Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
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A09320
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The seaven golden candlestickes Englands honour. The great mysterie of Gods mercie yet to come. With peace to the pure in heart aduising to vnitie among our selues. By Richard Bernard, minister at Batcombe in Somersetshire.
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Bernard, Richard, 1568-1641.
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1621
(1621)
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STC 1963; ESTC S113795
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38,453
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126
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more out and there shall be written vpon him the Name of God and of the Citie new Ierusalem Christ his Name Christians and true Church of Christ shall be in a stable and vnmoueable state Pope Turke the Beast and Dragon open and secret Enemies being destroyed these heauenly Conquerours shall bee accounted the true Church of God that new Ierusalem such as God the Father Iesus Christ will claime for his owne as if his name were writvpon them C. 19. 20. C. 21. 2 He that hath an eare let him heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches And thus much for this beautifull and louely Philadelphian state of the Church from Anno 1558. to the time determined set out in this Church of Philadelphia In this estate are we in these dayes CONSIDERATIONS FOR INSTRVCTION AND VSE FIrst that this is the time of opening the doore that men may come into the true Church Secondly That none now shall euer bee able to shut againe this doore Protestance shall prosper Thirdly that a little strength with obedience to the Word shall bee sufficient for the Churches safety Fourthly that the false Church by the power of Christ though this to man seeme incredible shall be made subiect to the true Church Fiftly that shortly Christ will make the Enemies know his loue to his owne people Sixtly that great tryals and temptations shall come vpon the World of which it may bee wee haue now the beginnings but the Lord will keepe his Church God Almighty prepare and strengthen vs in his mercie to subdue our enemies O Lord saue thy people shew thy power in the confusion of thine our malicious Aduersaries that we may for euer sing prayses to thy Name euen so be it O Lord of thy goodnesse euen so be it Amen THE SEVFNTH GOLDEN CANDLESTICK THE SEVENTH CHVRCH In the Type In the Antitype The Church of LAODICEA the last of the seuen The Laodicean state of Christ his Church and the last till Christ come to iudgment which state followeth vpon that height of excellencie and glory which in the Philadelphian state it attayneth vnto 1. HEERE Christ calleth himselfe the Amen the faithfull and true Witnesse the beginning of the Creation of God 1. BEcause now the LORD bringeth his Church to the last state euen to the Amen therof hereupon Earth in which when all things are fulfilled which Christ Iesus as a true and faithfull Witnesse of his Fathers will hath foretold by himselfe and by his Spirit in the Prophets and Apostles then shall he fully declare himselfe the Authour of the heauenly Creation and of that glory of his Saints which they shall enioy with him in  appearing at the last Day Reuelat 21. 2. This became luke-warme being neyther hote nor cold 2. After the great peace which the Church shall haue vpon her so high aduancement in her former state all her Enemies being brought downe and vtterly destroyed she shall decay in zeale become luke-warme not hot as seruently bent vnto Godlinesse neither cold as without any affection of Religion at all but too carelesly remisse in the duties of Pietie contenting herselfe with a peaceable enioying of the Lords ordinances after an outward forme of Godlinesse in abundance and plentie of all things by which it will come to passe in time that Charitie shall wax cold and Faith that is the sincere studie of godlinesse shall scarcely bee found vpon Earth when Christ shall shew himselfe at his second Comming Reuel 19 20. Luke 18. 8. 