Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	flesh_n	sin_n	soul_n	7,400	5	5.2096	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19605	The crib of ioy containing spirituall exercise, for Christmasse. S. Steuen. S. Iohn. Innocents. Circumcision. Epiphanie.; Crib of joy.		1611 (1611)	STC 6039.5; ESTC S120351	14,693	50

to saue vs from the curse of the law Circumcised to take vpon him the similitude of sinfull flesh for that was a sacrament of originall corruption Called Iesus that he might saue his people from their sinnes as the Angell expounded his name vnto Ioseph This Circumcision he first suffered for vs in the flesh and after performed the true effect thereof within vs by his Spirit to wit a Circumcision made without hands as the Apostle speakes by putting off the sinfull bodie of the flesh through the circumcision of Christ who by his spirituall knife first cutteth off the foreskinne of our hearts and makes them bleede in sorrow for our sinnes past for Circumcision is a bloudie thing as Zipporah said to Moses and he that will be a true Israelite his heart must bleed 2. The foreskin being remoued which hardned our hearts before there followeth a tendernesse of conscience which giueth a quicker sense of future transgression Next he purgeth the vine branches that they may bring forth more fruite circumcising all superfluous and vaine cogitations in vs lopping all luxurious affections lest ouergrowing they might ouerthrow vs like Absolons haire for want of cutting So are we also of circumcised lips and eares when our mouth shall speake no vanitie and our eares relish the word of wisedome Thus renewed in heart and affection in soule and bodie when old things are passed 2. Cor. 5.17 and all things are become new we may offer and present vnto God the poore widowes offering of two mites our soule and bodie to be a liuing sacrifice and an acceptable New-yeares gift vnto him since it is all that we haue thereby assuring our selues that our names are knowne and called and written in heauen for the Spirit hath circumcised vs. EPIPHANIE WE may well conclude with the manifestation of Christ vnto the Gentiles For without this all that hath bene said is nothing vnto vs who be as the Apostle telleth vs sinners of the Gētiles But now God perswades Iapheth to dwell in the tents of Shem that is Gen. 9.27 the Gentiles which came of Iapheth to ioyne themselues vnto the Church which is the posteritie of Shem for which thing father Noah prayed long since Iob 38.13 Now the morning takes hold of the corners of the earth as God said to Iob that the wicked might be shaken out of it for the Sun of righteousnesse shineth to the men of the East Zachar. 2.4 Now Ierusalem begins to be inhabited without wals as Zachary prophesied when the Church shall not be hemmed within the precinct of that nation Now the great mystery of godlinesse is reuealed when God manifested in the flesh is preached to the Gentiles For these VVisemen were the first fruits of the Gentiles whereupon followed a mightie haruest The haruest indeede is great Go and teach all nations This word of life in Dauids time was but a light and a lanterne Ps 119. v. 105. Nun. now it is a morning Starre appearing in the East and after a Sunne of righteousnesse which enlighteneth euery one that cometh into the world Ioh. 1.9 whose beames directly behold these corners and ends of the world vpon which the firmamentall Sunne looketh but asquint Now is the Gospell preached as Christ gaue in commandement vnto euery creature not vnto men onely but euen to those barbarous nations which scarce caried the face of men these silly creatures in times past vnacquainted with the lawes of ciuill humanitie This is the meane crop the first fruits were the wise men of the East with whom Christ dealeth in their owne art that he might haue the faster hold of them for he leadeth them by a starre because they were Astronomers and therefore able to discerne a miracle in that kind So he dealt with his owne Disciples by sea stilling the tempest and causing Peter to walke vpon the waters because they were watermen by those miraculous draughts of fish because they were fishermen hereby shewing himselfe to be that wise maister-fisher of soules which fitteth his baite to euery kind VVe see the goodnesse of God vnto the Gentiles in that Christ was manifested to those men shall we learne the dutie of the Gentiles towards God by the deuotion of these men vnto Christ They came to worship him in heart in bodie and in goods they opened their treasuries and where the treasure is there is the heart The heart commands the bodie as the Centurion his seruant saying to the foot Go and it goeth c. Neither did they come to worship Christ emptie handed Deut. 16.16.17 but brought with them such gifts as their countrey did affoord gold incense and myrrhe Aurumregi Thus Deo Myrrhamorituro Gold not so much to relieue the wants of his poore parents who were able to compasse no better a birth-chamber then a stable as to shew themselues tributaries to his Maiesty vnto whom was giuen the heathen for his inheritance Psal 2.8 and the ends of the world for his possessions Frankencense was brought not so much to sweeten the place as by incense to acknowledge the Deitie of the Son of God Myrrhe was also offered with no lesse mysterie then Mary her ointment at the day of his buriall for it is to preserue his dead bodie from corruption who being dead and buried yet saw no corruption 1 If then wee receiue Christ for our heauenly King and Soueraigne of our soules in obedience vnto his Euangelicall law it is as much as if we brought gold and much fine gold 2 If we offer vp prayers and thanksgiuing that is saith Dauid as incense Psal 141.2 and the vplifting of our hands as an euening sacrifice 3 If in deuotion wee relieue the Church and preserue the members of his mysticall bodie militant from corruption distresse and miserie this is as Myrrhe vnto his naturall bodie These be our Christian oblations 1 Obedience to his law the fruite of faith 2 Prayers and supplications grounded vpon hope 3 Deuotion and almes proceeding from charitie towards our brethren Noster enim taleis reddit agellus opes These be all which our earthly mould by the influence of heauen can yeeld which that it may yeeld looke we stedfastly with Elias vpon this little clowde 1. King 18.44 rising at the first no bigger then a mans hand or the breadth of a Crib from which wee desire and expect those manifold drops of the graces of his Spirit to fall vpon our hearts that we may returne vnto him together with his Father and Spirit all praise honour and thankes this time and for euer Amen FINIS

