Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	day_n	ghost_n	holy_a	6,984	5	5.1861	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85407	Peace protected, and discontent dis-armed. Wherein the seventeen queries (with the addition of three more, postscript-wise) lately published, partly to allay the discontents of some about the late revolution of government, but more especially to guide every mans feet into the way of peace, as well his own, as the publique, are reinforced with replies unto, and animadversions upon, such answers, which some (it seems) have given unto them, to invalidate their purport and intent. Together with four new queries superadded. By the author of the said seventeen queries.	Goodwin, John, 1594?-1665.; Goodwin, John, 1594?-1665.	1654 (1654)	Wing G1188; Thomason E732_27; ESTC R202310	55,941	80

continuance and progresse in sin for some considerable space 4. And lastly The sins of the Princes against whom the Prophets and servants of God of old were sent with threatenings of judgement for these sins were not imaginary sins or sins which through the ignorance or mistake of the Law which onely maketh sin were so called but were sins really indeed and unquestionably Whereas as we have formerly signified the sins upon the credit and Authority whereof the Query-Prophets have adventured to prefix a time for the dissolution of the present Government are onely sins so called or at the utmost and worst disputeably such Yea they that clearly understand the Law of nature in such cases yea or the Law of God cannot adjudge them such Therefore those texts of Scripture mustered in the Answer have neither hand nor heart to strike a stroake in that battaile for which they were levied II. Again Are not these passages ensuing published in print and subscribed by Mr John Simpson Mr William Greenhill Mr Thomas Brooks Mr Hanserd Knollys Mr T. Harrison Mr Christopher Feak Mr Richard Wollaston Mr Henry Jesse with several others about two years since viz. in November 1651. worthy to be engraven with the Point of a Diamond and written in letters of Gold If Cesar and Pagan Rulers under him in Judea and elsewhere were to be honored and submitted unto as both Christ taught and his Apostles Mat. 22. 21. Mark 12. 27. AND YET THEY CAME IN BY THE SWORD AND KEPT GODS CHURCH IN BONDAGE how much more should our Governours be honored by all people in our Nation The same Authors soon after expresse themselves thus In our dayes wherein persons truly fearing God are of divers formes dissenting in Church Government c. Some that are termed Presbyterians some Independents some Anabaptists and some that are not so resolved with any of these the power of chusing Rulers or of being chosen should not be limited to any one of these forms or perswasions to the excluding of others excepting such WHO EITHER DENY PROPRIETY or Magistracy or who assert carnall liberty or Polygamy whom we have witnessed against in our former declaration or such AS HAVE OPPOSED OR DO NOT OWN THIS PRESENT GOVERNMENT A little before in the said printed paper having solemnly professed thus With one consent we do thus declare as in the presence of the Almighty who is the searcher of all hearts before whom the wicked and deceitful shall be confounded at the day of Judgement they lay down this Proposition That all people in every Nation as well members of Churches as others ought FOR CONSCIENCE SAKE to honour such as by the wise disposing Providence of God are their PRESENT RULERS and are to submit to the civil commands not only of such Rulers as are faithfull but even to Infidels to omit several other things of like import in the said paper Are not the contents and substance of these sayings clearly and expresly founded upon the good Word of God which as the said Authors worthily and most truly inform us is the Rule and Standard for Faith and obedience If so must not all such men of necessity be false Prophets casting snares upon the people and leading them out of the ways of truth and peace who are so far from HONOURING THEIR PRESENT GOVERNORS though no Infidels but partakers of like precious faith with the Saints themselves though no keepers of Gods Church in bondage but most zealous and faithful Assertors of the entire liberties thereof that with open mouth they pour contempt upon them day after day consulting with their spleens or worse spirits how to make their favour to stink in the eyes of the people and so to arm them with discontents and indignation against them Or is this in the dialect or sence of the Holy Ghost to HONOUR GOVERNOURS To this Query the Answerer onely saith These men no doubt are of the same mind even to this day It is not good to bear witnesse against what wee did not hear with our own ears 1. If the men specified in the Query be of the same mind at this day which their sayings here cited doe import it were well that their minds and their mouths would goe together How would the peace of the nation rejoyce over such an agreement as this But to labour in the very fi●e by reproaches by revileings by hard sayings in severall kinds to alienate the hearts and affections of the people from the present Governors and Rulers is this for conscience sake