Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	follow_v	zeal_n	zealous_a	45	3	9.1137	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86936	A brief exposition on the XII. smal prophets the first volume containing an exposition on the prophecies of Hosea, Joel, & Amos. By George Hutcheson, minister at Edenburgh.	Hutcheson, George, 1615-1674.	1654 (1654)	Wing H3823; Thomason E1453_1; ESTC R202497	435,098	550

learn 1. In times of defection it is good to be well acquainted with and scene in the causes of it and what distempers draw men to that height they go Therefore doth the Prophet here point at it 2. It is a great plague on men that they cannot guide prosperity well and know no way how to use it but to feed sensuall lusts by it for all the use they made of Gods bounty was Whoredome and wine 3. Sinnes go seldome there alone but are linked together and draw on one another and particularly Whoredome and intemperancy go often hand in hand together Therefore are they conjoyned Whoredome and wine and new wine He mentions wine and new wine because as drunkards use to do they tried all kinds of it or the latter is by way of explication because new wine makes soonest drunk 4. It is a great plague on unclean and sensual men that thereby they not only abuse their bodies and become guilty of self-murther and do wear out any spark of conscience that they had but that by following these brutish lusts they renounce even humanity and turne brutish without sense and common understanding so that they know not what they do nor can discerne or be ashamed of any ill course nor fear any threatening of danger and do render themselves unuseful either in Church or State and effeminate and unable to encounter any trouble for Whoredome and wine and new wine take away the heart or sense and understanding The word signifieth oft-times to take by force or by industry to shew that however at first there may be some wrastlings betwixt lust and mens sens sense and principles of reason yet at last lusts given way unto will carry it 5. As it is Gods judgement on unfaithful Ministers that they are given up to sensuality so that will soone besot them and make them saplesse in their doctrine and carelesse in their duty for in particular it is true of them whom he had challenged before Whoredome and wine and new wine take away the heart Vers 12. My people aske counsel at their stocks and their staffe declareth unto them for the spirit of whordomes hath caused them to erre and they have gone a whoring from under their God 13. They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains and burne incense upon the hils under oakes and poplers and elmes because the shadow thereof is good therefore your daughters shall commit whoredome and your spouses shall commit adultery The fourth article of this accusation is general against the whole people for their grosse and heathenish idolatry which is as adultery a forsaking of God and their duty of subjection to which they stand bound by the marriage-Covenant This is instanced in their consulting with their stocks of Images and their staves or arrowes which flowed from their strong inclinations to Idolatry cherished by Satan and in their sacrificing openly to Idols on mountains under the shade of groves esteeming that heathenish way best for this the Lord threatens to give up their daughters and daughters in law and others whom they would have chaste to bodily filthinesse Whence learn 1. When ever the visible Church forsakes God he will not forget his kindness to her to aggreage her sinne and to prove that she hath done it without provocation Therefore againe the title is my people to shew that he had intreated them as such and that he having chosen them from among all people for himself and as his portion Deut. 32.8 9. Isa 43.21 it was a greater sinne in them then in any so to behave themselves 2. Albeit Idolaters will not take with it that they worship stocks and sticks yet in reality they do so and hereby they prove their own madnesse in subjecting themselves to these creatures that are inferior to them and the basenesse of their Religion in that they have so poore wayes to know the mindes of their Idols for they aske counsell at their stocks and so consult with them as their gods and performe religious worship to them that they may know their minde and their staffe declareth unto them that is any illusion they get they take it for a divine response For the way of divination by a staffe or arrowes See Ezek. 21.21 22. It seemes that when he doubted which City to assault first severall staves or artowes having the names of the severall places on them being shaken together in a quiver that which was first drawn out determined the question And so Idolaters resolved other cases 3. The backsliding and Idolatry of the visible Church is not to be looked on lightly or as an infirmity but as flowing from the power of Satan working upon that strong inclination that is naturally in all men and specially in these who have not received the love of the truth to follow error Therefore