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	life_n	spiritual_a	5,356	5	6.8798	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86326	The life and death of David. A sermon preached at the funeralls of that worthy member of the Honourable House of Commons, William Strode Esquire, in the Abbey Church in Westminster, Septemb. 22⁰. 1645. / By Gaspar Hickes, a member of the Assembly of Divines.	Hickes, Gaspar, 1605-1677.	1645 (1645)	Wing H1839; Thomason E302_16; ESTC R200280	18,801	32

to partake of Babylons plagues that affect the least particle or sippet of Antichristian papall power I beseech you do us the right to beleeve that it is not ambition but conscience that makes us so instant about that which now sticks in your hands How can we serve God or you or the Churches of Christ if we are kept or thrust from that wherein a great part of our usefullnesse consists 'T is strange that the power of the Keyes of binding and loosing that formidable sentence 1 Cor. 5. should be aëriall imaginary or only temporary and extraordinary things that they should signifie nothing but what may be in a Romane proscription an Imperiall Banne or some such like civill censure Certainly Christ hath and will have a kingdom on earth and therein a spirituall government much of the managing whereof he hath trusted with his Ministers It they should use that power to destruction not to edification to domineere over the faith and consciences and not to serve the souls and helpe the joy of Gods people the fault would be in the persons not in the power How serviceable Gods faithfull Ministers have endeavoured to be according to their call and abilities to the present generation in the great affairs now on foot I rather leave to cordiall men to judge then report it my selfe 'T is a defect and blemish to the body to have a finger amputated or disjoynted much more hurtfull it is to have a strong bone broken a noble part made uselesse 7. Be assiduous indefatigable in service Serve out your time that you may be free-men of Heaven So did David in my text 2 Tim 4.7 so did Paul he runne out his whole course so did a greater then them both Christ finished the worke which the Father gave him to do Joh. 1● 4 Plantus Benefacta benefactis pertegito saith the Comique ne perpluat Good deeds and services are like titles on an house betwixt which if there be too much distance and disparity 't will rain thorow Is it not a sad thing to see them that have been forward and eminent in serving the publique grow rusty and uselesse through humour emulation or discontent and so thrown aside as unstrung instruments or tools whereof all the steel is worne out Look to your selves that you lose not those things that ye have wrought that you suffer not so many things in vain hold fast that you have that no man take your crown begin well and grow better and be faithfull to the death and you shall receive a full reward of all your services To fasten and whet all that hath been said on your spirits give me leave to adde something by way of incentive 1. Consider that 't is truly noble to be serviceable to others The Magistrate let him be the supreme from the multiplicity and weightinesse of his imployment is by way of excellencie stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 13.4 the Minister or servant of God The Angels those glorious spirits that with eternall satisfaction behold the face of God and with nimble alacrity execute his behests are ministring spirits also sent forth to serve them who shall be heirs of salvation Heb. 1.14 'T is a title of honour frequently given by God to Christ Isa 53.11 42.1 my servant And himselfe professes that he came into the world Mat. 20.28 not to be ministred to but to minister Yea the glorious maiesty of Heaven and earth God blessed for ever God in his habitation on his throne of excellencie stiles him selfe a father of the fatherlesse a judge of the widowes Psal 68 5. a helper in the time of need of all them that wait upon him Who would not then be ambitious to serve Saints Me thinks it were an apt impresse or motto for the greatest of you to bear The more serviceable the more honourable 'T is to be doubted there are many among you that look high whom the Lord will not honour so much as to let you wash the feet of his Saints sweep the dust out of his Temple tugge at an oare in the shippe that carries Christ and his Church Happy honoured is the man that can do any good office for the Bride the Lambs wife 2. Consider how helpefull and behoofefull our service may be We may stay up a staggering brother nay prop up a tottering kingdome we may support a drooping spirit nay save a soul from death Jam. 5.10 Sometimes a little succour stops a fatall fall a small assistance turnes aside a deadly stroke a poor sleight medicine is made effectuall to preserve life but spirituall remedies are most efficacious and serve for highest purposes And shall we spare our pains which may be so helpefull to our brethren The sufferings of the meanest single Saint must turne our bowels and draw out our compassions and call in our succouring hand Oh then what flames what flowings what meltings what expendings of our whole selves are requisite from us when societies of Saints states and Churches lie a bleeding and cry aloud to us for our hands our hearts our tears our prayers our all to helpe them 3. This may move