3. The LORD 3. So will the Lord loath and threateneth to spew this out of his mouth abhorre the luke-warme state of this Church and cast out the same for euer in his appointed time 4. This is taxed for glorying and for too high a conceit of her happinesse being in a very wretched and miserable case 4. THIS giueth vs to know that such shall bee the outward and flourishing estate and plentifull blessings euery way in that respect of this Church as through the delight and full contentment thereof they shall bee too ignorant of their spirituall estate with God and not know how far they shall be from the power of godlinesse 5. This is rebuked and chaslened and is graciously aduised to vse the meanes for reformation 5. Which sheweth that the Lord in his mercy will not bee wanting in all good meanes offered to seeke their reformation by word and deed if so bee they will turne from luke-warmenes and become zealous and so amend and if they will heare him and receiue him such shall taste of his spirituall comforts and bee made most ioyfull in the  heauenly taste thereof 6. To him that here ouercommeth is granted a Kingly seat with Christ in Heauen 6. There must bee in some a spirituall conflict who shall striue happily against the common current of luke-warmnes and against the death of drowsie security from which by striuing they shall acquit themselues so graciously preuayling at Christ his comming to reward euery one according to his works shall these Conquerours receiue glory and honour with him in the highest Heauens for euer Hee that hath an eare let him heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches And thus much for this luke-warme state of the Church the last and fearefull condition thereof before the comming of Christ vnto Iudgement which is not yet come vpon vs though wee bee luke-warme enough CONSIDERATIONS FOR INSTRVCTION AND VSE FIrst that as now men doe so hereafter they will abuse the great peace and prosperity of the Church to grow thereby secure Secondly that to bee luke-warme is the worst disease of the Church and that estate which will make the Lord to spew them out of his mouth Thirdly that full contentment of earthly things maketh men highly conceited of themselues and to bee ignorant of their spirituall estate before God Fourthly that men may be wretched miserable poore blinde and naked and yet bee highly conceited of their well being and that they bee in a very happy condition Of such conceited persons I wish this age were not full The Conclusion THus wee see apparently how the seuen Churches of Asia are liuely representations of the seuen fold estate of the Church of Christ vnto the end of the World not Types of this or that one particular Church as some doe dreame but are Types of the estate of the whole Church yet so as there will bee a mixture some thus and some so in particular Churches as we see a difference in these seuen Churches themselues The times of the Ephesine Smyrnean Pergamine Thyatirean and Sardine are past this is now the Philadelphian state in which the Gospell hath gotten free passage and must get for Christ hath opened and none can shut howsoeuer the Aduersary may attempt to hinder and endeuour to ouerthrow the Professours of the Gospell yet shall these our Enemies be ouercome and bee made at last to submit vnto vs sure it is that great
ment of the Conuersion of that people and of their happy condition vnder Christ seeing the Prophets foretell it the Apostle prooueth it and Christ himselfe beareth witnesse herevnto Luke 2. 32. 34. OLde Father Simeon in his praysing God telleth how Christ was prepared to bee saluation before the face of all people in Verse 30. 31. then this generall speech of all people hee diuides into two heads first to bee a light to lighten the Gentiles and then to be the glorie of his people Israel In thus placing one before the other hee fore-shewed how Christ should shine as light to the Gentiles whose eyes should bee opened by his spirit to take him for their Sauiour and then the fulnesse of them being come in hee should bee a glory to Israel make them renowned glorious Which glory as yet they haue not attayned vnto for hitherto hee hath bin to them a stumbling block a stone of offence and not glory And it is further obseruable that this holy man telleth the blessed Virgin that Christ shall bee set for the fall that is the reiection of that Nation as it is taken in Rom. 11. 15. and rising againe that is the receiuing to grace of many in Israel The fall we see the rising of them againe wee must see in time for God is true in the one as well as in the other Acts 1. 6. HEre the Apostles vpon the very day of Christs Ascension asked our Sauiour whither hee would then restore the Kingdome of Israel They did exspect an outward restoring of state and glory to their Nation Our Sauiour doth not finde fault with the opinion as an error neyther denyeth hee the thing but implyeth rather that such a thing should be only the times and seasons saith hee was not for them to know which his Father had put in his owne power 2. Cor. 3. 