Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	excellent_a	govern_v	great_a	76	3	2.1542	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A15369	The debt book: or, A treatise vpon Romans 13. ver. 8 Wherein is handled: the ciuill debt of money or goods, and vnder it the mixt debt, as occasion is offered. Also, the sacred debt of loue. By Henry Wilkinson, Bachelor in Diuinity, and pastor of Wadesdon in Buckinghamshire.	Wilkinson, Henry, 1566-1647.	1625 (1625)	STC 25646; ESTC S114431	56,271	156

THE DEBT BOOK Or A TREATISE VPON Romans 13. ver 8. Wherein is handled The Ciuill Debt of Money or goods and vnder it the mixt Debt as occasion is offered ALSO The Sacred Debt of LOVE By HENRY WILKINSON Bachelor in Diuinity and Pastor of Wadesdon in Buckinghamshire 2. CHRON. 16. 9. Iehouae oculi discurrunt per totam terram vt firmum se exhibeat erga eos quorum animus est integer erga ipsum LONDON Printed by R. B. and G. M. for ROBERT BIRD and are to be sold in Cheap-side at the signe of the Bible 1625. TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY Prince CHARLES by the grace of God King of great Brittaine France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. * ⁎ * Most gracious Souereigne DEbt is a thing which hath exercised the minds of most men in all ages but the pennes of verie fewe in this kind wherein I handle it The Ciuilians I know tell vs what it is and determine the cases incident to their facultie worthily and skilfully but to shew how Debt not duly and seasonably paid falles heauy vpon a mans outward estate yea and reflecteth bitterly sometimes vpon the conscience this few or none that I know haue hitherto vndertaken And yet we see not any thing more frequent in experience then the dismall effects which Debt produceth in the life of man some it pierceth with perpetuall cares some it impouerisheth som it imprisoneth some it banisheth to some it cleaueth and to their seede for euer like the leprosy of Naaman to Gehazie till they he consumed vtterly It stayeth not heare but in some cases it staineth and polluteth mens consciences The wages of the hireling the portion of the Labourer in the Lords haruest the patrimonie of the fatherles the widowes right kept backe by force or fraud are due Debt the cries whereof as they are entred into the eares of the Lord so can they not chuse but pierce the consciences of the vniust detainers of them vnless they be seared or otherwise sealed vp by some iust iudgement of God leauing them to their wilfulnesse and obduration The ordinary silence of Ministers in this argument may make men thinke perhaps that we iustify either the security of those who willingly continue in the bonds of Debt or the sinfulnesse of those who pay them not at all The sinnes of the times and the vices of the seuerall ages of the world haue beene imputed for the most part to the Pastors and Ministers of those ages and times who by holding their tongues haue seemed to consent thereunto though it may bee they mourned for them in secret This hath made me willing to say somewhat in this thing to free myselfe and others whom it doth concerne from the censure of posterity for seeming by silence to giue way to that which clogges a Christian life otherwise comfortable with intollerable troubles and molestations and to draw on others who are better able to giue their counsaile and directions for the preuenting or remouing of this miserie of Debt which hath wasted the state and perplexed the soules of manie thousands in the world This Treatise I haue desired not without your Gracious permission to present vnto your Maiesty as the ablest instrument of God by iustice to reforme the vnrighteous dealing of such as will not pay their Debts and by Law to restraine the grieuous exactions of vsurious lenders and by mercy to relieue the misery of such as in the businesse of Debt are not willing doers but vnwilling sufferers such I meane as either by the hardnesse of mens hearts are constrained at their need to borrow vpon conditions to them intollerable or as cannot get their owne though neuer so due without spending more then the thing is worth in trying a doubtfull issue for an vndoubted right which is the case of almost all the inferior Ministers of the Kingdome who cannot without such cost as they are not able to beare recouer their due if a couetous or crafty or wilfull opposite will denie it It might possibly haue seemed fitter for one of my coate to haue handled some matter of Faith or tending to mortification or some controuersy of the times these I know are more properly pertinent to my calling had not other men of better