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	son_n	teach_v	6,372	5	6.6786	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41725	A discourse deliver'd in two sermons preached in the cathedral at Ely, in September 1684, not long after the death of the Right Reverend Father in God Peter Gunning, late Lord Bishop of Ely / by Humfrey Govver ...	Gower, Humphrey, 1638-1711.	1685 (1685)	Wing G1458; ESTC R18728	39,015	72

London But thus as I was saying did this Apostolical man endure hardship as a good Souldier of Jesus Christ God having not given him the Spirit of Fear but of Power of Love and of a Sound mind Like his Lord and Master He went about doing good in meekness instructing those that oppos'd themselves and was instant in season and out of season reproving rebuking exhorting with all long-suffering and Doctrine Thus spent he his days of mourning either privately wrestling with his God in Prayer for the remnant of Israel that He would turn the Captivity of his people and be favourable and gracious unto Sion and build up the walls of Jerusalem or in publick contending with the enemies of the Church disputing both in publick and private with the most Powerfull and skilfull of the Adversaries of both kinds Romanists and others with equal zeal and knowledge convincing or confounding the gainsayers For He was a Workman that needed not be ashamed God had given him many talents and grace to improve them so that as none could be more desirous neither was there any more able to serve the Church then Himself Once He was seiz'd whilst He was in these Holy Exercises and by special Order carried before the Usurper himself who expostulated with him as Ahab did with Elijah as a troubler of Israel But then so affectionately and solidly did the Apostolical man like St Paul before Felix reason of those things for which He was call'd in question that whether the wretch that heard him had sence enough left to make him tremble or no certainly he was not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake but having vouchsaf'd to bestow some few good words on the Church-Prayers sent away the Good man without using any further violence at the present But thus far have I been carried by the Consideration of that Holy Fire of Zeal which flam'd in Elijah's breast to speak of that which was so plainly discernable in our late Prelate But leave we now that blessed Prophet to the happy rewards of his Love and Labours and leave gazing too at his wondrous ascent the Whirlwind the Fire and Flames the Chariot and Horses that conveyed him strangely and safely to some of the many mansions in the Fathers house And let us look down a while and observe and listen to the behaviour and lamentation of the forsaken and desolate Elisha Elisha was the humble Friend both the companion and servant of Elijah He was Prophet-elect being by Divine direction and designation to succeed his Master But why should he lament then Why this outcry when his Master was taken from him Was there any thing so sad and grievous to either of the two in this translation that might justly provoke Elisha to such a transport of grief as he seemed to express when he cried out and took hold of his own clothes and rent them in two pieces He himself well knew and had been reminded by other sons of the Prophets often enough of what would happen and he expected it at that time and was come thither resolv'd to be present at it Elias himself could not perswade him to stay behind so that there could be no great surprize in the case Besides it was a very glorious Exit for his Master whom he saw in State and Triumph ascending up towards Heaven Here was no room one would think for sorrow no reason for lamentation No sick bed nor dying groans Nothing of agony or pain nor ought of that ghastly pomp of Death that commonly renders the passage to the other state terrible and uneasie even to the best of men and very uncomfortable and grievous to their friends Or was it for himself that Elisha thus laments because now he had lost his Master who was taken from his head and therefore could no longer assist him by his presence and advice But what loss could that be to him who had the Spirit of God for his assistance was a Prophet himself and now that Elijah was gone the Principal and Father of them all But well might He grieve for all this Not indeed on the account of his Master in whose case there was nothing at all dismal or deplorable but for himself and for the publick there was much matter of sorrow And those considerations of a just grief seem to be expressed in the Phrases of his lamentation My father my father The chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof The first speaks as we have observed already his own private interest in the Prophet He had lost a Guide and Governour a faithfull and able Teacher and Director And such are very frequently and deservedly stil'd Fathers in Holy Writ and accordingly they that are so taught and govern'd are call'd Sons as several times in this very Chapter as well as in other places The Spirit of God indeed could and would and did abundantly supply Elisha with all things necessary for his Prophetick Office But still he had lost a sure Friend a pious Companion and wise Guide of his life and that 's enough to make his mourning appear decent and to justifie all the expressions of his sorrow But Elisha stops not at this reflexion on his own loss That consideration was presently swallowed up by greater The Church and Kingdom had in Elijah lost a main ornament and support and that is it which is express'd in the following very elegant and significant Phrases The chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof The appearance which Elisha then had before his eyes of a chariot and horses of fire made the comparison the more seasonable and might be sufficient to prompt him to it But that was not the only reason if it were at all any occasion of that figurative allusion It is like he would have us'd the same expression tho' he had seen the Prophet expiring on a bed instead of mounting towards Heaven in a chariot as it was by King Joash applied to him himself 2 Kings 13. 14. when fal'n sick of his sickness whereof he died The whole world is a looser by the death of a good man more especially then was that Kingdom and people so by the loss of so excelling a person as was Elijah This truly was a becoming argument for the lamentation of a Prophet For when the righteous man perisheth or is taken away tho' others do not yet they that are like himself will consider it and lay it to heart He indeed hath hope in his death and enters into peace and is refresh'd and comforted in Abraham's bosom but they that are left behind they particularly that liv'd near him within the direct influence of his good deeds and holy example are really damnified by his death as will soon appear by weighing the expressions in which Elisha here bemoaneth the publick loss in the person of the great Elijah The chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof A Metaphor taken from war and so very aptly bestowed upon a

