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	son_n	word_n	14,353	5	4.5058	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A37077	A motion tending to the publick good of this age and of posteritie, or, The coppies of certain letters written by Mr. John Dury to a worthy Knight at his earnest desire shewing briefly vvhat a publik good is and how by the best means of reformation in learning and religion it may be advanced to some perfection / published by Samuel Hartlib ...	Dury, John, 1596-1680.; Hartlib, Samuel, d. 1662.	1642 (1642)	Wing D2874; ESTC R18081	34,674	40

knowledge and the unity of faith which now a dayes is so greatly requisite for all men are now for the most part drunken with their owne opinions reeling to and fro in uncertainties and the more ignorant sort which is oft times such as think themselves the wisest are so incapeable of true heavenly wisedome that all things delivered unto them out of the Scriptures must be delivered as unto little babes line upon line precept upon precept here a little and there a little and so we alwaies stay in the very elements of knowledge and never go forward to perfection because we cannot bear one with another and hear one another with patience because we pray not one for another that things unknown may be revealed but we blame one another and suspect one another and envie one another to our mutuall destruction now the Lord of his mercy mend these things both in the teachers and in the hearers that by the faithfull prayers and endeavours of Gods people once at last the divine order of the holy wisedome of God revealed in the Scriptures may be made manifest for me thinkes that Babilon which is the confusion of the whole world in all things but chiefly in the originall language of Canaan which is the true sence of the Scriptures will never be overthrown till this generall order of the text in the uniforme sence of all the distinct parts of it be raised up by God and brought forth as a true Zorubbabell to confound this confusion of uncertaine sences and when this shall be effectuated by the Lord of Hosts who is wonderfull in counsels and excellent in working then I am sure that the question shall be determined who ought to be judge of controversies the Pope or the Scriptures then Atheists mouthes who acknowledge not the divinitie of it shall be stopped and all those that seek the Lord shall find him and be fedd with understanding for there is such an incomprehensible extent of knowledge in a little parcell or book of the Scriptures and so uniforme a sence and light through the manifold parts of it that I cannot compare the parts of it more fitly then unto the body of the Sunne in our worldly firmament which though in appearance it seemes but a hand breadth yet it fils the whole world with the glory of one light by the meanes of infinite beames making up but one stream of resplendencie on every side alike defused so is it with one epistle even with every one of the epistles they are but as a hand breadth in substance but in light of knowledge through the infinite respects and references of divers parts as of great beames they are able to fill the whole church and the heart of every living soule with the resplendencie of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ and as Ideots that wote not what optike or opticall demonstrations mean cannot beleeve or perceive although it be told them that there is an orderly dispositions of the beames of the Sunne amongst themselves and a subordinate proceeding of their parts from the body of the Sunne and that there is an unspeakably and incomprehensibly exact order in the disposition of all the parts of light so the spirituall Ideots that have no optike Organs it is no marvaile that they never beleeve nor see any order to be in the body of the Scriptures but so many of you as can make evident demonstrations or experimentall tryals in gathering the beames of the light together in your looking glasses to doe by the meanes of refraction or reflection some wonderfull effect either of representation or of burning in the hearts and before the eyes of godly soules you I say may know and can see that in this light is not onely an excellent order and disposition of all the parts of it but also the very cause of all order that is or ever shal be in this world for even as darknes is the mother of all confusion disorder because it bears under its wings as it were the shadow of destruction and the nature of a Chaos and as light is the mother of comlinesse and order setting forth and making manifest by the onely presence of it selfe the whole decency distinction varietie unitie and symmetricall disposition of every thing in heaven and earth and of the whole world so also ignorance hath been hitherto the mother of Babel and knowledge shall beget Zorubbabell now no knowledge is certaine but that which is in the word of God even as no light is pure light but that which comes from heaven by the same therefore that light can onely and shall bring all order and righteous disposition of all things in the church and world for in it onely is the true weight measure proportion and situation of every thing and by it onely the disposition of the Creatour who hath framed every thing most orderly and decently can be made manifest unto mankind and can any now be so sencelesle as to think that that word and light which is and must be the onely