Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	keep_v	peace_n	unity_n	7,015	5	8.9407	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A42779	An assize-sermon preach'd before Judge Twisselton and Serj. Bernard at Carlisle September the 10th, ann. 1660 and now publish'd and recommended to the magistrates of the nation, as a means by God's blessing to quicken them to a serious pursuit of the honourable and truly religious design, for the reformation of manners, which is now on foot, and countenanced by the nobility, bishop's and judges, in the late account of the societies for the reformation of manner's and applauded by the serious and religious men of all perswasions / by R. Gilpin ...	Gilpin, Richard, 1625-1700.	1700 (1700)	Wing G775; ESTC R5869	17,722	40

AN ASSIZE-SERMON Preach'd before Judge Twisselton and Serj. Bernard AT CARLISLE September the 10th Ann. 1660. AND Now Publish'd and Recommended to the Magistrates of the Nation as a Means by God's Blessing to quicken them to a serious Pursuit of the Honourable and truly Religious Design for the Reformation of Manners which is now on foot and Countenanced by the Nobility Bishop's and Judges in the late Account of the Societies for the Reformation of Manner's and applauded by the Serious and Religious Men of all Perswasions By R. GILPIN Now Minister of the GOSPEL in NEWCASTLE upon TYNE LONDON Printed for Tho Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns near Mercers-Chapple and Sarah Burton Bookseller at Newcastle 1700. TO THE Right Worshipful and WORSHIPFUL Sir WILLIAM BLACKETT Baronet Mayor Sir ROBERT SHAFTOE Recorder ALDERMEN of the Town and County of NEWCASTLE Sir RALPH CARR Kt. TIMOTHY ROBSON Esq NICHOLAS FENWICK Esq WILLIAM AUBONY Esq WILLIAM CARR Esq MATTHEW WHITE Esq THOMAS WASS Esq JOSEPH ATKINSON Esq GEORGE WHINFIELD Esq ROBERT EDEN Esq EDWARD HARRISON Esq Sheriff Gentlemen THE Printing of the following Sermon now almost Forty Years after it was Preached needs a longer Apology than at present either my Leisure will allow or others perhaps will have Patience to read To save therefore my self and others from a needless Trouble I shall only tell you That these Notes were bury'd among my Papers and out of Mind but upon a particular Occasion they came to Hand Vpon a short view of them I conceiv'd they might be of some use to quicken Magistrates in that Noble and Important Duty of the Reformation of Manners which of late hath been publickly countenanced and own'd by many persons of great Name Noblemen Bishop's and Judges The Author of the Account of the Societies for Reformation hath with a commendable Zeal and many unanswerable Arguments urg'd this Religious Design upon all sorts of Men and there seems not to be any necessity to add any thing to that which is so excellently done already yet such is the weakness of Human Vnderstanding that even where the Conviction of Reason is so clear and full as makes new Arguments useless yet through the Weakness either of Memory or want of due Impression we are apt to let them slip In this Case where Arguments are useless a Remembrancer may be necessary This Sermon was Preach'd at a Critical Time as appears by its date to speak Boldly upon such a Subject at that time seem'd so hazardous that those that heard it expected that I should meet with some Effects of the Judges angry Resentments but such was their Conscientious regard to the Matter that was spoken and such were their Convictions of the Truth and Weight of it that contrary to all expectation they publickly recommended the Sermon to the Consideration of the Grand-Jury and in private also gave me their Hearty thanks The main Drift and Design of the Sermon is to Excite Magistrates to countenance the Practice of our Holy Religion and to punish Vice and Decauchery Seeing then this is the thing that is now expected from Magistrates as their Duty which they owe to God and to the Safety and well government of the Country why may not this be useful to them by putting them in remembrance Many of the Reverend Pious Clergy of both Denominations have preach'd and printed Sermons for the promoting of a Reformation this though preached long before yet is not printed so much out of due Time but that it may come in the Rear This Discourse I humbly offer to the serious Consideration of the Magistrates of the Nation and more particularly to you whose Names are prefix'd to these Papers as the present Magistrates of the Famous Town and County of Newcastle upon Tyne where I have lived many Years partly as a Testimony of my Respect to your selves which I am oblig'd to for your civil Respects to me and partly as a Testimony of my best Wishes to the whole Corporation for their Spiritual and Temporal Prosperity but chiefly to give you my Thanks publickly for what you have already done in prohibiting Tipling in Publick-houses on the Lord's-day 'T is a good Beginning and you have honour'd your selves so much by it that Judge Powell in his Charge at your last Assize thought fit to take Notice of it Honour'd Gentlemen Give me leave to tell you that a Reformation of Manners is a truly Religious and Noble Vndertaking you will hereby shew that you take God's part and fight against the Devil's Kingdom You may expect that the Prince of Darkness will stir up his Instruments against you but the Battle is the Lord's and if you faithfully plead his Cause and put due shame and disgrace impartially upon Debauchery and Vice he will stand by you and own you and your Names will be Honourable among all good Men. Be strong therefore and quit your selves like Men and good Christians you have many considerable Advantages on your side besides the Divine assistance and protection which is the Chief you have not only the Advantage of Law but the Example and Encouragement of the most considerable Persons of the Nation you may promise your selves the hearty Concurrence of all the Serious Religious Clergy whose Office it is by all means to Promote the Honour of God to whose Service they have devoted themselves and you may expect to see the Blessed Effects of your Religious Endeavours to your great Comfort and Satisfaction I shall only add this The hearty Agreement and Concurrence of Men of different Perswasions in other Points relating to Religion in promoting of the Practice of serious Piety and in putting a Disgrace upon Vice is the best Means that was ever yet offer'd for the Agreement of all our Differences in other Matters this is what all good Men would be glad to see But as the Case stands there is little Ground to hope or expect it and the great Thing that stands in the way is the Perjudice which is deeply radicated in the Minds of the contending Parties occasion'd by mutual Reproaches Revitings and Passion that our angry Contentions have produc'd against one another This Prejudice is now become so invincible that except this holy Oil of Brotherly Concord in this Matter do soften it and beget a love in Men seriously Religious the Fire will not be extinguished We are already agreed in the Doctrinal Articles of the Church of England and if we were as heartily agreed too in the End of all True Religion as in the Principles a farther Progress would be more feasible This might be sufficient to beget a brotherly Love to one another and then we would more calmly hear and more clearly understand our mutual Reasonings about the remaining Differences which would either incline us to Condescension for Peace sake or enable us to bear with one another so that all might keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace That such Effects may be produc'd shall be