Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	good_a	grace_n	lord_n	7,245	5	3.6848	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A73751	The rocke of religion. Christ, not Peter As it was deliuered in certaine sermons vpon Math. 16. ver. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, & 20. Summarily contracted out of that which was more largely handled in the parish of S. Anthonline by George Close the younger, one of the readers there.	Close, George.	1624 (1624)	STC 5433.5; ESTC S124804	70,602	246

though for our weake capacities it pleaseth Gods spirit so to expresse spirituall powers vnto vs by gates is vnderstood the power of darkenesse the malice might policie and flattery of Satan not only by his owne immediate malice but by the cruell agency of his prophane instruments the World and the Flesh which continually assault the Church of God and try all their power and policy to batter and ouerthrow it but shall not bee able to ouercome it Doct. Whence wee learne that the power and strength of Hell the World Sinne and the Diuell shall not ouercome them that by a true faith are founded on Iesus Christ Reas Because he for them hath conquered Satan Sinne Death and Hell It was Gods blessing promised to Abraham x Gen 22. 17. Cap. 24. 60. that his seede should possesse the gate or strong holds of his enemies and the holy Apostle speaking of the weapons of our warfare y 2 Cor. 10. 4. they are not carnall saith he but mighty through God to cast downe all the strong holds as it were the brasen gates of our enemies Note No man hath any promise that he shall not be tempted and tryed by Satan but that Satan shall not ouercome the beleeuer in Christ the iust man Iob and the most faithfull Abraham the holiest Dauid the wisest Salomon and Peter himselfe were tempted tryed and afflicted but though many were the troubles of the righteous yet the Lord deliuereth them out of all For as the mountaines incompassed Ierusalem so the Lord a Psal 32. 10. standeth about his people that like mount Zion b Psal 112 6 Psal 125 1 2 they cannot be remoued but stand firme and fast for euer they are Gods Vine and therefore hee pruneth and loppeth them but withall hee c Isa 27. 3. so watereth the branches that hee maketh them to beare much fruite Nam vbi spiritus irrigatio defuerit omnis plantatio exarescit where the spirit of God doth not water the plants wither but faith is still a firme foundation built vpon Christ d Iohh 3 16 He that beleeueth in him shall not perish but haue euerlasting life let e Psal 80 13. the wild Boare of the Forrest and the subtle Foxes out of the Wildernesse seeke to roote vp and to supplant the Lords plantation yet they shall not be able to preuaile against it It must needes bee that f Gen 3 15 the seede of the Serpent will pursue the seede of the woman at the heeles yet her true seede shall breake his head and the same is more specially set forth in a vision Reu. 12 3. where Saint Iohn saw the great red Dragon with the seauen Heads tenne Hornes and seauen Crownes vpon his heads watching to deuoure the Child so soone as it was brought forth but God preserued the Child and tooke it vp into heauen and fedde the woman also in the wildernesse which was a liuely ●ype of Gods Church traueling ●o bring forth Children vnto ●im and Satan watching all opportunities to destoy the holy seede yea the Sonne of God himselfe who is yet taken vp into Heauen as all other true beleeuers through him shall be and his Church preserued and nourished for a time in the wildernesse of this World till the time of the full accomplishment of her Pilgrimage when shee shall be g Apoc. 21. 2. trimmed as a Bride to enioy her perpetuall felicitie with her Bridegroome to this agrees the Testimony of Saint Paul h 2 Cor. 4. 8. 9. we are saith he afflicted on euery side yet are wee not in distresse in pouerty but not ouercome of pouerty we are persecuted but not forsaken cast downe but wee perish not Thus Dauid affirmed that i Psal 129. 1. 2. many times the enemies had assayled but neuer preuailed against him for the Lord was with him and Saint Iohn presseth the same point and sheweth the meanes whereby the Church and children of God obtaine the victory k 1 Ioh. 5. 4. 5. all that is borne of God ouercommeth the world and this is the victory that ouercommeth the world euen our faith who is it that ouercommeth the world but hee which beleeueth that Jesus is the Sonne of God this is that which God signified vnto Moses and prepared him to constant perseuerance in the middest of all the Egyptian oppressions when he shewed him the vision of the bush l Exod ● 2. burning in fire but not consumed by the fire nay rather the Church is a fire to burne vp her enemies on euery side as the Prophet Zachary foretold the Israelites when he had reduced them out of captiuitie m Zach. 12. 