Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	call_v	scripture_n	word_n	9,880	5	4.5225	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A81589	The Doctrine of the Presbyterians reduced into practise. Whereby it is demonstratively proved, that it can neither convert an infidel, amend a profane person, nor comfort an a[ffli]cted. That it overturneth the profitable preaching of the Word, the use of the sacraments, and exercise of prayers.		1647 (1647)	Wing D1774A; ESTC R174682	11,392	29

Ghost He that will not suffer the rasor the necessary instrument of his cure doth not he therein also reject the Chiru●gion The Censurer will say that the elect reject neither the one nor the other The holy Ghost piercing the eare to make it hear and opening the heart to make it receive those admonitions which are altogether vain and unprofitable untill the holy Ghost doth so work with them Thereupon the other will make him to confesse that the Word preached for the most part is destitute of that operation of the Holy Ghost as it appeareth by the misprixion that the most part make of it which cannot be when the efficacy of the Spirit doth accompany it It followeth then that the whole Ministery is but a fancy or dance no more cooperating to mans conversion than the clay which our Saviour applyed to the eyes of the blinde did unto his ●ight or the sole voice calling upon Lizarus made him to rise out of the grave He will also demand of him why it is seeing Nature doth nothing in vain that the Author of Nature and of Grace did appoint the Ministery of the Word and why those things which the Censures attributeth onely to the Spirit are yet notwithstanding in the Scriptures attributed to the Word preached And how it is that thereby we are said to be begotten renewed nourished edified purified c. Whereas the new Doctrine of the Presbyterians leaveth it in no other function than to serve as an object and represent that without which the Spirit hath already wrought within as well in the wi●l as understanding without any co-operation of the Word not onely unprofitable without the Spirit but also dangerous and aggravating the damnation of its contemners although it were impossible to receive and cherish it even as it is impossible for them to adde the efficacy of the Spirit which is not in their power There now remains no other instance for our Censurer than to exhort this profane fellow to pray unto God that he would be pleased to give the grace to leave his lewdnesse promising that if he pray as he ought to do he shall be heard and receive what he deamandeth But hereupon this profane man being well instructed in the Doctrine of the Presbyterians will demand of him how it is possible to pray as we ought to do if God giveth not grace before-hand and that also so effectually that it should be impossible for him not to pray And therefore seeing that he faileth so to do the Censurer must needs say that God will be no more invoked on by him than he hath given him grace whereby to do it And that it is no lesse easie to perceive that God sent not this Corrector to him with an intention to better him by his Ministery when he finds more confusion in the doctrine of the speaker than amendment in the hearer to whom he bringeth either the pillow of Epicurus to lull him asleep in his security else the haltar of despair wherewith he may hang himself as Judas But above all this Profaner will finde yet one more singular help to the flattering of his flesh by the Answer which the Presbyterians do usually make unto those who ask in what case David would have been had he dyed in his adultery Whereunto they say that it was impossible for David to have dyed before he repented because that after this he was to get a son from whom the Messias was to descend But hereunto our Profaner will reply that the impossibility of dying before repentance according to the Doctrine of the Presbyterians is founded upon the generall promise made to all the elect and not upon any particular promise to David touching the Messias whom God had sent into the world by other means had he foreseen the impenitency of David as he foresaw his repentance That if the Presbyterians be not deceived he is as sure not to dye without repentance as was David So that according to that doctrine the true means to avoid death is to commit and ever continue in some mortall sin It being impossible for him to be killed in adultery or perish in any other sin before having first made his reconciliation with God who is not angry for ever to speak in the language of the Presbyterians but onely with the reprobates See then the invention of immortalitie found out to satisfie the Parace●sians and such like fools who search for this remedie against death in dangerous and naturall causes Our Presbyterians sheweth an Antidote in a mortall cause of so facile and agreeable execution to the facile auditors that the Poets Ambr●sia and Mede's charms are fabulous unto it Now then our Corrector will either desise his enterprise in reforming this mans deboistnesse or else forsake his own principles and correct his Doctrine But perhaps he will acquit himself far better in undergoing the office of a Comforter to one that is afflicted than he did of playing the Convertor of the Infidel or the correcto● of the profane Christian The ground of all comfort and consolation to each afflicted soul hath been eve● thought and found in the death and passion of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ whereby having satisfied the justice of God his Father he obtained reconciliation for all mankinde actually applyable to all those who acknowledging the infinitenesse of the benefit do thereupon embrace the author of it with a true and lively faith Neither can our Comforter finde any other foundation whereby to consolate and assure his Patient against the terrours of Gods justice the condemnation of the Law and accusation of his own conscience But the sick otherwise afflicted can never make the true foundation of Gods Word agree with the false foundation of the Presbyterians viz. That Christ dyed not but for a very small number of persons already elected unto salvation by his heavenly grace who in his decree did no more consider the death of his Son than the faith of the elect How shall I truly know will the Patient then say that I am rather of the small number than of the great seeeing that you my Pastor and Comforter will not that the promises of salvation are made universally to all and those places of Scripture which seem generall according to your opinion are to be restrained onely to the universa●ity of the elect and that in all the rest of the holy Scripture there is no more speciall promise nor mention of my self than of any other and who besides the holy Scripture have no revelation whether of Angel or Prophet to assure me thereof When our Saviour said to his Apostles O e of you shall etray me although this concerned but one of them yet were they all exceedingly troubled therewith So the were there but a very small number of reprobates for whom as you say Christ dyed not yt should I have no just reason but to fear and think that I were one of them much rathe seeing their number