips over many they may be hid from the edge of the Sword as we read of Obadiah he hid a Thousand Prophets in a Cave and so escaped the edge of the Sword now a Famine reaches all 3. Famine makes a man cruel to himself and it is like a Wolfe in his breast it makes a man feed upon himself he eats the flesh of his own arms it makes a Person unnatural Lam. 4.10 Thus the famine of the Body is worse than the Sword and now Beloved a Famine of the Word is worse than a Famine of Bread in these two respects 1. A Famine of Bread is onely a pineing and starving of the body Oh but the other is starving of the soul by how much more pretious the soul is then the body so much the sadder the famine of the soul must needs be the soul is the most spiritual and reserved part of man it 's like spirits of wine the soul is a divine spark that flees upwards towards God Now if the soul be more noble than the body then the famine of the soul must needs be more deadly and pernitious than that of the Body c. 2. The Famine of the body is but temporal but for a time and it will quickly have an end sorrow and sighing shall flee away Ezek. 35. Oh but the Famine of the soul is eternal The worm will be ever gnawing the man the man will be ever dying but never dead he will never tast of one drop of the water of life it is an eternal famine he shall not have one drop of water to cool his tongue and thus you see the Famine of the word is far more grievous than the Famine of bread Now the sadness of the souls famine will further appear in these three or four particulars And I beseech you observe 1. To have the Famine of the Word of God it is a dreadful Judgement because now the very means of Salvation is taken away The very Bridge is plucked up that should lead us over to Heaven Prov. 29.18 Where there is no Vision the people perish The Hebrew word for perish hath two significations either it signifies to be made naked they strip off their Ornaments and glory or else the word perish signifies to reject God rejects such a people when he takes awy the Vision from them Where there is no Vision the people perish But now here is a Question may be asked Quest You will say unto me but may we not be saved without the Word Preached Ans I will not dispute what God can do in an extraordinary way when people are debarr'd from Ordinances by sickness or the like or captivity the Lord hath promised to be a little Sanctuary unto them Ezek. 11.16 As the people of Israel in the Wilderness when they could not have the ordinary means of tilling plowing and sowing in this case God gave them bread from Heaven John 6.31 Let me assure you ordinarily God doth not distil the Golden Oyle of Salvation but through the pipes of Ordinances and therefore you shall observe in Scripture that Ministers of the Gospel are called Ministers of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 because the spirit of God ordinarily makes use of the Word to work grace and therefore 't is called the Ministry of the spirit why this makes the Famine of the Word so dismal because now the very means of salvation is taken away from a people they lie in their blood 2. I beseech you observe A Famine of the Word it is very sad wherever it comes because now the Lord turns away his face from a people or a nation Ordinances are the face of God they are his smiles face in the Gospel it 's called the face of Christ 2 Cor 4.6 Now beloved when a spiritual Famine comes God turns away his face from us The Child had rather have his Fathers frowns upon him than that he should turn away his face to be so incensed against him that he will not look upon his Child and this is sad to have God turn away his face from a people better have a frowning face from God than noe face The Lord may have love under a wrinckled brow as the sun may be under a Clowd but for God to turn away his face from us is a signe he intends to disinherit us as David prayed Lord hide not thy face from me in Anger Psal 120.2 It is sad when God hides his face for a time but worse when he quite turns away his face that he will not look upon a people Oh this makes a soul-famine very sad and dreadful 3. The Famine of the Word must needs be very sad and dismal because if the Word be gone God has now done speaking to us he hath no more to say Pray observe It is called in the Text a famine of hearing of hearing of the Word we shall hear no more from God God hath something to say to a people as long as his Ordinances are amongst them he speaks to them by his Ministers they are his mouth they deliver his Council Now as it is a sad judgement for God to have done smiting a people Ezek. 1.5 why should you be smitten any more and so for God to leave speaking to a people this is a rebellious people it is to no purpose to use any more words I will speak no more to them it is better for God to speak as if he were angry than not to speak at all the prisoner cryes to his Judge for mercy mercy and the Judge will not speak a word noe way but he must dye if God hath done speaking to us in Word we shall hear him speaking in another Language in his Wrath In Psal 2.5 then shall he speak to them in his Wrath and fiery Language If a man will not speak to another it is a sign either that he slights him or he doth not think him worth speaking to or it is sign he intends some evil against him It was sad with Saul when the Lord had done speaking to him 1 Sam. 28.6 the Lord answered him neither by rain nor his Prophets God had done speaking to him a sign some evil was intended to him the next be heard speak it was the Devil and the news which he brought was sad to morrow thou shalt be with me 1 Sam. 28.19 beloved if God hath once done speaking to a people why then he hath done hea●ing to when he shuts his mouth he alwayes stops his ears though you pray unto him he will not hear they cryed to me and I would not hear when the Lord will not speak no more to a people when he shuts his mouth he presently stops his ears Now is not a spiritual famine sad God hath now done speaking to a people 4. The people and the dispensers of the Gospel they are promised by the Lord as great blessings to a place why then to be deprived of such blessings and have a famine of