cause of order in every thing should want order and be confused in it self can any be so confused in judgement and drowned in foolish and disorderly imaginations as to think that Gods spirit who by wisedome hath in the first creation of this temporary world ordered all things in so admirable a manner that whosoever beholds it cannot but acknowledge the infinite providence of the workman of so strange a frame should not in the second creation of an eternall world which is his church order and expresse in the Scriptures the very decrees and precepts of wisedome it selfe orderly If the kingdome of nature which shall perish is established by so wonderfull an effect of wisedome and stands only by it for heaven and earth are naturally subsistant by no other thing but by the pillars and foundation of order shall the kingdome of grace and of the word of God which lasteth eternally be lesse wonderfull in the same effect of that same wisedome No surely for if order be one of the most certaine and chiefe effects and consequents of wisedome then wheresoever wisdome is expressed there order must be also and where wisdome is most eminently and highly expressed there also order must be found in the most eminent and high degree of prudencie righteousnesse decencie and comlinesse and for this cause I hold for certaine that in the text of the Scripture a divine order and disposition not only of matter but also of words and manner of expressing that matter is to be found which being perceived and found will bring a new light to all mens eyes and will discover hidden things more evidently hereafter then ever knowne things have been knowne heretofore which I beseech the Lord in his mercie to performe and to make manifest by his spirit of propheste in the testimony of Iesus Christ that in the revelation of his deare sonne all those that love him may be filled with joy and that the glory of his wisdome and goodnesse may be knowne in the truth of his word to the praise of his holy and glorious ame both now and evermore Amen Even so come Lord Iesus and let him that hear it say come Rev. 22. and 20. and 17. Finis Mat. 19 17. ●phes 4. 18 1 Iohn 2. 16. 17. 1 Iohn 3. 2. Heb. 3. 13 14. Colos. 2. 9. c. 1. 19. 1. 3. 1. 5. 8. 1 Iohn 1. ● 1 Tim. 6. 1● Iohn ibid. v. 9 10 11. Phil. 2. 13 ●●r 5. 19 〈◊〉 v. 16 17. ●●r 6. 17. ●●r 15. 45. Iohn 14. 9 10 11. 2 Pet. 1. ●● 1 Cor. 12. 13. 2 Cor. 3. 13 14. ibid. v. 17. 1 Cor 2. 10 11 12. ●●r 2. 11 12. 〈…〉 3. 17. 1 Per. 2. 3. ●nt 1. 1 Pet. 2. 5

already discovered where the manner of writing books and Treatises either for the ripping up of the hidden secrets of nature or for the examining and rectifying or compleating of the writings of other men is also to be explained when first the faults and defects of Colledges and Universities are layd open and the abuses of writing books is made known with the wayes of taking a speedy course of reformation in the one and the other Thus having given you an Idaea of the wayes and means how to advance humane learning I will come to the other object which concerneth divine knowledge to be had from the holy Scripture by way of interpretation of the Text Here also some matters are fully to be handled for instruction and direction of those that would come to divine knowledge and some exercises of the spirit are to be intended by the proficients The matters to be handled are these 1 A Treatie or discourse should be put forth to shew the necessitie of reading and meditating Scripture more then men are accustomed to do and what use is to be made of the knowledge of the words of the Text both for humane and divine learning in all kindes as well naturall tending to discover the properties and true use of things created as civill and politick tending to shew the prudencie of mens carriage one towards another in all states namely Domesticall Republick Monarchicall and Military so that it should be made good that no man can be truly wise either to salvation in spirituall things or to the right use of reason in outward things whether it be to make use of creatures or to converse with men towards happinesse without the knowledge of the holy Scriptures which are given to be a generall rule both of all wisedome and reformation 2 This being made good that the Scripturall knowledge is thus necessary and usefull a second Treaties must be set forth wherein the way and manner of making use of Scriptures to attain all these ends is to be shewn partly by private meditation of one by himselfe alone partly by exercises of more then one together either in a private or in a more publicke way where a full Idaea of the heads of means and of the degrees of progresse in meditation and exercises towards the infallible attainment of scripturall understanding is to be laid open 3 These two generalls being made known the particulars are to be insisted upon where beginning from the childish part of scripturall institution and proceeding to the highest degree of spirituall contemplation certaine periods of doctrine for scripturall knowledge are to be distinctly delivered The first period is that which belongeth to children The second to young men The third to such as are great proficients and may be called Fathers And the fourth and last to Doctors and teachers of others The children when they are in the course of humane learning and busied to understand their mother tongue and to read the historicall doctrine of