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	jesus_n	lord_n	17,123	5	3.7490	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29106	A sermon preach'd before the Right Honourable Lord-Mayor, the Aldermen, and citizens of London, at St. Mary Le Bow, on Thursday, November 5, 1696 by Samuel Bradford ...	Bradford, Samuel, 1652-1731.	1697 (1697)	Wing B4119; ESTC R19690	16,720	34

these few Years scar'd with the Fears of Arbitrary and Lawless Power to be watchful over our selves lest we should throw off that Reverence which is justly due to Government Obedience and Submission to Authority I mean always that which is Legally so according to the particular Constitution of each Countrey is an indispensable Duty both according to Reason and Scripture And there is no less danger to the Publick nay in so well-temper'd a Constitution as Ours I doubt the danger is ordinarily greater from the Undutifulness of Subjects than from the Arbitrariness of Governors A Legal Government such as Ours is is the just Middle between the two Extremes and we ought both from Reason and from the Experience we have had in this Nation to beware of both alike But this I speak by way of Caution only hoping and believing better things not only of those that now hear me but of the Body of our Nation in General who have notwithstanding the late pressing Difficulties we have been under and those especially upon the more ordinary sort of People among us maintain'd a steady Loyalty to our Governors and to the great Regret of our Enemies shewn That we are not so giddy and unconstant as they would either represent us or persuade us to be 2. As we give Thanks to God for the Preservation of our Religion Let us likewise express our just Value for so inestimable a Blessing by suffering it to have its due effect upon our Temper and our Lives The only reason why the Reform'd Religion is so much to be prefer'd before the Romish is because it tends to make us better Men. And it had been much better for us to have been bred in the Church of Rome or to have had the Ignorance and Errors of Popery introduced again amongst us unless we improve the Advantages we have by the Reformation to the Reforming our Manners It would then have been some excuse to us that we had known no better whereas now being plainly instructed in our Duty 't will be a high Aggravation of our Guilt if we refuse to comply with it The design of all true Religion is to render us sober and chast modest and humble just and charitable pious and devout more like to God and more like Gods one to another And here again I cannot forbear recommending Concord and Unanimity which are altogether as useful and necessary with respect to our Religious as to our Civil Interests 'T is a Melancholy Consideration That since the first Reformation of our Church we are crumbled into so many Parties and Divisions The Establish'd Church is the very same that it was in the Glorious Reign of Queen Elizabeth which we so frequently and so justly admire and magnify and the Terms of Communion are the very same now that they were then If we trace our Divisions to the beginning and examine how the Tares of Dissention came to be sow'd among us the Answer must be that which our Saviour hath taught us in the Parable The Enemy did this Matth. 13.24 whilst we were sleeping And surely after so long Experience of the Enemy's Designs upon us we ought to awake and to learn at least this necessary piece of Wisdom To render our selves firm against all future Attempts by a closer Union amongst our selves And this will appear the more necessary at this time if we consider the danger we are in upon the same account from Adversaries of another sort I mean some that have no regard for any Religion or at least not for that which is Reveal'd and others who though they profess themselves Christians yet presume not only to Dispute and Cavil at but to ridicule and expose to Contempt all the Mysteries of our Christian Faith When I speak of Union I do not think it is to be expected that we should be all presently of one mind in all things But it were to be hoped That among other good effects of the late Happy Revolution we who were delivered from a Common Enemy might become better Friends to one another 'T is certainly our Duty and our Interest on all sides to do what in us lies towards the becoming One Body in Church as well as in State and if every one among us would but do just as much as in Conscience he can towards this our Divisions I am persuaded would not continue much longer at least they would quickly be much sewer than they are To conclude Let us not willingly differ in any thing but Mind and Speak and Do the same things and where after our best endeavours our Judgments still happen to differ there let our Charity and Mutual Forbearance take place For though I am very sure 't is the Duty and the Interest of Christians to be of one Mind and of one Communion yet 't is certainly as great a Duty and I think a greater Perfection to maintain Christian Charity in the midst of our Differences I shall shut up my Exhortation with that Apostolical Precept which carries both Reason and Authority in it Phil. 3.15 16. Let us therefore as many as are perfect be thus minded And if in any thing ye be otherwise minded may God reveal even this unto you Nevertheless whereto we have already attained let us walk by the same Rule let us mind the same thing Now to the God of Peace and Concord the Great Author of that Peace which we enjoy the Founder and Protector of that Holy Religion which we Profess To God even our Father and to the Lord Jesus Christ the Only-begotten of the Father with the Eternal Spirit be ascribed as is most due all Praise and Glory now and for ever Amen FINIS