gifts done them abundantly with good successe and approbation but this argument of debt as a barren soyle hath lyen vntilled like a desolate wildernesse no man regarding to reduce that into order which hath disordered and put out of frame the thoughts and actions of the wisest men in the world In managing wherof if I haue done the office of a faithfull Minister let mee passe vnder the protection of your Gracious countenance if in any thing I haue failed as easily a man may doe I humbly craue pardon but no protection Pardon alone will serue his turne who will throw the first stone at his owne error when he sees it In an argument of this nature its easier to speake pertinent things to men of lowe degree then to Princes and Potentates the state of Kings is aboue priuate capacities and reasons of State beyond common rules yet my hearts desire and prayer to God shall be that the cares of your Kingdoms impossible to be gouerned without a most excellent spirit in your Maiesty and speciall diuine assistance from God may not bee aggrauated with the snares of Debt Debt is a burden to a free spirited man bee hee otherwise neuer so well able to beare it And though it stand with the power and magnificence of great Princes freely and daily to grant iust requests and bee also a more blessed thing to giue then to receiue yet ordinarily it is counted a more necessary iust and conscionable act to pay Debts then to giue gifts If the one at any time but preiudice to the other for although in them both goodnesse and greatnesse worke together yet the giuing of gifts is more properly a fruit of power and greatnesse payment of Debts an act of goodnesse and true goodnesse will then stand in greatest perfection when all earthly greatnesse will bee laid in the dust The Lord of heauen blesse your Maiesty with a religious aprosperous and long Raigne ouer vs and make you as supreminent in goodnesse as you are glorious in greatnesse that you may not onely long inioy these earthly Dominions but a Crowne of Immortalitie a farre most excellent and exceeding weight of Celestiall glory by the onely merit of our Lord and Sauiour IESVS CHRIST to whose blessing and grace I shall as humble duty bindes mee commend you while I liue in my truest Affections and heartiest Prayers Your Maiesties most humble and faithfull Subiect HENRY WILKINSON THE Contents of the Chapters in this Treatise vpon Rom. 13. 8. Owe nothing to any man but this that ye loue one another for he that loueth another hath fulfilled the Lawe CHAP. I. THe words opened and a discourse touching Debts in generall with reasons why we should

themselues vpon the hazard of falling from grace The argument is thus Hee that fulfilleth the Law is iustified thereby according to that word * Gal. 3. 12. He that doth these things shall liue by them But euerie true Christian fulfilleth the Law by loue therefore euery true Christian is iustified by the Law Stapleton propounds it thus Stapleton Antidot in sense and triumpheth like a conquerour against Caluin and Beza His argument is thus The fulfilling of the Law is true righteousnesse but he that loueth his neighbour fulfilleth the Law therefore he that loueth his neighbour obtaineth true righteousnesse or true iustification thereby The strength of these arguments is in the ambiguitie of the phrase for true it is He that fulfilleth the Law shall be iustified thereby if he fulfill it in all points perfectly otherwise not iustification but malediction is of the Law But he that loueth his neighbour fulfilleth the Law That I grant is true he that loueth perfectly without any defect fulfilleth the Law perfectly but where is that man that euer so loued or obserued the Law without errour or imperfection Was there euer Patriarke Prophet or Apostle without sinne Doth not Dauid the man after Gods owne heart confesse this sinne with much contrition against himselfe Psal 32. 5. and Psal 51. Doth not * Dan. 9. Daniel the like against himselfe and all the people Doth not * Rom. 7. Paul after his conuersion yet lament his vnwilling subiection vnto sinne When the best of men condemne themselues is it not impudent pride in anie to iustifie himselfe by the workes of the Law Can any bee so partiall in his owne cause or so senslesse of his owne estate as not to tremble at his dayly transgressions arising from the sinke of originall corruption I know for the opening of this speech in hand the learned bring this distinction There is impletio legis quoad partes or quoad gradus We fulfill the Law say they according to the parts or according to the degrees According to the parts when we haue respect to