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
A96901	Soft answers unto hard censures: relating, I. To a book printed without licence. A full accompt given thereof. II. To my particular calling: 3 offences relating thereunto removed: and the dutie of visiting families and schooles is pressed upon magistrates and ministers, whose duty it is to visite there, enquiring how the governours and governed, do answer their relations, the one commanding, the other obeying in the Lord. III. To the offence given by a book called an Anti-apologie, which I have said, is a great offence to the church of God; and that they, who write as Mr. Edwards does, too many by two, have offended their lord and master, more than Moses did, when he said, ye rebels, for which unadvised speaking (yet the people were little better) though he would, he could not compound with his lord God almighty. ... / By Hezekiah Woodward.	Woodward, Ezekias, 1590-1675.	1645 (1645)	Wing W3504; Thomason E268_2; ESTC R212399	14,831	17

SOFT ANSWERS Unto Hard Censures RELATING I. To a Book printed without Licence A full Accompt given thereof II. To my perticular calling 3 Offences relating thereunto removed And the dutie of visiting Families and Schooles is pressed upon Magistrates and Ministers whose Duty it is to visite there enquiring how the Governours and Governed do Answer their Relations the one commanding the other obeying in the Lord. III. To the Offence given by a Book called an Anti-Apologie which I have said is a great offence to the Church of God And that they who write as Mr. Edwards does too many by two have offended their Lord and Master more than Moses did when he said ye Rebels for which unadvised speaking yet the people were little better though he would he could not compound with his Lord God Almighty IV. And to the offence taken by my short defence of the Apol Narration Whether the offence is justly given or unjustly taken is humbly submitted to better judgement upon due consideration of two exceptions all I ever heard made against it by discreet and sober men Men and Brethren hear ye my Defence which I make now unto you ACTS 22.1 Opinioni se venditat qui filet Verul Quamvis imbecilla frons magna conscientia sustentatur Quint. By HEZEKIAH WOODWARD Printed according to Order for Iohn Hancock at the entrance into Popes-head Alley out of Cornhill 1645. SOFT ANSVVERS Unto Hard Censures REader many things are charged upon my score I shall account with thee faithfully in all That thou maiest understand matters well and throughout before thou takest upon thee to judge And then also deal more tenderly with thy Neighbours good Name a pretious thing and it may be his livelyhood than thou doest with a Glasse of Christall and with his Meaning be as tender as with the Apple of the eye I le make no Apologie for my words I hope they shall not need any I shall speak in matters wherein no man ought to be silent Indeed I have been disswading so long against strife and contention amongst Brethren that it has almost fallen out to me as to Gods Faithfull servant Moses he disswaded an Israelite so heartily from smiting an Israelite that the Israelite who did the wrong charged Moses with Murthering thoughts towards him Thinkest thou to kill me saies he Exod. ● when indeed Moses had no other thought but to Reforme him to keep his hand and tongue from smiting But to the Particulars of the Charge Relating I. To a Book printed without Licence which the Wardens have met with and dealt with it and me as they pleased or rather as they said their Dutie is and warant in their hands to do I confesse I took some offence at their Dealing which they say was not given I have no disposition nor were it fitting to dispute that But because I took an offence and I thought very justly therefore will I be the more tender of offending them Onely this I must minde them of here That their Dealing with my Book and Me layeth an Engagement upon them As they love the Booke of God and Desire their Soules may thrive and prosper thereby rather than fill their purse with gaine therefrom To deal with other Bookes filled with blasphemies from top to bottom And with Doctrines contrary to the Minde and good Word of God with known Malignants 〈◊〉 Pests and Plagues in City and Countrey To deal with them and these as they Dealt with me and my Book It is their Duty so to do and but according to the power in their hands And now it is their engagement also because they have in their zeal to the Cause they say and due execution of their office dealt so with me of whom I thinke they judge so honourably though they were pleased to question me about a libellous paper against the Lords which my soul abominates That I would not for a world speak against the Lord Christ Nor willingly against any the meanest of His Servants And so forbearing all other matters which might fall-in here I come to give an account of my Doings in the Book and the Reasons of my so doing But first I must make a plaine narrative of the businesse clamored against and that which moved me to set upon the work which was this Observing