Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	glory_n	zeal_n	zealous_a	133	3	9.4306	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A25204	Decus & tutamen, or, Practical godliness the ornament and muniment of all religion being the subject of several sermons preached at Westminster upon Titus ii, 10 / by V. Alsop ...	Alsop, Vincent, 1629 or 30-1703.	1696 (1696)	Wing A2907; ESTC R16042	63,995	144

great a Weight upon this Duty as if it were the one thing the only thing n●…cessary Phil. i. 27. only let your Conversation be as it becom●…th the Gospel of Christ. And there are two subservient Duties which will much contribute to this great Design 1. The former is Stability stedfastness in the Faith that y●… stand fast in the Spirit 2. The other a Holy Zeal that ye strive together for the Faith of the Gospel Stand fast without wavering be zealous without cooling and let your Interest and the Name and Glory of your Redeemer be much upon your Hearts in both these Whatever can be said upon this Subject is compendiously summ'd up in that other place of the same Apostle which I will give you a brief Paraphrase upon and then proceed Phil. iv 8 9. Finally brethren whatso●…ver things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoev●…r things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be an●… virtue if there be any praise think on these things Those things which ye have both learned and received and heard and seen in me do and the God of peace shall be with you This is the abstract of what I can speak or you hear upon this Subject Think on these things and do them Digest the matter well in your Thoughts concoct it throughly in your Hearts and then reduce all to Practice 'T is not Speculation but Action that must recover the Repure of Religion and the particulars wherein you must be active and zealous are such as these 1. Whatsoever things are true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let the Power of Truth in the Heart evidence it self in the Life and the Grace of God in the inward Parts shine through the Body in all suitable demeanor It is Theodoret's Gloss upon 1 Tim. iii. 2. The Apostle says he would have a Bishop to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That his who●… carriage be such so com●…ly in his 〈◊〉 in his habit in his looks and gestur●…s that the Complexion of his Soul may shine through the Case of his Body 2. Whatsoever things are honest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That we be grave yet not morose serious yet not austere reserved without affectation that as the End of our Conversation is a matter of the greatest Importance and the Rule of our Lives of equal Concern so the Meen and Air of our behaviour may bear some good Conformity to them both 3. Whatsoever things are just 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As we must be Holy towards God so must we also be just towards all Men for Righteousness is Evangelium visibile 'T is the preaching of a Gospel which Men understand our Religion teaches us to give to God and Man what is their due and all the World will conclude that if we defraud them we would if it were in our Power cheat our God too nor can we ever confute those Suspicions which Men will easily entertain of our Hypocrisy but by an exact and punctual discharge of all those Offices of Justice which we owe to them 4. Whatsoever things are pure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chast modest pure clean that our Discourses savour not of Filthiness our Behaviour do not smell rank of inward Turpitude that we admit not the Flesh to mingle it self with our Courses or Discourses but that in all things our Speech be seasoned with Salt Administring grace unto the hearers Ephes. iv 29. 'T is a dirty World we walk in he that will walk clean must pick and chuse his way with great Care and Conscience 5. Whatsoever things are lovely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let a Spirit of Candour and holy Ingenuity breath in all our Actions that we affright not Men from Religion by a sour disobliging way of Converse There is a mean could we hit it between a base creeping fawning prostitution of our selves to the Lusts of Men and a haughty surly Arrogancy which will not stoop or bend to the benefit of Men and this mean is that generosum honestum that greatness of humility which would persuade the prejudiced World to entertain more tolerable Thoughts of God's holy Ways and perhaps in time to try and practise them 6. Whatsoever things are of good report 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To decline those Practices which carry an Appearance of evil with really good Men. Now says the Apostle If there be any virtue If ever your Religion had any commanding Interest in you or has had any sanctifying power upon you And if there be any praise If you expect the acceptation and approbation of God or the moderate commendation of good Men Then think upon and do these things and for your encouragement The God of Peace shall be with you In the managing of this Doctrine I will propose this Method 1. To shew what the Adorning of the Doctrine of the Gospel does presuppose 2. What it is to Adorn the Doctrine of the Gospel in all things 3. What are the particulars of the Doctrine which we must Adorn and how it may be Adorned in each of these Particulars 4. I will lay down the Arguments which ought to prevail with us herein 5. And lastly I will endeavour to improve the whole Discourse and reduce it to Practice § 1. Let us inquire what the Exhortation to Adorn the Doctrine of the Gospel does presuppose There was something more than ordinary in the matter that the Apostle so earnestly and frequently presseth this one Point Some Injury had been offered from which it needed to be vindicated something amiss in their Conversation that needed Reformation and we have cause to fear that the Case is our own Some notable Affront has been put upon the Gospel some indignity offered to the Profession of Religion which will render our present Discourse too pertinent That which is presupposed may be reduced to these Heads 1. That the Doctrine of the Gospel of Christ considered in it self is a most beauteous and lovely Doctrine 2. That this Doctrine has been miserably blackened and blemished by those that should have given it a better treatment 3. That whoever professeth this Doctrine is obliged to wash off that dirt and filth which has been cast upon it 1. That we are so earnestly urged to Adorn the Doctrine of our God and Saviour presupposeth that as it came first out of the Hands of Christ it was altogether lovely representing the sweetness and expressing the holiness of him that gave it forth And 1. One eminent Beauty of the Doctrine is this That those Truths which soar the highest in Speculation yet in their design and tendency aim at a holy practical Conversation Those which in the Theory reach the highest Heavens yet in their Scope stoop down to the Earth It was said of Socrates Primus Philosophiam è Nubibus in Terras deduxit He was the first that brought down Philosophy from the Clouds and made it an useful thing to Humane Life It was

