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	receive_v	18,187	5	5.7163	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93213	A Short discourse, tovching the cause of the present unhappy distractions; and distempers in this Kingdome, and the ready meanes to compose, and quiet them.		1643 (1643)	Wing S3588; Thomason E88_28; ESTC R22390	4,425	10

A SHORT DISCOURSE TOVCHING The Cause of the present unhappy Distractions and Distempers in this KINGDOME and the ready Meanes to Compose and Quiet them Printed in the yeare 1642. feb 8th I Am perswaded that whosoever shall cast a judicious eye upon the present state and condition of Affaires in this KINGDOME and shall examine the cause of the unhapy Distractions and Distempers that raigne in it will soone discerne that they have their spring and nourishment rather from spirituall than from temporall interests for that in this latter all the Subjects of this KINGDOME concurring and agreeing in the same ends it is but one worke to satisfie every single mans desire when the Liberty of mens persons the propriety of their goods and their being governed by the Lawes of the Kingdome is secured every mans heart will be at quiet for what concerneth temporall regards and in securing and satisfying one man the whole Kingdome and each single man it is likewise thereby contented and secured But the differing interests between men in spirituall regards cannot so easily be reconciled by any obligatory sanctions or determinations For that which may stand with the liking of one party cannot be hoped to be allowed of by ●he Adverse but rather we may believe that since there are many severall perswasions among eminent men yea all men in this Kingdom It cannot be expected but that the satisfaction of one must needs carry along with it the displease of all ●he rest And this discrepance of opinions being in a busin●sse of the highest concernment that can be as importing no lesse then every mans eternall happinesse or misery it must needs follow that whil'st any party is in Jealousie or apprehensi●● of the others getting the advantage so as to impose their Doctrine and practice upon consciences governed b● different Principles there cannot choose but be nourished in their mindes a great alienation of their affections one from another and a strugling of each side to get the mastering hand And a distrust and su●pition of each others actions so as whiles every one striveth to put his Adversary into a condition of not being able to hurt him the whole frame of the Common-wealth is weakned and disjoynted by each Members drawing and pressing a severall way It were to be wished that the cure of this disease might be effected by bringing into one fold all the sheepe that beare the Marke of our supreame Shepheard Christ and have given their names to be Souldiers in his Militia But si●ce this is a blessing rather to be wished than hoped for mens apprehensions being so various And the principles depending of them whereby they governe themse●ves being so different that they are not easily to be reconciled The next remedy of the present inconveniences surely is to provide that they may not destroy one another but every party being at ease and contented within themselves in those affaires that regard God and their owne Consciences and being secured from any encroaching or pressures upon them that way they may then with unanimity and comfort joyne all their endeavours together for promoting and advanceing their temporall emoluments Which course certainly is not onely the most judicious and the most prudent in humane wisedome But is also the most pious and the most godly in Divine respects nay to doe the contrary were most impious and wicked for since it is cleare that no man could be so much an Enemy to himselfe as to undergoe present and evident inconveniences for matters of Religion if his conscience did not assure him that God required it at his hands and that it is no lesse then a matter of damnation wilfully to deny his obedience to his maker the great God of Heaven and Earth and to give it to human power It cannot therfore be denyed but that it is a high impiety for any power to force another unto what he beleiveth to be sacrilegious and damnable and extream cruelty and tyranny to punish one for doeing what in his conscience he is clearely convinced is the only best mans reason cannot be forced by outward violence all that can be expected from such a course is to have weake mindes through humane frailty become Hypocrites for this is undenyable what is not of faith is sinne yea it comes neere that sinne against the Holy Ghost if that sinne be to doe in the Worship of God contrary to the expresse dictamens of their owne conscience The Tenor of Gods proceedings in propagating Religion is quite different from this inhumane course he hath power to ruine and destroy in a moment those that shall be refractory to his Lawes yet he imposeth no feare or constraint upon any man he disposeth all things sweetly and leaveth every man in this World the freedome of his owne choyce proceeding therein as stands with Iustice and the truth of God with the Councell of his will and nature of his Decree determined that is not without Christ the satisfaction of his Iustice nor yet without free consent of the creature which is by his owne grant a free power in nature uncompellable especially by humane power God accepteth onely the free giver he rejecteth the worship of them that unwillingly pay it him nor will he let them goe with Gideon to fight his battell that have more mind to stay at home We may then safely conclude that since true Religion is a supernaturall thing and a meere gift of God not possible to be forced into mens soules by humane compulsion The establishing of it in mens mindes ought wholly to be left unto his Divine wayes of working and planting it for it is an effect that floweth from a supernaturall principle of grace which worketh upon our hearts by those inscrutable paths that none but God can tread Let us then take heed of intruding our unworthy sickles into his harvest lest with Vzziah we be in this life or the next stricken dead for presuming to prop up his Arke unwarrantably But that it may appeare yet more evident how unfit it is to make coercive Lawes for Religion and mens Consciences let us consider how unagreeable such a proceeding is aswell to reason as to the rules of Gods wisedome and goodnesse those that make such Lawes are men who supposing them never so good and never so wise yet as long as they are men they are still lyable to errour and all their Ordinances may be defective we finde no spirt of infallibility promised to humane consultations Amongst the Apostles Peter was found reprehensible even after receiving the holy Ghost and as great confirmation and riveting in faith and piety as humane nature is capable of if then any misapprehension or mistaking should creep into their Councells and their Orders or Lawes thereupon prove erroneous and unwarrantable how lamentable a case were it that the godly tender-hearted that are in the right as they must be that oppose them should suffer either in persons or Estates for adhereing to truth and