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	holy_a	life_n	7,349	5	4.3274	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B06553	A sober reply to Mr Robert Steed's epistle concerning singing. Wherein all his objections against that way he calls the common and popular way of singing psalms, &c. are impartially examined, and in the spirit of meekness, fully answered. Recommended to the consideration of all the saints and churches of Christ, by divers elders and ministers of baptized congregations. Who desire their brethren who are against such singing, without prejudice to read these lines, and consider them.	Whinnell, Thomas, fl. 1699.	1691 (1691)	Wing W1667; ESTC R186465	46,288	68

these Duties too thô it may be in some things you may not so exactly be found in the performance of them according to the primitive Pattern and may pray for the Spirit to be poured forth in a greater measure to help you to discharge your Duties in those Ordinances but you will not however neglect them under such pretences why then do you wholly neglect this of Singing the praises of God under such a pretence i. e. for want of more of the Spirit to endite and utter a Psalm 3. What ground have you to expect or to pray for those extraordinary Gifts to perform any Gospel Ordinance which were in the primitive Times if there is no promise for their return then no ground of Faith to pray for them 4. May not this tend to cause our people to cast off all other Ordinances upon the same pretences and turn Seekers 't is very dangerous what you suggest here 5. It appears you allow of enditing a Psalm and that the Spirit may return to enable a person so to do Brother dare you say those Godly Men who endite Hymns and Spiritual Songs do not bring them forth now by the help of the Holy Spirit pray in form us how we or any people may infallibly know that an Hymn is endited by the Spirit may not some as much question whether you or other Ministers endite or compile their Sermons by the assistance of Gods Spirit by the same rule as you may question whether or no they have the assistance of the Spirit to endite Hymns 6. There are some that can and do sometimes now bring forth an Hymn extemporarily may not you conclude the Spirit is returned already to enable them so to do or what evidence further do you expect of such a thing hereafter when more of the Spirit is poured forth or how will you know it is not a common nor a natural Gift which such a person hath Brother you seem to many wise men who have read your Epistle to be in this matter a great Enthusiast 7. Lastly Can any Man endite an Hymn or Psalm without study and premediation Certainly what you hint here of enditing and uttering a Psalm or Spiritual Song when the Spirit is poured forth c. is just the same thing which we say many of the Lords Servants by the present help of the Spirit are enabled to do now 3. It is clearly manifested you say in the Holy Scriptures and sadly experienced That the Church or Interest of Christ in the World was to be and hath been not only a long time kept under by Persecution and Bondage by the power of Spiritual Babylon c. in which time the Harps have been as it were hung upon the willows Psal 137.2 The Witnesses have prophesied in Sackcloth and the Church in the Wilderness whereby it hath been a season more for crying and mourning than for rejoycing or singing But also the Holy Spirit hath been in a great measure withdrawn those eminent Gifts that were in the primitive Times have not been distributed to the Saints the Church hath been fed and nourished but not feasted as in the beginning And it is ●●markable that in the Revelations c. we have little or no mention made of a Song of praise uttere●● in Heaven that is the Church after the advanc●ment of the mystery of Iniquity c. till the Lan● appeared again on Mount Sion c. Therefore i● such a time you say it is no wonder if there be so fe● Spiritual Songs endited and sung in the Churches according to the primitive pattern It is now a time rather to be joyning in united prayers for our mutual preservation than to be contending about bringing in aga●● this common formal singing into the Churches p. 13. c. Reply What is all this mentioned for what th● Israel of old under that dispensation whose promise and priviledges were external and more earthly th●● Spiritual in the time of their Captivity being carr●ed away out of their own Land refused to sing o● of the Songs of Sion especially at the taunting 〈◊〉 quest of their insulting Enemies Doth it follow fro● hence that the Saints in the Gospel days under Suffering and Persecution must not sing True were o● priviledges outward or earthly as theirs were th●● might be the like reason for us to say as they di● and hang our Harps on the willows But Brother y●● know better our priviledges and promises are mo●● sublime Spiritual and Heavenly the ground of ou● singing Gods praises are not for outward peac● earthly Riches and Prosperity c. but for Je●● Christ or Redemption through his Blood Union 〈◊〉 Communion with the Father and the Son pardon of S●● Justification Adoption free access to the Throne of Gr●● the witnessings and sealings of the Holy Spirit peace Conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost with the hope ●● Eternal life and as our sufferings do abound in us so●● consolation also aboundeth by Christ 2 Cor. 1.5 for th● things we ought to sing the high praises of God h●● is matter of a Song and from hence God deserve● a glorious manner to have his praises celebrated 〈◊〉 you think any outward mercies can better tune 〈◊〉 Hearts and Tongues to sing Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs than these high sublime and chiefest of ●lessings Were a people more affected with outward or external mercies or with deliverances from ●ersecution under Antichrist than with the mercies ●efore mentioned it would rather betray their sincerity than otherwise and discover a carnal heart 2. It is not known to all the World how sweetly ●nd frequently the poor Saints and Martyrs sung ●salms c. just as they went into the Fire like as Christ and his Disciples sung the night before he was ●etrayed and Paul and Silas when in prison and ●●eir feet fast in the stocks What thô we have cause to ●ourn yet we have cause always to rejoyce nay and we are exhorted to account it all joy when we fall into temptation as the Apostles when they had been ●eat rejoyced they were accounted worthy to suffer ●●ame for Christs Name sake 3. Besides why do you intimate as if the Church under persecution and reign of Antichrist have not had such a measure of the Spirit and presence of God to feast ●hem as well as feed them doubtless the Saints in the ●arkest time of Antichrist were most gloriously feasted 〈◊〉 any in any age of the Church by which means they ●ung a new Song even the Song of the Lamb who had ●edeemed them out of every kindred tongue people and Nation Rev. 5.9 True when Babylon is down it may add to ●●eir joy and when they sing the Song of Moses as well as ●he Song of the Lamb then the melody may seem more ●weet But we must tell you God at all times de●erves his praises thô we were in the same condition with the Church of the Jews and 't is not unknown 〈◊〉 you the