Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	everlasting_a	reap_v	sow_v	6,865	5	10.5221	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
a57873	Præterita, or, A summary of several sermons the greater part preached many years past, in several places, and upon sundry occasion / by John Ramsey ...	Ramsey, John, Minister of East Rudham.	1659 (1659)	Wing R225; ESTC R31142	238,016	312

the meanest office the conveiance of the smoak And yet it is the highest part of the building and overtops the whole frame And as a Feather is a light substance and of little or no worth save onely in estimation and yet placed above the head Just so the most wicked and unworthy amongst men are exalted and advanced to the highest pitch of earthly dignity (q) Minut. Foelix Octavius pa. 15. ut in pluribus nescias utrum sit corumi detestanda pravitas an optanda foelicitas said Minutius Foelix That it is hard to say for the greater part whether a man should rather detest their impiety or envie their felicity There is a double Abyssus or unfadomable depth in religion 1. The depths of predestination or God's eternal decrees and counsels 2. And the depths of his temporal providence in the administration of the world whereof this is one the growth of these Tares the outward prosperity of the wicked And may justly moue us to take the Apostles exclamation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O the depth And if we will give credit to St. Austin (r) Revera nullum mare tam profundum est quam est cogitatio rei ut mali floreant boni laborent Nihil tam altum ubi nauf●agat omnis insidelis Aug. in Psal 91. there is no se a so deep as to dive into the serious consideration of the flourishing state of sinners and the calamitous condition of the Saints And in this sea every unbeliever makes ship wrack This was it that caused many to turn downright Atheists and to say in their hearts there is no God Others to prove gross Idolaters and to imagine a plurality and a multiplicity of Gods A good and a bad And that the Book of Exodus was no part of Canonical Writ nor inspired by a good God for that it makes report of the misery of the Israelites in the wilderness (ſ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leontius de Sanctis It is not the part property of a good God to bring his people out of Egypt and to afflict and correct them after their deliverance Yea this was it that well neer tript up the heels of David though a strong a stout Saint And so far nonplu'st and posed holy Jeremy that he was very earnest to enter the lists of disputation with God himself Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper why are all they in wealth that rebelliously transgress Jer. 12.1 Here the Israelites make the Bricks and the Egyptians dwell in the Houses David is in want and Nabal abounds Sion is Babylons Captive what hath God nothing in fore for Joseph but the sticks for Isaiah but a saw will not Elish adorn the Chariot better then the Juniper Tree will not John B●●tists Head become a Crown as well as a platter But mull his head be needs tript oft with Herodias heels what may we inser from hence but the positive conclusion of the Psalmist Psal 58.11 Vveril there is a reward for the righteous in the life to come when God will render them good measure pressed down shaken together and running over into their bosome Luke 6.38 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good measure for the nature of the reward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pressed down for the matter like unto corn in a Bushel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shaken together for the manner of it even as corn which couches so much the closer for the shaking whereof Husbandmen are very careful in the delivery of their corn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 running over for the measure as a vessel that is brim full runs over 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into their bosome that so they shall be experimentally sensible in their own hearts of God's bounty in their retribution What other inference can any man draw out of the former premises But that there is such a reward for the righteous And that the present prosperity and felicity of the wicked as it is temporal for the nature so it is but temporary for duration Though the Tares grow yea overgrow the good corn yet it is but until the Harvest And that is the fifth point that naturally and necessarily follows and treads upon the heels of the former 5. The Fifth Proposition The time and term of the flourishing estate of the wicked untill the harvest which is both a note of determination and termination Till then it doth not end before Till then it doth not continue after What this Harvest is our blessed Saviour the best Expositor of his own Text resolves us in the Sequel of the Chapter The Harvest is the end of the world verse 39. which is here compared to a Harvest and that in Three respects 1. Propter Segetis desectionem 2. Propter Segetis collectionem 3. Propter Segetis Trituram 1. For the cutting down of the corn 2. For the gathering in of the corn 3. For the threshing out of the corn And this threefold resemblance betwixt the Harvest and the end of the world sets forth unto us a double and different estate of the godly and the wicked A double state of the godly and wicked 1. The one of utter ruine and destruction of the wicked under the similitude of the cutting down and threshing out of corn who shall then be cut down with a sharp sickle of his just vengeance and beaten in pieces as corn that is threshed by the instruments of indignation 2. The other of quiet repose and rest the safety and security of the godly under the Parable of gathering in of corn who in this Harvest shall be gathered out of the world and gathered into their Fathers House the repository of Heaven wherein there are many mansions even as corn in the time of Harvest is gathered into the Barn As therefore there is a confused mixture a cohabitation an equal or rather an unequal growth of Tares wheat in the field of the world So shall there be a general Harvest of good bad at the end of it That law which God established with Noah after the flood as an unchangeable a perpetual ordinance in the course of nature Seed time and Harvest shall not cease so long as the earth remaineth Gen. 8.22 The very self-same law hath God enacted with the sons of men touching the dispensation of his justice in the distribution of rewards and punishments There shall be a Harvest for both and that proportionable to the different nature and quality of the seed wherein whatsoever a man sows that shall he also reap He that sows to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption And he that sows to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting Gal. 6.7 Hail then ye servants of the Lord cheer up your drooping and dismayed spirits lift up your hands that hang down and your weak knees ye that now eat bread of affliction and drink the water of affliction with Micaiah that eat ashes for bread and mingle your

