Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	bond_n	peace_n	unity_n	8,534	5	8.8402	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A59781	A sermon preached at a visitation, held at Warrington in Lancashire May 11. 1669. By Ric. Sherlock D.D. Rector of Winwick in Lancashire. Imprimatur, June 18, 1669. Tho. Tomkyns, reverendisimo in Christo patri ac Domino, Dom. Gilb. Arch. Cantuar. a Sacr. Dom	Sherlock, R. (Richard), 1612-1689.	1669 (1669)	Wing S3256; ESTC R214015	8,736	22

wherein they all differ There is but one body and one spirit Eph. 4.4 one mystical body of Christ which is his Church and one spirit of truth quickning this our body and its members and them onely And as it follows One Lord one faith one baptisme one God and father of all who is above all through all and in you all vers 5 6. In you all that are members of this one body and quickned with this one spirit and endeavour to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace which is the duty enforced from the premisses vers 3. Contrariwise then such that divide from this one body the Church into several Sects and Factions and which necessarily follows such as are not quickned with this one spirit but each with the foolish Prophets follow their own spirit Ezek. 13.3 which they mistake and mis-term the Spirit of God such as worship not this one Lord as we are all commanded with one mouth and with one minde Rom. 15.6 Such as hold not the Articles of this one faith with one joynt unanimous consent of truth Unto the unity of which faith till we all come we cannot be perfect men in Christ Jesue but are like children tossed to and fro and carryed about with every winde of doctrine Eph. 4.13 14. Such are all false Prophets treacherous Shepherds or in the Language of Saint Paul 2 Corin. 11.13 14. Such are all false Apostles deceitful workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ and no marvel for Satan himself is transformed into an Angel of Light I may call them according to the metaphor of the text The Bellweathers of the Flock the Ringleaders of those numerous Sects and daily increasing divisions amongst us And although each sect and division must necessarily be false and erroneous because there is but one Truth and one true way of Divine worship which is ever constant to it self yet hath each division its numerous followers of the divided Flock as silly sheep when a gap is opened follow one another to the breach to stray from their Pasture So flock the people if not restrained into the ways of division and error if any Sect-master but open a gap and lead them the By-ways of straying from the Sheepfold of Christ which is his Church For such alas is the sad condition of mans corrupted and depraved minde as naturally to be more affected with error then with the Truth more prone to believe lies and more zealous in the maintenance of falshood then to believe and maintain the Truth 'T was ever so When the Prophets prophesie falsly the people love to have it so Jer. 5. ult but a sad question follows What will ye do in the end thereof When the Prophets prophesie Lies or which is the same do make and foment divisions and the people withall are affected with their lying prophesies and side with them in their respective divisions 't is easie then to prophesie and foretell the end thereof to be ruine and confusion If a kingdom be divided against it self that kingdom cannot stand and if a house be divided against it self that house cannot stand Mar. 3.24 25. Not the house of God not the family of Christ in what Kingdom or Nation soever established All the Kingdoms and Nations in Christendom ancient and modern from the first to these last and worst of times have felt by sad experience the bitter effects of divisions and errors in Religion and none more then our own so lately bleeding even to the last gasp of death and almost buryed in her own confusions which took beginning from the prophesying of Lies and overspreading of mistakes and errors in Religion sowing the seeds of Schism Faction and Sedition in separate and divided meetings or Conventicles in private joyned with a sacrilegious vow-breaking performance of holy duties in Publick All which are now as much if not more practised then ever some of whose Factors and Followers do really intend all do certainly tend to involve this Church and Kingdom into the sad condition of intestine war blood and Confusion from whence by the great mercy of God we so lately escaped And now to you the Reverend persons who are come to visit us in our distempers and infirmities to you it belongs as much as in you lies to give stop to our overflowing Divisions To restrain our licentious exorbitancies both in doctrine and practice in Praying and Preaching and this whether in the house of God or in the houses of men Et fiat Justitia ruat coelum FINIS