Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	heart_n	speak_v	word_n	13,397	5	4.4123	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57068	The tabernacle of God with men, or, The visible church reformed a discourse of the matter and discipline of the visible church, tending to reformation / by Richard Resbury ...	Resbury, Richard, 1607-1674.	1649 (1649)	Wing R1136A; ESTC R32282	56,135	82

Prophanation of the name of God as giving no apparant hopes of repentance let us hear the judgement of some the most approved and excellent Expositors Calvin upon the place thus This Confession was a Testimony of repentance that men may rightly offer themselves to baptisme the Confession of sins is required of them otherwise the whole action was nothing else but an idle toying furthermore it is to be observed that who are here spoken of were persons come to years who we know are not to be admitted promiscuously of the Church nor by baptisme to be entred into the body of Christ till they have first been tryed The same Calvin upon Acts 19.18 having witnessed of those there spoken of that they did indeed testify that they were throughly affected with the serious fear of God who did of their own accord confesse the crimes of their former life least by their dissembling they should inwardly nourish the wrath of God he addes concerning those who came to Johns baptisme that by the Confession of their sins they made profession that they were not feignedly entred into repentance Beza upon the same place viz. Matth. 3.6 thus They are said by the Jewes to confesse their sinnes who acknowledge themselves all manner of wayes to be sinners and seek for pardon from the mercy of God as Dan. 9.3 c. Hence it appeares saith he that John admitted none to his Baptisme but such as gave testimony that they seriously embraced the doctrine of the free remission of sinnes and such a like publique confession was required of the Catechumens in the ancient Church called by the name of Exomologesis Piscator in his observations upon Matth. 3. v. 6 8 10. speaks thus Baptisme is not to be applyed to any of yeares till he have first made confession of his sinnes and of his faith in Christ and further promise of an holy life all these did John require saith he of those that came to be baptized of him for the first it is cleare verse 6. for the second it is manifest out of the words of Paul Acts 19.4 where he saith John baptized with the baptisme of repentance saying to the people that they should beleeve upon him who was to come after John himselfe that is Christ Jesus Compare Acts 8.16 For the third it is evident from verse 8.10 of this third of Matth which is particularly declared and applyed to divers kinds of life Luke 3.10 c. Thus we see these excellent men judicious and sincere in their generation gather'd no such shuffing conclusions from the history of Johns baptism recorded in Scripture as many of ours are wont to gather who plead the numbers recorded by John as an argument that he did and we may receive into Church society all comers for further discovery here let us look into another Scripture concerning John and those received by him together with the judgements of those excellent and true hearted Divines upon the place the text of Scripture is Matth. 11.12 and it shewes how they were affected at least apparently who came in so great numbers to be baptized of John compare it with Luke 16.16 Piscator here It shewes the effect of Johns Doctrine to wit that many embraced that Doctrine with great zeale and so took the Kingdome of heaven as it were by force Beza The Kingdome of heaven suffereth violence They break into it as it were by a certaine force for this treasure of our heavenly father lies open as it were to all earnestly by every one to be laid hold upon which he might seeme formerly to have hid as it is unfolded Rom. 16.25 26. which compared with this text now in hand we are given to understand both how entrance into the Kingdome of heaven is offered us to wit by the preaching of the Gospel and how offerd it is received by us truly by force made upon our selves for beleeving and by the persevering heat of zeal Take it by force Beza againe They snatch it to themselves or they storme it a Metaphor taken from Tents or from some Castle which is stormed by enemies breaking into it So that fervent force of the spirit is signified by which the faithfull being transported are carried with earnest desire and endeavour unto eternal life Cabvin 1. There is no doubt but Christ commends the majesty of the Gospel upon this ground that it was sought after with the servent desire and endeavour of many for as God had raised up John to be the Horald of the kingdome of his Son so he put the efficacy of the spirit into his Doctrine that it should pierce into the hearts of men and should kindle that their heat he addes from these words of Christ we learne what is the true nature and manner of faith verily that men do not coldly and overly agree to God when he speakes to them but that with an ardent affection they aspire after him and do as it were by a violent endeavour break through Bucer The violent take it by force that is they who are so enflamed with desire of the kingdome that they cast life and all things behinde their backs so they may be made partakers of the Gospel and citizens of the kingdome of heaven then he refers this place to Luke 7.28 29. ads this people and these Publicans who neglecting all things received with greatest zeale the word of God first by John then by Christ and his disciples justifying God that is as well by free confession of their sins as with most earnest nor lesse acceptable embracing of offered grace both acknowledging and proclaiming God just and the justifier are those violent ones which make force upon the kingdome of heaven and by force take it and doth not a man seem to take that by force for which he runs the hazard of life by these we are taught that the treasure of the Gospel befals not any but those who have sought it with most 〈◊〉 desire and even love to hazard and lose al things for it Thus Bucer hence we see how in the judgement of these worthy lights in the Church Johns hearers were affected when by him received 2. For the Apostles and those received by them Acts 2.41 to the end Acts 4.32 33 34 35. Acts 8.36 37. read the places see Calvin likewise upon Acts 5.13 where he thus shewes of how pure a constitution the visible Church then was having observed it one fruit of the Miracle that unbelievers affrighted with so remarkable a judgement upon Ananias and Saphira durst not contemne the Apostles c. He addes though Luke ascribes not this onely to the Miracles but rather comprehends all things together which might make for the encreasing the dignity of the Church for so were all things ordered as that a certaine divine majesty shined among them for they differed no otherwise from others then Angels do from men for there is in holy discipline and the sincere observation of godlinesse a secret kinde of

