Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	death_n	jesus_n	sin_n	7,149	5	4.5195	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A56470	A sermon preached at the funeral of the Rt Honorable John Earl of Rochester, who died at Woodstock-Park, July 26, 1680, and was buried at Spilsbury in Oxford-shire, Aug. 9 by Robert Parsons ...	Parsons, Robert, 1647-1714.	1680 (1680)	Wing P570; ESTC R4950	23,584	52

the wiser Israelites who esteem'd those glittering formalities as the Types and Images of heavenly things be quickned by them to the ambition of original honours and future glory How much were it to be wish'd that such persons especially would be followers of God and goodness since whether they will or no men will be followes of them all of them according to their respective magnitudes like Stars casting a good or bad influence upon their inferiors and not only so but oftentimes upon their superiors too as the corrupt bloud in the feet in the course of its circulation after some time passes upwards into the head It is true an eminent station is liable to several mischiefs from which a mean condition is free but the God of order who has made dignity in place and affluence of riches necessary to the world has proportion'd his supports and if the incitements to sin do abound unto the rich and noble the grace of God if they are careful to improve it will much more abound both to Gods glory and their own Thus if the temtations of great persons be more and greater then those of inferiors their abilities and understandings are ordinarily greater too and if they lie more open to the assaults of the Devil they have generally greater sagacities to foresee the danger and more powerful assistances to go through it Nor is Piety inconsistent with Greatness any more then it is with Policy but is the best foundation and security both to the one and the other The breeding of Moses at Court without doubt contributed much even to his Religious performances at least so far as to make them more useful and exemplary to others but then he was sincerely virtuous all the while as well whilst reputed the Son of Pharoh's daughter as Jethro's Son in-law The Prophet Isaiah was Nephew to a King and bred as is supposed in the Court whence we may observe his style is more majestic then the other Prophets as that of the great Doctor of the Gentiles who was bred at the feet of Gamaliel is then the other Apostles God making use of the natural tempers and educations of men to be assisting to supernatural purposes We find Christians in Cesar's household as soon as any where else in Rome and when Christianity had once gain'd Constantine it spread it self farther over the Empire in a few years then before it had done in some Centuries as waters running downwards spred themselves freer then when forced upwards against nature Since then so much mischief depends upon Illustrious examples will it not better become men to draw the multitude after them to heaven by their piety then by infectious guilts be at the head of a miserable company of the Damn'd T is this piety a timely and exemplary piety that will perpetuate to men of birth and fortunes their Honors and their Estates too as well by deriving on them the blessing of God who is the true fountain of honour as by creating an awe and a reverence for them from all orders of men even to many generations a reverence which will be fresh and lasting when all the trophies of wit and gaity are laid in the dust T is this piety that will be the guide of their youth and the comfort of their age for length of days are in her right hand and in her left hand riches and honour T is this and this only that can make all outward blessings comfortable and indeed blessings to us by making them the steps and means of attaining the never fading honours and incomprehensible glories of that Kingdom which is above where there shall be no more sin nor sickness nor pain nor tears nor death but we shall rest from our labours and our works shall follow us Unto which God of his infinite mercy bring us for the merits and for the mediation of Jesus Christ our Saviour to whom with the Father and Holy Spirit ●et us ascribe all Praise and Adoration now and for ever Amen THE END

his afflicting hand that his sufferings were most just tho he had laid ten thousand times more upon him how he had laid one stripe upon another because of his grievous provocations till he had brought him home to himself that in his former visitations he had not that blessed effect he was now sensible of He had formerly some loose thoughts and slight resolutions of reforming and design'd to be better because even the present consequences of sin were still pestering him and were so troublesome and inconvenient to him but that now he had other sentiments of things and acted upon other principles His willingness to dye if it pleased God resigning himself always to the Divine disposal but if God should spare him yet a longer time here he hoped to bring glory to the name of God in the whole course of his life and particularly by his endeavours to convince others and to assure them of the danger of their condition if they continued impenitent and how graciously God had dealt with him His great sense of his obligations to those Excellent men the Right Reverend my Lord Bishop of Oxford and Dr. Marshal for their charitable and frequent Visits to him and