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	manner_n	son_n	5,970	5	5.8560	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A95594	Moderation: or Arguments and motives tending thereunto, humbly tendred to the Honourable Members of Parliament. As also indifferently calculated for common consideration. Together with a brief touch of the reputed German Anabaptists, and Munster tragedy. By S.T.	S. T.	1660 (1660)	Wing T54; Thomason E1015_8; ESTC R208177	33,602	32

by the great Prophet Matth. 7. 12. And as on the one hand you should avoid all such scurrilous and provoking speech as altogether unbecoming the Gospel so on the other hand withhold not any due respect and encouragement you are capable of giving to those who labour in the Word and Doctrine though they may not be in all respects of your opinion and way remembring that Christ's Disciples being cap●iously offended with those that followed not with them and therefore provoked him to forbid them doing a good work they were in stead thereof rebuked for their labour Luke 9. 49 50. which is a teaching Example unto us as not to hinder so to further any service for God especially that in the Gospel tending to the eternal salvation of the souls of men Is it not very sad to think how many thousands of poor souls may perish for want of knowledge if the supply of all places depended onely on the preaching of some one way Let those then of every way be countenanced and encouraged who by sound Doctrine and dividing the Word aright may give to every one their portion in due season that if it be the will of God the weighty work of Conversion I mean from the power of Satan unto God may be more revived and made prosperous throughout all the dark corners of the land that all our strenuous strifes may be resolved into this who shall most excel in vertue and gather in most wheat of Gods harvest out of the field into his Garner And for my self wherein to some degree I have been in former time surprised with this common infirmity of harshness in judging others I do hereby publickly retract it having better learned to hold those opinions modestly about lesser matters wherein so many able and godly men may be of another mind And therefore in that particular without inconstancy to redeem my time in Moderating as far as my small talent and a pure conscience to God and men will carry me Wherein I have for some later years disposed my self not upon any sinister considerations which is known to the Lord but from Judgement Conscience and Affection which whatever success it hath had on others yet not without reflection of comfort to my self all which I direct to those aforementioned if it may be to reason them into no other then a Christian Moderation And the rather whereas some few of that name aforesaid far from concluding the generality being yet sowre and harsh against those called of the national way have cast upon them the names of Antichristian and Babylonish whom though I tender for that they may be otherwise godly yet let me say without partiality that this doth not proceed from the wisdom that 's from above that 's gentle and peaceable as well as pure Jam. 3. 17. and its different from the Tenour of that Declaration dated and published Decemb. 12. 1659. in the name of many called Anabaptists which however its harshly weakly and mistakingly interpreted yet is it well known to many wise observers that the matter and sober spirit thereof is no new thing but contrariwise a constant pursuance of the meek and humble spirit of the old confession of their faith and many other old Declarations to which they firmly adhere some particulars of whom should have been here recited had it not been for avoyding prolixity and tediousness to the reader save only this must be duely observed that even those persons first above mentioned do also acquit and discharge themselves from those aspersions about subjection to Magistracy and peaceable cohabitation among other men though somewhat severe against those of the national way and the more because they judge them of a persecuting spirit But with such who thus exert the harshness of their spirits in a girding censuring speech let me in few words expostulate you account those of the national way Babylonish Antichristian these are very big and ambiguous words easily spoken more hardly understood yet too commonly tossed to and fro upon disagreement in the smallest puncto's of opinion by those who never explain those words and things to demonstrate from the Word of God where and who deserves the Imputations But whereas you Impute those names may not they retort them back on you with other additions and you again on others and so run the circle for where will this end and to what doth it tend but to make many judge you all in Babylon c. and so run either to the Church of Rome or to Atheisme and prophaneness Further as Job saith What do such arguings reprove who will be ever the better or the wiser who is hereby convinced of an error or brought to the knowledge and acknowledgement of any one truth nay rather doth it not prejudice others against you and your differing opinions The like may be said on the other hand of those who use the words Sectary Fanatick c. upon every trivial difference as if that were enough to confute an opinion or make it ever the worse But would it not be a good expedient and better becoming wise men and sober Christians on all hands instead of giving foul and doubtful names to a reputed error in others to assert rather positively and modefily what themselves do hold for truth and then use the most pregnant arguments to convince thereof and the most powerful Motives to perswade thereto In which way men may kill three birds with one stone viz. convince of error informe in the truth and manifest to others you hold your opinions for conscience and not contention and if you must needs give error a name then call it error and well confute it and deal not oprobriously with any persons who may hold it which never will convince them but reflect the imputation of malice and envy upon your selves and stir it up in others whereby too commonly the truth it self between both is drowned and lost in jars and discords and persons gradually lose their spiritual savour and grow strangers to godly edifying by all which faults on both hands this follows that Ichabod is sadly written upon Religion the glory thereof being much departed Sect. 21. And because the fault of this kind is of both sides I shall therefore offer to both I hope it s well understood on both sides that the main of Religion and power of godliness doth neither only nor chiefly but least of all lye in those particular instituted matters which are the matters in difference why then the contest should be so hot and severe accompanied with so great alienations and oppositions on both sides for my part I understand not especially when I consider that the difference is not so much about the Doctrinal part as the manner of practising those particular institutions But the plain main things of Christianity then are summarily such as these wherein those called Puritans of old did excel viz. right principles of doctrine about God the Father Son and holy Spirit the

