Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	ghost_n	holy_a	jesus_n	15,155	5	6.0417	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A04627	The true inquisition or The sad soules search Preached at Newport, May 29. 1632 in the primary visitation of the worshipfull Mr. Edvvard Burbye, Archdeacon of Winton. dBy W. Iones, B. of D. preacher to the Isle of Wight, and Vicar of Arreton.	Jones, William, b. 1581 or 2.	1633 (1633)	STC 14748; ESTC S119450	13,625	31

understand them how shall wee search and try them I answere when I say that every man must search and try all his wayes I doe not imagine that every one can presently understand all his errors Satan by his subrilty will so blinde us the world by evill customes will so sway us the flesh by her sweet allurements will so be witch us that though we be never so circumspect in searching some small faults will escape a long time But if wee heartily pray for the pardon of all secret faults and continue daily to use all wholesome meanes to find them out God will accept our honest endeavour But yee will say further what meanes must wee use in searching and trying our wayes Answ The Philosophers make reason the touchst one of all our actions To reason also some of the Fathers seeme to ascribe too much But the truth is humane reason is so corrupt since the fall of Adam that it is not fit to be the cheife in this buisnesse But thankes be to God wee have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a more sure word as t is called 2 Pet. 1. 19. to this if we take heed we doe well This word was given by inspiration 2 Pet. 1. 21. This word is pure inlightning the eyes Psal 19. 8. T is a light unto our paths Psal 119. 105. T is able to make us wise unto salvation 2 Tim 3. 15. T is profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse v. 16. In a word The word of God is quick and powerfull and sharper than any two edged sword peircing even to the deviding asunder of the soule and spirit and is a discerner of the thoughts intents of the heart Heb. 4. 12. Lastly we shall be judged by the word at the day of judgement Ioh. 12. 48. Ro. 2. 16. All which considered t is most plaine that the word of God is the best light and rule to search and try all our actions And now if all wee which are here gathered together should examine our waies by this word of God certainly many of them would be found very crooked It is not possible for me in the short space allotted for this exercise to touch all our wayes I will therefore meddle onely with those which are most properly inquirable at this visitation Court And because the messenger of God must bee as God himselfe no respecter of persons I will begin with the cheife and mine owne Coate and tell them wherein their wayes are thought not to be agreeable to Gods word And because Right Worshipfull you and your officers come to inquire what fame there goes of us I thinke it very requisite to informe you first what fame goes of your selves that yee may take occasion to search and try your owne wayes before ye meddle with others This then is the common fame of the country that whether it be through the fault of the cheife Magistrate and his officiall Commissary or Surrogates or Register or Sumners offenders are not ordinarily censured according to the nature of their offence And that the great and rich get through your Ecclesiastical nets as easily as hornets through the spiders webbe But that the poorer sort stand excommunicated a long time though they be never so penitent onely because they have no money to pay Moreover that in your visitation Courts most of you are more greedy of gaine than sollicitous for reformation which is the maine end of these assemblies Lastly that in your Consistory you and the Procters prolong trifling causes for the multiplying of fees and that factious plaintiffes which wage law for the vexation of their neighbours find too favorable entertainement Now for my part I doe not accuse any man but if these reports bee true then I must needes admonish you in the word of the Lord Iam. 4. 8. that yee clense your hands and purifie your hearts be afflicted and mourne and weepe And I pray you remember as Saint Paul saith Rom. 13. 4. that you beare not the sword in vaine Remember also what the rock and God of Israel said to David 2 Sam. 23. 3. Hee that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the feare of God Wherefore as good Iehosaphat said to his Iudges 2 Chron. 19. 6. Take heede what yee doe for yee judge not for man but for the Lord who is with you in judgement wherefore now let the feare of God bee upon you take heed and doe it For there is no iniquity with the Lord our God nor respect of persons nor taking of Gifts Gifts as God saith Deut. 16. 19 blinde the eyes of the wise Lastly to all the officers of this Court I say in the name of the Lord as Iohn Baptist said to the Publicans Luke 3. 13. Exact no more than is appointed you remembring that extortion is a damnable sinne And what shall it profit a man to winne the whole world and loose his owne soule sayes Christ Mat. 16. 26. In the second place touching us Ministers there bee many complaints that wee doe not according to the word of the Lord take heed to our selves and the flocks over which the holy Ghost hath made us overseers Some of us are carelesse touching our owne lives wee are not examples to our people as the Spirit commands 1 Tim. 4. 12 in word in conversation in charity in spirit in faith in purity Yea t is verified of some of us which was spoken Hos 4.9 There shall be like people like Priest Againe though the Spirit charge us all 2 Tim. 4 before God and the Lord Iesus to preach the word and be instant in season out of season to reprove rebuke exhort Yet divers of us are more carefull in feeding our selves than in feeding our flocks But above all we are said to be generally defective in that most necessarie part of our office Catechising whereunto wee have of late yeares bene so often exhorted both by our Kings and Bishops I know what most doe alleadge that parents and Masters will not cause their children and servants to come to bee Catechised but I know withall that if we had beene as zealous in the Lords cause as wee are for the most part for our owne Commodities we might have done a great deale more good this way than wee have done Wherefore my deere brethren I beseech you all in the name of the Lord Iesus who hath committed his lambes as well as his sheepe to our care let us all with one heart and with all our might set upon this most laudable and profitable exercise of Catechising without which we shall doe little good by our preaching The third sort of people that are agents in this visitation Court are the Church-wardens and Sidemen who are bound by oath to present unto the Iudge all offenders But except there bee some notorious crime which they thinke cannot ly hid they use to present omnia bene and herein they thinke they deale very wisely For