like vntamed haifers or wilde asse colts without yoke or bit yet the presence of his diuine Spirit will humble our affections cleanse our soules and sanctifie our members to make them temples of the holy Ghost 4 The worst roome in the Inne was too good for him but thankes be to God he hath gotten the best roome in the stable swadled and layed in a manger Luk. 2.7 and why in this place there was none but his friends and those that loued him well His mother sought out the most sweete and soft place in all the stable to repose the immaculate and tender Lambe of God in If any beast was there present to feede in the manger as likely at this generall taxing when the Inne was so full the stable was not emptie the very instinct of nature did teach them to know their owner and their maisters crib and after their fashion to worship the God of nature If sinfull man be that stable wherein the Sonne of God doth vouchsafe to repose himself assigne him the best roome lay him in the manger giue him thy heart where all thy affections vse to feed and solace themselues and that heart shall feele a heauenly ioy within it a peace of conscience which passeth all vnderstanding it shall send ioy into heauen amongst the Angels who reioyce ouer one sinner that repents Luk. 15.10 it shall fetch downe Angels from heauen with a companie of heauenly souldiers to sing glorie to God on high in earth peace and to pitch their tents about thee A man knowes not saith Salomon what a day may brîng foorth Prou. 27.1 Verily if one day brought foorth thus many ioyes when it brought forth the Sonne of God well may we crowne it with the Psalmist his Epiphonema Psal 118.24 This is the day which the Lord hath made we will reioyce and be glad in it S. STEVEN WHen the Sonne of God had put on man and couered his Deitie with a veile of flesh for dazeling our eyes great things by him were both done and suffered for vs. After that man therefore by vertue of those sufferings shall haue put on Christ Rom. 13 14. it is very meete that in token of thankes some thing be done and suffered by man for the name of Christ Bernard Non decet sub spinoso capite membrum esse delicatum since the Head was crowned with thornes to saue the bodie let not the foote disdaine to catch a thorne in defence of the head since Christ fought for vs in our owne flesh till he sweat againe and sweat till he bled and bled till he died let this blessed Martyr teach that the purest bloud in our sinfull bodies is not too precious to be powred out for his Gospell All confesse this to be true but some say it is too tragicall a farre vnfit meditation for this Feast these bloudie dayes of Steuen and Innocents might better haue bene referred vnto Lent to accompanie Good Friday For there be many wise men both from the East and VVest will with ioy henour Christ in the cratch that would be loth to follow him to the crosse S. Paul did fit the Kings humour well Act. 26.29 wishing that Agrippa were a whole Christian altogether like himselfe except those bonds For if Christianitie inflict bonds or draw bloud it is vnsauorie Vnsauorie indeede vnto flesh and bloud but he that hath well tasted of yesterdayes ioy in the birth of a Sauiour shall find it not allayed but well seconded by this dayes martyrdome The Apostles reioyced that they were accounted worthie to suffer for his name Act. 5.41 then sure there is some matter of dignitie in suffering and if they reioyced therein why should we be sad vpon this day Christ told vs before Ioh. 12.32 If I were lift vp from the earth I will draw men vnto me It seemeth there is some hidden vertue in the crosse of Christ knowne to none but those that feele the power of it by which he enticeth men to follow him with delight euen vnto death Therefore saith Paul 2 Cor. 12.10 I take pleasure 〈…〉 in necessities in persecutions in 〈◊〉 It is honorable thinkes Haman to be set vpon the Kings owne horse and haue it proclaimed before him Ester 6.9 This shall be done to the man whom the King will honour Our King of Heauen was neuer better mounted on earth then vpon an Asse and a Crosse The Kings on Palfreies that to teach humilitie this to arme vs with patience this shall be done to the man whom this King will honour VVhich makes S. Paul to glorie in nothing but in the Crosse of Christ who still as he is preferred to greater dignitie in the Court of Christ assumeth to himselfe more honorable titles To the Romanes Corinthians and the rest Sometimes he calls himselfe an Apostle somtimes a Seruant of Christ but the last of all is the most glorious in his Epistle to Philemon Paul a prisoner of Iesus Christ It is a Christian paradox yet that Apostle putteth vs out of doubt preferring it before the best in his 2. Epistle to the Corinth 〈◊〉 23. They are ministers of Christ I speake 〈◊〉 foole I am more why In stripes aboue 〈◊〉 sure in prison more plenteously in death often c. 3 There is a glorious companie of the Apostles a goodly fellowship of the Prophets but a noble armie of Martyrs as our Church hath well sung A noble and a royall armie indeede for there is no armie or hoast of God in heauen or earth which fighteth so like the King himselfe as the Martyrs do which ouercome by suffering for which victorie Steuen doth now enioy that which his name did signifie a crowne an eternall crowne of glorie If martyrdome then be delightfull that Saints take pleasure in it if it be to be affected as honorable that the Apostles glorie in it if as noble and royall it will crowne vs with glorie let it not grieue vs to recken it amongst our Christian triumphs The standard-bearer of this royall armie was S. Steuen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first Martyr in strict proprietie of speech that euer was the first 〈◊〉 of the Gospell of Christ that conformed the same with his bloud The Innocents lost their liues for Christ but it was in them no voluntarie oblation Iohn Baptist bare record of Christ but he died for a Legall truth It is not lawfull for thee to haue thy brother Philips wife Peter resolued to haue laid downe his life for Christ but hee was too weake Verily it was decreed that no man in zeale should lose a drop of bloud for the witnesse of Christ or his Gospell before Christ in the abundance of loue had shed his precious bloud for the loue of man After Christ had finished his course and was set at the right hand of his Father the first that entred the lists was this valiant Martyr Steuen who fought three notable combats