2. 3. 6. Behold saith he I will make Ierusalem a Cup of poyson vnto all the people round about her and an heauy stone for all that lift at her to teare them though all the people of the earth be assembled against her in that day I will make the Princes of Iudah like coales of fire among the wood and like a fire-brand in the sheafe and they shall deuoure all the people round about on the right hand and on the left as is there further and more at large prophesied for the corroberation and consolation of Gods afflicted Church Vse 1 The first vse is for consolation great is the securitie of the godly I say securitie not carnall whereby the feare of God is shaken off but spiritual wherby the feare of damnation is ouercome for wee must vnderstand that all these glorious and assured promises of God are not to be extended to work or breed in vs any carnall securitie but a carefull watchfulnesse ouer our waies and works and to worke out our saluation with feare and trembling to cleaue stedfastly vnto the foundation and the Rock Christ otherwise o 1 Cor 10 12. let him that thinketh hee standeth take heed lest hee fall as the Israelites did which had receiued those excellent prerogatiues that God chose them as his precious treasure aboue all nations of the earth gaue them Sacraments and Ordinances of his owne Institution fed them with Manna the bread of heauen made them drinke of the spirituall Rock Christ that followed them and guarded them with a pillar of fire and a cloud night and day to direct and protect them in their way and yet for their stubburnnesse and rebellious hearts ouerthrew their carkeises in the wildernesse hereunto tend those frequent exhortations in the Scriptures that the Beleeuers which professe Christ p 2 Iohn 8. should take heed that they lose not the good things bestowed on them q Apoc. 2. 25. 3. 11. to hold fast that they haue receiued r Heb. 12. 15. to take heed that no man fall away from the grace of God and that we ſ 1 Thes 5. 19. quench not the spirit but to cherish the good sparkes of Gods grace giuen vnto them which is called t 2 Pet. 3. 18. growing in grace and in

the mysteries of the Gospell a naturall man with all his wisdome and wits perfection cannot comprehend how two natures should meet in one person how Christ which was the sonne of man should be also the Sonne of God how a Virgin should be a Mother and how a man must bee borne againe before he can enter into the Kingdome of God these Mysteries made the old Doctor in Israel Nicodemus to stagger in his reason and aske y Iohn 3. 9. How can these things bee This diuine Doctrine made the Philosophers Epicures and Stoickes disputing with Saint Paul at Athens to account him a babler and setter foorth of strange newes z Acts 17. 18 When hee spake to them of Iesus and the Resurrection The Doctrine of the Crosse of Christ was therefore a stumbling blocke to the Jewes and foolishnesse to the Grecians 1. Cor. 1. 21. for if hee were a man say they why doe yee worship him and if a God how could hee dye Yea the Capernaites hearing him to speak of the eating of his flesh a Iohn 6. 60. fell from him and went backe not knowing how these things could bee that he should giue them his flesh to eate and thereby they should haue eternall life but ●he words so carnally vnderstood of them were Spirit and Truth as they were deliuered by him which flesh and blood cannot comprehend and wherefore should this seeme vnreasonable which is supernaturall when wee see there are many things in the earth hard to finde out In many naturall things wee are at our wits end who knoweth the essence of his owne soule whence when and how he receiued it Salomon so singular in wisedome confesseth b Eccles 8. 17. that hee could not find out the workes that are wrought vnder the Sunne yea though hee liue many yeares and haue much experience yet hee cannot finde them out And to bee short the greatest Philosophers wearied themselues in studie and yet could not finde out the reason of many things euen in nature and before their eyes wherevpon the chiefest of them contented themselues to bee called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and modestly refused to be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the louers of wisedome and not wise men Now if these men that spent all their studie and contemplation in the workes of Nature came farre short in the knowledge of them how much lesse can mans reason finde out the things that are of God and supernaturall No doubtlesse wee must herein seeke a guide to direct vs or else wee shall bee as blind in our ignorance as the Sodomites were in their lustes c Gene. 19. 