an heavy and most grievious charge drawne-up against those I need not name being so well knowne unto us for their known integrity and exac● walking according to the Truth of the Gospel observing I say such a charge fixed upon the title page of a booke that it might be in the fullest view of heaven and earth so as he that runnes might read it observing also the worth Authority and learning of the Author a well furnished man every way I bestowed a few hours in running over the book from the first page to the last that I might tell my selfe how he makes good the charge And this I have told the Reader already in its due place * 2. Sect. This remaines to tell him here how my spirit was stirred at the sight of this charge And the Reasons I had so to be stirred All this I shall tell faithfully as in the ears of God the searcher of all hearts 1. That my soul could not bear the words of that charge Therefore I had a motion stronger than I could withstand which rendred me restlesse till I had put my pen to paper therewith to shew according as I was inabled the vanity I le give it but so light a name of that so heavy a charge 2. My reasons were many the former I will call for distinction sake Negative First I did it not thereby to shew my selfe singular or to side with any party I love both parties so well that the Lord knowes I know not whom I love and honour most And am confident that if they be two now in judgement yet they are not two in affections for so wise men should not be or if two at present yet they will be all one anon Amen 2. Not to tell the world that my soul goes out in the way of Independency further than I am perswaded The Doctour himselfe would upon sound debate with his own heart goe out with mee However I have spoken of it according to my scant measure of knowledge as the * oor ur Psa 18 28. Esa 10 17 2 Sam. 21.17 light of the world hath been pleased to lighten my candle 3. Not to thwart Authority or the Dictates therefrom Certainly my soul abhors so to do You will say A. And yet I have done what my soul abominated B. If I grant that it is no more but what my betters will grant and have done before me What I hate that I doe said Saint Paul But yet I cannot understand it so For first I sought for a Licence but could not obtain it though my manner is to yeeld up my papers to be corrected as the Licenser in his better judgement

shall think fittest And indeed so an Author should do for he is worst able to judge of himself and he may slip with his pen as soon as with his tongue which the Licenser by adding or leaving out a word may help and reconcile the Authors words and his meaning Therefore no man I think is more willing to crave judgement and submit unto it then I am And with this kinde of Licensing any spirit can well close But for a Licenser to withdraw his hand out of prejudice to that he will not read or because it may not suit with his judgement This gives an offence sure which ought not be given Secondly I observed bookes passing abroad with Licence which I thought were wanting to Truth in part and to right Reason more wanting and to the Law of Charity wholly wanting all throughout Yet these have their Licence I thought now That sith I craved leave and could not have it I might take leave and the liberty to speak the Truth keeping the Dictates of Right Reason up close in desire to the Law and Rule of charity all along certainly so I did in desire But my performances I know all short of my own minde and cannot reach up to my rule All good men will pardon me here Their Lord and Master will Thirdly Not to cast the least scruple much lesse a stone of ofence at the way is now beating out before us I have said in deed That the way of Church Government I would name no more is an Holy way And that I can discerne no other in it but what ought to be Holinesse therein all along And this Holinesse not so discernible in the other Way But still I have said I travelled with hope That the waies we have unhappily differenced by two names of Debate will meete in one and there shall bee one way my endeavours are for it so are my prayers even so Amen And now me thinks I have in my hand that which advanceth my hope for I am reading the Directory for worship to the Church in Scotland A thing I confesse I stumbled at hearing it so much talked of amongst us But I stumbled at it as a man in the darke at that hee neither sees nor knowes before him I am reading of that book ●…probe facitqui in alieno libro ingeniosus est Mart. ad Lect. And truly not to shew my self curious therein which I should not be this I must say That they have spoken very well and my soul can go out with it perswaded their endeavour is to live up in their practise according as they have spoken And as their light comes in so shall their commings in and going forth be before all their people As the Lord shall be pleased to clear up the way of Worship before their eyes they will for there is no standing still in Gods way hold it forth before all Congregations What we expect from the Assemblies here I cannot tell great things sure and sure we