all the commandements as well in one thing as in another not allowing our selues in the neglect or breach of any thus farre say they we attaine But according to the degrees or perfection required in the strict letter of the Law for which cause it is called the killing letter so we do not fulfil the Law In this distinction some satisfie themselues but for mine owne part I am of opinion that the best men faile not onely in the degrees but euen in the parts of the Law omitting at some time the very duties of loue by infirmitie ignorance negligence or temptation so that our best fulfilling of the Law is when that which is not fulfilled is forgiuen according to that of Austin Omnia mandata Dei tunc implentur quando quod non fit ignoscitur All the commandements of God are then fulfilled when that is forgiuen which is not fulfilled And our best iustification is Quando fides impetrat quod Lex imperat When faith obtaineth in Iesus Christ that perfect righteousnesse which the Law enioyneth by a liuely application of the same to the conscience As our loue is not perfect in regard of our defects in matter measure and circumstance so it cannot be meritorious because it is a debt and such a debt as is neuer fully payd but still remaineth due No debt is merit Est ae natura meriti vt sit opus indebitum pramium ex indebito faciens debitū It is of the nature of merit that it be a work not due which makes the reward being nor due of it selfe due to the doer Is all our labour of loue then lost because it is vnperfect and because our fulfilling of the Law is vnperfect or because when wee haue done our best yet our loue is not meritorious or because our best fulfilling of the Law is but onely a true and sincere obseruation of the Commandements but not a full obedience of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in exactnes Is all our labour I say then lost God forbid for though wee cannot attaine vnto perfection in this life it is reserued for the next our righteousnesse being here eclipsed with manifold defects yet the neerer wee come vnto it the more conformable we are to God and to his Law then which nothing is more beautifull or more blessed Paul professeth that though hee had Phil. 3. 12. 14. not as yet attained yet he aspired with great indeauour and pressed toward the mark for the price of the high calling of God in CHRIST IESVS euen so should wee doe also who come much shorter of perfection then he did the remainders of sin continuing more the Image of Christ being lesse renued restored in vs then in him We should I say with all our strength intention of spirit striue to be aduanced to a higher pitch measure of grace of goodnes of loue with the fruites therof knowing that loue is the * Iohn 13. 35. marke of Gods children the proofe of * 1 Iohn 47. our regeneration the seale of our translation * 1 Ioh. 3. 14. from death to life yea such an euidence hereof as will shew it selfe and stand vpon record in the effects when other signes may faile in the day of temptation knowing also that hatred which is contrary hereunto is the diuels * 1 Ioh. 3. 10. Ioh. 2. 11. brand on the vessels of wrath he that hateth his brother walketh in darknesse and knoweth not whether he goeth because darknesse hath blinded his eyes euen his iudgement the eye of the inner man For * Austin glossa ordin Ira est festuca odium est trabs in oculo anger is a moate but hatred is a beame in the eye The summe is this Debts must be paied to whom they are due Loue is a Debt therefore it must be paid to all as time and place and power doe permit that by yeelding hereof in obedience to the Commandement our loue to God himselfe may appeare * Iohn 14 15. who measures our loue by our obedience Who if he discerneth the readinesse of the spirit though the flesh bee weake if a promising and chearefull heart though ability bee not great hee will drawe vs on to further proofe * Iohn 15. 2. Euery branch that beareth fruit hee purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit to the honour and glory of his owne name and to the benefit of his Elect. FINIS Errata PAge 3. line 15. for tooke reade take p. 12. l. 12. for haereditale r. haereditate p. 35. l. 2. for silences r. silence p. 43. l. 16. for euer r ends p. 47. l. 16. for founders r foundress p. 56. l. 23. for mutant r mutent p. 61. l. 11. for no r. a. p. 67. l. 13. for ofter r. often p 92. l 14. for saueurs r. sauers p. 95. l. 7. add to the end of the l. substance p. 99 for moderate r immoderate p 103. l. 9. for which r. whom p 125. l. 1. for doing r. doings in the Marg for Theophilact 1. Theophylact p. 139. l. 16. for this r. his