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	prayer_n	6,254	5	6.1558	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A62154	An expedient for peace, or some Christian and reasonable proposals, once more renewed and offered again to Friends of Reading conducing to an amicable composure of differences among them: with a healing epistle to them from Friends of Bristol, on both sides, tenderly advising them to meet all together again in their ancient publick meeting house. As also a seasonable expostulation and a persuasive to a reconciliation, with some remarkable testimonies added to promote the same and several objections against it answered, which may tend to a general service.	Sandilands, Robert.	1692 (1692)	Wing S658; ESTC R222483	58,787	79

and Uncharitableness if Wrath and Envy if Animosities and Contentions were but the marks of true Christians Diogenes need never light his Lamp at Noon to find out such among us but if a Spirit of Meekness Gentleness and Condescension if a stooping to the weaknesses and infirmities of one another if pursuit after Peace when it flies from us be the Indispensible Duties and Characteristical Notes of Christians it may possibly be a difficult Inquest to find out such for the crouds of those that shelter themselves under that Glorious Name V. Tertullian that Famour and Learned Apologist published his Apology or Defence of the Christians against the accusations of the Gentiles in the 10th Year of the Empire of Severus in the Year of our Lord 204. Among many other excellent sayings therein take these few It is equally forbidden us to wish to do evil Chap. 36. or to speak evil of our Neighbours c. and in Chap. 39. But it is a strange thing that this Charity among us gives occasion to some to blame us See saith he how they Love one another This astonisheth them because they hate one another See say they how they are ready to Die one for another But as for them they are ready to Kill one another It must not seem strange to you if we call one another Brethren seeing we are all your Brethren by the right of Nature which is Mother to us all we have the same Principles as you but you Renounce the Humanity common to to us because you are evil Brethren to us But with how much more reason are they called and esteemed Brethren who acknowledge one and the same Father to wit the living God that have received the same Spirit of Sanctity c. But alas it was not long when they degenerated from both that Purity and Charity that appeared among them for the 1st 2d or 300. Years and gave occasion to Heathens both to see and say how they Hated Tear'd Devour'd and did Bite and Persecute one another how they Killed and Destroyed one another and how they imposed upon and insulted over each other according as they had the Civil Powers on their sides and being unhappily once broken into pieces and divided into separate Parties and distinct Societies then each side did strive to suppress others and maintain their own Interests right or wrong as might be largely Instanced from the Ecclesiastical Histories of Eusebius Socrates c. And alas has it been much better of late Years amongst Professors of Christianity And how happy would it be for Christendom it were not so still even in our days VI. In the aforesaid History of Eusebius l. 8. Chap. 1. is declared both the happiness of the Primitive Christians while they kept in Love and Unity together as also what miserable condition they were brought to by their mutual hatred c. thus expressed These thigns having thus prevailed says he and daily increased viz. Favour and Reverence they had amongst all sorts of Men far and near so that no Malice could intercept no spiteful Fiend bewitch c. as long as the Divine and heavenly hand of God upheld and visited his People whom as yet he worthily accepted But after that our affairs through too much Liberty Ease and Security degenerated from the natural rule of piety and after that one pursued another with open Contumely and Hatred and when that we impugned our selves by no other than our selves This was in Ano. Dom. 1301. some time before the 10th great Persecution raised by Dioclesian with the Armour of Spight and sharp Spears Opprobrious words so that Bishops against Bishops and People against People raised Sedition Last of all when that cursed Hypocrisy and Dissimulation had swum over even to the brim of malice the heavy hand of Gods high Judgment after his wonted manner began softly a little and little to visit us so that the Persecution that was raised against us took his first original from the Brethren which were under Banner in Camp whereas we were touched with no sense or feeling thereof neither went about to pacifie God we heaped Sin upon Sin thinking like careless Epicures that God neither cared neither would visit our sins And they which seemed our Shepherds laying aside the rule of Piety practised Contention and Schism among themselves whilst they heaped these things that is Contention Threatnings mutual hatred and enmity and every one proceeded in Ambition much like Tiranny it self Then I say Then the Lord according to the saying of Jeremiah Lam. 2. made the Daughter of Sion obscure and overthrew from above the glory of Israel c. VII But O Friends how contrary and directly opposite are such Fractions Divisions Contentions Discords c. amongst those who declared themselves to be Children of one Father and followers of the same Lord Jesus to that solemn and most fervent prayer in John 17. which our blessed Master offered up to his Father in the Days of his External blessed appearance in that Holy Body of Flesh and which he poured out but a little before his Death With what fervency of Spirit doth he pray for Unity among his Disciples and all his People that should believe on him It s remarkable that no less than four times doth he repeat the same Supplication and every time rises higher and higher and more and more earnest for it First that they might be one Secondly that they may be one in us Thirdly that they may be one even as we are one And Lastly that they may be made perfect in one and that the World may know that thou hast sent me c. And how much and how often he recommends and commands loving one another none can be ignorant who have read any of the Books of Matthew Mark Luke and John called the four Evangelists VIII It was well observed by one that our Saviour has made the Doctrins of Meekness and Charity such ingredients in his Gospel that he has made them the Characters by which his Disciples may be every where known and this Spirit of love is so diffused through the writings of the New Testament that how hard soever it may be to understand some of the other passages that are in them yet there is no Ambiguity at all in those that set this forth There are some of the Epistles that do not mention several of the Duties incumbent on Christians yet there is not one how short soever in which this of love is not proposed in Terms that are both strong and tender And while the Church of Corinth was almost rent asunder by variety of Opinions and by the different parties that followed several Teachers that had been among them The Apostle does not enter much into the grounds of their Disputes but recommends Love and Charity to them The Apostle John lived so long as to see a great deal of the first fervour of the Christian Religion slacken but when he wrote to revive that

