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	john_n	17,081	5	6.2026	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17916	Lachrimæ: or lamentations over the dead wherin is described the earnest zeale of the godly, in mourning for the sins of the people, who are dead in trespasses and sinnes. By Nathanael Cannon, minister and preacher of the word at Hurley, in Berkshire.	Cannon, Nathanael, 1581 or 2-1664.	1616 (1616)	STC 4577; ESTC S113390	19,337	64

therfore such rules along with it as shal warrantize reproofe of sinne Rules for reprouing 1. There must bee a consideration of the time for euery time is not fit for reproofe 2. There must bee a respect had vnto the place for euery place is not fit for the reproofe 3. There must regard be taken vnto the person which is also a chiefe point both in the matter and manner of reprouing 1. For the time Abigael may be our example for in 1. Sam. chap. 25. verse 37. her husband Naball being ouercome with drinke she tooke a golden time that is when the wine was out of his head for to haue told him of it before had beene to beate the aire and to haue lost her labour hee not being capable 2. For the place Christ may be our example who in the 16. of Matth. vers 23. reprouing of Peter Get thee behind me Satan it is when they were amongst themselues at Cesarca Philippi none of the malignant spirits being by but his own Disciples alone with him and this may bee allowed of amongst vs for the place that wee chuse that when Gods childrē are by themselues then more liberally may the reproofe be vttered because Gods enemies will rather reioyce to heare of such infirmities amongst vs then any way bee bettered by the reproofes that are put vpon vs. 3. For the person a double respect must bee had first in the person reprouing hee must bee called secondly in the person reproued if he be great For the first euery man must not take vpon him to reproue such vnlesse he haue a calling directly leading him therunto then Nathan may say plainely euen to Dauid himselfe if bee sent Thou art the man 2. Sam. chap. 12. vers 7. For the person reproued care must be taken if he be Royall or Noble there must bee reuerence vsed againe in the person the person we must obserue the disposition if hee bee weake and tender hee must bee restored with the spirit of meeknesse lest hee bee swallowed vp Galath chap. 6. versr 1. if hee bee obstinate he must bee ferreted and vsed accordingly Quest. May not the child of God who hath no publike place either in Church or Common wealth reproue the blasphemer or the Sabbath breaker or any other leaud liuer in respect of that which formerly hath been spoken Answ Yes verily he both may and ought but yet after such a manner that the reproofe may seeme to be a louing admonition rather then a bitter reprehension because they neuer are so wel placed as from a publike calling and this shall suffice for the third branch of our zeale which consisteth in the reproofe of sinne 4. Branch of zeale in the detestation of sinne is to auoid it and to flie from it The Apostle inlargeth himselfe in this point very plainely in the fifth chapter to the Ephesians Haue no fellowship with the vnfruitfull works of darknesse and againe in the same chapter speaking of vngodly ones Be not companions of them The like sequestration we finde in the 2. Thessal chap. 3. verse 14. If any man saith hee obey not note him but haue no company with him and mark the separation that is required in the eighteenth of the Reuelation vers 4. Go out of her my people that you be not partakers of her sinnes and that you receiue not of her plagues now this must bee thought vpon yea and resolued vpon lest we be defiled as may appeare Reasons 1. Because sinne is infectious like vnto the plague it selfe Qui tangit picem coinquinabitur hee that toucheth pitch shall be defiled much more hee that conuerseth with the vngodly shall be polluted 2. We are in danger of our very religion and holy profession by vngodly company and that sometimes doth alienate vs from the seruice of God which point is vrged by God against Ahab 1. King chap. 16. vers 31. Was it a light thing saith God in Ahab to walk in the sinnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat but hee must also take to wife Iezabel the daughter of Ethbaal to leade him to Idolatry 3. There are couenants of peace betwixt God and man and the child of God hath promised to forsake the diuell to renounce the lusts of the flesh the pride