Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	lord_n	soul_n	way_n	6,110	5	4.6224	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77845	Paul's last farewel, or A sermon, preached at the funerall of that godly and learned minister of Jesus Christ, Mr. Thomas Blake. By Anthony Burgesse, pastor of the church at Sutton-Coldfield in Warwickshire. With a funeral oration made at Mr. Blakes death by Samuel Shaw, then schoolmaster of the Free-School at Tamworth.	Burgess, Anthony, d. 1664.; Shaw, Samuel, 1635-1696.	1658 (1658)	Wing B5652; Thomason E937_1; ESTC R207730	14,890	34

out when the Prophet was taken My father my Father the Chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof 2 Kings 13. 14. And now we come from the Doctrinal part to the practicall And although my custome in such Sermons is not to discourse about the Dead they being like Anatomy Lectures for the good of the living yet because we are celebrating the Funeralls of a Learned and Godly Brother who by his Office was in publick station in the Church of God I shall briefly speak to some few of those Ministeriall qualifications that were in him mentioned in the Doctrine not imitating Nazianzen who in his Funerall Orations of his Father as also Athanasius Basilius and others industriously gathereth up every thing that may make to their praise if not hyperbolically exceeding sometimes but I shall rather come short of what might be spoken And first his Doctrinall abilities and parts in controvsrsall points are sufficiently known by the Books he hath written those Children will resemble the Father though he left no bodily ones It is true there were some particular opinions and contests he was fallen into with other Learned men on whose side the truth did stand you will not judge it meet for me to interpose onely because of the difference that is sometimes in Judgement between Godly men we see some by profaneness gladly have it in their mouthes saying what heed is to be given to these Ministers there are not two of a minde They write against one another they have Book against Book and then some good people they are offended what shall we do say they we look upon both as Godly and yet they cannot agree because I say of this offence I shall speak a little to it First that this difference amongst our selves is an old objection The Pagans and the Jewes urged it against Christianity whose Arguments Clemens Alexandrinus answered retorting upon them the same divisions the Philosophers likewise objected this to the Christians when that Synod was gathered together at Nice as the Centuriators inform us Though Augustine lib. de vera religione brandeth them for this that the Heathens though they had divers schools yet they had Commune Templum a Common temple which argued they worshipped their Gods more out of Custome then because of their opinion 2. We are to know that all the Godly do know onely in part perfection in knowledge and unity is reserved for heaven there will be no parties no dividing opinions there will be no different Forms and wayes of worshipping of God in that place so that although this difference amongst the Godly be as Calvin said to Melancthon pessimi exempli of a very bad example yet if we consider that the measure of Light grace in this world is imperfect then we may not wonder at such breaches had not Paul and Barnabas a Paroxisme a sharp fitt for to understand the Word in a good sense as some would because the Word is used so Heb. 10. 24. is very improbable Austin and Hierome Chrysostome and Epiphanius had great contests 3. The differences of Godly Ministers are not in fundamentals They all build gold and precious stones though some may adde hay and stubble Lastly a brotherly and amicable disquisition into truths controversed not fundamentall but between Godly men though different in Judgements is very lawfull and usefull indeed if this be done with pride passion scornfull and disdainfull words despising the gifts of others This is not a dead fly but a dead toad in the box of ointment that maketh the wise Reader think men do regard opinions not so much as they are Gods Truths but as they are their opinions wherein they must have glory But return we to our Learned Brother as God had given him such Doctrinall Abilities so also was he Prudent and Wise and wise to direct such as were troubled in their minde and perplexed about what they were to doe It is true it pleased God before his sickness to exercise him with some sad and black thoughts sometimes tending to the great dejection and discouragement of his soul but by this we see that comfort is not a flower growing in our Garden that we can pluck up when we will God is the God of Comfort only he giveth it when he pleaseth and he taketh it away again as he pleaseth Christ had an Angel to comfort him in his Agonies so that all both Ministers and People are to take Gospel-Consolations as mercies from heaven not as the work of our hands In the next place the diligence constancy and faithfull Preaching of your Godly Pastor is not unknown These walls these seats can sufficiently beare witness thereunto Though you a great People and he declining in age yet a laborious Preacher to you and a great Student in private The Catechizing also of the younger sort of people discovered his vigilancy and it was the earnest desire as he would have you informed and request of your dying Pastor that the younger Persons of this place would readily and willingly submit to that order Besides all this his writing for the publick good of the Church still demonstrated his faithfulness and zeal herein when the Persecutor had cut out Cyprians tongue and then banished him yet he made a supply by his Pen but our Learned Brother was willing both by Tongue and Pen to edifie the Church of God so that both his opuscula and his opera will praise him in the gates His tenderness of Spirit likewise was exceeding much and as in soft wood wormes sometimes breed to weaken it so did as you heard discouragements sometimes lie upon his soul but the Lord did quickly blow over the clouds and as I am informed his expression was That he dyed with full satisfaction of Spirit and communion with God Lastly you are not ignorant of the way he took about the Sacrament that he was not for the promiscuous Admission of all thereunto and therefore when a late Writer Mr. Humphreys would have gathered such conclusions from his principles he was willing publickly to vindicate himself and to shew his dissent herein All this though comparatively little I have spoken not to exalt man for what have we that we have not received but to bless God and magnifie him who giveth such gifts to men he that praiseth the gifts and graces of any thereby extolleth God as he that commendeth a Picture magnifieth the Artificer that made it and thus we take our dear and last farewell of him and come to you sheep left without a shepheard to you on the Sea without a Pilate To you Orphans without a Spirituall Father and first you see what cause there is for our constant expectation and preparation for death Gods own Ministers and servants must dye God needeth no mans labours or parts Moses Joshua Paul Peter must die sola mors non habet fortasse said Austin only Death hath no may be It may be thou mayest be rich it may be thou mayest thrive