Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	father_n	ghost_n	son_n	36,902	5	6.3305	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A50246	A catechisme, or, The grounds and principles of Christian religion set forth by way of question and answer wherein the summe of the doctrine of religion is comprised, familiarly opened, and clearly confirmed from the Holy Scriptures / by Richard Mather, teacher to the church at Dorchester in New England.	Mather, Richard, 1596-1669.	1650 (1650)	Wing M1268; ESTC R43433	66,565	136

if there were no men there would never be any ships upon the Sea Even so the preservation of the great ship of the world and the guidance of its motions doth evidently shew that there is a God by whom the same is preserved and guided Q. What else may be a further proofe that there is a God A. That there is a God is manifestly declared by the strange and wonderfull plagues and judgments that sometimes are inflicted upon notorious sinners upon earth Exod. 8. 19. 9. 16. Psal. 9. 16. 58. 10. 11 79 10. Q. What may be thought of those accusations and terrors of conscience that sometimes are found in men upon the committing of haynous sins though knowne to no man living but to the sinner himselfe A. This also is another testimony that there is a God before whose judgment seate a man must answer for his deedes for otherwise why should a man be afraid where no feare is Rom. 2. 15. Isa. 33. 14. Psal. 14. 5. 53. 5. Q. How many Gods are there A. No more but one Deut 4. 39 6. 4. Isa 44. 6. 8. 45. 5. 18. 1 Cor 8. 4. 6. Eph. 4. 6. Q. Why may there not be more Gods then one A. Because that is contrary to the nature of God which is to be infinite and everlasting that is the first and the last now there cannot be many infinites nor many firsts and lasts but one only Q. How else doth the nature of God shew that there can be no more but one God A. It is the nature of God to have his being of himselfe and so give being to whatsoever else hath being for so much is signified by the word Iehovah Exod. 3. 14. 6. 3. 15. 3. Q. And how doth this prove that there can be no more but one God A. Because if there were many Gods then either they must one give being to the other or each one have his being of himself both which are utterly impossible Q. Why might not one of them give being to the other A. Because then that other could not bee God as not having his being of himselfe Q. And why might they not be many Gods each one having his God-head of himselfe A. Because then none of them could be God as not giving being to all others which had being Q. Though there be but one God yet is there not more persons or subsistences in the Godhead then one A. Yes the Scriptures doe apparently witnesse that in the unity of the divine essence there is a plurality of the divine persons Gen. 1. 26. 3. 22. 11. 7. Isai. 6. 8. 41. 22 23. Q. How many are the Persons in the Godhead A. They are three the Father the Son and the Holy-Ghost Math. 3. 16 17. 28. 19. Ioh. 14. 16 17. 15. 26. 2 Cor. 13 14. Gal. 4. 6. 1 Ioh. 5. 7. Q. Whether are these three the Father the Son and the Holy-Ghost severall and distinct Persons or onely severall names and titles of one and the same person A. The Father is not the Sonne but another person a the Son is not the Father but another b and the Holy Ghost is neither the Father nor the Son but another c and therefore they are each distinct from other as severall and distinct Persons Q. What are the personall properties whereby each is distinguished from other A. The property of the Father is to beget the Son d the property of the Son to be begotten of the Father e the property of the Holy Ghost to proceed from the Father and the Son f who is therefore called the spirit of the Father g and of the Son h Q. Are every one of these persons God A. Yea Of the Father there is lesse question and the Scriptures doe witnesse that the Son is God i and also that the Holy Ghost is God k Q. You have shewed that there is a God and and onely one God and three persons tell me now what God is A. God is so infinite and incomprehensible that no creature is able fully to comprehend or know him Exod. 33. 20. 23. Iob. 26. 14. 11. 7 8 9. 1 Tim. 6. 16. Q. How then may we conceive of him A. As he hath revealed himselfe to us l in his back parts m which are his divine attributes n and by his workes o Q. What are those Attributes or back parts of God A. Wisdome p Power q Goodnesse r Truth s Justice t Mercy u and the like in all which he is infinite w and everlasting x Q. What are the works of God A. They are three Decree Creation and Providence CHAP. 4. Of Gods Decree Q. WHat is Gods Decree A. That whereby he hath before determined and decreed with himselfe whatsoever shall come to passe Q. Doe you say that Gods decree reacheth to all things whatsoever cometh to passe in time A. Yea all things whatsoever have been are or that shall be hereafter were before decreed and determined by God Eph. 1. 11. Act. 15. 18. Q. What are some of the principall things that are so decreed A. Things that are most casuall a things that are most freely done by the creature b and things wherein the creature commits abundance of sin c Q. What else A. Such things as seeme small and little d are also great and speciall events Q. What are some of those great and speciall events that are decreed by the Lord A. The comming and death of Christ and all the workes of his mediatorship e the salvation of the Godly f the damnation of the wicked g the day of every mans particular death h and the day of the generall judgement i Q. When were all these things decreed by God A. Before the world was created even from everlasting 1 Cor. 2. 7. Eph. 1. 4. 3. 11. 1 Pet. 1. 20. 2 Tim. 1. 9. Q. What was the cause of Gods decrees A. The cause that moved him to decree was nothing foreseene in the creature but his own will and good pleasure Rom. 9. 11. 18. Matth. 11. 25. 26. But sith some are appointed by the decree of God to damnation if his will be the cause of that decree how is that just Yea it is most just and righteous notwitstanding Rom. 13 14. Q. How may that appeare A. Because the will of God is the rule of all righteousnesse k and because the Lord hath absolute power over all creatures as the Potter hath power over his clay l Q How else may the justice of the Lord in his decrees appeare A. Because what ever be the Lords decree there is no man actually condemned till he be first defiled with sinne Rom. 3. 9 19. 2. 6 9. Genes 4. 7. Q. VVhether is the decree of God certaine and immutable or such as may be changed and not take