of the eyes the vanities of the world now if thou remember this couenant thou wilt not looke vpon sinne nor ioyne thy selfe to sinners zeale wil teach thee that thou must not haue any thing to doe with the stoole of wickednesse whereby thou shouldest grieue the good spirit of God whereby thou shouldest forfeit the grace of God or defile thy soule which is the temple of the holy Ghost 4. Sinne though it be sweet in concupiscence yet it is bitter in conscience like that booke which Saint Iohn must eate Reuelat. chap. 10. verse 9. Sweet in his mouth but bitter in his bellie and like that Image in the third chapter of Daniel vers 35. Whose head and beginning was gold but the feet and latter end thereof was dirt so that this reason speaketh home who would venture his soule for a little pleasure Sinne is but for a season Heb. chap. 11. vers 25. Therefore if thou haue a burning heart thou wilt redeeme that which is past and auoide all euill in the future time which is to come then shalt thou haue leaue to come neare the mercy-seate then shalt thou relish Christ indeed when once thou beginnest to loue godlinesse it will proue such gaine vnto thee as thou wilt after chuse rather to be a dore-keeper in the house of God then to bee a great man in the tents of the vngodly Psal 82.10 And with this I conclude the foure properties of zeale which ought to bee found in that man who is borne againe such wil be his loue vnto God and hatred vnto sinne that hee will lament his sinnes and the sinnes of the people that hee will punish sinne both in himselfe and in others that hee will reproue sinne without partiality and finally he will auoide and flie from sin as from a Serpent Now this peraduenture may passe for currant as being allowed that these graces may bee found in some men but it will be said euery man hath not this grace no verily for it is apparent that euery man seeketh not for this grace if they were humble sutors to the throne of grace no question but they should preuaile for Iacob is so good a wrastler that hee lets not goe without a blessing so that let the fault bee ours and not laid vpon our God for hee is neare vnto them that call vpon him faithfully and if any man lacke wisedome saith Saint Iames let him aske of God who giueth liberally and hitteth no mā in the teeth Iam. chap. 1. vers 5. Wherefore as many as desire to come neare vnto God although as yet they haue not attained vnto any taste or comfort from the Lord let thē giue eare for I will speake of some meanes

which are to bee vsed for the encrease of our faith and the perfecting of our loue vnto the Almighty Meanes to beget zeale The first is Prayer The second is the Word The third is the Sacraments These are excellent meanes through which God will answere vs and prosper the new birth of the soule vnto vs. 1. For the first is it not the very ioy of the heart is it not the good Samaritan which wil bind vp our wounds and heale our sicknesse is it not the cure of affliction Is any man afflicted let him pray I am chap. 5. vers 13. doth not our prayer interpret vnto vs the mercies of God doth not Iacob preuaile ouer an Angell by his prayer Hos chap. 12. vers 4. Haue not Moses Iosuah Abraham Elias and other of Gods petitioners what they will as it were at the hands of God out of their feruent prayers is there not a heauen vpon earth by the lifting vp of innocent hands is not prayer our greatest comfort in our greatest misery O if it were not for this Satan might trample vpon vs sinne might swallow vs vp affliction might burie vs aliue and our corruptions so farre preuaile against vs that wee might truely crie with the Apostle O wretched men that wee are who shall deliuer vs Obiect It is most true that prayer is very comfortable fit to beget zeale but euery man hath not the gift Answ The holy Ghost taketh away that obiection when hee saith that the spirit of prayer shall helpe our infirmities Rom. chap. 8. vers 26. Now then who will not thus aske that hee may haue and thus seeke that hee might finde the mercies of God in such abundant measure Obiect But I haue often addressed my selfe vnto the Lord in my prayers and haue sought the Lord but had no feeling and that hath made mee to giue ouer Answ It is in heauenly wisdome that God doth somtimes abate our feeling and apprehension of his mercy and that because when wee doe recouer strength wee shall the more cleaue vnto the Lord and thinke more dearly of his grace when wee haue it for no man knowes