Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A37536
|
The present interest of England in matters of religion, stated wherein is clearly demonstrated that the Protestant religion may be fully secured from popery, though the penal laws be taken away / by W.D., alover of liberty for conscience sake.
|
W. D., lover of liberty for conscience sake.
|
1688
(1688)
|
Wing D99; ESTC R21223
|
21,170
|
32
|
his Power and Authority over us nor diminish our Duty and Obedience to him God hath put this into the Heart of the King that all the Yokes and Bonds and Burthens that have been laid upon Conscience or on men for their Conscience sake towards God in the former Reigns to be broken and for ever removed Is not this a wonderful work of God to have all this done at once which could never be done before and we have reason to think that it would never have been done by any Prince but this O let no man say that there is a new King risen up that knew not Joseph or that there is a Joseph in the Land that will not know Pharaoh O let this Liberty be thankfully received and wisely improv'd that Gods glory may be advanced that the Justice wisdom kindness and goodness of the King may be acknowledged as the great instrument in the hand of God in a work so great and good as this is towards his People 3. Of the effects no man can say now in this our Israel that the Gates of Liberty are shut up against him The Righteous Nation that keeps the truth may now enter in Isa 26.2 No man can say now in these Kingdoms That the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence Mat. 23.13 Every Man may now enter into it that will. No Man can say now in City or Countrey that the evil Angels hold the Winds that they cannot blow that is Persecutors Every Man may now sit under the breathings of Gods Spirit in the Ministry of the Word Rev. 7.1 and serve him without fear Many hundreds have been let out of Prison that were before shut up many thousands that were before troubled and prosecuted are now quiet and in peace many hundreds are now Labouring in the Lords Vineyard preaching the Word of God up and down every where and there be many thousands of Souls that do attend and hear the Word of God preached to them Have not many thousands of the People in these Nations own'd and acknowledged this to be the Work of God in their Addresses to the King Now by all this you may see that it is the work of God then it is in love and kindness to the Dissenters let this then serve for an Answer to this Objection The second Objection is If these Penal Laws should be taken away then Popery will come in upon us By this Objection then I perceive the thing that you fear is the coming in of Popery and the way that you will take to keep it out is to continue the Penal Laws Now this being an evil way may bring that evil upon you which you fear Numb 13.28 to 33. This evil way the Israelites of old did take when they were afraid of the Canaanites And they said one to another Let us make a Captain and let us return into Egypt Num. 14 4. Verse 29. 1 Cor. 10. Now this being an evil way brought that evil upon them which they feared Your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness This evil way did King Saul take when he was afraid of the Philistines Then said Saul unto his servants 1 Sam. 28.5 8 9. Verse 7. Seek me a woman that hath a familiar Spirit that I may go to her and enquire of her and his servants said unto him Behold there is a woman that hath a familiar Spirit at Endor Now this being an evil way brought that evil upon him and his Sons which he feared So Saul died and his three Sons and his Armour-bearer and all his Men that same day together 1 Sam. 31.4 5 6. This was the evil way that King Zedekiah did take when he was afraid of the Chaldaeans Jer. 38.19.20 he would not hearken to the word of the Lord by Jeremiah the Prophet But he fled and went forth out of the City by night by the way of the King's Gardens by the Gate betwixt two walls and he went out the way of the Plain Jer. 39.4 This being an evil way did bring upon him and his house all that evil which he feared Then the King of Babylon slew the Sons of Zedekiah before his eyes in Riblah and he slew all the Nobles of Judah and he put out Zedekiahs eyes and bound him in Chains to carry him to Babylon Jer. 39.6.7 This evil way did the Jews take in the days of our Saviour and in the days of the Apostles when they were afaid of the Romans John 11.48 The Romans shall come and take away both our Place and Nation To save themselves from the Romans they kept up Persecution and did slay Gods faithful Witnesses Mat. 23 35. Acts 7.32 and were betrayers and murderers and did endeavour to overthrow the work of God and the faith of the Gospel Luke 21 6 26. Now this being an evil way also brought all that evil upon them which they feared And are you still for the keeping up of compelling and persecuting Laws because you are afraid of Popery Is this the way to keep it out Never yet did any people take an evil way to save themselves from the evil they feared but it brought it upon them I have here shewed you this at large and I have also shewed you the evil of these Penal Laws Take heed therefore lest you bring upon your selves that evil which hath befaln others you must not keep up that which is bad for fear of worse you must not do evil that good may come of it you must not commit sin to keep out Popery you must not keep mens Consciences in Chains for ever that is the work of the next World and not this the Gospel will not allow that any man should suffer in his Body or in his Estate by persecuting Laws for the errors of his mind nor that any man should forfeit his Free-hold for being of a wrong perswasion He that spake as never man spake said Let the Wheat and the Tares grow both together until the Harvest Mat. 13.30 Mat. 15 13. John 16.8 2 Cor. 5.11 It is Gods work to pull up the Spirits work to convince it is mans work to perswade by sound arguments and to allure by a good Conversation men from a bad Religion to a better and from a wrong Religion to the right A man does not believe as others believe and cannot believe as others would have him believe but he believes as he sees cause to believe The question then is not so much what hath been done nor what some men would have to be done but what is best to be done to keep out Popery for that is your fear If I should give you counsel will you hearken to it and if I give you advice will you take it First then if you will keep out Popery do you amend your ways and your doings Jer. 7.3 and turn unto the Lord by a true and sincere repentance You have heard of the Judgments of God which have been