is it given as a reason For the spirit of whoredomes hath caused them to erre which is to be understood both of their own inclinations and of the working of the evill spirit 2 Thes 2.9 which makes them so bent and zealous in it and warnes us not to be taken up with every zeale nor with every religion wherein men seeme to be zealous 4. They who commit Idolatry and follow false Religions and so do renounce subjection to God and put themselves from under his directions they do also put themselves from under his protection for in both these respects it is true they have gone a whoring from under their God renouncing that subjection due to him by violating the Marriage-Covenant and so depriving themselves of that protection which was ensured to them by the Covenant 5. Sin is then come to a great height and very ripe for judgement when men cast off all veiles of pretences or shame and do openly and avowedly commit it for he challengeth when they sacrifice upon the tops of the mountaines c. avowedly without shame and not in corners onely 6. It is high presumption in fraile men to think to invent finer ordinances of worship by their wit then what God hath appointed or that they can put holinesse on things or places for it was their sin to choose mountaines and hils and shadowes of trees and groves in imitation of he Patriarchs whom the heathen did also imitate as if these places were more sacred and to do this as good and better and more apt to strike men with reverence then what God had appointed 7. It is no strange thing that men in choosing their Religion be led by their own fleshly lusts and that they account that best which pleaseth these most for in this respect also they accounted the shadow good that is more delectable to their flesh 8. Sin may be very sadly punished when no stroakes are inflicted but the sinner given up to more sin and particularly spirituall adultery may be punished with bodily filthinesse for Therefore your daughters shall commit whoredome and your spouses shall commit adultery to which they

notwithstanding the Lords free admonitions given to all ranks by the Prophets that had lived among them such as Ahijah Elijah Elisha and others and notwithstanding his warnings by lesser corrections Whence learn 1. Oppression is in Gods account bloody cruelty and slaughter for all of it and every kind of it is here cal'd a making slaughter 2. Mens ability or parts in compassing defending ill courses doth not extenuate but rather aggrege them and make them the more odious that they seem to convey them handsomly make them seem plausible for it is a challenge that they are profound to make slaughter or as robbers who lie in wait they lay their plots deep that they may compasse them handsomely and plausibly 3. As mens subtile conveyances in sinning and their parts in palliating of it prove snares to themselves to harden them so much the more in it so to be deeply rooted and engaged in a course of sinning is an aggravation thereof so much also may be imported in that they are profound to make slaughter or have taken deep root in that course as Hosea 9.9 Isa 31.6 which is in part occasioned by their subtile way of it 4. Apostates and revolters from God are ordinarily given up to be grossest in their course to be bloody and cruel without a check or scruple to be plagued with abilities to compasse their ends and to defend their wayes and to be most deeply plunged in ill courses for it is the revolters who are profound to make slaughter 5. As it is of the Lords great mercy that he gives free warning to his Church of her danger and sends out lesser corrections to reclaim her so sin after such dealing becomes very sinful for it is an aggravation of their way that they went on though I have been a rebuker or correction as the word also signifieth of them all 6. When men once breed themselves to contemn the Word of God and to despise instruction by his corrections it is not only an evidence they are deeply engaged in grosse sin but then certainly grossest courses will follow on it for they are then profound to make slaughter when he had been a rebuker or correcter but without effect Vers 3. I know Ephraim and Israel is not hid from me for now O Ephraim thou committest whoredome and Israel is defiled Notwithstanding all their policies and pretexts for which he hath challenged them the Lord declareth that he perfectly knoweth all of them both rulers called Ephraim and people called Israel In testimony whereof which is the third ground of challenge or accusation he pronounceth them idolaters and polluted thereby and by their other conversation Whence learn 1. It is no strange thing to see wicked men ignorant of themselves deceived with their own hearts and hardened in their sin by reason of the false glosses they put upon it to blinde themselves and others for this assertion I know Ephraim c. supposeth that they were not known to themselves and that they dreamed to blinde others as themselves were 2. However men may mistake themselves may wilfully hide light from themselves or put a vaile