the Bible may be initiated to reade the Text it felfe as soone as they have past through the historicall abridgement which I have mentioned heretofore And when they come to make use of their second and third helpe of sacred scripturall knowledge heretofore mentioned then they must be after they have run them over and in some sort comprehended those Treatises brought to the morall and doctrinall parts of the Scripture it selfe to learne to observe in the Text that which in their books they have learned A direction therefore is to be set downe in a briefe Treatise how children should be made to see and observe in the Scripture it selfe that which formerly was gathered out unto them and delivered in a particular Treatise and this should be done Catechetically so that as in the course of humane learning there were three degrees of knowledge in severall Treatises to be imparted unto them So also in the course of divine learning there must be three degrees of Catecheticall exercises described in a Treatise to shew how that in reading the history it self they ought to be examined and brought to answer concerning the passages mentioned therein and in reading the dogmaticall part they are to be questioned to make them answer from the Text it self unto things therein morrally and doctrinally observeable by their capacity so that the Text it selfe must be made their Catechisme from whence they should learne all doctrine of Religion Young men or children of riper age when they are learning the languages which are to be instruments of learning they must be all at once initiated into the historicall Science of things that are in the world and into some principles of Arts and Sciences which afterward are more fully to be delivered And when they are at this taske in humane matters then in divine matters which at their own times must alwaies go along A further period of scripturall knowledge is to be suggested unto them which is a kinde of Analyticall way of considering the principall sentences of the Text and in learning to distinguish the periods thereof one from another and in a single sentence to know what the subjectum and praedicatum thereof is and what the connexive and rationative particles of a discourse meane and to what use they serve In which period there be again severall degrees of matters to be taught whereof a particular Treatise must be composed for the direction of those that are to teach youths this part of divine knowledge When young men are become proficients and have gotten strength of judgement then they must be brought further to the full doctrine of Analyticall meditation wherein are three degrees First there is the literall Analysis Secondly the materiall Thirdly the spirituall Analysis The literall Analysis is the division of all the sentences of the Text according to the true relation wherin they stand in the bare letter which is to be considered in all the properties thereof whereof a particular Treatise is to be made because this is the ground of all true interpretation and if an error fall out in this part of the interpretation it may marre all the rest which followeth The materiall Analysis is the division of the things which are mentioned in the sentences and words of the Text Here the way to finde out the true matter and the scope of a whole discourse and to observe the parts thereof as they stand subordinat to the scope in the matter to make up the whole and the coherence of these parts one to another with the grounds of their materiall relation and other things belonging thereunto for to take notice of the substance of things delivered and of their order will require another Treatise to direct those that are proficients in the former degree of Analytical knowledge to advance unto deeper thoughts The spirituall Analysis is the division of the Mystery according to the parts of the matters For in every materiall substantiall truth of Gods Word there is some part

wholy ignorant of the life of God must be convicted by the life of the Spirit that there is a better state more perfect happinesse which the Saints of God enjoye in the beauties of holinesse and in their communion with the Father and with the Sonne then that State wherein worldings take pleasure when therefore we know and earnestly study to walke so as it becommeth the Citisens of Heaven in our private and publike conversation doing all things as in the presence of God by vertue of the Covenant made betwixt him and us in Jesus Christ then we fulfill the second part of our profession of the Gospel and whatsoever undertakings may directly tend to advance the knowledge and the practise of this kind of life amongst men is most answerable unto the ayme of a publike good and ought by all meanes to be set forward towards posterity The third thing belonging to the advancement of the Gospel of Christ is the setting forth of the Doctrine of Truth wherein all the grounds of the holy profession are to be laid open unto the world That they may be taught what the ground of our hope is for which wee walke and what the rule is by which we walke in faith love to avoide offences to do good Hereunto belongeth fundamentally the Pastoral charge over a flock by Preaching of the word in season out of season by way of instruction and correction by exhortation and reproofe and by comfort and threatning and more particularly The Doctrinall charge which tendeth to confirme