Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	know_v	lord_n	soul_n	7,158	5	4.8741	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A44677	A funeral sermon for that very reverend, and most laborious servant of Christ, in the work of the ministry, Mr. Matthew Mead who deceased Oct. 16, 1699 / by John Howe ...	Howe, John, 1630-1705.	1699 (1699)	Wing H3025; ESTC R3677	24,534	76

But 3. The Law of their own Office lays upon them an obligation peculiar as such to themselves What serves their Office for but this as the principal end and design of it What is it meant for but to gather in Souls to Christ and confirm them in him because there is salvation in no other nor is there any other name given among men by which any can be saved Act. 4. They are the Messengers of the glad tidings of peace Their business is so well known even in hell it self that a Spirit from thence speaks it out These are the Servants of the most high God which shew unto us the way of Salvation i. e. to humane creatures of whom the possessed person was one Acts 16. 17. 4. They are obliged by the example of their Blessed Master Our Lord Jesus himself the Primary Saviour by Office whom they are both to imitate and to serve in this mercifull design Christians are so far to imitate them as they do Christ 1 Cor. 11. 1. which implies their obligation to imitate him as the word there used signifies The great Salvation which none that neglect can escape vengeance began to be spoken by the Lord himself then by them that heard him and so on by others that succeed in the same Office This is following Christ in the way of imitation as in the mentioned place And we are required to have the same mind in us which was in Christ Phil. 2. 5. and are told wherein v. 6 7 8. which read over at leisure and consider what was that deep humiliation and suffering for but the salvation of Souls And consider that this is said as to the Saints at Philippi so particularly to the Bishops and Deacons there which shews their common and their special obligation both together And now can we behold with what compassions and in what agonies even unto blood our blessed Lord pursued this design and not feel a constraint in our spirits in our lower sphere and capacity to serve it also to our uttermost 5. They are obliged by the peculiar advantages they have for this work and those they expect by it 1. They have special advantages for it from their very Calling being separated to the Gospel taken off from other business to give themselves as in this Context wholly to this They are supposed therefore to know more of the concernments of Souls of the terrors of the Lord 2 Cor. 5. 11. whence therefore they are to perswade men of the nature of Sin and how it entang'es mens Spirits of the wiles of Satan and how he waits for advantages to destroy them of the foundations of Religion and by what Arts they are endeavour'd to be subverted or shaken and by what means and methods they are to be demonstrated and establisht Of the Mysteries of the Gospel of Christ and how they are to be unfolded to have more special assistances from Heaven in their work according as they faithfully mind it Christ's promised presence therein even to the end These are Talents with others tending to the obtaining of these which they are to be accountable for And hereby they are strongly oblig'd with their own to intend earnestly the Salvation of other mens Souls 2. They expect great advantages by it That since nothing is more gratefull to our Lord Christ than the progress of this saving work he will bountifully reward them that faithfully serve him in it That if they be stedfast and immovable abounding in this work of the Lord as he hath not a greater now in doing in this world their labour in him shall not be in vain They shall hear from him well done good and faithful servant enter into the joy of thy Lord. If they turn many to Righteousness or endeavour it with sincere minds they shall shine as Stars in the Firmament And in the mean time the honour and the pleasure of serving that mighty Redeemer and lover of Souls in so glorious a design have in them a very excellent reward and which cannot but be esteem'd such by a right mind 6. They are oblig'd by the exigency of their own case They cannot as that is stated neglect the design of saving other mens Souls without forfeiting their own If they warn them not over whom as Watchmen they are set they perish but their bloud will be requir'd at their hands it is a mighty trust they stand charg'd with which if they discharge not they are liable to Accusation and Condemnation as false and faithless Servants perfidious to the Souls of men traiterous to the King of Kings whose Interest they will have betray'd being his Agents and Ministers in his Kingdom of Grace about the prosperous state of which Kingdom with the successful progress of the Affairs of it he is most deeply concern'd And now from this conjunct consideration of these two great ends which a Minister of Christ is to propound to himself I might proceed to consider them severally and a part but this the case doth not require it being easie to sever what hath been said to the one and the other nor do our limits allow it We therefore go on to the more necessary Use of the whole To this purpose we collect 1. That this World is universally in a very miserable state For it is the business of Christ's Ministers to endeavour both The Salvation of them that hear them and their own 1. The Salvation of them that hear them This is very indefinite Let who will be the hearers they are supposed to be such as need to be saved The Object of their Ministry is all Nations and every Creature viz. that is or shall be capable of being taught the way of Salvation Therefore all Nations are delug'd by the destructive evils from which they are to be saved And the world is every where inhabited by miserable Creatures We are told that sin and death have pass'd upon all men Rom. ● 12. And all the ends of the Earth are invited to look unto God in Christ as the application of this Context Phil. 2. shews that they may be saved Isa. 15. 22. whereas 〈…〉 we the Ministers of the Gospel of Salvation wheresoever they can obtain to be heard are to endeavour the Salvation of their Hearers it shews they can speak to none who stand not in need of saving Mercy 2. And that they are also to save themselves as well as them that hear them more fully shews the absolute universality of the ruin that hath befal'en this World that there are among men none to be found that may be employ'd in saving others but who are of the lost themselves and so far drown'd in the c●mm●n deluge of perdition and destruction as to need his help as well as the rest who came to seek and save them who are lost and to stretch out to him craving hands with that crying voice Lord save us we perish 2. The common stupidity of this wretched World is hereupon most

