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	hour_n	worship_v	5,720	5	9.9299	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57510	A sermon preached Avgvst the 19th, 1684, at the consecration of the Lord VVeymouth's chapel in Long-leat by Richard Roderick ...	Roderick, Richard, 1647 or 8-1730.	1684 (1684)	Wing R1771; ESTC R8677	11,539	42

meek the gentle Christ Iesus Behold ye Despisers and wonder and be afraid after such an Instance as this wonder at the awfull Presence which extorted so warm a Concern from Dove-like Innocence and fills the Holy Places and be afraid of the graceless stupidity of those that defile or but slightly regard them To countenance their unmannerly Profaneness who deny the least Honour where double is due some plead that however it were under the Jewish Economy when God dealt with his People according to the hardness of their Hearts yet now since the Establishment of a purer and more Spiritual Religion he enjoins by his Apostle St. Paul that men should pray every where and our Saviour tells the Samaritan Woman the Hour was coming when neither in that Mountain Mount Ephraim at Shiloh where Anciently the Tabernacle and the Ark were nor yet at Jerusalem Men should Worship the Father but should Worship him in Spirit and in Truth By way of reply we may note here that St. Paul speaks of private not of publick Prayer and besides if the latter were meant his appointing it to be made every where or in every place does not forbid a particular separation to Pious Uses does only extend the more solemn Worship of God through the whole World beyond the narrow compass of Ierusalem within which it was before circumscribed This will be an answer to both the forecited Objections which do no more prove the common indifferent Use of Places in the Service of the Lord than that all shall be Priests of God does expose the Ministerial Function to every presumptuous Intruder The sum of the matter is Under the Law the Priesthood was confined to one Tribe the true Worship to one Nation but now under the Gospel both are laid in common that is free for all yet that is not to be invaded by Persons uncalled nor this ordinarily to be performed in publick in Places unsanctified neither to be exercised without preceding Consecrations After these have solemnly set apart Places for Divine Service as in my third Particular I shall endeavour to make out 3. If Men will be sincerely devout in such Places but not otherwise God promises that his Eyes and his Heart shall be there perpetually he will have a particular regard to the Devotions there paid and be affectionately gratious to each Votary that religiously offers them The Happiness of the Almighty is essential and immutable not to be increased by our imperfect Righteousness or diminished by our impotent Iniquities Our most sincere Devotions delight the Lord indeed but affect our selves we only receive the Benefit The Sacrifices of a broken Spirit go up as Incense with a sweet-smelling savour to the Lord but showres of Mercies are return'd for them especially when offered in Places set apart for his Service There hath he promised his Blessing and life for evermore If in our Distresses we flie for Refuge to the Altar if under the apprehension of Punishment which our sins most righteously deserve we take Sanctuary at the House of God our Strength our Redemption will not fail us Thither does God oblige us to repair and he will certainly bless the means which himself prescribes 'T is true when Men draw nigh to God with their Mouths and honour him with their Lips while their Heart is far from and does despite unto him he rejects such their Hypocritical Addresses and angrily demands who hath required these things at your Hands to tread my Courts Oblations are vain Incense an Abomination to him when not Sanctified by Affection Faith and Devotion Whatever sturdy Conceit some Men entertain that being once chosen for God's People they cannot be forsaken by him that he is bound by stronger ties to reside among and protect them constrained with more lasting Cords than those with which the fond madness of certain Heathens shackled the Images of their Gods thereby to secure the charm'd Inhabitants however with the Iews Ier. 7. after notorious Provocations they come and stand before the Lord in the House which is called by his Name and say we are delivered to doe all these Abominations yet let them know that if not averted Iudgment must begin at the House of God and will be most severely executed upon them that profane his Glory by their wicked Approaches The repeated Transgressions of unrighteous Worshippers force the Lord to an abhorrence even of his own Sanctuaries So in punishment to the stubborn Iews he permitted the Ark where he had put his Name and more Majestick Presence to be taken Captive and notwithstanding their frequent Boasts of the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord he gave way for Antiochus to profane for Titus totally to destroy it Though Iacob were his Portion and Israel the Lot of his Inheritance yet they the living Temple of the Lord by unsincere Worship provoked him after sundry manners to set himself in array against them to stir up all his Wrath and make a Way to his Anger clear the Passage that nothing should obstruct the full course of it Nay he proceeded so far as to laugh at the Calamities which he brought upon them to mock when their fear came and sarcastically bid them prepare to meet thy God O Israel Alas what preparation can Dust and Ashes make wherewith to meet and withstand an angry God Lord what is Man impotent Man that he should contend with an Almighty Creator Wherewithall shall we come before and meet him except as Iacob met Esau Gen. 32. with Prayers and Supplications that we may find favour in his sight Thus onely thus may we imitate that Patriarch wrestle with God and prevail Come then and let us reverently Worship the Lord in the midst of the Congregation being assured that for his Goodness sake he will not for his Promise sake he cannot refuse to hear and be gratious to sincere Devotions Holiness becometh and Goodness dwells in his House for ever How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts here Mercy and Truth meet together when Truth fluorisheth out of the Earth Mercy looks down from Heaven As a sensible Instance of God's favourable acceptance of supplicatory Addresses at the Temple when the Iews went up to Ierusalem to make them their Concerns were safe at home though left without a Guard neither incident Calamities befell them nor the Philistines or other bitter Enemies could then molest them the Lord was a Shield the God of Iacob a Defence to them while employed in his Worship Hannah's Womb was opened and she delivered of the Child Samuel in return of her Vow at the yearly Sacrifice in Shiloh and by devoting him to the Service of the Altar she that had been called Barren became a joyfull Mother of five Children more The Promise of Iohn Baptist's Birth was made to Zacharias when he gave attendance in the Temple So certain it is that God will be found