on their wayes to deceive others yet the Lord seeth through all pretexts and how things are in truth for I know Ephraim and Israel is not hid from me let him mask himself as he will 3. God will prove his omniscience and knowledge of men as by other means so in particular by his Word discovering their wayes and setting them before them in their colours which men would look upon as warning them of an eye of God upon them therefore doth he prove his knowledge of them by this challenge in the mouth of his servant for now thou art come at length to that degree of defection or I take thee in the very fact notwithstanding thy pretences and do challenge thee that O Ephraim thou committest whoredome c. See 1 Cor. 14.24 25. Heb. 4.12 4. Idolatry and corrupting of Gods worship is spiritual whoredome and a pollution before God and errour or superstition is so small a friend to piety that it tends to pollution in conversation and it is a proof of Gods omniscience when he is not mocked with mens plausible pretexts covering such wayes but doth discover and teach his servants to discover them to be so vile for in testimony of his knowledge of them he sends out his Prophet to declare that their well marked wayes were whoredome and that thereby all Israel is defiled both with these ways in themselvs and with the effects of them Ver. 4. They will not frame their doings to turne unto their God for the spirit of whoredomes is in the midst of them and they have not known the LORD A fourth challenge which is also an aggravation of the former is for their being obstinately impenitent and incurable in their sin through long custome in it through a spirit or strong inclination to whoredome or idolatry and through their affected ignorance of God Whence learn 1. It is a great aggravation of sin when men not only do fall in it but do impenitently and obstinately persist in it for it is a challenge and aggravation of all the former that they will not turne to God See Jer. 8.4 5. 2. It doth yet more aggreage mens impenitencie that God to whom they will not turne hath been their God by their Profession and by his tender care of them and that he offers yet to prove himself their God if they will return for it addes to the challenge that they will not turne to their God and indeed despised and abused mercy will be one of the bitterest ingredients in the challenges against the Church 3. A people are yet the more inexcusable in their impenitencie when they will not so much as think on endeavouring or using the very outward means which might tend toward repentance for they will not frame their doings to turn they might have sought and yet not come speed because of their unsoundnesse and formality in their way but they were either so ignorant or malicious and impious as they did not so much as endeavour to bend their course that way 4. Custome in sin is a great slavery and cause of impenitence and is a judgement to which such as delight in sin are given up for so the words will also reade their doings will not give or suffer them to turn which is the first cause of their impenitencie flowing from what followeth See 2 Pet. 2.14 Jer. 13.23 5. It is just with God to give Apostates up to the violent inclination of their own spirits and to a spirit of Satan to possesse their hearts which will drive them on to follow sin madly and render them incorrigible for it is another cause of their impenitencie and that from which the former flowes for a spirit of whoredome is in the midst of them or hath possessed their heart and very inwards whoredomes may be understood here either generally

expressions are borrowed from mens repairing of a ruined house 3. Christ is the repairer of his Churches ruines and every losse is richly compensed that is made up in him and in things of the Gospel for it is in that day of the Gospel and in and by Christ that the Lord will do this as is further cleared Act. 15.16 17. 4. The spiritual glory of the Gospel-Church doth parallel any glorious estate of Israel of old and the Church of Israel will be again advanced to as much glory at least spiritual as ever they enjoyed for I will build it as in the dayes of old Verse 12. That they may possess the remnant of Edom and of all the heathen which are called by my Name saith the Lord that doth this The second promise which expounds in part the glory of his Church is the enlargement of the bounds of the Church by taking in Gentiles as well as Jewes into the fellowship thereof who by professing the name of God shall beare the badge of being his people This indeed began to be accomplished when the Gentiles were brought in with the remnant of the Jewes and filled the roome of these who were blinded and hardened And so James expounds it Acts 15.16 17. But a more full accomplishment is to be when Israel being converted shall bring in many Nations and even some of their subdued enemies called h●re Edom who of old was one of the worst with them As for the difference betwixt the words of this text and James citation of them who in somewhat differs not onely from the