us likewise that the service of the godly is relative reciprocall mutuall One member cannot say to another 1 Cor. 12 21. I have no need of thee Carefull and tender we should be to restore a lapsed brother in the spirit of meeknesse G●l 6 1. considering our selves that we also may be tempted Heb. 13 3. We must remember them that are in bonds as bound with them and them which suffer adversity as being our selves also in the body and may as much need compassion and helpe as the most miserable There is an intercourse a holy traffique of graces among Saints wherein and 't is a Paradox very strange they grow rich by disbursing we inlarge our own comforts by administring consolation to others clear up our own light by informing others inflame our own zeal by rouzing up the affections of others fortifie our own spirits by staying or raising up our feeble fallen brethren We cannot do any spirituall good to others without benefit to our selves neither can we performe any service of love to the Saints but we may need and receive the same or the like from them 4. Take a taste of the refreshments our faithfull painfull serviceablenesse leaves upon our spirits Eccles 5 1● The sleep of a labouring man is sweet whether he eat little or much The Christian that labours hard for the honour of his master and advantage of his fellow-servants whatever outward exigences befall him hath inward peace at least in the cause for the present and in the issue too when the times of refreshing shall come Our rejoycing is this saith Paul the testimony of our conscience 2 Cor. 1 1● that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisedom but by the grace of God we have had our conversations in the world and

nature prompts to me a method fit to be followed in handling my text David served and died and needfull it is that I first endeavour to teach and to learn how to live before death come I shall therefore now terminate or stint my speech to the godly mans course David served his own generation by the will of God Wherein I might point out unto you these things considerable 1. The person David 2. His imployment he served 3. The object on which he bestowed his pains his own generation 4. The moving and ordering cause the will of God David a man whom the Lord found out and framed after his own heart such a one as he would have him whom he advanced by speciall grace in a wonderfull way to be the ruler of his people he served not himselfe in an exorbitant arbitrary domineering way of government but others by seeking their good and promoting their well fare in all respects and he served his own generation those to whom he was bound in relation who stood within his compasse and that to the utmost extent of his time and abilities and all this he did by the will of God which I take here to signifie not so much Gods injoyning or prescribing will which is indeed the rule of all our obedience and service as his determining disposing will the word here used is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some will translate Gods counsell by which all our good works and gracious passages are fore-ordained the measure of our time and strength dispensed and bounded The summe of all may be laid together in such a doctrinall observation as this Doct Doct. It is the integrity the honour the happinesse of the godly by the gracious disposing and working of God to be made truly serviceable to them with whom they have converse and communion Or thus A godly man is a serviceable a usefull a profitable man David a potent nad prosperous Monarch that had the necks of his enemies under his feet and the hearts of his people at his beck hath this left uopn record as a most honourable memoriall that he served them whom he ruled By a speciall choice a clear call he was taken from the sheep-folds from following the ewes great with young from the low and laborious imployment of a shepherd to royall dignity his advancement did not exempt him from his pains but only altered the object of them before he fed and watched and attended sheep and now he must do the like for men Psal 78 79. 71 7. and so he did with integrity of heart and skilfullnesse of hands the more sublime and noble the imployment is the greater care and industry dexterity and parts are requisite for the managing of it The most eminent Saints whether in respect of function or graces have the highest and hardest taskes to accomplish Paul more then once pleads the warrant of his call 2 Cor. 15.10 1 11 13. and the uprightnesse of his course to and in his Apostleship from the abundance and successe of his labours And the meanest Christian if sound hath the honour and fitnesse to be in some way and measure profitable to the body It is a duty of generall concernment Gal. 5.13 of indispensable necessity on all of us that partake of the same precious faith and are called to the liberty of Christ to serve one another in love Reas Reas 1. In must needs be so if we consder the relation or necessitude between Saints They are children of the same parentage brethren of the same descent members of the same body fellow-citizens of the same corporation they are animated by the same principles walke by the same rule minde the same end and though they are endowed with divers and different gifts placed in severall rankes 1 Cor. 12.1 5 7 8. yet is it the same spirit the same Lord the same God which