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	zeal_n	zealous_a	257	3	9.3245	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A75965	The male of the flock, or A sermon preached at St. Pauls, before the right honourable, the Lord Mayor, and the right vvorshipfull, the aldermen of the city of London, Septemb: the 9th: 1655. By Benjamin Agas, minister of Cheneyes in Bucks.	Agas, Benjamin.	1655 (1655)	Wing A758A; Thomason E861_3; ESTC R206648	27,438	38

Judgment who can touch the tops and sound the bottoms of this hard and knotty truth Sciat talis se esse theologum Deo gratias agat May not an ordinary capacity even here tu●● sceptique and seeker and say Hoc scio quod nil scio this one thing I know that I know nothing But to our purpose T is manifest there is in man a carnal and a spiritual wil. I see a law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind Rom 7.23 The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh Gal 5.17 T is equally manifest that this carnal wil is a most unruly beast as an untamed Heifer unaccustomed to the yoak flying off and not induring to do homage unto God especially in any strict and pinching Command Now therefore unlesse the spirital wil be the more prevalent and unlesse it hath this potency I cal it not the best wil either he do● not service at all else at the best he hangs in equilibrio as things weighed in an equal ballance sometimes bending towards God sometimes again bending towards his lusts or at the worst having begun in the spirit he ends in the flesh for example sake suppose one covetous and yet who would be godly too many such the dregge of our times have brought forth who have drawn a contract and would needs solemnize a Marriage between gain and godliness but can these deadly enemies ever be brought kindly to imbrace and kisse each other Tunc Ararim Parthus bibet But we come unto the example the man of our times God in his service cals him to part with some unlawful way of gain of which he hath found the sweet say in trading of Merchandizing now according to the potency either of his carnal or spiritual wil he answereth this spiritual voice His spiritual wil complies and saith instantly I wil do it but his carnal wil holds off and abhors and saith I wil not do it wherefore if the spiritual be the stronger he casts off the world and cleaves unto God but if his carnal wil be the more potent he forsaketh God and sticks unto his gain I might mention the same in ambition or voluptuousnes this therefore is the best will which bringeth up all carnal thoughts and reasonings to a determinate issue and wholly overpowreth them to comply with the Command be it for us or against us And now let me tel you that this is a work of the greatest pains and difficu ty Sometimes by arguments and reasons and sometimes by plain force we shal only be ab●e to subdue our carnal wils and desires That three leav'd Book of divers colours the red the white and the black is the best medium for argumentation this we must ho d close to the eye of our Consciences The first is red with the bloud of the Lamb oh a serious apprehen●●on of the sufferings of Christ is able alone to calm the frowardnes of our wit and provoak a willing obedience to all Gospel injunction The second is black with the horrors of Hel and the darknes of the infernal pit dwelleth upon it we must deal roundly with our souls Do this or dye God who gave the command wil revenge the neglect and grind thee to powder in the day of his wrath what thinkest of that devouring fire of those everlasting burnings this wil be thy portion if thou humble not thy self before God and submit unto his wil. The third is white with the joyes of Heaven yea brighter than the Sun with the everlasting light Oh blisfull Paradise oh blessed mansion of God how sweet art thou in contemplation how ten thousand times more in a real fruition and what shal I loose all to have my wil is there any carnal lust as good as Heaven why dost thou then stand up to retard my motion I am resolved to go to God follow me or I le dragg thee after And this is that which sometimes we must do when argument and reasons wil not prevail to compel our wils by force and violence As they I conceive of old with an untoward Lamb or an untamed Heifer which would not be caught for sacrifice they use many words and cals but in vain wherefore in fine they even tire and hunt it down Wel caught it is and brought unto the Temple but now that it sees the fire and the Altar and the sacrificing knife it bellows and struggles and were it possible t would get away wherefore the Priests lay violent hands upon it and by plain force fasten and tie it to the Altar This sure is the next sence of that place Psalm 118 27. Bind the sacrisice with chords even to the horns of the Altar what other use the horns of the Altar did serve unto for the present I do not remember Just such is the impetious hadstrongnesse of our carnal wils