and the naturall course of things a CHAP. 7. Of Angels Q. WHat are the Kindes of Gods providence A. It is either generall towards all Creatures or specially towards some Q. What are those speciall creatures which the providence of God doth extend unto A. Angels and men Q. VVhat is the nature of Angels A. They are Spirits b or spirituall substances and therefore invisible that they cannot be seene with bodily eyes no more then the wind that bloweth or the soules of men nor are they preserved by sleep and food raiment as living bodyes are c and yet they are immortall and cannot dye d Q. VVhat else are we to know concerning the nature of Angels A. That they are creatures of excellent strength e great acutenesse of understanding f very swift and speedy in their motion g and by creation very pure and holy h Q. What is the number of Angels A. Though they be not infinite yet their number is very great and to us they are innumerable Dan. 7. 10. Ps. 68. 17. Mat. 26. 53. Heb. 12. 22 Q. What end and office were they created for A. To celebrate the Lords praises and to execute his commands i specially towards the heirs of salvation k Q Do the Angels continue in that estate wherein they were first created A. Not all for a great many fell away from that happy condition who are now become devils Ioh. 8. 44. 2. Pet. 2. 4. Iude 6. Q. May the rest also fall away and perish with the devils A. No because they are elected of God and so for ever upholden in that good estate 1 Tim. 5. 27. CHAP. 8. Of the estate of man in Innocency by creation Q HOw doth the providence of God exercise it selfe towards man A. In a fourefold estate the state of Innocency by creation afore the fall the state of Corruption by and since the fall the state of grace in this world and the state of Glory in the world to come Q What was the state of man in Innocency by by creation afore the fall A. God did as it were deliberate with himselfe the father son and spirit consulting together about the making of man a and therefore it must needs be that the state of man at the first by Gods creating of him was very excellent Q. Wherein did his cheife excellency consist A. In that he was made in the Iikenesse and image of God Gen 1. 26. 27. Q. What was that image of God A. Principally it stood in knowledge righteousnesse and true holynesse Col. 3. 10. Eph. 4. 24. Eccles. 7. 29. Q. What was the knowledge that man was indued withall in that estate A. He did then truely and distinctly know God and the will of God b with the nature of the creatures c and his own present happinesse d Q. What was that holynesse and righteousnesse A. That his will and affections with his whole heart and soule was exactly conformable to the revealed will of God Q. Did not man in that state besides this conformty to God enjoy communion with God A. Yes at that time there was great amity and love betweene God and man e all the destance that is now being risen since as the effect and fruit of sinne Q Did not the place where man was then put something set forth his happinesse in that estate A. Yes for he was placed in Paradise which was an excellent garden planted by God himselfe and abounding with all delight and pleasures Gen. 2. 8 9 10 15. Q But seeing man was to worke and labour in the garden in dressing and keeping it how doth this agree with happinesse A. Yea very well because happinesse doth not consist in idlenesse and as for his labour it then was and alwayes should have bin without paine and wearinesse if man had continued in that estate Q. What was mans condition at that time in respect of food and raiment A. The earth at that time was furnished with plenty and variety of wholesome and delightsome fruits and he had liberty to eat of them all except onely of the tree of knowledge of good and evill Gen. 2. 16. Q. His food then was excellent but what was his apparrell A. Such was the strength and beauty of his body outwardly and the perfection of Gods image wherewith he was clothed inwardly that he had no neede of other bodily apparrell either in respect of shame or season of weather and therefore he lived naked Gen. 2. 25. Q. What was his condition in respect of other creatures A. All the fishes of the Sea all the birds of the ayre and beasts of the field were all of them subject to his dominion and rule Gen. 1. 20 28 and 2. 19 20. Q. But what helpe had he in his condition against solitarinesse A. The Lord saw it was not good for a man to be alone and that amongst all the other creatures there was not a meete helpe for him and therefore of a ribbe of his side he made a woman and brought her to the man to be his wife Gen. 2. 18. c. Q But why was man created last of all ceatures A. This also doth declare his excellency and happy estate by creation for being made last it appeareth thereby that he was under God the end for which the other creatures were made and so was more excellent then they as the end is more excellent then the meanes Q How else did the time of mans creation declare his happinesse A. It appeareth thereby that God would not make him before he had first provided for him but brought him into the world as into a great store-house already fully furnished with all variety of good things that might be for his service and comfort CHAP. 9. Of the fall of our first Parents Q. YOu have already shewed the state of man in Innocency by creation what things are to be dered concerning the state of corruption The beginning thereof which was the fall of our first parents and the consequents of that fall in respect of sinne and punnishment Q. What Scriptures do prove that Adam and Eve did fall from that state of innoceney and purity where in they were created A. Many but most especially the third chap. of Genes Eccles. 7. 29. Isa. 43. 27. Rom. 5. 12 18 19. 1. Tim. 2 14. Q Who did fall A. First Eve a then Adam b and in him all man kind c that proceed from Adam after the ordinary way Q. How did man fall A. By transgression d and disobedience e to the commandement of God which was that they should not eate of the tree of knowledge of good and evill f Q Wherein was this such a great offence for it may seeme a small matter to eat an apple or other fruit forbidden A. This sinne was not small but very great as comprehending in it an heape and multitude of many other hainous evills Q What