to Domestick and forraign enemies Our malady then is manifest as also the mortal and pernicious tendency thereof all sorts of men concentre and agree in this that animosities and devisions are our disease and will undo us And why might not all as easily agree in the remedy which when all is done will be found to be Moderation The crushing of this Sect and the violent subduing of that sort which many hot and hasty spirits cry out for as that which will mend all would prove a remedy worse than the disease tempting and provoking every man judging his own opinions right and his right to be free from others imposing to lift up his hand against his neighbour and render our wound more incurable I cannot here forbear citing that passage of a very learned man It was saith he a notable observation of a wise Father and no less ingenuously confessed That those which held and perswaded pressure of consciences were commonly interessed therein themselves for their own ends Religion and Reason the Spirit of Christ and the Gospel should rather be hearkened unto who all offer and usher in this remedy of Moderation so that it needs not any Epistle of commendation And did we strive to approve our selves Christians we should strive who should excel in this vertue and work How can this be put in use without some Publique Phisicians of value to be as Hee-goats before the flock leading Moderators And who should be the Moderators in these our publick discords but you our Senators and where should you begin with Moderation if not at your own hearts and house in the cases depending before you concerning Military Officers and other Gentlemen who have acted in your Interval Surely the more cordial voluntary and extensive you are herein the more honourable and I hope it may not be construed as a limiting or prescribing to propose that now it may be written upon you in legible characters so as to be read and known to all men Though this proposal come from an obscure person yet it is from one uninterested and who among others of your Subjects did disgust and ill resent the Act of your late interruption with all the preceding occasions thereof hoping your recession which is now effected might most effectually tend to our common safety and settlement which as it is my desire and prayer with submission to the will of God so that my endeavours may be somewhat conducing I humbly propose these few following healing considerations And although it be but a mite and like the Goats-hair to the publick work of the Tabernacle yet it s offered not with any willingness to go beyond my line or sphere nor presumption to be wiser than my teachers and therefore hope I shall not hereby make my selfe a p●ey as I do it with much submission so without the least intent God knoweth of imputation or evil reflection on any hand that may any way interfere with my present aim of Moderation in order to which I humbly offer Sect. 1. That humility is the direct and only way to honour Prov. 18. 12. It is a badge of honour in it self and in the acceptation of men the path ordained of God and pointed out with his finger to be blessed with that which is truely honour rooted in the inward affections and estimations of men This is applyed as adapting for the great work in your hands which is to deliver the Island Job 22. 29 30. God hath stained the pride of many publick persons in this Nation shewing himself to be above them Wherefore having by a strange providence once more invested you with power Behold the goodness and severity of God and be not high minded but fear Rom. 11. 20 22. God sitteth with an inspicious eye among the Gods who shall dye like men and shall fall like one of the Princes or like other Princes Psal 82. 7. When Ephraim spake trembling he exalted himself in Israel Hos 13. 1. but when he did otherwise he dyed like as Nebuchadnezzar for his loftiness was sent seven years grazing among the Brutes till he had learned to acknowledge that God ruled in the Kingdomes of men and pulled down and set up whom it pleased him Sect. 2. Nor is Humility so excellent but that Meekness Mercy and Clemency whether reckoned concomitants or fruits thereof they do bear an excellent proportion with it to the adorning of them in whom they are found What greater argument then that they are in the sight of God of great price who hath therefore instructed Rulers that its their glory to pass over a transgression Prov. 19. 11 12. And the throne shall be established as by righteousness so by mercy Prov. 20. 28. But without mercy such shall have judgement without mercy Jam. 2. 13. This is the more magnified and thank-worthy by how much there is an opinion of advantage and opportunity for the contrary and indeed this is most like God himself the similitude and imitation of whom is one principal reason why Rulers are called Gods who in this should be publick patterns and examples to the world and especially in this iron age and Nation Sect. 3. Nor are those vertues more worthy valuable venerable then excessive anger wrath revenge are the contrary A precipitant spirit will never hit the mark nor do the business Examples are infinite that it hath carryed to such actions and issues in haste by changing times persons laws as hath been repented of at leasure proving unretractable beyond first intentions or expectations God would make the passionate Prophet Elijah know that he was not in the whirlwind nor in the thunder but in the still and soft voice And when the Disciples would needs have had fire from heaven upon those who followed not with them our Saviour instructs them in the same lesson You know not saith he what spirit you are of And above all doth it least become grave Senatours to do any thing in rage and rashness witness that remarkable example of good Moses Psal 106. 32 33. That albeit its only noted he spake unadvisedly with his lips and although the people angred him and they provoked his spirit yet it went ill with Moses for their sakes this one hasty angry act judicially devested him of his dignity occasioned his fall and death in the wilderness and missing Canaan And although rigour and severity may sometimes be termed justice and done for security from like actions yet there is need of care that revenge be not in the root nor yet Lextalionis the rule of such proceedings nor rigour to be used in all cases till favour hath been tryed to effect the same just end for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God Jam. 1. 20. Sect. 4. An opinion of some kind of victory and conquest may have a potent influence to screw up the minds of men to a more then ordinary rigour towards the conquered either in order to their own triumph or their suppression may it