Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	scripture_n	word_n	write_v	7,633	5	6.1357	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A48737	Solomons gate, or, An entrance into the church being a familiar explanation of the grounds of religion conteined in the fowr [sic] heads of catechism, viz. the Lords prayer, the Apostles creed, the Ten commandments, the sacraments / fitted to vulgar understanding by A.L.	Littleton, Adam, 1627-1694.	1662 (1662)	Wing L2573; ESTC R34997	164,412	526

Law of the Lord must meditate in it day and night that so he may time his duties aright and be like the tree planted by the river side which bringeth forth its fruit in due season and thus whatsoever he does shall prosper GOD SPAKE Three months after the children of Israel's departure out of Egypt when they had pitch'd their Tents in the wilderness of Sinai when they had fresh in memory that wonderful deliverance which God wrought for them in their passage over the red-Sea from Pharaoh and his hoast besides those many dreadful miracles which he had shown in Egypt God mindful of the Covenant which he had made with Abraham and his seed the Israelites being now in a convenient place in a desert retired from the observation as well as the invasion of their enemies strikes a league with them that if they will obey his voice and keep his Covenant he will own them for his peculiar people and upon their acceptance of these terms after two dayes solemn preparation the Divine Majesty came down with Thunders and Lightnings and thick Clouds and seated himself upon the top of the Mount Sinai in the midst of fire and smoke with the noise of Trumpet that the Mountain and the Camp both shook with fear and whether by the ministry of an Angel or rather by some other more immediate way with audible voice face to face pronounced the tenour and conditions of the Covenant comprehended in the words of the Law ALL THESE WORDS Christ the second Person is called the Word but he is the word begotten as the Word is the immediate and essential issue of the Mind The whole Scripture too is God's Word that is was by God inspired into the holy pen-men they writing according to the dictates of the Spirit whence that form of speech especially among the Prophets Thus saith the Lord and The Word of the Lord came unto me But these Words God himself utter'd which therefore call for the more heedfull attention and awfull regard If the Lyon roares shall not the beasts of the forrest tremble every word should sound in our eares like a clap of Thunder cause an Earth-quake in our bowels for the Highest hath utter'd his voice even a mighty voice All these words too which requires an universal obedience We are not to pick and choose but receive them all with a like readiness of Faith as the clear manifestations of God's will God at the first creation for every dayes work spoke and it was done Oh! that he would so speak to our hearts that his Spirit may accompany his Word and help us to doe what he commands us to doe O Lord give us strength to perform thy Commands and then command what thou wilt SAYING The Rabbins have a tradition or fiction that God pronounc'd the Law twice over the first time with that hast as if the whole Law had been but one word but at the second going over leisurely and distinctly Whereupon they say that in this portion of Scripture the accents are upon every word doubled to denote that double delivery the one a note of speed the other of stop and pause This I suppose they gather from the two words here used as if he spoke them in hast and said them at leisure or whether they thought it fit the Law should be delivered twice by word of mouth as well as twice written upon tables Whether this were so or no matters not much only it should be our prayer and endeavour that they might be spoken over twice to us to the ear first and then to the heart to the inward man as well as to the outward though we have not the advantages of those terrours and dreadful circumstances wherewith the Law was at first delivered to prepare us with a prostrate humility and a devout reverence yet let us imagine that we hear the trumpet sound to judgement and awaken our attention and let us think we see the flames of Hell those everlasting burnings whither the transgressors of this Law must be dispatch'd and possess our souls with fear and hearken what the Lord will say to his servants The Preface Had God surpris'd them with this terrible appearance they might have been swallow'd up in their fears and been lost in those dazling amazements therefore he gave them two dayes time to prepare themselves here before he makes known to them his Law he acquaints them with the Lawgiver and that he might put their affections into a suitable temper for so solemn an occasion he makes an Introductory Preface wherein he lays down the arguments of their obedience taken partly from his power Soveraignty in that he is the Lord partly from his mercy and kindness seen first generally in that relation wherein he plac'd himself to them