worketh all in all and therefore is the manifestation of the Spirit given to every one to profit withall the exhibition of all spirituall sufficiencies is for mutuall helpfullnesse Spirituall relations are more noble and strong then those that are naturall they are more near more ingaging and endearing Lumbard When the Master of the Schoolmen had discoursed largely and acutely of the mutuall love between the Father and Christ he concludes all with a confession Se non possed serte explicare that it passed his skill to enucleate the mystery So do you turn your bowels within you dive to the depth of your affections weigh the measures and feel the tendernesse of your respects to the wife of your bosome the childrin of your loines the friend that is to you as your own soul and if there be no more but nature in them they are but shadows or glaunces in comparison of gracious affections those blessed bonds are pure in their root and fruit vigorous in their activity necessary and indissoluble in their continuance hearty in their whole frame and drift being truly spiritualized there are angelicall wings and wheels added to heighten and accelerate their motions therefore they beget tender care strong endeavours for the good of the them with whom they close 2. The truth will be clear if we notice the qualification or aptitude of Saints for mutuall serviceablenesse All graces are precious and usefull they have their full task in doing good The Apostle magnifies the worke of faith 1 Thes 1 4. the labour of love the patience of hope in the Thessalonians True grace cannot be idle or inactive When the Holy Ghost after the assension of Christ was plentifully poured down on beleevers there was an apparition of cloven tongues as of fire sitting upon each of them Acts 2.3 The tongue is the member of communication fire is apt to dilate and disperse it selfe so farre as it can reach combustibles and the clovennesse of these tongues denotes not only the variety and fullnesse of graces and sufficiencies issuing from our glorified head but their aptnesse also to communicate themselves The godly man is furnished with true and rich abilities and he is expensive of them willing to lay them out for the good of others 3. He is animated hereunto by Gods acceptation Service done to the meanest member of Christ is interpretatively done to Christ himselfe so is he pleased to value it God is not unrighteous to forget your worke and labour of love Mit. 25.45 which ye have shewed to his Name in that ye have ministred to the Saints Heb. 6.10 and do minister Gods justice his faithfullnesse is here ingaged to remember and remunerate all good offices performed in sincerity to his Saints and that because of his own interesses he accounts all expressed and done to his own Name You see the godly have dear and binding respects usefull abilities effectuall incouragements to make them helpefull and serviceable each to other therefore the truth of the doctrine is clear and

man of a singular spirit he naturally cared for the state of the people and that altogether without selfe-respects as a sonne with his father so served he with Paul in the Gospel Phil. 2.20 21 22. Oh for such genuine sweet strains of spirit in Christians You that are parents of your countrey should look upon and deal with the generation which you serve as if it were your own generation all issuing from your own loyns You that are spirituall parents should tender and care for your people as for your dear children All you Christians should converse and imbrace as brethren of the same wombe 1 Pet. 3.8 of the same birth I tremble when I consider the distance and distastes the heart-risings and heart-burnings that are between us that own the same name and cause fitter we are and more ready to tear and afflict and confound then to serve each other 3. Be communicative expend all that God imparts to you in this blessed service 2 Cor. 12.15 6.11 Paul was willing to spend and to be spent for beleevers His mouth was open his heart inlarged to them Lay out he would not his uncessant pains only in the work of the Gospel but he was prodigall also of his very soul 2 Thes 2. ● ready to pour out that for their good Noble Patriots let it not seem much to you that you forego your profits your preferments all the dilights of the children of men that you exhaust your estates your parts your spirits your bloud about the great businesse of God and his people that is in your hands Ye faithfull servants of Christ in the ministery let your lampes burne and shine continually though you consume the sap the oyl the very Elixar of your precious lives in giving light to others Dear Christians cast in your all to the common stock what any of ye pinch or spare you lose you quench and smother the graces that you restrain or hold in from the service of Christs common wealth 4. Be receptive take in helpe and supply from others The profit of the earth is for all saith Solomon the King himself is served by the field If you will subsist in spirituals Eccles 5 9. you must take your share of provisions in common with all Saints Paul longed to see and to converse with the Romans not only that he might impart but receive and might be comforted together with them Rom. 1.11 12. by the mutuall faith both of himselfe and them Apollos a man famous for eloquence mighty in the Scriptures and fervent in spirit