16. THe Apostle as he taught the Romanes so heere hee speaketh of their miserable estate blindnesse of mind and how as yet the vaile was ouer their heart thus he speakes of the Nation and whole people of the Iewes whom he calleth the Children of Israel of the blindnesse of their minde and of the vaile ouer their heart his wordes are to bee vnderstood And hauing thus spoken of their miserable condition he turneth his speech to the hope of their Conuersion and saith Neuerthelesse when it shall turne to the Lord that is that Nation or the heart of that people the veile shall be taken away This shewes that the Apostle did looke for their Conuersion though hee could not set downe the time which is as Christ said kept secret with the Father Acts 1. 6. Being by these Scriptures and former Reasons perswaded of the Conuersion of these Ancient people of God so much for the honour of Christ and our good let vs vse such meanes as may further the same euen also in compassion to their poore soules and our mutuall solace together Meanes to be vsed for their Conuersion First To pray with all earnest affection of spirit that God would in his mercy take away the veile that lyeth ouer their hearts to open their eyes to behold and see with vs their true Messiah and Dauid their King our Lord Iesus Christ that so their might bee one Shepheard and one Sheepfold euen so Amen Secondly To send able instruments among them to reason with them to write vnto them that so if it were possible wee might saue their soules some of them in our time at the least as the Apostle endeuoured in his time as we haue heard Rom. 11. 14. Thirdly To labour to remoue the mayne let which hindereth chiefly their Conuersion that Beast false Prophet that Romane Antichrist with his vsurped Dominion For the Iewes detest Idolatry and are very cunning in the Law and Prophets where they see it forbidden and spoken against and knew that their Fore-fathers were grieuously punished for it and therefore they cannot imagine that such Christians can bee Gods people that liue in such grosse Idolatry which is a continuall stumbling block before their eyes to keepe them from Christ Let vs therefore seeke the ouerthrow of that Romish Religion as for our owne soules safetie the peace of Christendome so also for the blessed Conuersion of this miserable people who can neuer bee regayned to the Truth and brought to the profession of Christ till Papistry be destroyed Fourthly Let vs frame our liues aright to all holinesse and righteousnesse that so they may see our good workes and glorifie God in the day of Visitation which shall not onely prouoke them but shall redound to the amplification and improuement of our owne both temporall and eternall happinesse which the Lord grant so bee it Amen PEACE TO THE PVRE IN HEART OR Good aduice to walke wisely to preserue VNITIE among our selues that our vnited Forces may be stronger against the common Enemie REceiue wholsome instruction thou that readest If thou bee desirous to walke in a straite way yet let it not be framed after thine own wil but look it be the right way chalked out by Gods Word The Golden Meane is a sweet measure when a man will bee neither foolishly superstitious nor lewdly presumptuous the two rockes of offence the one on the right hand the other on the left menacing destruction It is good to walke with an euen foot and it is grace to endeuour to be what wee ought to bee though wee cannot attaine to bee what wee should be Bee no Atheisticall Securitan acknowledge God in all thy wayes nor yet a Wil-worshipper mans corrupt will is at oddes with God if it prescribe any thing in Religion as matter of worship the same turneth to wickednesse Be no fantasticall Anabaptist the true Spirit informeth the minde out of the Word nor an Arminian the new coyned Opinionist nor a Palagian an olde Hereticall Dogmatist No blasphemous Arian nor Lullianisticall Rosacrucian Be no Schismaticall Brownist nor the fond and foolish Allegorizing Familist nor any new Nouelist to arrogate any thing to thy selfe aboue others to be an author of new Deuices thereby to draw Diciples after thee Beware of Heresie and Schisme hate also hypocrisie and prophanenesse Heresie razeth the foundation Schisme cuts off Communion Hypocrisie is a painted shew without substance neuer affording inward comfort and prophanenesse stayneth the glory of Christian profession Bee no Pseudo-catholike doting vpon the deedes and doings of that man of sinne Allow antiquity but bee not deceiued with the pretence thereof The old way is the good way when it can be shewed by the Word Traditions of men besides the Truth often make Traytours to God Custome not against conscience is good but it may not bee a Law to any in an ill path Examples of men worthy imitation are not to be neglected but their Errours and crooked treadings are not to bee opposed to diuine Precepts God must in matters of Religion beare sway man is only to further