as being their God and more particularly discover'd in a late great deliverance he wrought for them and that both in respect of place out of a strange country he had brought them forth out of the Land of Egypt and in respect of condition out of a slavish and toilsom drudgery out 〈◊〉 the House of bondage I Who now speak to thee from the midst of fire out of the thick cloud the fear of thy Fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob I that appear'd to Moses in the burning bush cloathed with Majesty and dread I who have carried thee upon Eagles wings and have brought thee thus to my self to shew my statutes unto thee and to make known my laws Hear O Israel and fear and observe to do for I AM THE LORD The maker of all things the absolute Soveraign of the World Iehovah the Fountain of beings who give being also to my word and promise there is nothing resists my will for my power is infinite wherefore stand in aw and fear before me the subjection and homage of all creatures being due to me by right of creation all things are my servants for from me and to me are all things I spake the Word and they were are created I made all things according to my good pleasure and for my own glory and men more especially for my service and amongst all the sons of men I have chose you for my select people for I am THY GOD by Covenant as well as by Creation by promise no less then by providence I made my self known to thy Fathers and engag'd my loving kindness to them and to their posterity after them I took a particular care of you when you were but few in number that the Nations about you might do you no harm I supported you under your burdens in Egypt and multiply'd you when you were sorely oppress'd in so much that of seventy persons you are become a great people I have own'd you as my charge and have done wondrous things for you in the land of Cham and HAVE BROUGHT THEE OUT with a strong hand and stretched out arm in the sight pursuit of Pharaoh all his hoast

and a praise to the good And as he hath corwn'd all mankind with honour and dignity giving them dominion over their fellow-creatures so he hath put that Majesty upon rulers whom he hath appointed to govern their fellow-men who else without lawes and order would be little better then beasts that they may be looked upon and observ'd with that reverence as if they were earthly Gods I have said ye are Gods but ye shall dy like men They are God's anointed ones and honour'd of him accountable only to him required therefore to do their homage and kiss the Son least he be angry And as they must like all other men dy so they must also appear before the judgement-seat of God Kings to their subjects dreadful stand O're Kings themselv's is Gods command He hath all the royalties that belong to an Imperial Crown a righteous Scepter righteous lawes loyal subjects glorious priviledges blessed rewards for the obedient and great punishments for the disobedient Not ought Kings of the earth to be impatient at mutinous and rebellious spirits when God himself wants not those who rise up against him and which may set them a copy of princely clemency to write their acts of grace after gives gifts to the rebellious leaving some of them as monuments of his mercy though too others he make trophies of his justice I might note that sure Kingship is the best form and model of government since God himself rules under that title that the Regicide is a kind of Deicide and when subjects dare mate their soverain and contrive a Common-wealth to justle out the Kingdom they do but challenge divine vengeance for that which perhaps their injur'd princes forces cannot chastise and call upon themselves Lucifer's fate who left his first estate by clambering higher whose pride prefer'd him to the principality in Hell where he gnashes his teeth and curses God who questionless hath been that Angel of light that hath cloak'd sedition with the name of Godliness and taught the late teachers to despise dominion and speak evil of dignities and blaspheme the name of Kings And all nature hath by instinct followed divine example gathering it self as much as may be into oneness making every sort of creature almost submit to monarchical rule and preaching as it were the Apostle's lesson Be not many masters But the sad experience of these nations in the time of tyranny and the wonderfull providence of God in the restitution hath sufficiently convinc'd all honest English of this truth that That government is best which is likest God's to wit a Monarchy a Kingdom Now God hath a twofold Kingdom one universal at large all the world over the other particular and special his Church For he is King of the nations and King of the Saints or we may say a threefold Kingdom in respect of the different administration of this later according to the different condition of the church militant here on earth or triumphant in heaven to wit a temporal spiritual and eternal Kingdom or the Kingdom of his power the Kingdom of grace and the Kingdom of glory By his power he governs