a bold preacher of the things of the Lord deigns to hear and receive more clear and prefect instructions in the waies of God from Aquila and Priscilla Acts 18.24 25.26 persons farre his inferiours in divers respects Sometimes you may light your torches at a little candle and kindle your great fires with a few coles fetched from a poor mans chimney And you do well and honourably and like your selves that you call in Bezaleels and Aholiabs for advice and assistance about Sanctuary worke And I hope it is not intended as a for formality that the advice of the Assembly might stand only on the Frontispiece of your directions and Ordinances but that you mean to follow the counsell which they bring you from God when it is indeed Gods counsell God will have Christians beholden to teach other he that will give must take and you cannot imagine how much a poor Saint much more a body of Saints may helpe at a dead lift when they set to their shoulders by counsell or compassions or prayers c. 5. Be humble Humility is a serviceable grace it accounts nothing that is duty to be too hard or base to be attempted and acted There is nothing more intolerable in a servant then petulancie or peremptorinesse We must not stand upon niceties or high termes if we will be truly usefull to our brethren Yet this is frequent such an office is too mean such a condescension is unworthy If such a minde had been in Christ what had become of us how low did he stoop to do us good he stood not upon his reputation but emptied and humbled himselfe vailed the beams of his deity with the forme the habit of a servant and he did the part of a servant he became obedient even to the perfection of obedience to the extremity of sufferings and all for us and if we will serve each other in earnest Phil. 2.5 9. let this minde be in us which was in Christ Jesus 6. Be regular Servants must know their offices and stick to their severall taskes Souldiers must keep their rankes and observe their postures So must Christians otherwise they hurt 3 Thes 4 2● Rom. 12. ● 7 8. not helpe their fellows This is the Apostles rule Do your own businesse worke with your own hands And let every one waite on that which is proper to him There 's celestiall harmony when every one moves in his own sphere It was the peoples acclamation to the Emperour Anastasius on his coronation day S●●ut vixisti i●a etian impara As thou hast lived so reign his private course was commendable and they conjectured aright that his graces if they were found would shine the brighter in a high place Such is the man indeed as he is in his particular station and I know not which is more dangerous to society either defectivenesse in members for that which is required or intrusion and busie medling with that which is besides them I should be sorry that either of these should be incident to Ministers For the former you do well to have their abilities and fitnesse examined and approved In the later you are very wary in trusting them with more then you conceive due What is due I dare not I cannot now determine Not long since you have been caught and that satis pro imperio magisterially enough though by one that professes submission even below a slave that not any thing of government is due to them You give them enough if you give them meate and worke And so much I thinke you will afford to your horses I beleeve it reaches not the double honour the Holy Ghost holds them worthy of 1 Tin 5.17 and that for ruling well And whether be more unbeseeming a Minister either an asse-like crouching and stupour or a dogge-like lazinesse judge ye The searcher of hearts knows I speak not this for selfe respects I can as truly say as he that decryed all Ministeriall authority or as any man that 't is more sutable and satisfactory to my spirit to be thrust into the most obscure retirednesse then to be up in the world especially above my selfe Let them be held as scratching brambles that usurpe over the trees the generous vine the fat olive Judg. 9 8 -15. the sweet figg-tree will decline such irregular undue promotion Justly may they fear to fall with Antichrist

could not well be met with but by such plain home dealing 2. His unbiassed and unblemished integrity As his principles were clear and sound so did he exactly prosecute them and kept close and even to them His parts were commendable his judgement good his expressions rationall and quick his experience long in the course of Parliamentary affairs Yet I beleeve that honesty which is the best Logique and Rhetorique and uprightnesse which can never be confuted added the most invincible force and weight to his motions and reasons 3. His insuperable constancie He held on his course in all weathers was ever the same and like himselfe in all changes and events of times He was neither wheeled about to open state-apostacie nor warped to covert disaffection to this or close implicite compliancie to the adverse party nor flatted to a pretended moderation indeed a dangerous temper made up of discontent and selfishnesse How many glistering Mateors have we seen blaze and look bigge for a while and at last prove falling starres and extinguish in a stinke or if they sticke amongst us they hang doubtfully and yeeld but uncertain and unwholesome light He fixedly kept his orbe and his motion till he finished his course 4. His tedious and heavy sufferings He was not moved