Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	holy_a	lord_n	speak_v	10,182	5	4.8194	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29428	A brief answer to three very great and concerning questions		1662 (1662)	Wing B4547; ESTC R214758	8,898	12

A Brief Answer to three very great and concerning Questions There are at this day three great Questions which if they were rightly stated and thoroughly resolved they would serve very much to confirm the minds of Believers in an active discharge of those duties which the present season requires from them or else quiet and compose their spirits if they are called to suffer THe first question is concerning the Ministers of the Gospel I mean such as are otherwise rightly qualified to preach as being gifted by God Quest 1 and called by the people but are forbid by the Civil Magistrate to exercise that office the question concerning them is whether in obedience to the commands of the civil Magistrate they are to forbear preaching or not I answer by no means and that Ans 1 First from the example of our Saviour and his Apostles who though they were as subject to the Law as we are now and injoyned obedience to all the lawful commands of civil Magistrates yet when ever the civil Authority was abused to hinder preaching they did constantly refuse to obey them Thus our Saviour who as man behaved himself wisely [a] Isa 52.13 and commands all his followers to do so yet in his preaching he did not walk by those rules of secresie and concealment which are now accounted prudential for when he was questioned concerning his Doctrine he answered [a] John 18.20 I spake openly or freely Mat. 10. boldly plainly for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is often rendred to the World I ever taught in the Synagogue and in the Temple whither the Jews always resort and in secret I have said nothing thus did our Saviour really what is figuratively but with respect to him spoken concerning wisdom [b] Pro. 1.20.21 wisdom cryeth without she uttereth her words in the streets this preaching in publick our Saviour maketh to be one great part of doing his Fathers will [c] Psal 40. v. 9 10. I have saith he in that Prophetical Psalm preached righteousness in the great congregation Lo I have not refrained my lips O Lord thou knowest I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation I have not concealed thy loving kindness and thy truth from the great congregation In order to the fulfilling this Prophecy it is very remarkable that our Saviour began his Ministry at that very time when and in that very place where John was cast into Prison which circumstance is observed by 2 of the Evangelists after that John was cast into Prison saith Mark [d] Mark 1. v. 14. Jesus came into Galilee which was under the Jurisdiction and command of Herod [e] Luke 3. v. 19.20 who had newly imprisoned John preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and from that time saith Mat [f] Mat. 4.12.17 i. e. From the time of Johns Imprisonment Jesus began to Preach thereby shewing in his own example that no danger should discourage a Gospel-Preacher from the discharge of his duty VVhat our Saviour did himself he doth likewise advise his Disciples unto and therefore in that very Chapter [g] Ma● 1.10 where he sent them forth to preach though he directs them to beware of men [h] 4 6.1.7 and to be wise as Serpents yet withall he commands them to preach publikely what I say to you saith he in the dark do you speak in the light and what you hear in the ear publish on the house top and as foreseeing that the Disciples might raise some objections against this because of the certain danger and hazzard rhat would attend such a practice our Saviour doth no less then three times expresly command them [a] Mat. 10.26.28.31 not to be afraid of them that only kill the body whereby mentioning the worst and utmost that men can do in a way of opposition he doth sufficiently arm his ministers against lesser difficulties and to shew that he did not leave the duty of preaching publikely unto his Apostles liberty as a thing they might do or forbear as they pleased he makes it afterwards to be a part of their confessing him [b] v. 32 which he requireth as an indespensible duty from all his followers and accordingly when the Apostles after the descent of the holy Spirit upon them were commanded to be silent by the High Priests and to Preach no more [c] Act. 4. v. 19.20 in the Name of Christ Though the Persons which injoyned this were their lawful magistrates yet they absolutely refused to submit unto them and upon the account of an Argument which is still of equal force if it be righteous before God say they to obey you rather then God judge ye for we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard and afterwards when they assembled together v. 29. they did not pray either for the favour of the Magistrates or for wisdom to conceal themselves or for their own preservation but appeal unto God to be a righteous Judge between their rulers and them and for themselvs do beg nothing but courage to discharge their duty and now say they v. 31. O Lord look upon their threats and give unto thy Servants that with all boldness they may speak thy word In which Prayer is being agreeable to the will of God they were presently heard and answered for they were filled with the Holy Spirit and as an effect thereof they spake the word of God with boldness The same Prayer and for the same ends doth the Apostle Paul desire the Ephesians to make for him when he was in Prison Praying [d] Eph. 6.19.20 saith he for me not that I may be released from my bonds and set at liberty but that utterance may be given to me by the opening of my mouth with boldness to make known the Mistery of the Gospel that I may be bold therein as I ought to speak and in his advice to Timothy whom he instructs as a Pattern of all following Teachers he exhorts him to stir up the gift that was in him the meaning of which advice is as he himself explains it in another place [a] 2 Time v. 2 preach the word be instant in season out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all manner of long suffering and Doctrine for which Assiduity and diligence in Preaching he gives a reason which holds true and binding in all Ages [b] 2 Tim. c. 1. v. 7.8 because God hath not given to us whether we are believers or preachers the spirit of fear but of power and therefore we now as well as the Apostles afore us are not to be ashamed of the testimony of the Lord but to suffer hardship with the Gospel according to the power of God [c] 2 Tim. 2.1.2 ● 2. as good Souldiers of Jesus Christ Secondly another Argument may be taken from the Nature of a Gospel Ministry which to whomever it is committed is to