out themselves According to your divine suffrages conspirators and wicked men should of their owne accord drive themselves out of the Church he here cals the suffrage of the people divine not because infallible but because it is according to Scripture that they should have their vote Againe They alone beare the punishment of their conspiracy who formerly according to your suffrages now according to the judgements of God have deserved to undergo the sentence of their conspiracy and Perversenesse To the same People about the businesse of the lapsed in generall for receiving or still refusing them Cyprian declaring his hope shortly to be restored together with his fellow ministers Whom being present saith he according to your iudgement either way arbitrium likewise and the Common Counsell of us all we may order and exactly handle the things that are to be done as once it seemed good Epist 40. A further Testimony we have formerly set down at the end of the ninth Argument for the matter of the Church shewing at once how the People of the Church were qualified and what power they had for keeping out the unworthy Epist 55. More Testimonies of like nature might be alledged out of the same father but these shall suffice I shall not need here to observe how he ascribes to the People in point of censure as their right counsell consent vote or suffrage judgement either way or arbitrium nor how generall his Testimonies are as including the rest of the ministry the ministry of Rome likewise giving the like Testimony We come now to some few Testimonies out of some of the choycest Divines of the Reformed Churches Calvin Let us observe that this temper is to be held in excommunication that this discipline be exercised by the Common Councell of the Elders and with the consent of the People and this is the remedy whereby Tyranny is prevented in 1 Cor. 5.4 That is the warrantable proceeding in excommunication which Paul shews if not only the Elders do it apart but with the knowledge and approbation of the Church viz. in that manner that the multitude of the People do not rule the action but observe it as a witnesse and keeper that nothing be done by a few at their pleasure Institut lib. 4. cap. 12. sect 7. Bucer This power of the keyes is in the whole Church but the authority of the ministry is in the Elders and Bishops as of old at Rome the Power was in the People the authority in the Senate in Mat. 16.18 19. The same Author expounding Matth. 18.15 c. If the offending brother heare not the second admonition let his stubbornnesse be declared to the Church that he may be the third time admonished by the whole Congregation of those amongst whom he is or whereof he is a part and if he heare not the Church being admonished by her let him be accounted as an heathen and Publicane Againe of the Power of binding and loosing that is of shutting out or receiving into the Church whether at the beginning or after wickednesse committed I have spoken before Mat. 16. but here it is clearly set forth that this power that is the keyes of the kingdome of heaven is in the hands of all those who meet together in the name of Christ that is in faith because theirs is the spirit of the Lord and his word for such only meet in the name of Christ that is trusting upon Christ and grow together many members into one body c. Then interpreting the 19. v. when two of you shal agre together to ask any thing c. he thus speaks of private admonition and absolution in the hands of the brethren the Lord speaks here especially of praying for pardon on their behalfe who had offended Hence therefore we may learne the fruit of private admonition and absolution for if two shall agree together to beg the pardon of a sin that sin must be known to them both and acknowledged as a sin here therefore the private admonition or confession of that sin must have had place Now forasmuch as true prayer shuts out doubting of obtaining it must needs be that a brother may confirme a brother that pardon is granted and by applying it to him may render him secure in the Lord hence the brethren in private according to Christs institution exercise in part the power of the keyes and thence their right of publick exercise of them it being of the same kind wil evidently follow as he there speaks It is true saith he the Lord hath uttered this Promise concerning a few that he might teach how he approves and embraceth us agreeing and consenting together in himselfe though we be never so small a number but we shall please him more if many amongst our selves shall agree together in him and we shall be able to doe things innumerable in his name The same Author The Apostle blames the Corinthians that the whole Church had not appointed mourning that is fasting and publick deprecation of the wrath of God for this wickednesse and that she had not cast out the incestuous Person out of her Communion He did no losse solemnely exhort the Corinthians that after his repentance they would receive him into the favour of the Lord and his Church lib. de regno Christi c. 9. p. 43. There is much more in the same grave Author to the same purpose up and down in his works I shall adde only one short testimony more out of Peter Martyr We conclude saith he without the consent of the Church that is the People of the Congregation no man can be excommunicated loc com de excommunicat sent 9. This right belongs to the Church neither ought it to be taken from her sent 10. We shall forbeare further quotations it being generally the doctrine of the Reformers as is well known to such as are acquainted with their Writings CHAP. VI. THis Chapter shall be taken up with certaine Conclusions depending upon the former about discipline 1. As the Prelates stripping both the People and the Elders of the power of discipline violate the Gospe-order in two maine degrees we may adde a third in that they take it into their owne hands who have nothing to do with it so they that will have the Presbyterian Government so exercised as all power shall be confined to the Elders excluding the People violate the Gospell-order in one maine degree at the least 2. Forasmuch as the People of the Church have a power of Church-order for the exercise of discipline both privately and publickly hence we may now clearly see of what necessity it is that the matter of the Church be only visible Saints according to the doctrine and explication of the matter of the Church formerly laid downe Many there are who loosing this Peg in the Tabernacle of the Peoples power for discipline they then loose another concerning their qualification for the due matter of the Church and thence a third their right of