observable and amazing that so few such cries are sent up to Heaven Men are involv'd in a common Ruine overtures are made to them of a common Salvation but they are in reference hereto destitute of common sense i. e of such sense as is common in less important cases Their misery lies in their having lost God but little do they apprehend this loss Amidst their other miseries they cry out when some that are mightier oppress others but none says Where is God my Maker Job 35. 9 10. The Lord looks down from Heaven upon the children of men to see if any will understand and seek after God but they are every one gone back or are in an averse posture none doth this good no not one Psal. 14. and 53. None till he give an effectual touch to their drowsie Spirits and say inwardly and vitally to their Hearts seek ye my face so as to make their Hearts answer Thy face Lord will we seek Preventing Grace doth this Psal. 27. 8. otherwise they feel no need of God they miss him not are content to be without him in the world yea say to him depart from us Distance from him is chosen and desired From him whose off-spring we are who is the Father of Spirits their Parent their Life their Blessedness of whom they are and to whom if they tend not they cannot but be miserable It is the Salvation of the Soul that is the end of Faith 1 Pet. 1. 9. that Faith by which we are to come to God believing that he is and will be the rewarder of them that diligently seek him being redeemed to God by the bloud of his Son Rev. 5. 9. And who suffered once the just for the unjust to bring us to God 1 Pet. 3. 18. and who upon his suffering intercedes for the same purpose and is able to save to the uttermost them that come to God by him because he ever lives to make intercession for them But this Salvation of the Soul this coming to God or redemption by Christ and his intercession thereupon who looks after neither the end the Salvation of their Souls coming back to God nor his Method for attaining this end are regarded or so much as thought on To have this Flesh saved from any thing that is grievous to it every one covets and endeavours in vain It must however rot in the Dust and be in the mean time a prey to Worms It s own Father Mother and Sister will devour it Job 17. 14. The Father of their Spirits would save and satisfy them but him they shun and will not know Who that observes how men spend their days even under the Gospel which makes their time a day of Grace wherein they should be working out their Salvation can think they have any concern to be saved Their life is continual trifling some pass their days in mirth and jollity doth this signify any sense of misery or fear of perishing and that destruction from the Almighty is a terrour to them These are not more idle than others are idly busie to get Estates and a Name on Earth but what is this to their being saved They are liable to the common more sensible miseries of life and they are without God but this is no misery with them This misery is their element and burdens them not Were their present case and future danger in this respect apprehended and felt how full of outcries would this World be O we are lost and perishing Such cries would ring through the Earth and pierce Heaven But the same carnality that is death and makes them miserable makes them stupid too and insensible of their misery And are these reasonable Souls intelligent immortal Minds and Spirits that are thus stupify'd turn'd into such Clods and Stones O deplorable case Methinks such an Office set up in the World of men that are to save their own and other mens Souls should make them consider and bethink themselves what is it for It must have had an original and so it hath a Divine Aspect a tast of Heaven upon it and must have an end suitable to the Wisdom and Grace of Heaven which claims to be entertain'd otherwise than with neglect and contempt And indeed this leads to take notice more expressly in a further Inference 3. That there is a saving design on foot in the World Set a foot by the Blessed God himself Otherwise in so great a ruine as is come upon this wretched World what could it signifie for any man to offer at saving either himself or others How vain an attempt were it for any man out of so deep and horrid a gulf of impurity misery darkness and death to think of lifting up himself and of plucking up others as high as Heaven This intimation carries hope with it It is a Voice from Heaven to such as are so imploy'd as Timothy was O save thy self and as many as thou canst besides It takes away all pretence for despair God puts not men upon vain attempts A lively hope ought to spring from hence And we are saved by hope Rom. 8. 24. As without Hope no man would ever design for Salvation or any thing else Hope is the Engine that moves the World keeps the intelligent part of it in action every where No man could rationally stir in pursuit of any design whereof he despair'd But as to other designs mens hopes are commonly self-sprung and end in shame But when one can say Lord thy word hath caused me to hope Thou hast put me upon aiming to be saved and to save others it speaks this to be a just and a hopefull undertaking I will therefore set about working out my own salvation and with my own other mens as far as is within my compass expecting he will graciously set in with me and work in order hereto to will and to doe of his own good pleasure without which all mine will be lost labour 4. We further collect That the Blessed God is most intent upon this design That which this supposes and that which it imports speaks him intent It supposes he hath appointed a Sovereign Saviour set over this work otherwise there could be none subordinate It imports he hath settled an Office on purpose Made it some mens special business to intend as every one ought his own salvation and withall to give himself up to this great work the saving all he can An Office set up for the saving of Souls ought to be a great thing in our eyes and is a standing testimony for God how willing he is men should come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved 5. They that bear this Office should be highly honoured for their works sake For how glorious an employment is it to be instrumental to Salvation To be in any kind Saviours I could tell you of some great Princes in the Pagan world that to their other splendid Titles have had the addition of Soter a Saviour as to