Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	eye_n	see_v	soul_n	5,969	5	5.1023	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A44417	A sermon preach'd before the King and Queen at White-Hall, January XIV. 1693/4 by Geo. Hooper.	Hooper, George, 1640-1727.	1694 (1694)	Wing H2708; ESTC R26068	13,466	36

us by our Saviour and experimentally discovering that His Yoke is easie and Burthen light that His Paths are Paths of Pleasure and Peace This is the Seraphick State of Holy Men who now believe not only what they have heard but perceive and know what their Eyes have seen and their Hands have handled and their Souls have enjoyed of the Word of Life Then from the Heart continuing its first Motion and actuated with Devotion and Zeal fresh supplies of Spirits are sent back again to the Head the Warmth of the Breast is inkindled into a Flame and New Light springing up from that Holy Heat the upper Sphaere of Man like Heaven is full of Brightness and Joy In this manner the Knowledge of God's Will is to be improv'd by us It comes by Hearing and may be imagined by Meditation but it really increases strengthens and is fix'd by Actions of Obedience and reducing it into Practice It is not therefore to be wonder'd That such as doe not those things which are convenient become of Reprobate Minds and that they lose the Knowledge of God who like not to retain it Neither shall we admire if there are those who are in appearance always learning but never come to the Knowledge of Christ Their Ears itch and they heap up to themselves Teachers but their Hands are idle their Feet are straying and their Souls have no Inclination to try and to obey They have heard much and some Fancy of their Duty they may have or may speak its Language they have wrote it may be and can repeat but the Repetition of all moral Discourses should be by Practice and they transcribed into our Conversation They edifie not they say by this Man's Sermon and by the Knowledge from which they think they are edified they may not be built but puffed up But how should they edifie who sit still only and hear Faith being no more to be built up and finish'd by Preaching than a House would be erected by the Discourse of the best Architect Much less should we expect a Superstructure if as in the Confusion of a Babel their Actions agreed not with the Speech and what was endeavoured to be raised at the Ear they with the foolish Woman were still pulling down with their hands But this is to be the Consolation of the illiterate if honest-hearted Christian that although there be those that appear more knowing are skill'd in the Notions and History of God's Will can give an account of all the Disputes of Christianity and can determine them yet that all this is but smattering and learned Ignorance without any true Sense and sound Judgment that those only are in the right Method of Divine Knowledge who are obeying God and observing his Will they are the Profound and the Illuminate and know the Doctrine as it ought to be known their Light now shines before men and they shall shine as Stars for ever and ever And may I further observe that the Reflection of our Saviour which gives an account of that contradiction which opposes his Doctrine gives too a reason of all the Differences and Debates that have been raised in it For these would infallibly be much less if not quite cease were those who eagerly dispute his Will as zealous and earnest to perform it were not Men more warmly concerned for the Honour and Interest of their Party or themselves than they are really desirous to understand the Mind of Christ For if any one truly gives himself up to do his Will he will not be apt to enter into needless Contests about what is not practical nor strive most to know what is not to be done And then when he comes to the Question so much of his Lord's Will he will at first observe as to be modest and meek and tractable not suffer his Passions and Animosities to join in the Enquiry he will not bring so much as a Wish on one part much less shall any humane Pre-ingagements decide the Controversie And if so one cannot but think and sure we are not in this partial our selves that the Papal Infallibility for Example and their Transubstantiation would be no longer defended nor their gross Falshoods be set up for Catholick Truths Neither on the other side would ancient Laudable Practices be any longer Idolatrous and Antichristian Were we not carnal and walked we not as Men favouring our selves and doing our own Will there might be neither Heresie nor Schism did we resign our selves up to the Truth on which side soever it should appear And certainly the Sacredness and Moment of the Cause where God's Will is in question would require such a Caution as in lesser Matters is inforc'd by an Oath that we should judge without Favour and Affection Hatred and Malice that those at least who take upon themselves to judge of his Law should judge righteous Judgment For what is fit to be said after any Accident that befals us by the Providence of God is as proper to be premis'd before a Dispute concerning his Revelation Thy will be done O Father which art in Heaven And were our part of it done on Earth as it is in Heaven it might almost be known in the same manner Happy it would be for the Arts said an Ancient if none but the Skilful and the Artists judg'd of them and no less happy would it be for Religion if only the truly religious and the sincere Christian were to determine the Points in Difference This Advantage would undoubtedly result that the Disputers would not be very many as well as that the Disputes would be no more than necessary fairly debated and soon composed Whereas now all Religious Controversies are managed like Wars for Religion rais'd and fought not always by the most Religious Men. The Question is concerning some Point of Faith or Manners and should be argued by Godly Spirits But the World and the Flesh they come in and intermeddle and they are as Auxiliaries on either side whose Interest it is the Cause should never be decided For were not Christianity divided what Enemy would it have but those its sworn Enemies against whom it had declar'd in Baptism And against these it would then join its Vnited Force in a Holy League and never cease until they were intirely subdued In these many Differences of thinking concerning our Saviour's Person and Pleasure we piously hope that he will mercifully consider the Infirmities and Errors of Men and accept the Services of the Well-meaning pardoning their Ignorance and want of Discernment if not too careless and too wilful But lest we betray our selves and others into a further Mistake we shall do well to take along with us this his Observation and remember that generally all our Ignorance is wilful for want of Will to do God's Will And when Ignorance shall come to be pleaded in the day when He shall judge the secrets of mens hearts it may then amount to no better an Excuse than if instead