the whole fabric of the world disposes of all things appoints seasons sets bounds to human power over-rules their purposes stills the raging of the Sea and the madness of the people raises up casts down kills and makes alive strikes the earth with his thunder and darts forth his lightnings the winds obey him blow only where he lists All things are his servants and he doth what he pleaseth both in heaven and in earth By his grace he governs his Church sets up his throne in the hearts of his people appoints officers gathers the elect and rules them by his word and spirit conquers sin and death kills our corruptions subdues our lusts and treads Satan under our feet and breaks the powers of hell that the gates thereof shall not prevail against the church guids the faithfull ones in his wayes tryes their patience exercises their faith teaches them his lawes that they may observe his statutes and ordinances defends the Saints and is a sun and shield to direct and protect them that neither the Devil nor wicked men can doe them any hurt rewards those that doe or suffer any thing for his sake punishes offenders and persues the impenitent and such as obstinately stand out his calls and tenders of grace and go on presumptuously in their evill way with the fury of his indignation afflicting them with bodily plagues temporal calamities and spiritual judgements as blindness of mind hardness of heart c. giving them up to their own shamefull lusts and a reprobate mind into the power of the divel and either passing final sentence upon them in this life or reserving them till the great Assises of the last judgement In the Kingdom of glory as he himself is call'd the King of glory he sits on his Throne incompass'd with millions of Angels and blessed Saints who fall down before him and sing praises to him that sits upon the Throne and to the Lamb. This is to have it's beginning when the other two end not to be compleated till the last day when the Angels gather the elect from the four corners of the earth whom God shall reward with everlasting bliss when he shall send the ungodly to Hell where the worm never dyeth and the fire never goes out Then those who were sufferers shall be conquerers and wear a never-fading crown I have fought a good fight saith St. Paul and henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness All the Saints then shall be Kings there shall be the glorious orders of pure Virgins that defiled not themselves of blessed Co●●essors that were not ashamed of their profession of holy Martyrs who lov'd not their soules to death of Prophets the Harbingers of Christ and Apostles the heralds of the Gospell and all the quire of Heaven singing Halleluiahs This is that Kingdom of Christ which he said was not of this world for which he despised the shame with which his servants that have a tast of the heavenly gift and are afforded the earnest of their meditations a sight of the heavenly Canaan and glorified transfiguration as from Pisgah and on mount Tabor are so ravished and deeply affected that they must needs cry come Lord Iesus come quickly Thy Kingdom come COME i.e. appear and show it self may its interest be promoted may it get ground and inlarge it self may it be seen that the Lord is King let the people be never so unquiet may it come into our hearts and rule there and beat down every proud imagination that lifts it self up against God may Christ hasten his coming illustrious presence which the Iews Liturgy is ful of even to this day the coming of Messias Now there is a twofold advent or coming of Christ mentioned in

faith applyes that purchase So then we are sav'd by the mercy of the Father by the merit of the Son and by the efficacy of the Spirit This form of Baptism is one of the clearest proofs of Trinity in all Scripture and indeed when our Saviour was Baptiz'd of Iohn all Three did shew themselves present Christ himself whom Iohn did Baptize was the second Person the Spirit descended upon him in the shape of a Dove and the Father spoke out of the Cloud saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased In the Command is set down the rite or outward action i.e. the washing with water The Promise delivers the grace signified and conveyed by the action to wit remission of sins The analogie betwixt the outward sign and the inward grace lyes in this that as Water being powred or sprinkled on the body washes off the filth so the Blood of Christ which was the Fountain open'd for the cleansing of iniquity doth purge the conscience and doe away sin whether original or actual and present us clean without spot in the sight of the Father by the virtue of the Spirit HE THAT BELIEVES AND IS BAPTIZED SHALL BE SAVED Faith is the soul's hand by which a man receives and applyes to himself the benefits purchased by Christ. By Faith we are justified Baptism is the laver of regeneration the seal of the Covenant the conveyance of Grace They are both necessary neither can either of them serve turn by it self There must be an Ordinance to ground Faith upon