11. groping after but not able to finde the doores of Lots house d Acts 8. 31. How can I vnderstand the Prophesies saith the Eunuch to Philip except I haue a guide And hauing thus prooued the first and negatiue part of the Proposition wee proceed to demonstrate and confirme the Affirmati●e part Wherein wee will onely subscribe to that Assertion of the iust man Iob e Iob 3● ● Iames 1. 17 2 Cor. 3. 5. Surely saith he there is a spirit in a man but the inspiration of the Almighty giueth vnderstanding Now before wee come to the Application it will not bee amisse to annexe two considerable circumstances the one concerning the impulsiue cause the other concerning the manner of this heauenly Reuelation which for the Readers capacitie shall bee plainly laid downe in two seuerall Questions and Answeres Quest 1 First if any man will demand what is the impulsiue cause that moueth God to bestow this speciall grace of heauenly knowledge vpō some more then others Answ Wee can make no other answere but that it is the good pleasure of his will f Math. 13. 11. To you saith Christ to his Apostles it is giuen to know the secrets of the kingdome of heauen but to them it is not giuen Quest 2 But may some say By what meanes and in what manner doth God reueale these Mysteries of the Gospell vnto his children Answ This Reuelation of the will of God and the knowledge of Christ is not onely and alwayes by secret inspiration but as the Apostle witnesseth g Rom 10. 17 Faith ordinarily comes by hearing of the word of God h 1 Pet. 1. 23. which is the incorruptible seed of our Regeneration Now it is not meant that the Preaching of the Word hath this fruit and effect by any naturall power or vertue in the ●ound of the words but by the ordinance and blessing of God who vseth this as his ordinarie meanes for our conuersion vnto himselfe and as Saint Paul speaketh By the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleeue Neither is God tyed by any necessitie to this outward meanes as though Faith and other graces could not bee wrought in any without that meanes but hee reserueth this glory vnto himselfe to dea●e which way hee please and in an extraordinary sort to conuert and saue some as first in the decayed estate of the Church when there wanteth a setled forme of Gouernment it pleaseth him sometimes to blesse the exercise of his Word though it bee but read and talked of as it is said i Iohn 4. 39 That many of the Samaritans beleeued in Christ vpon conference with the woman which bare record of him Secondly we beleeue that God reueileth himselfe in good manner and measure vnto Infants that are not come to the yeares of discretion and explicit faith and also with such men as are borne deafe dumbe or naturall Ideots ●n whom yet the Spirit of God worketh secretly without this outward ordinary meanes of Preaching and hearing the Word yet the truth is and wee must acknowledge it that hee hath ordained the preaching of his Word to bee the ordinary meanes whereby he doth reueale the knowledge of his will vnto vs by which meanes Peter and the other Disciples of Christ attained vnto this knowledge aboue others being continually conuersant with him and hearing his word and seeing his great workes performed before their eyes Vse 1 First this teacheth vs that to attaine vnto the true faith and sauing knowledge of Iesus Christ is not so easie a matter as men commonly account it seeing it is wrought in vs by the Spirit of God and no ma● hath it but by heauenly reuelation Vse 2 It teacheth vs also that when wee come to meditate on holy Mysteries we forsake our owne carnall Wisedome and Reason which flesh and blood prompteth vnto vs neither let v● measure Gods Secrets by our weake reasons rule which cannot reach vnto them but often may seeme absurd to our dull and carnall capacities Hence it is that many wise men and learned Clarkes as we call them runne into foule errours and Heresies not truely vnderstanding the Scriptures but resting vpon their owne blind reasons and carnall affections without these heauenly Reuelations of God Therefore the Apostle well aduiseth k That if any man will 1 Cor. 3.