so well what the benefit of health is as hee that hath beene sometime sicke and no man hath so much cause to speake of deliuerance as he that hath bin in greatest dangers for in these men there is not onely a view of the action of mercy gone before but there is also an application which fastens God vnto their soules for euer after Againe it is not thy case onely to want this feeling at some times but euen thy Christ hath in our nature been thus perplexed O God my God saith he why hast thou forsaken me Againe his Church so deare vnto him as that they are the very members of Christ Iesus they haue this cause of complaint sometimes Cant. chap. 3. vers 1. In my bed by night I sought him but I found him not this was not because the Church wanted the knowledge of faith but that sometimes shee wanted the knowledge of experience shee had not alwaies that feeling as sometimes shee had and yet who will doubt of the mercy of God towards his Church Wee see that there may bee fire vnder the ashes although there be no flame so there is faith at all times in the hearts of Gods children although sometimes they want feeling Now then if thou wouldest haue a zealous heart for Gods glory vse this meanes of prayer and vse it often euening and morning at home and abrode it will with Elias make thee cast downe thy loose mantles of pleasures and profits when thou shalt bee taken vp into the heauens as it were in thy feruent prayers The 2. meanes to beget zeale to encrease it in our hearts is the blessed word of God that whereby we are taught Psalm 119. vers 33. That which is a lanthorne vnto our feet and a light vnto our pathes this sets forth the mercies of God and this declares the iudgements of God in both which alphabets when we grow skilfull wee shall loue God we shall feare God yea with Dauid wee shall hunger after the Lord and as the Hart brayeth after the riuers of waters especially when shee hath been hunted so will our soules long after the Lord our God Psal 42. vers 1. If the Scriptures be our studies and our recreations we shall then bee for God indeed and his word will bee sweeter to vs then hony or the hony combe his law will be our delight we will studie his statutes both day and night Now then apply thy selfe vnto this thou that desirest that the Sonne of righteousnesse should shine vpon thy soule and thou shalt finde these meanes are like the steps of Iacobs ladder bringing thee by degrees vnto the knowledge of God and making such loue vnto the Lord in thy prayers and exercises of holy Scripture that it shall appeare thou art both sanctified and mortified that thy desire is to bee with Christ which is best of all Phil. chap. 1. vers 23. The 3. and last meanes is the frequent vse of the blessed Sacraments For the first which is Baptisme thou oughtest to thinke vpon it often and therein as in a glasse to behold thy selfe thou shalt see therein a double condition first what thou wert by nature secondly what thou art by grace thou shalt find that Baptisme is a lauer of regeneration vnto thy soule and it wil teach thee an excellent vse namely newnesse of life for if any man bee in Christ hee must be a new creature 2. Cor. chap. 5. vers 17. The other Sacrament which is the Lords Supper is as a loue-token betwixt God and thy soule The King saith the Spouse hath brought mee into his bed chamber Cant. chap. 1. verse 3. meaning that God had shewed her iewels and rich furniture whereof she should be partaker In this Sacrament the Lord doth shew himselfe vnto vs As often as you receiue this do it in remembrance of me As who should say Remember what I haue done for you my body hath been broken my blood hath beene shead for the remission of your sinnes now then thinke vpon this what ioy may it bring vnto you when as by meanes of faith men may feede vpon Christ how will it satisfie doubts how will it qualifie feare how will it build vp the soule and beget zeale in such measure as that the man that vseth these meanes shall truely stand forth in Gods cause with life with goods with Christian resolution knowing that hee must needs take Gods part and ioyne with the righteous in Gods cause and separate himselfe from Gods enemies yea grow vp to such a heartie zeale as that nothing shall please vs which is displeasing to the Almighty Then may we truly be called the children of God when wee feare him and nothing but him when we hate euill for the feare of the Lord is to hate that which is euill Pro. chap. 8. vers 13. When