enlarge and maintaine the knowledge of Divine Truth revealed in the Scriptures the object of which charge should not be so much as now adayes it is almost wholy the Refutation ofsome errours and the handling of certaine common places but it should rather tend towards the setting forth of the hidden wisedome of God which is revealed in the written word not as it is the ministery of the letter which many doe onely attend and insist upon but as it is the ministery of the Spirit in the new Covenant wherein spirituall things are with spirituall words explained and being compared with the things of their owne nature and property they unfold the hidden mistery which God hath prepared for our glory before the world beganne In the opening of this mistery according to the Scriptures the Doctrinall charge should chiefely be employed and not in agitating with voluminous disputations after a Scholasticall way particular controversies for if this wisedome whereof the Apostle doth speake 1 Cor. 2. and the Ministery of the spirit whereof hee speaketh 2 Cor. 3. were really attended and made knowne all petty controversies wherein men spend their whole life Scholastically in Philosophicall notions without any profit to the Gospel would vanish away and be decided at an instant because the fundamentall Truth of the Covenant in the Spirituall and perfect wisedome of God which is hidden in the Mystery of Godlinesse is as a Sunne in comparison of a darke Lanthorne whereunto the particular straines and notions of learning followed now adayes are to be resembled Whatsoever undertaking therefore may tend directly towards the advancement of this kind of spirituall learning and the manifestation of the hidden wisedome of God in a mystery according to the testimony of the Scriptures that must be esteemed a reall furtherance of the Gospel and consequently a publicke good through the manifestation of the glory of God in the life of Jesus Christ From whence finally this conclusion is to be inferred That to partake for our selves and to impart the life of Christ to others the profession and preaching of the Gospel must bee maintained and advanced unto this generation and to posterity by the endeavors which tend first to avoyd and take away offences by composing of scandalous differences in Religlon Secondly to doe good workes in an examplary way that others may bee drawne on to walke after the spirit Thirdly to make knowne by the true discharge of the pastorall and Doctorall duties the Ruies and grounds of our spirituall life and conversation both for avoyding of evill and doing of good and what is not directly subordinate to some of these ends or to all of them is no true good nor a thing to be lookt after because it helpeth us not unto any part of our happinesse which is to partake of the life of God in the knowledge of Christ Having thus opened the grounds of that which I am to propose now I will make the motion which I suppose will commend it selfe as tending directly unto this most eminent publique good of this age and of posterity First then if wee beleeve what hath beene said and know that a man is first naturall and then spirituall I thinke it fit to move that assistance may be given as well by way of councell as by outward support unto those that labour for the rectifying of mens naturall parts by reforming and facilitating all the meanes of humane learning for the schooles aswell of old as young Schollers For the great defects and errors in the manner of teaching in the matters which are taught which are inferior and superior Schooles breede evill habits and make the Soules of men unfit for the apprehension of the mistery of Godlinesse in the profession of the Gospel Therefore to helpe the removeall of these and to frame aright course for the education of children and for the perfection of humane Learning is a most laudable publique good worke aswell for this age as for posterity Secondly I thinke it fit to move that assistance may be given towards the endeavors of Ecclesiasticall Pacification and taking away of scandales and differences amongst Protestants first and then also if it bee possible amongst all other Christians that the first part of our Evangelicall profession may be set forward to some perfection And the assistance to be given to this endeavour may bee besides the Spirituall Councell which by men of Spirituall parts should be suggested to the Agents and unblameable and peaceable conversation towards all men which every one is bound to intend for himselfe though different in judgement from each other a supply of meanes to maintaine the correspondency and the Printing of treatises and letters without which the negotiation of this matter towards Divines will bee wholly lame and imperfect Thirdly I move for the erecting of a professorship of Practicall Divinity in every University and one in London at Sion or Gresham Colledge That this Professor might intend besides the reading of Practicall matters The compiling of a compleate body of Practicall Divinity taken out of all the Practicall writers of this latter age which is a thing much desired by forraigne Divines as may appeare by their requests to that effect subscribed with many hands and sent to the learned Divines and the Patrons of Godlinesse and learning in England By which meanes the second part of our Evangelicall profession will bee much advanced towards some perfection