notwithstanding all moral and divine swasions wherefore with the same kind of violence we must force them to their good abearing And now let me tel thee for thy comfort thou hast shot the gulf thou hast triumphed glorious sly I see how thou draggest base lusts at thy Charriot wheels yea thou shalt conquer more more and tread down Satan under thy feet The wil of man is all in all sind me wil I le find all the rest as in civils so in divine actions as the Sun among the Orbs domineereth in his Light and gloriously illustrates the superior and inferior Planets so the wil in the mi●dle between the understanding and the affections hath a wonderful influence both upon the one and the other to set them in good earnest about the service of God 3ly With our best affections as with fear and reverence God is exceedingly to be reverenced in the Assembly of Saints and to be had in honour of all those who are round about him Psa 89.7 So likewise with love joy defire delight and in a word with zeal as hot as fire We must be passionate Lovers of God and of his service Be fervent in spirit serving the Lord Rom 12.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal 4.18 It is good to be zealous in a good work This is a good work and we must be zealous in the transacting it Zeal is the intention of any affection as strong desires is zeal vehement love is zeal which should be a perpetual concomitant to all our devotions if we have not this fire upon the Altar our sacrifice wil not burne T is not enough we take up our Bow and our Quiver but we must strain the string up to the arrows head by a strong nisus and labouring of the spirit He that sets out for Heaven must betake himself to the swifter Chariots of Aminadab Cant 6.12 and not drive on so heavily and sluggishly with the world We must not only be content to come to Church and hear a Sermon and spend an houre c but long for the Courts of Gods house with the same

eager appetite as a Longing-Woman her much desired Morsel Again we should find as much sweetness in the Word and divine revelation as an elegant Palate in marrow and fatnes How sweet are thy words unto my tast yea sweeter then honey to my mouth Ps 119.103 So likewise in privat and secret to read pray and pour forth our souls to peform all Christian duties of meditation and self-examination c all these are to be done with strength of desires and fulness of delectation Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord that delighteth himself greatly in Gods Commandements he doth what is his duty and delights yea greatly delights in what he doth so that in comparison he Loves and delights in nothing ease As for Wife and Children and the injoyments of this world he Loves them as if he loved them not yee know where I have the phrase 1 Cor 7.30 The rule is to rejoyce as if we rejoyced not to buy as if we possessed not to use the world as if we used it not Now this holy man of God observeth this rule having the maine stream of his affectious flowing forth to God and only some little out-lots to the things of this world God hath his heart and then he loveth in good earnest as it is said of Elias he prayed earnestly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he prayed in praying so they delight in delighting and love in loving and this love of God is like the rod of Aaron among the rods of the Magicians consuming and devouring whatsoever standeth in competition What we have spoken here more largely in the Explication we may find as shortly in the words of our Saviour John 4.24 They who worship God must worship him in spirit and in truth Let this suffice for the first part of the Doctrine we now come unto the second viz why it must needs be detestable unto God if we do not sacrifice unto him the Male of our flock The first reason may be this Because it is so contrary to the way and method of God Confirmation so contrary to the rule and prescript of God provided in the case Let us see the Platform of Gods Ecclesiastes or Church-discipline chalked out to Israel in the Wildernesse and because we are to sacrifice wee 'l bring you to the Tabernacle where yee can see nothing base or common nothing refuse or vile but choice costly and pretious as could be had these dayes upon the earth Read over at your leisure the 25 26 27 28 Chapters of Exodus Let them bring gold and silver and brasse and blue and purple and scarlet and fine linnen and Goats-hair and Ram-skins died red and badgers-skins and Shittim-wood c. and let them make a sanctuary that I may dwel amongst them Every thing in this Sanctuary was very rich and costly either massy-●old or at lest select wood ov●r-layed with gold As the Ark the ta●le of S●●w-bread were shittim-wood yet over-layed with gold but the Cherubims and Mercy-seat were pure gold v ●7 18. c 25. So likewise the dishes spoons and covers ver 29. the candlestick tongs and snuffdishes ver 3● and 38. The oyl for the Lamp was to be pure olive chap 