drink with weeping after the manner of David Ye that now sow in tears shall reap in joy ye that now go forth weeping and it matters not though the seed time be somewhat moist so the Harvest prove dry and carry precious seed shall return with joy and bring your sheaves with you Psal 126.5.6 What though the light of God shines bright and cleer upon the forehead and about the Tabernacle of the wicked while ye in the mean time are hanged up like Bottles in the smoak and cast into by-corners like the shreds of a a broken pot They sing to the Lute and see their children dance before them whereas your hearts are heavy in your bodies as lead your sighs beat as thick as a swift pulse and water your couch with your tears They wash their paths in butter and their Tables are full furnished day by day But earth and ashes are your bread yet comfort your selves ye seed of the righteous with the setled expectation of a Harvest wherein ye shall rejoyce according to the joy of Harvest as the Prophet Isaiah speaks yea comfort ye comfort ye your hearts against the Fret of the ungodly the present prosperity of the wicked Learn to laugh them to scorn after the example of the most high for that you see that their day is coming Psal 37.13 when it shall be verified of them which the Prophet affirms of Babylon Jer. 51.33 The daughter of Babel is like a threshing floor The time of her threshing is come yet a little while and the time of her Harvest shall come It is Gregories speech in his morals upon Job occasioned by an elegant and exact description of the happiness of the ungodly Job 21. from the 6. to the 13. verse (t) Greg. in Job O Job bene enumer asti vitam impiorum dic finem quaeso Thou hast set forth to the life the life of the wicked Tell us I pray thee what is their end And he supplies and furnisheth himself with an answer out of the next words They spend their days in wealth and suddenly they go down into the Grave v. 13. If any propound and move the like question that have hitherto heard of the growth of these Tares and are pensive and disconsolate at the hearing of it dic finem quaeso what is the end of these Tares and what abides them in time of Harvest let such take their answer from the mouth of Christ in the words after the Text. And in time of Harvest I wil say to the reapers Gather ye f●r● the Tares and bind them in sheaves to burn them This is their end An end without end and so I am fallen upon the Sixt and last point 6. The Sixth Proposition The true and proper reason of the being growth and continuance of the wicked and that is Christ's rance and toleration Suffer both to grow together This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or suffer hath a double reference 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or suffer hath a double reference First to Christ the Housholder or owner of the field who utters the words Suffer and therein presents himself as a precedent and pattern for their imitation Secondly the servants of the Housholder who complained of the springing up of the Tares Master sowed ● thou not good seed in thy field from whence then hath it Tares ver 23. And so it serves as a rule of instruction to suffer them after his example First this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or suffer hath reference to Christ the Housholder First to Christ the Housholder or owner of the field The will of God is as single and simple as his nature yet is it expressed and signified by general signs as both Lombard and Aquinas teach 1. His precept councel and operation in respect of good 2. His prohibition and permission of Evil So that sufferance is an act of God's will concerning sin which he neither commands nor counsels nor brings to passe But prohibits and yet gives way to both at once Of all the mysteries of Religion Praecipit ac prohibet permittit consulit implet there is none more intricate and involved There is not a more vexed question and disquisition than that which respects Gods concourse in sinful actions wherein there is equal danger of running into each extreme either by laying an attainder upon divine justice who is purity and holiness it self and is not a God that loveth wickedness as David speaks Psal 5.4 as if he were any way guilty or accessory to our sins or by charging and challenging of Gods providence as if he were a bare spectator and over-seer who by his All-seeing Eye did only foresee things to come but by any active power did no way interpose and intermeddle in our affairs And the reconciling of both these together the clearing Gods Justice and Providence in this particular is a point of no less difficulty than importance And this one word in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or suffer doth compromise the difference and as an indifferent Vmpire or Moderator equally determines and states the question for both attributes For first Christ suffers these Tares not involuntarily or against his will which would argue either ignorance or impotency and want of power but in a voluntary and willing manner concurring as an universal cause to the sustentation of the creature to the natural being of their sinful actions though not to the moral defect and sinfulness And yet ordering their sins to his own ends the manifestation of his glory both of his Justice and Mercy by his over-ruling and all-disposing providence Secondly though Christ suffers yet he only suffers the children of the wicked he doth not inwardly excite and move them unto sin not outwardly prescribe and command it in his word not operatively effect or work nor approve and allow it being once committed All which are so many arguments of the holiness of his nature and the exquisiteness of his Justice Christ suffers the Tares willingly and therein gives testimony to his Providence but he only suffers he is not the Author that shews his Justice If then we desire and seek resolution in the point touching the proper and direct cause of evil we shall not find it like unto the River Nilus the head whereof could not be discovered Nor need we rack and torture our thoughts with Saint Austin in a busie and too too curious inquisition which moved him to turn Manichee But we may resolve it into the liberty of mans will as the only impulsive and effcient cause of his own sin void indeed of any inward principle of corcuption and endowed with sufficiency of gifts and abilities to resist temptation and yet mutable in his state and condition into the wily subtilty and spiteful malice of the Devil as the procatartical and moving cause outwardly inviting and inveagling him with his suggestions And into the free pormission of the will of God leaving man in the hand