Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
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A07451
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A sermon of nobilitie· Preached at VVhite-hall, before the King in February 1606. By George Meriton Doctor of Diuinity, one of his Maiesties chaplaines in ordinary; and parson of Hadleigh in Suffolke.
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Meriton, George, d. 1624.
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1607
(1607)
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STC 17838; ESTC S112666
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13,872
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40
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and shapes of noblenes for in CHRIST IESVS saith Saint Paule Gala. the sixt and fifteene nether circumcision availeth any thing nor vncircumcision but a new creature Not Circumcision not the preheminence of the lewe which was much euery way Rom. the third and first for to them appertayned the adoption and the glory and the couenants and the giuing of the lawe and the seruice of GOD and the promises Rom. the ninth and fourth verse Not Vncircumcision not the honour of the Gentiles with al their wealth wisdome pollicies pedegrees and whatsocuer is of high account and glorious in the eyes of the world All priuiledges all prerogatiues all dignities all regalities they must stoope and lie downe at the feete of a new creature Paul whilest he was a Iewe was a citizen of Rome a Pharisy a great Rabby instructed at the feete of Gamaliel of the tribe of Beniamine circumcised the eight daye after his conuersion being a christian he was an Apostle taken vp into the third heaueÌ„ c. yet all these things did he thinke but as losse and doung in respect of his being a new creature in CHRIST IESVS This indeed is the ornament of the bloud the best part of Noblemens scutchions the finest flower in their garlands and be they of neuer so great an estate and want this they are but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wretched and vile and miserable Apoc. the 3. and seuenteene To haue wisdom wealth strength beauty is in comparison nothing first Cor. the first and 25. 26. 27. verses To be King or Kesar is in comparison nothing for the King may not lift vp his mind aboue his bretheren Deutro the 17. and 20. ver Caesares essent Christiani si Caesares non essent secule necessarij aut si Christiani potuessint esse Cae ares saith Turtulian of the Caesars To be the Mother or Brother of CHRIST is in comparison nothing for if these had not been allyed vnto him by spirituall adoption as wel as by naturall propagation they could not haue been saued Luke the 11. Chapter and 27. verse and Marke the third Chapter the 33. and 35. verses Only a new creature shall stand when all things else shall faile and then are we truly honorable when our pedigree runneth vpwards with Christs in the third of Luke to this height Which is the Sonne of Adam which is the Sonne of God I call not there a Christian Noble A new creature as if he lately came out of Affrica or had neuer been heard of in the world before for as Bildad speaketh in the 8. of Iob these are not men of yesterday Though the name of Christian began first to be published at Antioch yet before Christ was borne was this broode honorable Who can exclude Moses from it who preferred the reproch of Christ before the Court of Pharao Or Iacob who beheld Christ leaning on the top of the ladder and did him reuerence Or Abraham who saw the day of Christ and reioyced exceedingly These and many more were all noble Christians indued with Christs spirit and yeelding seruice vnto him so that some went before and some followed after but the song of all was one Hosanna in the highest The worth and dignity of Christian Nobility consisteth in this that it maketh the Sonnes of men the Sonnes of God not by the grace of Creation as Adam was in his innocency nor by the grace of personell vnion as Christ is in his manhood but by the grâ—ce of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father the acts whereof is double 1. acceptation 2. regeneration by the former we are all equall to those which are the best by the latter we are made not Sonnes more then others but yet better Sonnes of God And then are these Nobles borne when the Sonne of righteousnes ariseth in their soules enlightning their minds and offering vnto their inward viewes the iudgements of God for sinne hic dolor est partus this is the paine of their birth haec vespera est sayth Barnard this is the sorrow of the euening necesse est addimatutinam laetitiam and for a full deliuerance the gladnesse of the morning must be added a sweet excusing ioy of conscience a laetitia that is a latitia which maketh the heart farre more wider then the mouth and thus is their birth consummate when evening and morning are made one day As they haue a birth so haue they also a growing they increase in yeares and with yeares grow in fauour both with GOD and Man let Iohn the Baptist who was not only in high esteeme amongst the people sed magnus coram Domino Luke the first Chapter but great likewise in the sight of GOD deriuing not onely their descent from the King of glory but hauing also this King their most louing Father being all Kings sonnes and beloued of their Father all Brothers to Christ the first borne among many brethren all yonger brothers indeed but which is wonderfull all Princes apparant Reuelat the fifth Chapter and the tenth verse and that to Crownes incomparably preticus both for their valew for they are Crownes of life Timoth. the 2. Chapter and 4. verse and also for their glory for they are incorruptible Crownes of glory Peter the first and 5. Chapter and 4. verse Hauing yet further the Holy Ghost for their vnspeakeable comforter dwelling in them speaking to them praying with them and crying for them with sighes and grones which cannot be expressed whose garments are the vnstayned