27 20. Now for Aron and his Sons the Priests who were to administer before the Lord Moses was commanded to array them most gorgeously Thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy Brother for glory and for beauty and thou shalt speak unto all who are wise hearted whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom that they make Aarons garments to consecrate him that he may minister unto me in the Priests Office and these are the garments which they shal make a brest-plate and an Ephod and a Robe and a broidered coat a mitre and a girdle c and they shal take gold and blue and purple and fine linnen c. chap 28.2 3 4 and 5 verses These for the Offering God required the first ripe fruits which we all know are stil the choice and the fairest the top ears of corn and the principal wheat If they brought an Offering of the increase of their flock it was to be a lovely Lamb without blemish Levit 1.3 if of the fruit of the field It was to be the finest of the flour and the kidnies of the wheat In one word yee may see what God saith unto Aaron Chap 2 I have given thee the best of the Oyl and the best of the Wine and of the Wheat and the first fruits which they shall offer unto the Lord Numb 18.12 Afterward in the dayes of Solomon when this Tabernacle grew into a Temple it lost nothing of its pompeous ceremoniousness but rather increased in glorie and became much more magnificent for David that great Warriour and most victorious Captain consecrated the spoils of many Crowns and Kingdoms to the House of God and much more super-added by Solomon his Son Certainly it was the goodliest pile and most stately structure that ere the sun beheld and all other things were in a just equippage The Priests the Levites the Sacrifices the Offerings the Altars Tables Vessels Vtensils and all the appurtenances all rich and costly and nothing common and forbid among them Now God in all these things did shew clearly as in an emblem that his service and worship was a thing most sacred and solemn that he did expect the best of man in all their approachings unto his Majesty and that nothing lesse should ever be accepted at his hands This likewise is his Law in the Third Commandement Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his Name in vain The first Commandement sheweth who is to be worshipped viz. the only true God the Second after what rule viz divine revelation and not hnmane imagination the Third after what manner Thou shalt not take his Name in vain that is thou shalt not presume to intermeddle with God or his Worship after a slight and empty way bvt holily reverently most devoutly as is beseeming his sacred Majesty for the Lord will not hold them guiltless that is according to my Doctrine he will curse them The fourth sheweth the time of publick Worship and I rather mention it because of that appendent to it making cleer to our purpose Levit 19.30 Yee shall keep my Sabbath but that 's not all it follows and reverence my Sanctuary I will be sanctified in them that come near me and before all the people will I be glorified saith the Lord Levit 10.3 Let them make their addresses to me after such a worthy manner that glory and not dishonor may redound unto my Majesty by their service and homage and this makes way for the second ground of the point viz. The blind and the lame are a reproach unto God and do much derogate from the greatnes of his Majesty of this God seems to convince them in the words immediatly following my

Text for I am a great King but yee make of me by your unworthy service and Offering as if I were some poor mean and slender Deity it follows and my Name is dreadfull among the Heathen that is I have gotten to my self a great Name in a l the earth so that the very head of the Heathen hath made a decree that men fear Dan 6.28 unto which I suppose these words do relate and tremble before the God of Daniel the God of Israel I am known to be a God of Gods and a Lord of Lords and yee are known to be my people 'T is known my dwelling place is in S●on and my Temple in Jerusalem hither the Tribes come up and all the Kindreds of the earth to bring oblations upon mine Altar But now that they come and see what can they guesse by the meaness of their service and the baseness of their Offering but that I am not the same mighty God and dreadful Majestie as I am reported else sure I should obtain more reverence and respect among mine own people and in the house which is called by my Name Thus instead of upholding my brightness yee obscure my glory and lay mine honor in the dust Even such and greater is the indignity in the dayes of the Gospel if our services be mean and and low and not performed with the greatest curiosity and exactnes A little present speaks a man a little Prince to whom it is sent even so jejune and empty devotions insinuate no lesse than a thin and empty Godhead to whom they are performed But if this be not Blasphemy I know not what