Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	faith_n	word_n	work_n	9,170	5	5.6799	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A54249	The true primitive state of civill and ecclesiasticall government discussed and cleared also a vvay briefly propounded to reconcile the saints, by what names (now) soever distinguished, in unity of doctrine and discipline, according to our covenant in a government neerest to the word of God.	D. P.	1649 (1649)	Wing P14; ESTC R35085	22,555	32

rejoycing to bring their glory to it casting their Crownes at the feet thereof as a due hommage to this eternall Excellency * Thirdly they may sweetly ecco in this to pray for rejoye in and wishing well to the prosperity and peace of each other And Fourthly They may be unanimous in this namely to assist and preserve each other in their distinct sphere and equipage so that God as supream may have his due and man as subordinate his Fiftly and lastly That they may and ought to assent in this that each person in respect of his outward man is under the command approbation and punishment of a Civill state as it shall act publickly for the good or to the apparent prejudice of the same when at the same time the inward in matters of faith as they concerne another life is under the command approbation or punishment of the Church whereof he is a Member As it shal publickly act for the good or the apparent prejudice thereof Thus having past the second I come to the third Well then as for the lawfull authority of those Governours that through the over ruling hand of the most high we are at this present under I dispute not Of which those that are doubtfull and desire to be informed may do well to read that forementioned * sheet or two which perfectly speaks my judgement therein This premised I proceed to the third and last generall head of this discourse namely first to present by way of proposal to our Honourable Worthies some probable meanes whereby their Government may be comfortable to themselves and prosperous to the people And here with the beloved Disciple John I shall minde them of that which was from the beginning according to that which hath already been in part shewed that is to say First that they would aime at the same end in all transactions which God did in the Primitive Institution of a Civil Government which briefly was this that they would be ten Commandement Magistrates giving God and man his due after the two Tables according to nature and reason Secondly for pursuing of which because not ubiquitarie Jethroes counsel might be taken to chuse out in the Nation men fearing God hating covetousnesse which in their places may judge and determine lesser matters Thirdly that accordingly as at first there may be a Government not onely Magisticall but sympatheticall and impartiall That so it be not endangered to split upon the Rock either of a just calumny or a pusillanimious contempt Fourthly That for the protection and praise of them that doe well they would take notice of evill doers disturbers of publick peace to make them exemplary for the same which principally now are the * irreverent impatient restlesse Levellers * or pretended Reverend Ministerial * Presbyters The first of which upon what male contented ground or tumor I know not indeavour machevile and Jesuite like to divide and distract and as much as in them lyes to confound the Councells of our experienced grave and honourable Sennators out of a pretended Jealousie before tryall made after all their winnowing may probably betray their trust which to me certainly neither the law of Nature God or Nations ever gave private persons such a power to anticipate and prejudge the transactions in dubious matters of their supreame Governour which doubtlesse must needs have more knowledge through experience in the affairs of State then the most extraordinary private spirit amongst the giddy multitud And as for those other which pretend to be Sacred calling themselves Ambassadors of Christ which if they were indeed They would never speak reproachfully evil of the rulers of the people as they do in Pulpits and did in their late Letter to the General and Officers of the Army a Paper in it selfe most salfe and scandalous since those that they asperse are publicke persons And themselves though presumed publick are in civill things private which if no more were said it was a sufficient answer to their Letter Againe if it should be admitted that the supream Governours and those under them intrusted * now in being were an usurped power and not agreeing with the law of the Land as they falsly insert yet Gods bare permission of such a power were ground enough not only of submission but their prayers also If the precept of the Apostle Paul be by them thought imitably practicall But these men presume doubtlesse of a more extraordinary spirit like the Prophets of old taking upon them to reprove Magistrates which they by visions many times confirmed by miracles they had an immediate Mission Those being the Gods to whom peculiarly the word of God then was sent Which if they can prove such a calling they shall be no more private but publicke persons To whom not only Magistrates but all others in doubtfull exigences should repaire as to the divine Oracles of God But seeing they cannot It is not a groundlesse or doubtfull title of an Ambassador or Gospel-minister that in case of a publicke civill breach of conscience towards men that should free them from punishment when yet liberty of conscience in doubtfull matters of faith towards God remaine still as a Rock unmoveable Therefore I verily thinke the day of Gods just visitation spoken of in Hosea is come upon these men in that hee hath given up these deviners and spirituall persons to a dog-raging madnes each pretended Prophet like fools not knowing the seasons interchangeable workings of the Almighty But I spare them as objects for our pitty and Prayers rather then envie since through their words already which every where frets like a Gangreen this their madness is in a manner seen and known of all men Fiftly and lastly the way to promote a blessed settlement in the Civill State is for our Honourable Rulers not as Magistrates by any coercive power to settle an Ecclesiastical * government But as Christians eminent in their places through a prudent and godly example to improve their utmost abilities to restore the Church to her former beauty and then shall they be indeed the Repairers of the Antichristian breach and restorers of the ancient paths for Saints to walke in so shall God blesse their government with Potiphar for a Josephs sake and as he did the house of Obed Edom for the Arks sake But it will be demanded what is the government neerest to the word of God since one saith here it is others there and some that there is none at all I have already shewed that God in all ages hath had a visible Church and that cannot be without a goverement although it hath not been alike alwaies in forme nor visibility but as for that visibility of a Nationall Church it having neither matter nor form according to the Primitive Institution it s a government more in name then in reallity the times of the Apostles being then our pattern I shall therefore in this last Series of my