shall have them according to expectation if our sinnes our murmurings and repinings and for want of faith our making haste our great sinne And the sinnes of some Ministers also which they know best and we know too well to be such as may cast an offence in the way may hinder at least the faithfull endeavours of the Best approved And therefore are matters of deep humiliation unto all before all the people The sins of Ministers Assembled now Oh let their sinnes be found-out and greatly humbled let them be for all they have done That the Righteous may have their hearts desire touching the way of worship before their God which certainly they shall have if sinnes hinder not theirs and ours reaching higher and crying louder than the prayers of all the Righteous in the World can cry in the eares of their God And if so but surely so it shall not be and if matters answer not expectation yet I praise God as well as I can I think for I dare not be confident of my own heart all within me doth praise His Holy Name for all that good the Lord hath done for His poor people by the unwearied labours of His faithfull Servants Abundantly recompencing all the expence of Spirits Time and Purse Though the expence were a thousand times more than it is And we should live to see no more yet abundantly sufficient is that we have seen touching the purifying of Gods house His worship and services there Now the Lord be praised for this And all within us must blesse His Name for giving gifts unto His servants and hearts to lay-out themseves and their gifts To advance His Name A Reformation or way of worship sutable to the excellency of His Name Power and Godnesse I have been the larger here to clear my intentions That nothing could stand so contrary to the purpose and tendency of my soule than to diminish any thing from the beauty of that way is now beating-out before us or from the labour of love in those who lay-out themselves in that worke And these are the reasons I call for distinction sake Negative The other you may call Affirmative are these 1. That I might do as much for the Brethren as I stand bound to do for my enemies Asse his that hates me Exodus 23.4 to my power I must helpe the Asse-up and case him of his burden I conceive I have done no more now I saw a mighty burden of Reproach cast upon the Brethren I have put to my hand to ease them of it 2 I considered who they were that were so extreamly laden with disgraces They are the precious and excellent of the world which I speak making no comparison with those whom I acknowlledge to bee pretious in Gods sight and therefore honourable in ours also All of them the sons of a King and servants of the High God These are the men so reproached 3 And that the Gospell might suffer no dammage finde no stop in their mouthes who are I would detract from none giving these their due eminently gracious that way and able above many to carry it forth and to speak it from their hearts to the hearts of all that hear them Indeed I have more then a jealousie That the way men have taken now a dayes against their wils I hope and besides their intentions is the readrest way that can bee taken to destroy the Gospell what man can do and to take-off from the working of it in the hearts of the people when they lay such cart-loads of disgrace upon the publishers thereof as that they are as Altars and Idol-services were in Iudahs land plagues and pests there 4. This also had the force of a reason mighty alone to perswade with me to do as I did That 1 All the evill of manners is charged upon them whose conversation is before Angels and men as becommeth the Gospel they preach and the Faith they professe 2 And all the evill Doctrines are charged

proceeding there to the Dictates of right reason and method of charity all along that he may follow peace and pursue it in that way pleasing in his own eyes but he shall never undertake it while the world stands It is my judgement indeed upon such proceedings And I shall be of the same judgement till I die And then also I shall not retract it or repent of what I have done touching that matter And this I have fully declared and faithfully But the half of my papers are restrained I may set them at liberty in due time for what ever the Censure is against those papers yet the truth is they serve to declare the truth and to maintain peace as may appear in due time But I was saying that surely these men must repent of their doings loath themselves for the actings of their own spirit before their labour 2 Cor. 5 9 Philotimoumetha if they feel the weight of that word in the Apostles sence can be accepted with the Lord and with His people So I have said and I do not doubt but thousands of a more refined judgement than my self will say the same with are But therefore am I charged I le let petty charges go that 1 I hold for a telleration of all Religions 2 And with th●… that hold for an universall libertie of conscience 3 That I speak evill of dignities set my self as they do who now call themselves Independents but are not unlesse neither to fear God nor reverence Man bee to bee