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	heart_n	word_n	8,179	5	4.0825	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A33725	The old apostolical way of preaching, or, Peters last legacy to all his true successors in the ministry and faith of the Gospel being an awakening word from a dying-preacher to his dying-hearers in a sermon preached on the death of Mr. Edward West, late minister of the gospel in London / by Thomas Cole ...	Cole, Thomas, 1627?-1697.	1676 (1676)	Wing C5032; ESTC R43106	10,675	23

of the Gospel to a subserviency to their own Notions that they may have somewhat to ground their new devised Superstruction upon I am perswaded many Unorthodox Antivangelical Opinions have had their Rise from hence Some Men are run down by their own Reason and see it not their proud Rebellious Thoughts not being yet brought into Captivity to the Obedience of Christ. I might enlarge upon this and shew you that most of the Errors that are Crept into the Church were bred in the Schools and have been the cursed Off-spring of unsanctified Natural Abilities 'T is time then to return to the Simplicity of the Gospel and to begin the Bible again that we may take in the sincere Milk of the Word without any Humane mixtures drawing pure Streams from the Fountain of Truth and keeping up a constant Remembrance especially of the prime grand Truths of the Gospel from whence we must derive our Life Strength and Comfort in an evil Day of Terrour and Darkness we must return then to plain Gospel-Principles 'T is not School-Subtilties and Nice-Reasonings that will relieve us but down-right Faith Christians could never Die in peace if they had not next their Hearts some plain comfortable Word to relie upon as that Christ Died for Sinners to Reconcile us to God by his Blood that through Faith in Him we might be Justified and Sanctified You 'll say We have all this in our Catechisms we learned it when we were Children Well we must go back to our Catechisms again here lies all our Salvation therefore Meditate upon these things and Remember them Do not think you can be too often minded of them they are Truths you must live upon all your days and be continually feeding upon 'T is not doubtful Disputations but clear undeniable Gospel-Maximes that a trembling Soul flies to and argues from Therefore I say again That Preaching doth not consist so much in variety of Notion as in a plain Proposal and powerful Application of those things that are Revealed in Scripture Gospel-Truths do not work upon us by the Strength of Mans Reason but by a secret Divine Virtue going along with them they become the Power of God unto Salvation Ministers are to Publish the Contents of the Bible and so to open the Scriptures that their Hearers may attain to a true Historical Knowledg of what is there written which Saving-Faith doth always presuppose and include This is that Preaching by which God doth Insensibly and Secretly turn the Hearts of his Elect As many as were ordained to Eternal Life believed Acts 13.48 'T is not said as many as were Learned Men skill'd in Arts and Sciences of good Natural Parts and quick Apprehensions But as many as were Ordained c. Though never so Unlearned of never such mean and ordinary Capacities yet such by the Power of the Gospel plainly preached are made wise unto Salvation God working Faith in them which implies the Knowledg of all things necessary to Salvation The Spirit of God supplies all the Defects in Nature and brings a new Nature along with it sufficiently furnished for all the Works and Actions that are proper and peculiar to the New Creature and all Men are in an equal natural Capacity for this Change I mean passively capable of it When God takes this Clay into his Hands he can form what Vessels of Honour he pleases out of it none can foresee the Way Manner and Method of the Word and Spirit of God in working Faith in us Some sit long under the Word and are not stirred yet 't is good to keep our Hearts under the Historical Light and Knowledg of the Gospel hearing in a daily Expectation of the coming of Faith subjecting our selves to God's Ordinance waiting for the Effects of it often revolving and considering in our Minds what we have heard To Remember is to look back upon former things to Chew the Cud going over in our Thoughts again and again what we have been Taught but some have such Itchin Ears they are all for Novelties something that they knew not and have not heard before some fine-spun Notion that may buz a while in the Head though it never reach the Heart 't is but as the tinkling of a Cymbal a meer transient Apparition that vanisheth away with its own sound yet these are the Rarities that many look after they can relish nothing else when they are put in remembrance of former things they are so far from being pleased that they nausiate the thoughts of hearing over again what they knew before they put up their Pen and Ink shut their Books and stop their Ears are quite taken off from any due Attention they carry as if they had long since done with all plain downright Gospel-Truths they have nothing to say to them now Ay but they may have something to say to you that they never told you yet God may let them down further into your souls and cause them to make deeper impressions upon your Hearts than ever heretofore 2. I now come to speak of the 15th verse I shall still prosecute the same Point but in a nearer Relation to the present Occasion than has been yet done I call this Peters last Legacy to all his true Successors in the Ministry and Faith of the Gospel I don't see any mention here or any where else in Scripture of that large Patrimony which the See of Rome lays claim to by an Hereditary Right from Peter If you read over his Inventory here you 'l find no Triple-Crown or Miter no Cross-Keys no Roquet Camad and Cloath no Slippers and Pantofles or any such Pontifical Habiliments which are now reckoned among the Regalia of their Spiritual Monarchy But what doth Peter bequeath us for the words have vim Testimenti Calv. they are in the nature of a Testament or last Will in which he commends to us after his decease the frequent Consideration and Remembrance of those plain solid Fundamental Truths contained in the Scriptures by which is made known unto us the Power and Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Peter himself being an Eye-witness of his Majesty when he was with him upon the holy Mount But his pretended Successor at Rome thinking there is not variety enough in Religion as 't is drawn up and stated by Christ therefore the better to entertain the Fancies of Men in an outward sensitive way of Worship has made a supplemental addition of his own teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of Men obtruding upon us cunningly devised Fables quite contrary to the express Mind of Peter ver 16. What this Apostle gives us in charge is plainly this Observ. That it it the Duty of all Congregations all Hearers who out-live their Ministers to keep in Remembrance those precious Truths which they formerly heard from them Let me press this upon you of this Congregation the Text looks directly upon you and therefore fail not to come up to the Duty that is here required And now after the