for Brethren to Dwell together in Vnity It is like the precious Ointment upon the Head that ran down upon the Beard even Aaicons Beard that went down to the Skirts of his Garments as the dew of Hermon and as the dew that descended upon the Monntains of Sion for there the Lord commanded the Blessing even life for evermore VII And indeed as here is great blessing that attends Unity and Concord so the contrary must needs accompany Discord Disunity c. and which is very Unpleasant Uncomfortable and Uncomely And as it is highly Offensive and a great evil before the Lord so it is a great and may prove a fatal stumbling-block to many and a cause of sad reproach to see a People all own the same Principles of Religion all under the same Profession and Denomination and yet cannot agree nor meet in one and the same place together as Friends and Brethren VIII Psal 1.20 v. 5 6 7. Doth not this occasion some to take up that complaint which David did in his time Wo is me saith he that I sojourn in Mesech that I dwell in the Tents of Kedar my Soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth Peace I am for Peace but when I speak they are for War O Friends what true quietness Peace or satisfaction can those enjoy or bespeak to themselves who have been or are the chief cause of this unhappy Separation and do obstruct it still from being otherways and do hinder an amicable Composure of differences being of such a rigorous severe Temper that they are for exacting to the very utmost Farthing IX Friends Remember and practice the Apostles good advice and caution Rom. 12.17 and 19.20 Recompence says he to no Man evil for evil but overcome evil with good and avenge not your selves but rather give place unto wrath Is not this one of the hardest Lessons that can be learned by too many especially such in whom Pride or passion prevails And if the professors of Christianity were but once brought to take up their Cross to deny themselves in this one thing viz. Revenge whether by Tongue or Hand or other ways as there are too many ways some more secret others more open whereby Revenge is shewen which is a necessary and material point of true Religion as to the practical part thereof O how soon then would there be an end put to all the Heats Broils Contests Animosities c. which abound amongst them and how easily then might they be Reconciled to and at Peace one with another For the aforesaid excludes all manner of Revengeful Retaliations Reflections or Exasperations towards any friends or foes and if we be advised as we are in another place Ja. 4.11 not so much as to speak evil one of another much less to do evil one to another And in Zach. 7.9 Thus speaketh the Lord of Hosts saying Execute true Judgment and shew mercy and compassion every Man to his Brother And oppress not the Widow nor the Poor and let none of you Imagine evil in his Heart against his Brother Read the 11 12 13. vers the sore Judgment that came upon them for their refusing to harken and did not do as above mentioned X. Surely to be implacable is far from being like unto Children in malice 1 Cor. 14.20 as we are Counselled to be so innocent and harmless as they are for we know that though they do sometimes quarrel together and that about meer trifles too yet they are as soon pacified and made friends again it being contrary to their natures to retain long their wrath or anger one towards another as it is so with some good natur'd persons that it is more like to Men in Malice that are very rough hard-hearted difficult to be reconciled ever again and Children in understanding and quite contrary to what the Apostle exhorts Eph 31.32 to let all Bitterness and Wrath and Anger and Clamour and evil speaking be put away from you and be ye kind one to another and tenderhearted forgiving one another even as God for Christ his sake hath forgiven you XI But we fear there are those who are so implacable that they will rather forfeit or run the hazard of losing forgiveness from God to themselves than to forgive others and indeed an unforgiving is a sad Sign of an unforgiven person O how hard may it go with many such if the Lord should answer them according to what sometimes they may verbally pray and in a formal manner repeat these words oftentimes and yet never receive any benefit by them viz. forgive us our Sins as we forgive them that Sin against us Let such read Mat. 6.14 15. v. saith Christ for if ye forgive Men their Trespasses your Heavenly Father will also forgive you But if ye forgive not Men their Trespasses neither will your Father forgive your Trespasses And in another place he saith Shouldst not thou also have had Compassion on thy follew servant even as I had pity upon thee and his Lord was Wrath c. so likewise shall my Heavenly Father do also unto you if ye from your hearts forgive not for every one their Trespasses read Mat. 18. from the 23d to the end XII Well Friends it s a heavy Judgment for any Person or People to be given up to an Irreconcilable and Implacable Spirit of Revenge and Malice they themselves at last will have the worst by it And the Lord may and its the firm Faith of many that he will certainly in his own time and according to his infinite Wisdom find out some other way if there be still an obstinacy stifness and unwillingness to comply with pursue such Christian Prudent Methods as ought to be complyed with in order to a happy Reconciliation Union and Friendship by which he will bring and Unite together the sincere honest and simple-hearted on both sides who are Innocent in their minds to the Lord and have no by-end private interest or design nor prejudice in their hearts towards any into true Love Peace and Concord And as for those who do continue stiff stout and high-minded will not in the least yield nor by no means be brought to be of a flexible condescending tender frame of Spirit one to another but say as the proud Pharisee I am not as this Publican or like to those of Old which said stand by thy self or further off Come not too near me for I am holier than thou c. let them beware lest it befal them as it did those that even their Sacrifice became as Smoak in the Nostrils of the Lord Isa 65.5 and he abhorred their offerings and as they do delight themselves in a separation and at a distance one from another and reckon it better to be so than together that he be not at last provok'd to separate and remove from them his blessed Presence for though he waits and bears long yet he will not always do so but his long-suffering