and there must be a Faith to make the Ordinance effectual For every appointment as the just man doth lives by Faith Faith without Baptism were a bucket without water and Baptism void of Faith were but a well without a bucket to draw up the waters of life He that believes by confessing his sins and professing Faith resolves upon amendment of life and gives himself up to Christ's discipline and then is baptiz'd obliges himself by vow enters into Covenant of strict walking with God He shall be sav'd from his sins the punishments due to them being free as well from the power as from the guilt His nature shall be renewed and by the continual supplyes of grace if he make good use of it he shall be enabled more and more to withstand temptations get ground of his lusts he shall be put into a state of salvation and every day set forward on his way to bliss through the paths of holiness till with Christ at last he arrive at perfection have his grace changed into glory HE THAT BELIEVETH NOT SHALL BE DAMNED This is a threat annexed to the promise which holds good by the law of contraries for if those that believe shall be saved then those that believe not must expect nothing but damnation We must observe that there is not added here any mention of Baptism because unbelief it self is enough to shut the gates of Heaven against any one and send him to Hell wherefore it is not said he that believes not and is not Baptiz'd for the unbeliever whether he be baptiz'd or no is lyable to this sentence If he hath been baptiz'd it will be look'd upon as a formal cheat a cloak to disguise his hypocrisy And if he hath not the very neglect of Baptism serves for an open discovery of his unbelief so that either way he aggravates his sin by being on one side hypocrite on the other profane The meaning of these words then is this But on the contrary whosoever doth not with true Faith entertain my Doctrine and with sure purpose of mind resolve on the keeping my Commands but doth either so far disbelieve Christian Truth that he will not so much as take upon him the outward profession of it or having been baptiz'd is of loose opinions and practises and disparages his profession with foul errors or wicked manners such an one will have no benefit by Christ no share in the salvation wrought by him but brings upon himself the guilt of his own sins and continues still in a state of wrath and perishing in his unbelief will assuredly be cast into everlasting torments If the One Sacrament may be termed the Bosom of the Church by which we are entred and have admittance into the fellowship of the Saints The Other may not without reason be call'd the Churches Breast by which we are nourished to a spiritual growth and are refreshed and fed to life everlasting Of the Lord's SUPPER AFter that our Saviour had sufficiently made known by his Doctrine the will of God concerning man's salvation and proved by many miracles that he was the Son of God that came down from Heaven to the end that having put on our nature he might in our stead satisfy the Law and undergoe the punishments due to us for our sins that we through Faith in him might live It pleased him that he might leave with us the Symbols of his presence for ever and preserve the memory of his sufferings afresh in the mind of the faithful to prefigure his Death by a Sacrament appointing Bread Wine the usual supplyes of life for the representing of his sacred Body which was broken on the Cross and torn with the nails and the spear and his Blood which trickled from his sacred Head by the pricking of the thorns gush'd out of his hands feet when he was nail'd to the tree and brake forth of his side when he was wounded with the launce and plentifully stream'd forth out of every vein of his sacred Body when he was cruelly scourged with whips Now his Body thus broken and his Blood thus shed doe no less feed a believers soul and improve the force of grace then the body is nourished and natures strength repaired by Bread and Wine But this hath a spiritual meaning not that any one doth eat the very flesh of Christ and drink his very blood in a gross manner for that will be as absured to think as 't is savage to doe or that Christ can be receiv'd any other way then by Faith for 't is a point of Faith that the Body of Christ did goe up to Heaven and there is to remain till the last day and 't is contrary to very reason to say that the same Body can at the same time be in several places and to bring to pass contradictions is a thing out of the power of omnipotence it self not to say that it is plain even to our outward senses that the elements of bread and wine doe still remain after consecration the same in substance as well as in colour and accidents as they were before In fine it would indeed be no Sacrament if the signs should change their nature and the thing signified be it self really there for a Sacrament is nothing else but a figure and representation of some thing that is absent exhibiting to the understanding that which cannot be seen with the eye and by