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	zeal_n	zealous_a	78	3	10.2942	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A25212	Melius inquirendum, or, A sober inquirie into the reasonings of the Serious inquirie wherein the inquirers cavils against the principles, his calumnies against the preachings and practises of the non-conformists are examined, and refelled, and St. Augustine, the synod of Dort and the Articles of the Church of England in the Quinquarticular points, vindicated.	Alsop, Vincent, 1629 or 30-1703.; G. W.	1678 (1678)	Wing A2914; ESTC R10483	348,872	332

Glory and to confirm them in th●…r blind Idolatries when the God that made Heaven and Earth gave the fullest discoveries that it was fit for Mankind to expect Upon the Account of this the Jews rejected that Messias they had so long expected and gloried in before he came though he exactly answered all the Characters of Time Place Lineage Doctrine and Miracles that their own Writings had described him by No wonder then if the Non-consormists suffer under Prejudice amongst those that have not only seen their Doctrine stigmatized with the odious Marks of Judaism their Churches with the Brand of Schism their Persons with Treason and Rebellion but also had been formed into a Combination against them and so had both their Consciences and worldly Interest engaged against them and it For few have the generosity and strength of mind to bear up against the Torrent of Times or confidence enough to oppose the Impetuousness of common Vogue or prevailing Opinion There are not many that have the sagacity to discern the true Images of things through those thick Mists that cunning Politicians cast about them It 's very ordinary to take the Condemnation of any Person or Party for a sufficient Proof of the Accusation and to think the Indictment Proved It was enough both with the Jews and Gentiles against our Saviour that he was condemned as a Malefactor The Ignominy of his Cross was a greater Argument against him with the Generality then the excellency of his Doctrine or Evidence of his Miracles was for him The Arguments against Non-conformity were not weighed but numbred An Impeachment of Accumulative Disorder Schism Faction Judaism Popular Rashness and Disobedience to Magistrates was formed against them and still there was more in the Conclusion then ●…uld be made ●…ut by the Premises and in the Sum Total then in the Particulars of which it consisted for though no Point of all these could be proved against their Doctrine Worship or Discipline yet they must be so upon the whole This being Agreed the Cry is then Crucifige Destroy it Root and Branch To all which add that it was the corrupt interest of some to deceive others into an ill Opinion of the Reformation partly as being enraged that any sparks of Primitive Purity should be left unquenched which might burn up their vast hopes they had conceived of dividing the spoil amongst themselves Partly being conscious to themselves that by Reason of their no more then Declamatory Vulgar and Puerile Abilities improved from Apothegms and Proverbial Sentences they could not be fit to fill any considerable place in a Church Reformed according to the Scriptures nor yet to content themselves with a private station in a persecuted Society they therefore chose to fall in where they might be entertained as useful Tools and rewarded for their singular Talents of Reviling And when once it is come to that pass That by this Craft we get our Livings one two or three like the Silver-smiths of Ephesus no wonder if the Apostolical Doctrine and Government be cried down and the Great Diana of Pauls-conformity cried ●…p sooner then built The sum is this some men are blindly led by their Education and care taken that they never come to a view of the Dissenters principles others by Interest forced to espouse that Religion that has the fairest Dowry A third sort by their Reputation that they may not seem to have been in an Errour And when all these Causes shall as they too frequently do happily concur such an associated and complicated Temptation will form a prejudice strong enough to oppose the clearest Demonstrations and to stir up so much rancour and malignity as shall incessantly persecute mis-represented Truth I will add one word from the Learned Author of Orig. Sacr. and conclude It cannot be conceived That many out of Affectation of Novelty should declare themselves Christians in the Primitive times when so great hazards were run upon in the professing ofit Few soft spirited men and lovers of their own ●…ase but would have found out some fine distinctions and nice evasions to have reconciled themselves to the publick Laws and such things which the Primitive Christians so unanimously refused when tending to Idolatry and Prophaneness An ordinary Judgement will soon determine whether party may more plausibly complain of being pressed down with unreasonable prejudices They that will appear in