to honour our present Governours and Rulers He that can thus interpret need not care what text is given him 2. Whereas the Answer thinketh it not good to bear witnesse against what we hear not with our own ears 1. To give sentence against a matter is more then simply to bear witnesse against it And how few Judges throughout the world have heard those words whether treasonable or of other demerit with their own ears which they have sentenced according to the Law 2. A Query or question is not properly or directly especially in our English dialect either bearing witnesse against either thing or person nor yet a giveing sentence against either but rather the searching out of the truth in some case or other in order to a sentence 3. How few Ministers of the Gospel have heard with their own ears the wo●ds of those errours or heresies against which notwithstanding they bear witnesse in their ministry from time to time and are blamelesse 4. An accusation even against an elder may under two or three witnesses lawfully be received how much more under twenty 5. and lastly Suppose a man were present where words are spoken within his hearing yet may hee possibly mistake and verily think that he hears such or such words spoken which yet were not spoken There may be deceptio audi●ûs as well as visûs And I know no reason but why the consonant report of a considerable part of a full auditory touching such or such words spoken in their presence should be altogether as good a foundation for me to build a belief upon that the words were indeed spoken as an hearing of them with mine own ears according to the usual manner of my hearing But this is of very slender aff 〈…〉 i●y with the main design of the Query III. Whether a mans conscience bearing him witness in the Holy Ghost that his heart is upright with God and that he unfeignedly purposeth and desires to do all the good upon Earth whilest he abideth amongst men which God shall any ways enable him unto ought not such a person even in conscience towards God and out of love and genuiness of affection to his generation embrace and accept of all such opportunities and advantages of standing for the promotion of his work which God shall by any providence of his offer unto him Or when God called Moses up to the top of the Mount Exod. 19. 20. had it been

gracious intent of God in the two Scripture passages there mentioned as in many others to provide for the peace and quiet of States and Commonwealths by cutting off all occasions and pretexts from the people of quarrelsom disputes about the rights and titles of those who are in plenary possession of the present Power 2. Whether all those do not reject this gracious counsell of God against them selves and their nation who set them selves to raise a spirit of disloyalty and disobedience in the people unto the present Government and Governours c. Now the pretended Answer speaketh not so much as one word either negatively or affirmatively or by way of distinction to either of these points nor are the particulars thereof any wayes relative to the main businesse intended either in the present or in any other of the Queries nor so considerate in themselves For 1. If all sorts of men both those in Authority and others are to be interceded or given thanks for as they are opposers or accepters of the Gospell which yet is an il-advised asse●●ion in as much as accepters of the Gospel may be interceded for as well if not rather as the opposers of the Gospell why do not the men whose cause the Answer pleads give thanks unto God for those in Authority amongst us who are no opposers but cordial accepters of the Gospell instead of murmuring and venting bitter discontents with many unchristian and hard sayings against them 2. Neither is it true that those in Authority when faithfull and upright hearted in their trust are no more to be given thanks for then other men 3 A though it should be granted that all the heads of the four first Monarchies were Vsurpers which yet may be the reasonable at least the tolerable doubt of any man in as much as one of the heads of the first of these Monarchies was by God himself represented by an head of gold Dan. 2. 38. where likewise it is said vers. 37. that God had given him a kingdom power and strength and glory c. but be it as I say granted that all these heads were usurpers in respect of their domination over such nations upon whom they made warre without any justifiable ground and cause oppressing them by force of armes exercising dominion over them against their wills c. Yet 1. It followeth not from hence that therefore any of the heads of these Monarchies should be usurpers in respect of any such kingdomes territories or nations unto the Soveraigne● and rules whereof they were called by the free vote or desire of the people Or 2. That all Kings or cheif Magistrates in the world who were contemporarie with these Monarchies respectively should be usurpers For many of these might be and some questionlesse were freely called or chosen by their people into the places and trusts of kingly Soveraignty Nor were either Saul or David or Solomon c. who were Kings during the first of the said four Monarchies Usurpers because Kings 4 