the Holy Spirit and the blessing of him that teacheth man knowledge and conducteth the pious enquirer into all Truth That otherwise it was in vain to rise up early or to sit up late Therefore like Daniel Dan. 10. 12. He set his heart to understand and chasten'd himself before his God and his words were heard or as the Psalmist Psal 138. 3. He call'd upon God and he heard him and endued his soul with much strength Thus was our Holy Bishop made wise unto salvation and profitable to his Generation for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness In a word as it follows in the place to which I allude 2 Tim. 3. 17. A man of God perfect and throughly furnished unto all good works And you have heard and seen his wisdom and his worth and not you alone but many thousands of others all people and places whereever and with whomsoever He had converse can bear true testimony that He gave as freely as He had received and like a Scribe instructed unto the Kingdom of Heaven was continually spending and pouring out his inexhaustible Treasures of Sound Doctrine and Edifying Knowledge to the unspeakable delight and advantage of those that came to be instructed by him And they came in great numbers not of this Nation only but from abroad and remoter Countreys For that which He did in the Church was the least part of the pains He took and of his labouring in the Word and Doctrine But this is no time and place for a particular account of such matters It is well enough known that his house was rarely without some Foreign Visitant led thither by the far-spread fame of the Renowned Bishop Scholars from almost all parts of the Christian world Greeks and Latines flock'd to him whom they found like a true Apostolical Bishop Given to hospitality and apt to teach 1 Tim. 3. 2. His doors and his purse were open to receive and relieve them that were in want and his heart and mouth always ready to instruct those that desired to be informed A great part of his time was spent in explaining and justifying to strangers and others the regular and Catholick constitution of the Church of England and in asserting Her Doctrine and Discipline and whole entire frame against the opposition of Her Adversaries the Romanists and all other Recusants of various denominations amongst our selves And these unwearied endeavours of this Holy Man God has been pleased to crown often with good success Many thereby have been confirmed in the Communion of the Church with whom Bigots of Rome or other Zealots of the Schism had been dangerously tampering Several quite spirited away by such Emissaries and Agents He retriev'd and brought back again to their Reason and Religion Foreigners have parted from him not only fill'd with admiration of his own worth but also highly satisfied with the excellent Frame and Order of this Church which had before been ignorantly or maliciously represented to them And the report which they have accordingly made to their own people at their return home has rebounded back and been brought hither again to the great praise and honour of this Christian Catholick Church so happily establish'd in this Land These I say are things well known to many but not to be by me at present branch'd out into any of their many great instances or expanded to their due advantage That if done according to the dignity of the subject and the great abundance of the matter it affords would be a more proper Theme for a just volume then the few narrow Pages of a popular Sermon It sufficeth me to have said enough on this Head to shew that this Prelate was a worthy Champion of our Faith and an able Defender of the Church and therefore very capable of such a compellation as Elisha on the account of the like excellencies gave to Elijah The chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof THE last thing I shall insist on as a reason or justification of that great Title is the great good that is done and the mighty advantage that accrues to the Publick from the Lives and Examples of Good and Holy men especially those of a Sacred Character Certain it is that men are generally convinc'd and guided more by their Eyes then Ears Precepts and Exhortations affect the mind but slowly and weakly whilst Actions and Examples move strongly and with power so that if they be but advantagiously represented and duly attended to they are winning and perswasive and have a very quick and almost irresistible influence and efficacy in soliciting the consent of the will and prompting it to imitation For virtue moves practically as Plutarch expresseth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peric moralizing the beholder and as it were transforming him into its own likeness It draws him to imitation neither able nor willing to resist that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the same Authour well stiles the influence of a Good Example Our Blessed Saviour himself tho' anointed to preach the Gospel by the Holy Ghost which He received without measure and tho' assisted with all the powers of the God-Head Col. 2. 9. which dwelt bodily in him tho' God immediately from Heaven in an audible voice bespoke and prepar'd for him and his Gospel attentive Audience dutifull Reception and Universal Obedience and Conformity as to the words and will of the declar'd Son of God Mat. 17. 5. in whom He was well-pleased And tho' He himself taught with Authority and spake as never man did John 7. 46. according to the frank confession of his most bloody Enemies and all wondred at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth Luke 4. 22. Yet would He not rely on that voice from Heaven or his own Divine Rhetorick on Earth for the Success of his undertaking without the assistance of a further Testimony and demonstration of the Excellency of his Doctrine and that was his own Example Therefore He appeals and refers them to what He did as a confirmation of what He taught Mat. 11. 29. Learn of me saith He for I am meek and lowly of heart And when He had given them a manifest proof of that virtue stooping to so low and mean an Office as the washing of his Disciples feet He tells them He had given them an Example that they should do as He had done John 13. 15. Nay this Divine Preacher sent from God and descended from Heaven even in his farewell Sermon would not trust to the efficacy of those his last words without adding the further and more powerfull argument of his Example Matt. 15. 9 10. teaching his disciples obedience to himself by his own obedience to his father and Love for one another by his own Love to them Which argument St Paul not able to find a better repeats and urges when He would enforce the same duty walk in Love Ephes 5. 2. saith He as