it is to blaspheme needs therefore must such a one be accursed Quod erat probandum This being cleared now we shal descend to Application Application The use of this point affords something unto us by way Of Reprehension Exhortation 1. It reprehends those men who say at lest think Reprehen that the Table of the Lord is contemptible who slubber over all their services as a meer trival business of the lest concernment They have in their Flock a Male that is they have Life Spirit and much activity in things concerning their own pleasure profit or preferment but as to God and his service they are sleepy and careless negligent and supine in these they are as dul as Lead in those more sharp and keen then a Razer God shal be put off with what comes next to hand let it please or displease take it how he wil. Religion with the most men hath the Curse of Cham upon it it is made a servant of servants a slave and an underling and every thing is preferred before it and obtains greater respect in the World But I will unloose my whip into three several Lashes for three sorts of Men Atheists Papists and Formalists and yet something wil be left for our selve● 1. Atheists Truly there is Gods plenty At quid dixi muto factum I mean the Devils plenty of such in our Land even a prophane generation of Men who are so far from Offering the Male of their Flock that they Offer Male nor Female sound nor sick best nor worst flesh nor fleece neither a holy nor a corrupt thing They have Gallio his eyes and look upon Religion as a meer matter of words and names an ayery empty nothing wherefore God is not in all their thoughts so as to do homage unto him neither have they conscience in any such matter Give them for back and for belly for their lusts and carnal appetites and you have the very outside of their desires what care they for preaching or praying whither ever Sermon more or Sabbath more in the World goe to their House for they are scarce seen in the Holy Assembly and you shal find there nor Altar nor fire incense nor sacrifice nor any tending towards Worship They neither read nor pray or perform any good Family-duty from one end of the yeare to the other in a word they are meer Swine and bruites in the shape of men But I dare not long abide with them under the same Roof no more then John with Cerinchus in the same Bath lest it should fal upon my head valeant fare them wel only I wil write upon their doors Anathema maranatha Deus Judex vindex God wil come and Judg them 2. Papists Now I must send my Doctrine on an Embassie and let it fly with a swift wing to the Towers of spiritual Babylon for we have no Papists among our selves O utinam would to God it were so but yet let it go and now that it is arrived it may perhaps Primâ fronte commend applaud instead of censuring and reprehending Behold here are Temples and Altars Sacrifices and Priests and all in their Pontificalibus Magnus equidem apparatus A great appearance and yet when all is done a meer Outside but our Doctrine requireth Truth in the hidden man Here is aureum vellus the lovely fleece of the Male of the flock but the fat and the flesh and the inwards are not to be found Truly their service and pompous cerimoniousness is like a Sacrifice of paint as when I see Abraham and Isaack pourtrayed upon the wall and the Altar built the wood laid in order and the Father bowing down upon the Son to make him a Sacrifice my phanticy is moved though all is but a phantasie or if you will this their outward glory is like Esaus goodly rayment for all underneath is Jacobs hollowness and deceit Si parvis componere magna licebit Let us see their sin-Offering so it is indeed the sacrifice of atonement making which they cal Penance A Papist sinneth and confesseth to the Priest so many Rosaries of Ave Maries and Pater nosters are to be mumbled and rolled over say them they wil except they mistake their Beads but see the vanity whilst they are walking in the streets busie about Merchandi zing playing at Cards between first and second course interlard them with Oaths and execrations and yet on againe til the task be fulfilled and the man is devout and perhaps dies a Saint But if this be not to offer unto God a corrupt thing judg ye And our ignorant 3. Formalists are Ejusdem farinae like to like Mr Rogers of Dedham as he in his plain but solid way to his Parishioners Yee wil say your prayers indeed but how while unbuttoning your doublets pulling off your shooes and stockings when you are in your Beds and the latter end of your Pater noster falls asleep in your mouths Oh worthy service and as worthily performed And truly 4. The best of us all comes under censure how often do we offer the blind and the lame how poor how thin how cold how sleepy how dead how superficial how formal how lazie how sluggish how low are we generally in all our holy and religious Offices how faintly how feebly how weakly how sickly how slovenly how lazily and how every