him both at the Foot-stool and at the Throne but wherewithal to come or what to bring that I may be accepted in his sight I find not my own unrighteousness I see now to be abominable and my own righteousness I am convlnced is not justifiable wherewithal then shall I come In this distress the Gospel discovers Christ and his righteousness and when the Sinner accepts receives lays hold and rests upon it It has encouragement to say Isa. xlv 22. In the Lord have I righteousness In the Lord shall all the seed of Jacob be justified and shall glory Here then shines out the glory of the Gospel-Doctrine it never designs a more perfect Cure than when it makes the Sinner sick at Heart Thus the Spirits Method is first to convince of Sin and then of Righteousness Joh. xvi 8. Of sin that the Sinner may be abased and made willing to accept a Pardon upon Christ's Terms and of righteousness that the wounded Soul may not die of its Wounds for thus was the brazen Serpent lifted up that they who were mortally stung by the fiery ones might look and live John iii. 14 15. Secondly Another Strong Hold which Man would build up and God will demolish is Man 's own strength 'T is unaccountable that Man should thus Idolize his own often baffled often foiled strength which was never yet able to make him stand against his own Corruptions the Worlds Allurements or the Assaults and Wiles of the Tempter It is the Grace of God alone that must take us off our own and place us upon a stronger bottom and teach us how to be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Eph. vi 10. And now whereas the late difficulty was Wherewithal shall I appear before the Lord Another difficulty appears And I find that I can no more appear against the Devil in my own Strength than I could appear before the Lord in my own Righteousness he is subtle and strong I am foolish and weak yet the Gospel has relieved me Isa. xlv 24. Surely shall one say in the Lord have I strength 3. A third Peculiar Glory of the Doctrine of the Gospel is that as it lays the Creature low it exalts and lifts up God on high When the Sinner lies prostrate at Gods Foot it sees the Lord most gloriously exalted upon his Throne Isa. vi 1. There 's no Doctrine that so vilifies Man none that so much glorifies God in all other Systemes which Philosophers had fram'd to themselves they provided well to advance the Creature they furnished him out with his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a Free-will and put him into the hand of his own wisdom to carve himself out a happiness they made a God of their own Moral Virtues and those Virtues were at their own disposal so that upon the matter they were Creators of their Gods Nullum Numen abest si sit prudentia That thou art happy owe to thy self was one of their highly celebrated Maxims But the Doctrine of the Gospel gives a clear other Scheme of things that Man is nothing knows nothing can do nothing cannot think a good thought nor pursue it to any goo●… Resolution nor manage the good nor bear the evil by his own Wisdom or Strength This Doctrine teaches us to think meanly of our selves highly of God to look upon our selves as Worms as Moths às nothing and less than nothing and worse than nothing but how honourably does it teach us to think to speak of God how reverently to Worship him how holily to walk before him with what confidence to trust him with what fervor of Soul to love him and in short to make him the first and last of all 4. The fourth and last Peculiar Glory of the Doctrine of the Gospel which I shall name at present is that it never exalts one of the Divine Attributes to the derogation of another Here is Mercy exalted but withal Justice satisfied and while the Free Grace of God is upon the Throne Holiness is enthroned with it God can no more Pardon without security to his Justice than he can punish with inconsistency to his Mercy The minds of Men are strangely deluded in this matter for looking only upon Mercy they forget the severity of his Justice and if an imaginary Mercy would but answer th●… ends of their Presumptions they take no further thought what becomes of the essential Holiness of God But infinite Wisdom has secured and sweetly adjust●…d the Interests of these two great Attributes Rom. iii. 2●… That h●… m●… be just and th●… ju●…r of 〈◊〉 that believeth in Jesus God will justifie there 's Mercy but he will be just in justifying there 's provision made for his Justic●… The Justice of God satisfied on Chris●… The Mercy of God magnified on the believing Sinner Thus God will not lose his Glory and the believing ●…inner shall not lose his Soul There seems to be a difficulty in Exod. xxxiv 6 7. A God pardoning iniquity transgression and sin and not a God that will by no means clear the guilty A perplexing Riddle If God will by no means clear the Guilty how does he pardon transgression But his Justice is as peremptory as his Mercy is free he will no more pardon Transgression without due compensation to his Justice than he will condemn the Sinner that by Faith lays hold on that Compensation which his Wisdom has provided and his Grace offered in the Gospel Here then Mercy and Truth are met together Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other And all the Attributes of God do sweetly embrace and harmoniously agree when the Satisfaction of one makes way for the exerting and exercising of the other Psal. lxxxv 10. 2. That we are so earnestly pressed to Adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour presupposes that however beautiful this Doctrine is in it self it has been miserably blackened defaced defiled and much dirt thrown in the Face of it which is done various ways 1. First when from the Doctrine of Divine Grace Mercy Forbearance and Forgiveness Corrupt Heads and Rotten Hearts draw Conclusions of Licentiousness that is when thay interpret Grace into Presumption which is evidently to subvert the End and Design to invert the Order and whole Method of the Gospel Doctrine for though the Gospel proclaims Pardon of all Sin to the Repenting it Indulges none to the impenitent Sinner He that by sinning presumes to find Work for Mercy shall find to his cost that he was making Work for Vengeance The Corruption of depraved Nature has discovered it self in many instances these especially evidence its malignity 1. When Men will be evil because God has been good The design of his goodness patience and long-suffering is to lead them to repentance Rom. ii 4. But if this goodness be despised and because God is long-suffering they will be the longer in sinning and because Mercy is still striving with them they will out-strive that Mercy they will