And lastly Though it should be granted that the servants of God who have held forth his testimony concerning their work in their present generation have been ALVVAYS counted movers of sedition c. however Alwaies is not sufficiently proved by three or four instances nor can be proved by all the instances that are produced yet this at no hand proveth either 1. That all they who have been counted movers of sedition were the servants of God witnesse Barabbas Theudas Judas of Galilee c. Or 2. That all such who being by profession and by common esteem also and possibly in truth the servants of God were counted movers of sedition were counted such without a cause And if this misdemeanour had not been incident to professors of Christianity yea reputed beleevers doubtlesse the Apostle Peter would not have cautioned those whom he calls Elect according to the foreknowledg of God the Father through sanctification of the Spirit a upon such termes as these But let none of you suffer as a murther er or as a theif or as an evil doer or A BUSY BODY IN OTHER MENS MATTERS b. Nor should the Apostle Paul have had any competent occasion in his addresse to the Galathians to have reminded them of sedition amongst other works of the flesh c And it is the notion of the generality of our best Protestant Expositours that a disposition observed by him in many christians in his dayes to move sedition and stirr up people against their rulers occasioned from him that discourse concerning subjection unto Rulers and Magistrates which we find Rom. 13. 1. 2 3. c. Calvin upon the place informeth us that there are always some troublesome and tumultuous spirits meaning in the Church or amongst christians who never think that the Kingdom of Christ can be duly advanced unlesse all earthly power be abolished nor that they ever enjoy the liberty which he hath given untill they have shaken off the yoke of all human subjection d The substance and truth of this observation is confirmed by the pens of many others and by the experience of all ages Nor 3. and la●ly doth the aforesaid concession suppose or so much as intimate that the servants of God either alwaies or indeed at any time were counted movers of sedition by their fellow-servants the true holy and faithfull servants of God but onely by the wicked and perverse generation of men in the World unlesse they deserved to be so counted and were movers of sedition indeed Therefore though sober and zealous Christians have frequently been counted movers of sedition without a cause yet may it very well stand also that many Christians have been justly so counted having given too much cause of such an imputation What the Answer meaneth by mens work in their generation as likewise by their holding forth Gods testimony concerning the same I confesse I doe not well understand Certain I am that praying supplicateing interceding and giving of thanks for all in Authority and so strengthening the hand of worthy rulers and magistrates by a peaceable subjection unto them and by perswading others into the like subjection is the work if by work we mean the duty of every mans generation And in this sence of the word work to curse the ruler of a mans people is the work of no generation Query IV. Whether is or ought the letter of the Law to be observed in all cases whatsoever or is not ratio Legis anima Legis i. e. the reason or end of the Law the soul of the Law which is in all cases to be preferred before the letter which is but as the body of it Yea or hath any Law whatsoever any binding force further then the execution of it or subjection unto it are consistent with the publique safety and good a Or are not such men Judges of evil thoughts as the Scripture speaketh b who condemn such persons as violators or transgressors of the Law

who in order to the publique peace and safety act besides or contrary to the letter of the Law and in such cases only wherein the observance of this letter visibly threateneth the said common peace and safety Or whether are private men who know little of converse little with State transactions and affairs the more competent judges when or in what cases the observation of the letter of the Law is of a dangerous and threatening import to the publique safety or such persons whose dayly residence is in the mount of State-negotiations and who by the advantage of the ground where they stand may very reasonably be conceived to be in a full capacity perfectly to discover and understand on what hinge the publique Interest and Safety turneth and what means and interposures are most promising of their procurement promotion and establishment The Dis-satisfied as they are called are fully satisfied in this that the reason or end of the Law is to be preferred before the letter which caused their closing with and owning the affairs of this nation when as some which are now in present authority did turn their backs upon it and le●t the work not being able to bear it because it was contrary to the letter It is not the height of a mans Station alone that will inable him to a true discoverie of things but the singlenesse of his eye together with the truenesse of that light in which he walketh Jeremie knew the means of