our Temple into Howleing Oh lay hold upon Christ by importunitie you read of those in the Gospel when Christ made as if he was going away the Text saith they did constrain his to stay with them Luke 24. Verse 29. Is not the Lord upon the Thrashal of his Temple as if he was ready to take his wings and flye from us Oh let us by humble prayer lye at his Feet and if it be possible constraine him yet to stay with England stay Lord rather any Judgement than this rather lay a stroake upon my body or Estate but doe not bring a Famine of the Word of God and if we would prevaile with the Lord use Arguments in prayer when we come to God for the poor Gospel of England Lord hast thou never a Remnant left among us a People that love thee and fears thee that hangs about thee that will not let thee goe Oh destroy not the cluster is not there a blessing in it Oh wilt thou be gone from us art not thou our Father will the Father take away Bread from his Children Lord will not the Enemie insult to see thee leaving thy Temple where thou hast put thy Name wilt thou make the hearts of thy people sadde and wilt thou rejoyce thine Enemies Oh Lord hast thou not given Bond and is there better Security hast thou not promised under thy Hand and Seale thou wilt give us Pastors after thine own heart to feed us with Knowledge Lord thou wilt never Forfeit thy Bond. It is true we are an unworthy Nation not worthy to be Beloved Oh but canst not thou make us fit for Mercie canst not thou give us Repentance as well as Deliverance Nay Lord let us farther press thee is not thy Honour concerned in all this we are called by thy Name leave us not thus should we use Arguments and follow God by prayer and surely the Lord will not depart from us Prayer it makes a sweet sound in Gods Ear and he will not goe away where he hears this Musick Againe Thirdly Would we prevent a Gospel Famine which we have cause to fear let us this day turne to God and break off our sinnes by righteousness Jer. 7. Verse 3. Amend your wayes and your doings it is a vain thing to pray unless you reform amend your wayes and your doings What should God continue his Gospel for to an impenitent sinnefull Land that are resolved they will sinne who will lay out cost upon ground that brings forth nothing but Briars who will power Rose-water upon a Dunghill Would we prevent a Gospel Famine let us breake up the Follow ground of our hearts by Repentance I will say but this if we Reforme not we can expect to see no good dayes more God will un-People us he will un-Church us ere he hath done Oh better loose the Sunne in the Firmament than that the Gospel Sunne should be Eclipsed in our Horison who would desire to live when the Arke of God is gone what good Christian can forbeare weeping at the Funeral of the Gospel that is the first exhortation let us labour to prevent the coming of Gods Famine upon us as we would prevent Fire and Plague so labour to prevent this Soul Famine Seccond Vse of Exhortation is this if a Famine of the Word be so sad as you have heard let us doe what we can to keep God still amongst us and his Gospel You will say how shall we keep the Gospel it is a blessed designe to keep the Gospel I will name three or four things and I have done First Entertain the Gospel into your houses that is one way to keep it Obadiah he entertained the Ark and his house was blessed for the Ark sake if you cannot have the Gospel in poblick as you use to have with purity and freedome get it into your houses I am sure of this you can never put your houses to better use then to entertain Christ and his Gospel I beseech you let it not be said that the Gospel is put to seek its lodging does not this Gospel bring Salvation Oh how glad should you be to have Salvation come to your House Secondly Would you keep the Gospel among you Improve it the best way I know still to enjoy the Gospel is to improve it lay up a stock of knowledge let the word of Christ dwell richly in you coll 3. Verse 16. Receive the Word not only into your heads but into your hearts get good by the word Preached while the Manna falls gather Manna the best way to enjoye the Gospel is to improve it God will not take away the Brest so long as Faith draws the brest And then Thirdly Prise the Gospel and that is the way to keep it the Ordinances of God are the most signal blessings they are better then Gold Silver they are the food of your souls they strengthen faith they increase joy these are the Conduits that holds the Water of Life that soul that before was dry like Aarons Rod being planted near these waters of the Ordinances have flourished have brought forth Buds and Almonds and therefore prise the Ordinances Beloved here we converse with the Lord Jesus Christ if ever we enjoy Christ upon earth it is here if ever we see his face it is through this Lattice Gods Ordinances are like the place of the Mercy Seat where the Lord did speak from heaven to his People oh then prise these Gospel blessings and that is the way yet to keep them among you And lastly If you would keep the Gospel with you adorne the Gospel you that are here present you do all profess the Gospel that is not enough unlesse you adorn the Gospel Phil. 1.27 Let your Conversation be as becomes the Gospel but when do we adorn the Gospel I answer when we live according to the rule of the Gospel in sobriety and sanctity Oh that is to adorn it when we walk according to the rule of it in sobriety and sanctity we adorn the Gospel when we walk as the Members of Christ and as those that are acted by his Spirit we adorn the Gospel when we shine forth in a kind of Angelical brightnesse and live so holy as if we had seen the Lord this is to adorne the Gospel and this is the best way I know to have the Gospel intailed upon us and upon our posterity after us