roabes of their Sauiours righteousnes whose Chayne is the golden Chayne of their saluation the links whereof are described Rom. the 8. Chapter and 24. verse whose good cognoscence is a good conscience whose signet is the spirit pledging and sealing vp their hearts to the assurance of life whose Iewels and ornaments are the graces of that spirit as ioy peace humility faith loue hope patience c. whose diet more choise then Manna is that liuing bread which came downe from Heauen whose vassals are all the creatures and whose attendants are the Angels pitching themselues round about them Psal 34. and verse 7. ministring vnto them ministring vnto them for their good for the good of their saluation Hebr. the first Chapter and 14. verse These be those vnto whom GOD beareth an especiall affection whom he hath elected before the world called out of the world iustifyed in the world and whom he will glorifie in the world to come Tell me now is it not the greatest honour to be a true Christian Noble What shall be done vnto the man whom the King will honour the question is answered in the 6. Chapter of Hester Hee shall be arrayed with royall attire with the Kings ring on his hand his princely diademe set vpon his head and withall a Proclamation shall be published The Viceroy in the kingdome Heere be singuler aduancements yet the highest of these is farre inferior to the least and lowest which GOD bestoweth vpon true Christian Nobles Our
acknowledge CHRIST to be their Sauiour Secondly they are indued with his spirit Thirdly they abhorre to serue sinne Lastly they are strong in faith all which are couched in the words of my text for he that receiueth the word must needs acknowledge CHRIST he that receiueth it with all readinesse hath assuredly his spirit he that searcheth the Scriptures dayly attendeth not vnto sinne he that searcheth with these Baereans to confirme himselfe groweth from faith to faith from strength to strength till he commeth to be a perfect man in Christ Iesus To receiue the word doth not barely signifie to take it but to retaine it Actes the 3. Chapter and 21. verse and like good ground to fructifie Mark the the 4. Chapter To search is not an idle but an earnest inquiry to search with lights Zophany the first Chapter to looke into hearts and reynes Psal the 7. into euery cranny and corner very narrowly To receiue readily argues a willing minde to search dayly an industrious spirit to search for to learne an humble and an honest heart The summe of all then is this The best Nobles makes best account of the Gospell of Christ they heare it with a glad heart they study it to amend their lines by it they say vnto it as Elisha said vnto Elias I will not forsake thee and with noble Iosua they meditate in it day and night Let your Lordships therefore bee pleased to giue me leaue as Peter speaketh in his second Epistle and third Chapter to stirre up and warme your pure mindes and though you haue knowledge yet to put you in remembrance of these dutyes If you care to be in the number of those who are the best If you tender the continuance of that Honour which the Lord hath already powred vpon you or expect any future accesse thereunto as Hierome sayd to Saluâ—na Semper in manibus sit diuina lectio Let the word of GOD dwell in you aboundantly Persist in honoring the highest with your hearts by giuing glory vnto him with your liues by adorning his doctrine with your countenance and riches by incouraging the practises and profession of pietie and as when the Lyon roareth the beasts of the Forrests doe tremble and quake so when the Lyon of the Tribe of Iuda speaketh though but by a meane messenger you that be of his Court yeeld him reuerence These be the paths beaten by the noblest Christians in these standeth the whole duty of men most honorable vpon performance whereof and no condition els the Sonne of GOD himselfe made challenge to the glory of his Father Iohn the 17. Chapter and 3. verse I haue glorified thee on earth and now glorifie me with thy selfe in heauen Blessed be the GOD of glory who hath bedecked this Land with such glorious lights so many noble Christians and if that Kingdom be happy whose King is the sonne of Nobles Eccle. the 10. Chap. and 17. vers then assuredly great is our happines hauing in the middest of Nobles so Noble a King in all kinds of Nobility Noble by nature a King not by election but by birth descended from a most ancient and matchlesse samely Noble by fortune hauing his lap filled with all her fauours being owner of Kingdomes Countries and Cities wealthy and populous which adds a splendor and Maiesty vnto him Noble morrally possessed with heroicall vertues and beawtifyed with a true Idea of a princely minde Diuinely Noble the Defender of the true faith who is the Sonne of Adam who is the Sonne of GOD. Noble by an exact conspiration of all kindes together Whose spirituall and immortali seed is Nobilitie from Heauen whose Materiall is Nobility from Nature whose immediate forme is nobilitie of manners whose instrumentall and externall fulgor is nobility of Fortune This is the most perfit and most rare Nobility in the world shining in some fewe Christian Princes and Nobles from GOD Nature Vertue Fortune The Lord blesse your Royall Maiesty that as you haue receiued the word from your youth so you may defend the faith with constant resolution and loue the Gospell vnto your liues end The Lord blesse all your Nobles that as they be by their best title Christian so their fruites may be euer answerable to their calling The Lord blesse the worthy Prince with the rest of the young and Honorable Branches of this Land and make them know that if Angels fall they become Princes of darkenes that if young Nobles degenerate they become the common calamities of their Countrey that they are as so many Lucifers fallen from Heauen The Lord for his mercies sake blesse vs all that hauing GOD to our Father in this life we may raigne with Father Sonne and Holy Ghost in the life to come Amen FINIS