Israels safety better then the King and all the Princes First If the Dis-satisfied so called be onely so called and not such indeed though the Querist rejoyceth not as neither ought he in the formalitie of his mistake yet doth he much re●oyce in the matter of it But if there be none really dis-satisfied what meaneth then the bleating of the sheep and the lowing of the oxen the weak complaints of many simple ones and the lowder vociferations of others great in their own eyes against the present Government 1. If some now in Authoritie turned their back upon and left the work of the nation when time was as not being able to bear it because it was contrary to the letter of the Law it is a sign that had they been satisfied as the Answerer acknowledgeth himself with the rest called Dis-satisfied to be that the reason or end of the Law is to be preferred before the letter of it they would not have turned their backs upon it because of any contrariety in it to the said letter Therefore this turning the back in them whether in it self just fiable or not justifiable doth in no degree justifie or ease the guilt of a like practise in them who professe themselves satisfied in that which occasioned that failing in them He that turneth his back upon a dut●e only through a mistake of an unlawfulnesse to perform it rather condemneth then any way excuseth him that shall neglect it being perfectly satisfied about the lawfulnesse and much more the necessitie of it 3. Though it be not the advantage of a mans station alone that will inable him to discover things either near at hand or further off yet where there is the same or a greater singlenesse of the eye and with all the same truenesse of light the advantage of a standing must needs be a proportionable advantage for discoverie If the Answer could prove that his Paul either hath a more single eye or walks in a truer light then his Phelimon I should without much contest grant that these advantages in this Paul might very possibly balance Phelimons advantage in point of standing But the Paul we speak of is too full of wrath as is much to be feared to have a clear or single eye The common saying is Impeditira animum ne possit cernere verum i. e. And the Scripture it self saith that The wrath of man worketh not the righteousnesse of God the cheif reason whereof is because it discerneth not or apprehendeth not this righteousnesse Therefore 4 And lastly The reason why Jeremiah knew the means of Israels safetie better then the King and all his Princes was because he was a Prophet immediately extraordinarily inspired by God If the Answerer can satisfie us that his Paul plougheth with this heyfer we will acknowledge him more able to declare the riddle we speak of then Philemon and all his Princes But as in Micah's daies men walking in the spirit and falshood might notwithstanding be Prophets or Jeremies unto that people in like manner he that will with a zealous confidence prophecie mens minds and desires unto them in these dayes shall be a Prophet yea a Jeremie a great Prophet unto them Yet if the Answerers Paul be a Jeremiah also I confesse the Query was not aware of it For this estimateth the abilities of men for discoveries of a politique nature and import by the generall presumption of the wisest men amongst us and as I suppose in the world touching the present state of things in the world and not by the private supposition of any one person or a few as viz. that Jeremy should be risen from the dead or now alive in England or that any other person should now be found of a like prophetique anoynting with him Whosoever now shall undertake to preach for Doctrine or as the mind or purpose of God any thing which he cannot substantially prove from the Scriptures to be indeed the minde or purpose of God especially if he shall pretend revelation hereof from God otherwise then by the Scriptures we cannot but judge him a blasphemer of the blessed fulnesse and sufficiencie of the Scriptures and very near at least unto that curse If any man shall add unto these things God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book Rev. 22. 18. Query V. Whether are such promises engagements or protestations binding upon the Consciences of those who have made them yea or lawful for them to observe or keep which by reason of an alteration and change of those circumstances and terms under which and in consideration of which they were made cannot be observed or kept without the imminent danger or damage of those unto whom and for whose sake wealth and safety they were made c Or in case a man having borrowed a sword of his Friend and promised to deliver it back again into his own hand within a months time this Friend of his in the interim falling into a delirium or phrenetique distemper and so continuing till the said month be expired is this man bound in conscience to perform his promise notwithstāding by delivering the sword into his friends hand at the time appointed Or is not the sad providence befaln his friend in this case to be interpreted by him not only or simply as a discharge from God in respect of the performance of his said promise but as an Item or engagement layd upon him by God at no hand to perform it