Original text here but even from the Greek Interpreters we need not labour curiously in reconciling thereof For 1. Albeit this text be the chiefe place pointed at by James yet since he cites not one Prophet but the Prophets Act. 15.15 it is sufficient that what he saith doth accord with what is generally held out in the Prophets albeit all of it be not found here 2. Though this were the onely text cited by him yet the general scope of both places agrees in one which is to prove that the glory of the Gospel-Church consists in the accession of other Nations beside the Jewes unto it And this was sufficient to James present purpose and to confirme his opinion in the Council albeit his citation or the translation which he followed do differ from the Hebrew in some particulars of lesse importance 3. Though there be some other differences yet not onely are both readings to be acknowledged by us as true being used by the pen-men of the Spirit of God But both come to one sense and purpose which is the thing that is ofttimes looked to in citations in the New Testament rather then the words For whereas Amos hath it that they may possesse the remnant c. or as some read it that the remnant may possesse to wit the Tabernacle of David spoken of in the former v. and James hath it that the residue might seek after the Lord the sense is the same in regard that they who embracing Israels Covenant are so to say possessed by Israel as a purchase and they who enjoy the priviledges of the Church and God in it must be seekers of God that they may possesse and be kept in possession And whereas Amos hath it the remnant of Edom beside that general of the heathen that he may point in particular at the conversion of enemies yet James doth not unfitly translate it the residue of men not onely because the Jewes did usually by the name of Edom the other son of Isaac point out the generality of mankinde without the Church and who were not of the race of Israel but enemies thereunto and so the following words all the Gentiles are but an explication of that but because the text in Amos doth certainly points out that a remnant of other men then of the Jewes should be brought in to the Church which James expresseth leaving that particular consideration of Edom as nothing to his present purpose Doct. 1. The calling and inbringing of the Gentiles is an especial glory of the Gospel-Church and it will be the honour of Israel that when they are converted many Gentiles shall be brought in and joine with them for this is the end of raising up the Tabernacle of David and the glory thereof that they may possesse the remnant of Edom and of all the heathen 2. As under the Gospel all Nations have accesse unto the Church and to Christ in it So in particular it is a great mercy that even most bitter enemies may and will be brought in especially after the conversion of Israel Therefore beside all the heathen in general Edom who was Israels most bitter enemy whereby we must understand others of the same kinde is particularly named in this promise 3. As they are but still a remnant who seek God in sincerity so it is no strange thing to see a great destruction of Nations and enemies before they will come in to God for this cause are they called the remnant of Edom and of all the heathen not onely because it was but remnants of them who came in at first and who then and afterward when more professed the Gospel did sincerely turn to God but especially because after the conversion of Israel many of the Nations will oppose them and they will be broken and punished by God and then the remnant of them and others shall be converted 4. As all who are true converts and embrace Christ do embrace and share in Israels Covenant made with Abraham and his seed So Israel after their conversion will be a very eminent and notable Church whom many Nations shall honour and to whom they shall joine themselves In both these respects it is true that they or Israel or the old Tabernacle of David shall possesse the remnant of Edom for all who are converted are ingraffed into the same stock and entered into the same Covenant with the Jewes and so are a new accession unto them and Israel being converted will bring in a great conquest and purchase to the Lord of these who shall be revived and quickened at their appearing on the stage and who shall much honour the Church of Israel 5. As all who are brought in to the Gospel are bound to make publick profession of the name of God and Christ and inrol themselves as his confederates and followers So it is the great honour of a people that they beare this badge and livery and have a visible right so to do And this visible right and profession doth warrant them to seek unto God as it is Act. 15.17 and gives them right to Church fellowship for it is they which are called by my name or upon whom my name is called whom Israel shall possesse and who shall possesse the Tabernacle of David as Church-members 6. As all this must be Gods work to bring it about so his word is sufficient ground of assurance whereupon we may expect