Prayers with him and Dr. Burnet who came on purpose from London to see him who were all very serviceable to his Repentance His extraordinary duty and reverence to his Mother with all the grateful respects to her imaginable and kindness to his good Lady beyond expression which may well enhance such a loss to them and to his Children obliging them with all the endearments that a good Husband or a tender Father could bestow To conclude these Remarks I shall only read to you his dying Remonstrance sufficiently attested and sign'd by his own hand as his truest sense which I hope may be useful for that good end he design'd it in manner and form following FOr the benefit of all those whom I may have drawn into sin by my example and encouragement I leave to the world this my last Declaration which I deliver in the presence of the great God who knows the secrets of all hearts and before whom I am now appearing to be judged That from the bottom of my soul I detest and abhor the whole course of my former wicked life that I think I can never sufficiently admire the goodness of God who has given me a true sense of my pernicious Opinions and vile Practices by which I have hitherto lived without Hope and without God in the world have been an Open Enemy to Jesus Christ doing the utmost despite to the holy Spirit of Grace And that the greatest testimony of my Charity to such is to warm 'em in the Name of God and as they regard the welfare of their Immortal Souls no more to deny his Being or his Providence or despise his Goodness no more to make a mock of Sin or contemn the pure and excellent Religion of my ever Blessed Redeemer thro whose Merits alone I one of the Greatest of Sinners do yet hope for Mercy and Forgiveness Amen Declared and Sign'd in the presence of ANNE ROCHESTER ROBERT PARSONS Jun. 19. 1680. J. ROCHESTER And now I cannot but mention with joy and admiration that steddy temper of mind which he enjoy'd through the whole course of his Sickness and Repentance which must proceed not from a hurry and perturbation of mind or body arising from the fear of Death or dread of Hell only but from an ingenuous love to God and an uniform regard to Virtue suitable to that solemn declaration of his I would not commit the least sin to gain a Kingdom with all possible symptoms of a lasting perseverance in it if God should have restored him To which may be added his comfortable perswasions of God's accepting him to his mercy saying three or four days before his death I shall die But Oh what unspeakable glories do I see what joys beyond thought or expression am I sensible of I am assured of Gods mercy to me through Jesus Christ. Oh how I long to die and to be with my Saviour The time of his Sickness and Repentance was just nine weeks in all which time he was so much master of his reason and had so clear an understanding saving 30 hours about the middle of it in which he was delirous that he never dictated or spoke more composed in his life and therefore if any shall continue to say his Piety was the effect of madness or vapours let me tell them t is highly disingenuous and that the assertion is as silly as it is wicked And moreover that the force of what I have delivered may not be evaded by wicked men who are resolv'd to harden their hearts maugre all Convictions by saying This thing was done in a corner I appeal for the truth thereof to all sorts of persons who in considerable numbers visited and attended him and more particularly to those eminent Physicians who were near him and conversant with him in the whole course of his tedious sickness and who if any are competent judges of a Phrensy or delirium There are many more excellent things in my absence which have occasionally dropt from his mouth that will not come within the narrow compass of a Sermon these I hope will sufficiently prove what I produce them for And if any shall be still unsatisfied herein in this hard-hearted generation it matters not let them at their cost be Unbelievers still so long as this Excellent Penitent enjoys the comfort of his Repentance And now from all these admirable signs we have great reason to believe comfortably that his Repentance was Real and his End happy and accordingly imitate the neighbours and Cosens of Elizabeth Luke 1.58 who when they heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her came and rejoyced with her For so we must learn like the Ambassadors to some new Prince to turn our condolances into congratulations in conformity to an heavenly example For there is joy in heaven over one sinner that repents 1. A joy to God the Father who has solemnly sworn that he delights not in the death of a sinner but rather that he should repent and live who would have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth 2. A joy to God the Son that good Shepherd mention'd in the verse before my Text who left the ninety and nine just persons in the wilderness and went after that which was lost till he had found it and when he had found it he laid it on his shoulders rejoycing and when he cometh home he calls together his friends and his neighbours on heaven and earth saying unto them Rejoyce with me for I have found my sheep which was lost 3. A joy to God the Holy Ghost after he had been so often griev'd so despitefully treated and so long resisted And 4. a joy to the whole Court of Heaven in the presence of the holy Angels v. 10. those