abroad in other Lands and you have been told of the Judgments of God at home in this Land but these past Judgments have not humbled you nor your present Mercies have not drawn you nor led you to the God of your Mercies Do you look like a people brought forth in a day of light do you look like a people that have lived in a Land of knowledge do you look like a people that have sat under the preaching of the Gospel and have enjoyed the means of grace so long Were ever mens mouths so full of Cursing and Swearing and Blaspheming as now were ever mens hearts so full of Wrath and Rage Enmity and Hatred against God and against his holy ways as now were ever mens lives so full of Unrighteousness and Ungodliness and all Wickedness whatsoever as they are now Did ever Pride so reign in England and Drunkenness so abound Murders so frequent and Whoring as it were a Staple Trade were ever people so Debauched and Prophane as they are now What do you think will become of such a people Let no man deceive you with vain words for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience Eph. 5.6 O let the cry of your Prayers out-cry the cry of your sins that your tears may quench that fire which your sins have kindled And be not out-done by Heathens Remember what Nineveh did If my people which are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways then I will hear from Heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their Land 2 Chron 7.14 When the Jews had so provoked the Lord God by their sins and wickedness their Ark then could not save them nor their Temple could not then preserve them but swift destruction came upon them O break off your sins by repentance and your iniquities by bringing forth fruits of righteousness that every man may live in Piety towards God in Loyalty towards his Prince and in Love and Charity one towards another The exercising so many cruelties upon Dissenters heretofore and of late years by pernicious Laws hath opened a door to let in Debauchery upon the people of this Land. 2. Secondly if you will keep out Popery then let the Clergy of this Land keep out Laziness and Idleness Drunkenness and Pride Covetousness and Ambition and Superstition out of their Tribe that they may be shining and burning lights amongst the people and not like the idle Shepherds of old nor like the greedy and covetous Priests that look'd for their gain from their quarter Joh. 10.12 Isa 56.11 Nor like the Hireling that flies from the Sheep when the Wolf comes but to be valiant for the truth labouring in Word and Doctrine taking all opportunities to Preach the Word of God in Season and out of Season to the people with all Authority with all Sincerity with all Affection with all Humility and Plainness rightly dividing the Word of Truth and wisely applying it to the Consciences of their Hearers convincing men by sound Arguments drawn from the Scriptures of Truth and alluring men by their good Examples and heavenly Conversations that they may adorn the Gospel of Christ Praying without ceasing Fasting often Watching diligently over their Flocks that they may save themselves and them that hear them 1. First Let them consider the End of Preaching which is to enlighten men in the truth and to build them up in the most holy Faith Acts 26.18 That they may be turned from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God that the bad may be made good and that the good may be made better and they that are without may be brought in and they that are within may be built up and encrease in grace 2. Secondly Let them consider the message they are to declare to the People which was from the beginning That God is light 1 Joh. 1.5 and love and in him is no darkness at all Behold what manner of love the father hath bestowed on us that we should be called the Sons of God John 3.1 But God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us Rom. 5.8 For God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life John 3.16 Vnto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own bloud Rev. 1.5 The Message then is love the love of God to men on earth Peace and good Will this love is shed abroad in the Heart this love draws men to God and keeps them with him and carrys them to him Rom. 8.35 O what a blessed subject is the love of God for Men to dwell upon 3. Thirdly Let them consider the Charge that is committed to their care to oversee the Souls of so many thousands of Men and Women that do hear them and will hear none but them in this Kingdom Wherefore I take you to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all men for I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God See Ezek. 3.20 take heed therefore unto your selves and unto all the flock over which the holy Ghost hath made you overseers Acts 20.26 27 28. 4. Fourthly Let them consider of that Account they must give to God almighty hereafter Who shall give Account to him that is ready to judge the Quick and the Dead 1 Peter 4.5 So then every one of us shall give Account of himself to God Rom. 14.12 But I keep under my Body and bring it into subjection lest that by any means when I have Preached to others I my self should be a cast-away 1 Cor. 9.27 O let these things be well considered of by the Clergy-men if they have been in the wrong heretofore that they may be in the right now In some things we offend in all in all things we offend in some if this be not regarded by them it will be a witness against them the less of the wisdom of man that is seen in it the more of the power of God may appear by it Thirdly If you will keep out Popery when it shall please the King to call a Parliament that you do then chuse such men for your Representatives that may perfect this good work the King hath begun for Liberty of Conscience chuse men that have a good affection for the Kings gracious Declaration Men of Wisdom and Understanding Men of good Lives and Conversations Men that have a high value for Religion and a true love for their Countrey Men that have lived peaceably and quietly amongst their Neighbours that are not of a Persecuting Spirit The King hath been graciously pleased to offer that to his People that is so great and the way of doing it so Just that no Prince can offer better and no People can desire more The thing