the Quality of Dissenters must stem the violent Current of prevailing Example inveterate Custom whilst others have nothing to do but skull away with the Tide when it comes in with the Celeusma of Queenhithe westward hoe Lambeth hoe Dissenters must storm the Turn-p●…kes of Reproach Poverty and those more formidable ones of the displeasure of Friends and wrath of Superiours smoaking out in Imprisonment or other penalties besides the Ecclesiastical Chariti●…s of Excommunication The rest have nothing more to do but patiently and meekly submit to Preferments and Dignities And if they can but compass such a measure of self-denial as to renounce ruine and misery and rise to such a height of contentment as to be willing to enter upon Ease and A●…luence the worst is over and their greatest prejudices conquered 4. The last cause of the Distractions and ill Estate of this Church is the want of true Christian Zeal and of a deep and serious sense of Piety And the Enquirer wishes that it be not the greatest as well as the last And so do I too for the want of Zeal for Gods Commands makes us so scalding hot for Humane Constitutions The want of such a Zeal for the Authority of Christ as a King makes us so bold to Invade his Office The want of Zeal for the Perfection of Scriptures makes us so Zealous for unscriptural Traditions The want of Zeal for the substance makes us so Zealous for Ceremonial shadows When all those Spirits that Holy ardour of Soul that flame of Affection which ought to be expended in the love of God and his Law is evaporated in Airy speculations contentions for and impositions of new Inventions This Cause is plainly in the number of those which like the Weathercock conform to every gust of Wind It is Communis juris and therefore the first occupancy creates a Title What was it made the Primitive Church so unanim●…s that it was not crumbled into parties nor mouldred away in Divisions nor quarrelled about Opinions nor separated one part from another upon occasion of little scruples but because the turbulent ●…pirit of Imposition was not yet raised nor ambitious domineering over the Faith and Consciences of the Brethren had not yet got any considerable Head It 's true there was a spice of this encroaching Humour found amongst the Iudaizing Christians who would needs obtrude their Ceremonies upon the Gentile Converts as necessary to Communion with the Church but the divinely inspired Apostles were ready at hand to check the growing Evil and vindicate the Churches from the servi●…ude ●…f beggarly Rudiments It

sincerity of Devotion to make use of this Remedy to put an end to our Distractions And yet I find some have been tampering with it who will be very strait laced in Ceremonies to gratifie the superstitious and widen the moral part to humour the voluptuous Thus if mens Lusts will not bend to the strait Rule of the Word they can gently bow the Rule to their corruptions and crooked propensities And the Author of the former part seeing well that Men are grown too Pursey to be crambt up with the Religious observation of the Lords-day has pruden●…ly accommodated the day to their latitude They that have no great mind to keep a Christian Holy day shall need but to call it a Iudaical Sabbath and they are well fortified against all the checks of their Consciences I know the Reader will pitty him that must contend with two such Adversaries Hercules himself would not engage a couple but though they be Two they have but one single weapon We want not some who can reconcile the levity of the Stage and Theatre to the gravity and severity of the Christian Doctrine that can teach men by their writings or practice how they may retain these vanities and never throw off their Baptismal Livery and it is upon good Advice for should they lose such numbers from the party it would make a filthy Hole in it and the weeding out such Tares would make a thin Field of Corn and therefore some plead that they ought to grow together till the Harvest 4. We are now come to the great and infallible Remedy which the Pope trusts more to then his great Infallibility But there are considerable diversities about the form of this Medicine in the Dispensatories some as Mr. Necessity Bays express it by a tedious Periphrasis Axes Halters Racks Fire Faggot with an Et catera which has more in 't then all the rest but the Romanists who are concise men and love short work and to express multum in parvo have Epitomiz'd all in that one word the Holy Inquisition so called by the same Catachresis by which we call our former Antagonist the Compassionate Enquirer If you enquire a Reason of this various reading know that it arises from the different Copies of the Dispensatories The Pharmocopaeia of London calls it one thing that of Rome Another the Titles differ but the Medicine is the same only Rome according to her old overdoing and undoing Humour has added a few drops of the Spirits of Vitriol And yet the last Edition of ours at the Old