all the converts were with one accord together in Solomons Porch which congregating together is made a distinctive note and Character of a true Disciple for it is said of the rest who were not Disciples no man durst joyn himself unto them Arg 2 Secondly By assembling themselves thus in time of persecution our Lord Christ is greatly honoured for hereby we give an evidence that we confess and are not ashamed of him which is a thing he doth very often expresly call for and he takes especial notice who they are in defiling and dangerous times that keep constantly and meet often together to serve him the place in Malachy (d) Mal. 3.16 is well known and for this we find he commends the Church of Pergamus (e) Rev. 2.13 I know saith he thy works and where thou dwellest where Sathnn hath his Throne by which is meant the persecuting Heathen Magistrate who had there his residence and published his Devilish Decrees and thou holdest fast my Name and hast not denyed my Faith and because separation from all such Churches or Assembly's which call themselvs Jews or Christiens and are not doth necessarily draw persecution along with it therefore doth he command in the same Chapter all those whom he foresaw were likely ●o be thrown into Prison and there exercised with many tryals not to fear because he laid there sufferings to heart and that constancy which did so visibly redound to his honour he would not fail fully to reward in backsliding times the love o● most to the strict ways of holiness doth wax cold and proportion●bly their Hatred against true professors and followers of it doth increase and then God seems to say as Moses did to the rev●●●ed Israelites (a) Ex. 32.26 Who is on my side let them come together and shew themselves for the Saints are said to be the glory of Christ (b) Cor. 8 2.3 and that especially in the Church Assemblys which is meant by the prophet when he saith upon all the Glory i. e. upon all the assemblies of Sion Isa 4. v. 5. or of the true Church shall be a defence and all their sufferings which may befal them for such well doing are ordered on purpose by Christ that in the issue he may have glory by them Cor. 4.11 for we saith the Apostle Paul are alwayes delivered up unto death for the sake of Jesus that the life i. e. the living power of Jesuss may be manifested in our mortal flesh and so the Apostle Peter to the same purpose (e) 1 Pet. 1.6.7 now if need be you are put to sorrow by divers temptations that the tryall of your faith may be found to honour and praise and glory at the Revelation of Jesus Christ c. 4. v. 13. and again in another place in as much as ye are partakers in the suffering of Christ rejoyce that at the Revelation of his Glory ye may joy with exceeding gladness because then the Spirit of God and of glory doth rest upon you and on your par● is glorified Arg. 3 Thirdly This is the best way to convince and silence the gain-saying and contradicting World and likewise put to shame those false and pretended brethren who as the Apostle speaks in the case of circumcision would have us to forbear meetings meerly (f) Gal. 6.13 that they may glory in our flesh and tryumph in our fear and cowardise as when the Centurion saw the Earthquake and the dreadful Eclipse at our Saviours death and above all when he heard his voice with so much security and confidence committing himself to God he presently cryed out (g) Mat. ● 44 assuredly this man was the Son of God so when hypocritical professors and worldly spirited opposers do see the courage and constancy of the Saints in keeping together though Earthquakes and Tumults are round about them they will then be forced to acknowledge that they are the sincere worshippers of the true God as (a) Dan. 3.28.29 Nebuchadnezzar did concerning the 3 Children who boldly disobeyed his impious decree and Darius concerning Daniel who would not omit the circumstance of having his windows open when he prayed notwithstanding the Law against it It is in General the end of all Christian meetings to convince Unbelievers and to bring them to confess that (b) 1 Cor. 14. v. 24.25 God is in us of a truth but to meet for the Worship of God only when the men of the World do give us leave must needs make them think that we are in all respects like themselves and that our Religion stands in need of their countenance and favour to uphold it But (c) Phil. c. 1. v. 2. to hold forth or as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to hold up on high the word of truth as a light when the storm and wind is blowing in our faces to keep out in our ship at Sea in the midst of a tempest without seeking for shelter in some obscure and ignoble harbour it will draw the eyes of Unbelievers towards us and make them confess that (d) 1 Joh. 44.6 another Spirit acts in us then acts in them which Spirit is the proper principle of a Believer not only that with constitutes and makes him one but which doth vvholly difference him from the men of the World Fourthly the more dangerous and distressing the day is the Arg. 4 more need have we of all manner of helps to quicken and incourage us and therefore assembling is most necessary in persecuting times as in Winter we kindle greater fires and in dark Nights light up more Candles so in the sharp Weather of persecution we should get most of all together that we may keep one another warm the Apostle Paul though animated by frequent visions yet (e) Acts 28.25 when he saw the Brethren in his Journey to Rome he took new courage We stand in our present frail composition of flesh blood so related and indeared to one another that oftentimes the company even of those that are inferiour in Grace unto our selves doth prove a very great strengthning and therefore Gideon though acknowledged by God himself to be a Mighty Man of Valour and who had newly had 2 signall Miracles to confirm him yet being afraid to go down alone into the Camp of the Miaianites he is commanded by God (f) Jud. 1.9.10 to take his Servant Rurah with him and our Saviour himself when he was (a) Mat. 26. v. 38. in his last and greatest agony requests his Disciples to tarry and to watch with him as it were to relieve him with their Society and Sympathy Thus the Apostle Paul after all his Revelations and Raptures frequently desires those unto whom he writes (b) Rom. 15.30.31 to be very earnest in their prayers unto God for him and when Titus and Timothy came to him from Maeedonia it was such a Revival to him that it is observed how he was upon it