Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	church_n	ghost_n	holy_a	15,335	5	5.3715	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A11760	Reasons for a generall assemblie		1638 (1638)	STC 22054.5; ESTC S4893	4,834	11

REASONS FOR A GENERALL ASSEMBLIE HEBR. X. 25. Forsake not the assembling of your selves together as the manner of some is c. A VIRTVTE ORTA OCCIDVNT RARIVS June 29 1638. Printed in the year of God 1638. REASONS FOR A generall Assemblie GOD by the light of Nature informing all persones and societies to studie their owne preservation teacheth also the particular kirkes of a Nation as the members of one bodie to draw together into a consociation or representative meeting for the preservation of the whole which cannot bee sufficiently procured by the particular care of Sessions Presbyteries and Synods they being but parts thereof and no more independent and absolute in themselves then particular corporations civile are in respect of the whole kingdome So that by Natures light the Parliament is not more necessarie for the estates of a kingdome then is a nationall Assemblie for the particular kirks of a kingdome The Sone of God the King and Head of his Kirk hath gratiously promised where two or three are gathered together in His Name there Hee will bee amongst the mids of them which doeth al 's well prove the Divine originall of nationall Assemblies to be keeped in the case of the urgent necessitie of the Kirk as of other inferior meetings of the Kirk And therefore the Councels of old used this for their warrand and the Fathers being conveened in Councells used to pray for the presence and assistance of Christ upon this ground of his gratious promise The holy Ghost filling the hearts of the Apostles moved them to conveene in a councell at Jerusalem Act 15. Whether also did resort the Apostle Paul by revelation at the same time Gal 2.1 For keeping that Assemblie as both ancient and moderne Divines observe upon that place for which cause and for the assistance of the Spirit which brought them together they were confident to give out their determination in this manner It seemed good to the holy Ghost to us The Christian kirk directed by the light of nature confident of the promise of Christ and warranted by the divine practise of the Apostles hath in all ages even when shee was persecute by the powers of the world used this as the ordinarie and necessary meane for uniforme establishing of Religion and Piety for censuring of Heresie and for removing of scandals and such other evils as by Divine providence and prediction must be and would certainly bring division and desolation upon the kirk if by this powerfull remeady they were not cured and prevented Both Popish and reformed Divines agree in this truth That although God by his omnipotencie or by way of miracle may preserve his kirk on earth without Assemblies yet in the ordinary providence of God Assemblies are necessary for the right governing and well being of the kirk According to this Divine right the Kirk of Scotland keeped her generall assemblies with great evidence of the presence and blessing of God from heaven For while they continued in their strength far contrary to that which we have seene of late the doctrine was by them preserved against error and heresie the worship was keeped pure against superstition and idolatrie the Discipline was holden in integritie against confusion and tyrannie unitie peace was entertained against schisme and division pietie and learning were advanced against profanitie and idlenesse every man had his gift stirred up and increased every gift was made use of as it might serve for the good of the kirk and all went from these assemblies with fresh resolutions and fervent zeale for the worke of God in their particular places The libertie of this kirk for holding assemblies was also acknowledged and ratified by acts of Parliament as is manifest by the letter sent from the Assemblies to the Earle of Morton than Regent in March 1573. And by the act of Parliament in the year 1592. For such necessary causes as are exprest in these acts which being neglected religion could not be preserved King James as at diverse other times so by his Commissioners at Lithgow in the year 1606. did acknowledge that the keeping of generall assemblies was the most necessary meane for preservation of pietie and union and for extermination of heresie and schisme and therefore willed that the act of Parliament for conveening the generall Assemblie once in the year should stand in force The prelats themselves in their assemblie at Glasgow 1610. expresly acknowledged that the necessity of the Kirk did require yearly generally assemblies and the act of that assemblie did suppose and import the same for by the Act they were made lyable to the censure of the generall Assembly in their life office benefice in generall and in some particulars specified therein as that of the processe of excommunication The causes noted by Divines for the utilitie and necessitie of Councels are many As 1. For suppressing heresie controversies about points of doctrine 2. For redressing abuses and enormities 3. For appointing restoring or preserving the Discipline of the Kirk 4. For the peace of the Kirk and for unitie 5. For the mutuall comfort and benefite which the Godly may finde in their meetings by stirring up and acquainting one another with the state of their particular kirks 6. For the confirmation of doubting mindes in the trueth 7. For keeping faithfull Pastors in their places thurst out by their adversaries perturbers of the Kirk 8. For punishing of hereticks or such as introduce novations in the Kirk Any one of those may bee a sufficient cause of conveening a generall assembly But at this time not one or two but all of them in a concurse may bee heard crying for so necessarie a remeadie For 1. The doctrine is corrupted by Arminianisme and Popish errors 2. Abuses and enormities through the governement of prelats are multiplied 3. The Discipline of this Kirk established by the acts of assemblies and by solemne oath is not only perverted but overturned 4. Peace and unitie in the Kirk is turned into schisme and division by the adversaries who have minded nothing but their worldly peace and increase of their dignities 5. Bretheren of the Ministerie are become strangers one to another their mindes filled with suspitions and none of them bettered by another more then if they were Ministers in sundrie kingdomes 6. Many of the people have for a long time doubted of their religion not knowing what hand to turne to when they found such diversitie of opinions amongst Pastors 7. Faithfull Pastors have beene thurst out of their Ministerie through usurpation of the prelats and their adherents who take the greater libertie and boldnesse to smite their Fellow-servants that there bee no generall Assemblies to controule or censure them 8. Arminian and popish teachers both in Kirks and schooles are rather rewarded and preferred then censured and controlled And therefore except Wee will suffer religion to expire and the Kirk of Christ to perish by consumption or by combustion Wee must resolve upon