the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ u 1 Cor. 3. 12. in whom only consisteth the whole strength of the building though weake wood and timber be built thereupon so as looking into our selues and the examples of Gods best beloued Children yea Peter himselfe after this promise how foulely they haue falne we may euer finde cause of feare and distrust but lifting vp our eyes vnto God the stablenesse of his counsels and certaintie of his promises we may rest safely in confidence of his word which hath said w Ios 1. 5. I will not leaue thee nor forsake thee x Iohn 5. 24. hee that beleeueth in him shall not perish for euer He it is that doth nourish the holy fire in vs and keepes vs vnto the end y Iohn 13. 1. for whom hee loueth he loueth euerlastingly z 1 Ioh. 3. 9. and the seede of God abideth in the elect that being borne of God they sinne not vnto condemnation a Rom. 8. 1. for there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus which walke not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Christ prayed for b Luke 22 31. Peter and he prayed also for vs c Ioh 17. 2. 12. 20 24. and for all that should beleeue in his name that none of his might be lost neither is any able to take them out of his Fathers hand which is stronger and greater then all and loueth vs in Christ as hee loued him before the foundations of the world were laid against these the gates of Hell cannot preuaile for they haue the Lords priuie Seale not seene nor knowne to men but d 2. Tim. 2. 19 the Lord knoweth his Vse 2 Secondly this Doctrine iustly impugneth that error of the Romanists holding opinion that the visible Church and the pretended successors of Peter cannot erre whereas the contrary is apparantly verified in the Scriptures that Peter himselfe did erre and therefore though it bee true that the inuisible Church that is the elect of GOD cannot erre finally yet the visible Church consisting both of good and bad may erre as appeareth through the whole History of the Bible and in the primatiue times particular Churches haue erred witnesse Corinth Galatia Philadelphia Pergamus c yea the Church of Rome it selfe whether wee regard the Head or the Body hath grieuously erred First as touching the Head Romish Bishops haue erred and diuers of them became Heretickes Scismaticks Antipopes Negromancers Sodomites and what not Marcellinus sacrificed to the Idols of the Gentiles Leberius was an Arrian Nicholas changed the decrees of Iohn the two and twentieth Gregory of Pelagius Innocentius of Gregory yea in those things which belong to faith Cardinall Ragusanus proueth that the Pope may erre and did in the great Schisme at Rome Cardinall Cusanus affirmeth the Pope may fall from the faith the Councell of Basill auoucheth that the priuiledge of not erring belongeth not to the Popes more then other Bishops Secondly and as for generall Councels which haue a more liuely representation of the whole Church and where the Bishops of Rome haue been present may yea they haue erred one repealed the Actes and Decrees of another and there can bee no correction without errour the Councell of Nice defended Images that of Constantinople was against them the third Councel of Carthage saith that he is Antichrist that calleth himselfe an vniuersall Bishop the Councell of Rome and Trent say and maintaine the contrary therefore except there be more Truths then one Councels may erre and the Pope may erre and consequently the whole visible Church may erre and the truth is e Isa 9 17. many hypocrites making a great shew of godlinesse haue fallen away from grace and the truth of the Gospell become Apostatates in faith and Satanists in conuersation and yet the Church standeth For f Rom 3. 4. Psal 116. 1● Titus 1. 2. Hebr 6. 18. let God be true and all men lyers in his truth it standeth and Satan a lyer from the beginning cannot ouerthrow it g 2 Thess 2. 9. Antichrists deceiueable delusions and lying wonders cannot preuaile against it Verse 19. And I wil giue vnto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt bind vpon earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen Vpon such a sure and grounded confession of Peter proceedeth a twofold promise of Christ 1. as is formerly laid down that hereupon he will lay an vnmoueable foundation of his Church that the gates of h●ll should not bee able to preuaile against it 2. that he would for the gouernment thereof commit to his Apostles and Ministers the Spirituall keyes of the kingdome of heauen with a power to bind and loose in such manner as he would ratifie in heauen their proceedings in earth according to the tenure of his Commission wherby hee had so authorized them to execute his power in his Church In these wordes obserue two things First Datum The donation wherein consider 1. who is the giuer 2. to whom 3. what was giuen Secondly Applicaum The Application in these wordes whatsoeuer thou shalt bind on earth c. Doct. Concerning the first in as much as hee saith I will giue it teacheth vs That Christ is the giuer of the keyes who onely had this power from heauen as the heire of God the Messiah and Mediatour betwixt man and God who h Heb. 2. 3. Psal 8 6. 1 Cor. 15. 27. Iohn 17. 2. Phil. 2. 9 10. put all thinges in subiection vnder him in heauen and earth and so the Apostle affirmeth that Christ first receiued this power from God his Father to bee made the head of his Church and onely had right to giue and communicate such power vnto his Church thus Christ expresseth it in the Gospel i Math. 11. 27. 28. 18 19. All power saith he is giuen me in heauen and in earth and thereupon he groundeth his commission to send his Apostles into all the world this point is not onely verified by apparant and plentifull texts of holy Scriptures but euen our aduersaries in words not greatly contradict it howsoeuer in their practice and in effect they haue paralelled sundry of the Saints with him as the Turkes and Infidels haue wholly dethroned him and placed their false prophet and abominable idole Mahomet before him and aboue him but because they deny the principles of faith and religion wee will not contend nor spend much time in disputing with them but willingly acknowledge and subscribe to the Soueraignty and absolute power of Christ as disposer of all things in heauen and earth Vse And let the true Church and Spouse of Christ heare and obey his voyce and deriue her subordinate power from him alone which hee then promised and afterward gaue vnto her to execute for him for wee must note that he then instantly gaue not Note 1 but speaking in the future