Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	child_n	father_n	heart_n	5,480	5	4.8329	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A62741	[Hebrew] or Wisdome and prudence exhibited in a sermon before the right honourable the Lord Chief Justice Rainsford, and the Lord Chief Justice North. In their late western circuit. By Tho. Tanner, Rector of Brightstone in Hants.	Tanner, Thomas, 1630-1682.	1677 (1677)	Wing T148; ESTC R232919	19,177	33

can obliterate religion out of humane nature without the destruction of humanity together with it because it is of an higher impress even the devise and the motto of Almighty God in all his reasonable Creatures To come to the Christian religion in particular In this indeed was the manifold wisdom of God made manifest above the rest Among the Gentiles there were as many Gods as Nations as many Idols as there were Hills and Vallies And they worshipped one anothers Gods when they came into one anothers Country even as some of our gentile Protestant-travellers make no matter to bow to every Popish Relique where they passe there was no enmity betwixt Idolaters upon the account of their religions only all abhorred the true worshippers but rather Athens sent to Egypt to learn what they could of their absurd Rites and Mysteries and the great Philosophers commented upon their hieroglyphicks or ●acred sphinges even as wise men make morals upon some foolish fable Rome again translated her laws and rites from Athens first and then from other places till the City began to be so full of religions that the Senate was sain to take order against admitting more But when the Christian religion come to be set on foot it soon reduced all to one That you may perceive the wisdome and the power of God therein and have the better prospect into wonder take account in what posture the world stood when the Gospel first began to be divulged Our Lord himself the Son of a Carpenter as he was reputed preached three years and then was so disgraced by the crosse and the malice of his own Countreymen that one would have thought there had been an end of him and of all his new Doctrine yet he left twelve Fishermen behind him to uphold it for which they were to dye too The Jews hated these beyond any patience the Gentiles had them at first in derision after in suspicion Whither should they go or what should they do must they perswade the Jews against the Law of Moses this they must do Must they perswade the Gentiles to abandon their Idolatry the Gods which they feared and lov'd the magnificence of sumptuous shews and Temples and such feastings as they cheifly used after sacrifice and oblations this they must do A likely matter to take effect or to take the world by so much as by the little finger Could these or any of their followers raise an army it is hard to imagine out of what quarters but what if they could had they then been but once beaten as Gamaliel did observe they had been for ever quelled or if they had prevailed and attained to an Empire as some have arose from small beginnings yet their fate might have been like that of all before and since Which did you ever read of that hath lasted 1600 years with advantage and rooted it self so invincibly in Asia Europe Africa and America still proceeding conquering and to conquer which besides did ever possesse any one of these and next consider how and what way Christianity is bound to subdue them all By Faith and patience by prayers and intercessions for all men especially for Kings and all that were in Authority over Christians that under them they might lead a quiet and peaceable life in all Godliness and honesty O ridiculous Wisdom in the eye of carnal policy and yet it over-swayed all In above 300 years we read of no insurrection of theirs against oppression though they swarmed in all Provinces of the Empire long before that the Roman legions were full of Christian Soldiers and never mutinied though Constantine came with the greater favour to the Imperial Crown because he was a Christian and so many of his Veterans of the same profession So that Prophecy was accomplished Not by might or army as the Turkish Empire and religion but by my Spirit Saith the Lord. Which turned the heart of the Fathers to the Children and the heart of the Children to the Fathers and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. But it may be that which was wanting in an army might be supplyed by policy One might think so indeed if the greater number of the wise and potent men of the world had taken this way But St. Paul who had his hand from the beginning in this work and had the best experience of it witnesseth after this manner The foolishness of God is wiser then men for ye see your calling Brethren how that not many wise men after the Flesh not many mighty not many noble are called though some of all these Instead of aids therefore put into the contrary balance that all the might and policy of the world all that enraged Jews and Idolaters could do was set against it And yet by a new example men delightted to dye for religion which was never known before at least amongst the Gentiles and out of their blood as out of the Teeth that Cadmus sowed an innumerable power of supplies rose out of the earth Of which it was foretold that it should befriend the Woman and help her swallowing up that stood which the dragon cast out of his mouth to drown her Like Hydra's heads cut off one and more started up in the stead of it persecution wrought nothing but encrease as mowing maketh the grasse to grow It wrought nothing else but a sweeter smell and savour to Christianity even as when a roller is driven o're a walk of Camomil what could it avail to hinder I have said but little yet though it tend to admiration let the unbeliever mark and be astonished at that which follows Said not the proud Assyrian to the servants of King Hezekiah Have any of the Gods of the Nations delivered at all his Land for every Nation then made choice of some especial Numen to be their Protector out of the hand of the King of Assyria where are the Gods of Hamath and of Arphad where are the Gods of Sepharvaim but now where are the Gods of Assyria it self We need such a learned Antiquary as your Selden to let us know their names Where are the Gods that Greece and Rome adored why is there never a Temple at the least of Jupiter's remaining who was styled the Father of Gods and men what ailed thee O thou dreadful Oracle at Delphos that thou madest such pitiful excuses as thou didst and then retired'st with the rest who made none to everlasting silence to deceive the world no more it was not because ye were dis-obliged by the Heathen all the world over at the same time It was because ye could not choose it was not because there was an earthly power to depresse ye but another spirit which ye were not able to with-stand Rise again if ye are able to answer these reproaches that part of the world is forced to bow with you which is not ready