by menaces or reproaches or hardships he counted not his contentments his estate his liberty his life dear unto him that he might do his worke Acts 20.14 and accomplish the ministery the service which he received of God Witnesse his long imprisonment and that in the prime of his time when the strength and delights of youth might have made him do much for freedome In those worst most dangerous for lorne times like another Curtius he cast himselfe in hiatum into the gulfe the jaws of extreme perill for his countries good Witnesse also the accusation of late cast upon him of the highest crime 't was his singular serviceablenesse that caused him to be one of the first marked and destined to destruction Thus he served But whom did he serve I shall briefly answer this both negatively and affirmatively 1. He served not himselfe In all that he intended or did for the publique I could never observe and it was my happinesse to converse constantly and intimately with him for a good space of time I say I could never observe any thing of selfe before his eyes either for the present or in expectation A great and usefull hand he had in procuring treasure the sinews of warre yet I dare affirme in spite of malice and calumny that none of it stuck to his fingers Very scrupulous he was in receiving nay resolute in refusing the expressions of common mean courtesies from any especially if there were the least appearance or suspition of a hook in the bait He grasped no offices accepted not maintenance from the publique in the usuall way though he had lost or spent all his private estate he rather cast himselfe on beholdennesse to friends which was averse to his most generous spirit yet so the Lord provided for his subsistence and he enjoyed it with all heartinesse and respects Oh never let it be said of men intrusted with the common cause Phil. 2.21 they seek their own and not the things that are Jesus Christs 2. He served not men I mean in the Apostles sense If I pleased men I should not be the servant of Christ. Gal. 5.10 Great names old acquaintance near relations could not sway him to mens persons or personall respects Did you ever know him raise party or make a motion or drive a designe to that purpose He did not trudge up and down to Committees nor appear in them to advocate or intercede for any in causes that would not hold water Not but that he was courteous and helpefull to his friends yea readily usefull to all that came within his reach in a way of justice Methinks Moses description of Levi accords him well in this point Who said unto his father and to his mother Deut. 33.9 I have not seen him neither did he acknowledge his brethren nor knew his own children 3. He served his own generation he served the publique Many of the great Patriots of ancient Rome made the Common wealth their heir In degenerated times Court Parasites often gave all to the Emperours The Common wealth was to him instead of and as wife and children to that next to the immediate service of God he devoted his care his skill his parts his pains How justly might he say as Chrysostome when he was ready to be tome off from his people by banishment Vita mihi ad vestrum profectum tantummodo ducitur Cum de expulsione ipsiu● ageretur Hon●● The main drift of his life and action was the glory of God in serving the publique Well this serviceable man is come to the period of his generation he is fallen on sleep Will you can you hear any thing of his death I should say nothing of the manner of it were it not to stop the black mouthes of some that speak falsely and despitefuly of it His disease was an Epidemicall feaver which after some colluctations seized on his principals and spirits before impaired and much exhausted both by sufferings ' and services 'T was not the plaugue then as many report and 't is probable the report was raised by some who will say of him with as much malice and as little truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts. 24.5 as Tertullus said of Paul We have found this man the very pestilence Neither yet did he fall into raging distempers as some give it out which might have been feared in such a disease and in him who was of a constitution something hot and of a vigorous stirring spirit Some clouds indeed were cast upon his faculties by the violence of the disease yet was his demeanour and his dissolution quiet And though the nature of his sicknesse hindered his expressions yet I doubt not but his Master found him watching because he found him doing Mat. 24.46 Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he commeth shall finde so doing One thing yet remains I have a little to say to the generation that he hath left 1. Taking it at large for the intire body the state and Church of which he was a member Oh what an impoverishment have we suffered Is it a small matter that so serviceable so usefull a labourer should be called home from worke in the middest of his day the prime of his time doth not this portend that the season is almost spent or that night will come sooner then we look for I know not how you value the losse me thinks it should weigh heavy We hear of the shaking the indangering of one of the Kingdoms which cannot but make our hearts shake and bleed and break within us And in these distracted times we cannot but be obnoxious to doubts and fears and losses And what can more impair us