Independent against the powers which are of God Parliaments Councels Synods To the first I have spoken to the second I shall speak here 2 That I hold with those who think they may hold to what opinion they will live as they please do what seems good in their own eyes It is their conscience so to do the doings and actings thereof And the Magistrate hath nothing to do there And this is my opinion also I hold for universall liberty of conscience I answer no but I do not The Lord knowes I abhorre that opinion As it is commonly understood construed pressed forced I abhorre it as a bloudy Tenet indeed and the most destructive to Church and State that possibly Satan could have suggested or Satans Adversaries the godly could have forced against their friends the children and servants of the High God which is that we may walk every man his own way pleasing in his own eye live as we list stand up against the Law and Gospell-priviledge Infants birth-right stand up against the Lords day too deny the due sanctification thereof yet the Magistrate hath nothing to do with us for it is our conscience so to do and our judgement Oh abhominable Conscience say we It is our famie a meer conceit sute what ever it is it is not conscience for they that hold to that opinion have n● conscience at all And it will appear that conscience they have none by some eminent actions flowing from that licentious conscience whereby the way of God is blasphemed and others enticed to seatter their wayes and to walk in by-paths where the Magistrate ought to meet with them and oppose them while they hold their foot in their 〈◊〉 way of sinne and Death There the Magistrate has to do with them in wayes apparently evill and must punish them before the Sun Indeed the Magistrate has no power over the conscience I think no sober man ever said That Man has power there It is an inward thing and an invisible Hand it is That can reach unto it and perswades there But when the evill effects of this licentious conscience do appear then Must the Magistrate appear against it and them And that is all I will say concerning my cleering touching that matter The third particular of the Charge It is against those who standing single and alone are worth ten thousand of my self And indeed an heavie charge it is But it is but a mans charge he I will speak of him single though he is plurall hath charged his brethren very heavily though with weight of words onely Hard and devouring he hath spoken much and proved nothing at all nothing by all his Allegations and Quotations Notwithstanding that which he hath suffered from the hand of the wicked and the honourable esteem he hath in the hearts of the Godly shall compound for all his hard words against his brethren But truly how he will compound this Matter with his God is a question to me Now I do remember and he will remember it also Numb 20.8 That a better man than he MOSES having offended but once in the like manner could not compound with his God touching that matter vers 10. Thus we reade God spake unto MOSES saying vers 12. speak unto the rock MOSES did contrary he spake unto the people and smote them with his tongue ye Rebels said he Indeed such they were Psal 106.32 but MOSES had no warrant to call them so not to speak so unadvisedly with his lips But so he did speak and God was angry with him And O how fain Moses would have compounded the businesse but he could not compound with God his Lord and Master would not be intreated no not by that most faithfull servant Moses because he spake unto the People saying ye Rebels That was all and a Truth it was yet an unadvised speaking with his Lips and he could not compound for it It commands our marke and saddest thoughts upon it And then it will be matter of so trow to us who have spoken so unadvisedly once and again calling them Rebels who are not so and Presumptuous sinners before the Lord Whose daily Prayer is as in charity we are bound to think Keep thy servant Lord from Presumptuous sinnes Let not those have dominion over me Surely the thoughts of Moses story his going-crosse to the command of God will make our hearts sorrowfull because we have charged our Brethren So and so ye Rebeli and ye teach others to be Presumptuous sinners before the Lord. A grievous Charge but matter of great comfort it is to all that are so charged but are the faithfull of the Lord and do abhorre evill all that which is presumed against them matter of great comfort unto these For so were all the faithfull of the world charged before them That they were troublers meant to Rebell chief enemies against Kings and their Kingdomes so the best men in the world have been charged by the worst men of the World Yea their LORD and Master Himselfe He was so charged That He was an enemie to the Powers which were of God Luk. 23 23. And the more blamelesse He was found to be the more * fierce the chief Priests were against Him and the more vehemently they accused * Him till they prevailed with Pilate so as he delivered Iesus not to the justice of the Law but to their * will the injustice thereof to do unto him as they