Bayly re-assumes its former Title and calls it downright The Inquisition of Spain This Medicine is truly Soveraign it has the Probatum of thousands who being dead yet speak its answerableness to its primitive design to silence all disputes and stop the mouth of all gain-sayers when all is done there 's no Argument convinces so effectually as Stone-dead The wild-Irish themselves will believe their Enemy to be dead when his Head lies sever'd a Yard from his body But the Question will be still whether it will down with English-men for though they have good Beef Stomacks they want that of the Ostrich to digest Axes and Halters There 's no Question but it will go down well enough with them that give it but it needs the assistance of much Rhetorick to perswade them into a willingness of mind who are to take this wallowish potion If we could agree who should be persecuted there are enow could be content to be the persecutors and this is one of the greatest Quarrels That the Genius of this Nation as our Enquirer informs us is so couragious and withal so compassionate I am very glad to hear the one part so tender hearted that they will not inflict the other so tender Conscienced that they will endure what shall be so in●…icted rather then prostitute them to the lust and tyranny of men but then I must conclude that some of our Church-men are either no English-men or no Christians whose tender mercies have been Cruelties and whose compassions like Draco's Laws written in blood And I rejoyce to meet with these concluding words The exercise of so much cruelty upon the Account of Religion in Q Maries days hath made that profession detestable to this day and it looked so ill in the Romanists that we shall never be perswaded to practise it our selves Had we but now an exact Definition of Cruelty we should soon be satisfied whether the Enquirer would not perswade Another to it if not be perswaded to it himself None of the Romanists Expedients then will work this blessed Cure they are either Impracticable or come too late or are worse then the Disease or one mischief or another There are therefore three others which he will mention Universal Toleration Comprehension and Instruction and Consideration 1. The first is Universal Toleration But here the Doctors Man whom he sent a simpling was horribly mistaken And like Elisha's Servant whom he sent to gather good wholesome Pot-hearbs has imprudently pickt up your poysonous Colequintida An oversight that might have lost the Patient his Life Universal Toleration I have observed English Spirits to bear some secret Antipathy to these Universals They like not either Universal Bishop nor Universal Monarch nor Universal Grace nor Universal Admission nor this Universal Toleration But what if he had omitted This Universal in the Receipt There may be a Toleration of what is Tolerable whatever disturbs not the publick Peace whatever contradicts not the Scriptures the Creeds whatever crosses not the great ends of Religion whatever is peaceable holy humble just modest righteous though perhaps not Ceremonious This Corrected Toleration has been given with Admirable success in the primitive and purer times It fills up both pages in the Apologies of Iustin Martyr Athenagora●… and Tertullian who pleaded for a Toleration of their Innocent profession It is the main ingredient in that famous Mass of Pillulae sine quibus esse nolo nay of Pillulae sine quibus esse nequeo The Scripture said the Enquirer just before has made it our Duty to consider one anothers weakness and practice mutual forbearance and what forbearance is without Toleration I do not understand Had the Imposing Spirit obtained in the Infancy of the Church they had saved the Heathens a labour and destroyed each other He might safely therefore in his Irenicon have used from a Scruple to a drachm of this Toleration 'T is the Herb Gratia Dei the great fraenum cholerae which Addulces the blood begets good Spirits restrains surley Humours and sweetens the Tempers of one Christian towards another 'T is not the opening 〈◊〉 Pantheon but not shutting up the Temple of the one true God not a licenciousness to blaspheme but a liberty to glorifie our Redeemer that we plead for 't is a priviledge that every one has a claim to That the Lives and Souls of them that have not wronged their Country may be secure in it If the

the greatest face of probability is that God enjoyned them to have their slaves in their hands and their shooes on their feet that they might be ready for a march at Gods signal and word of Command which they might have and yet sit at the Passeover unless it be such an impossible thing to s●…t with our shooes on or that they could not hold their staves in their hands as well sitting as standing 2. That the Jews understood and practised accordingly is a precarious groundless and self contradicting fiction for what practise of theirs could possibly evidence that they understood the words to enjoyn standing when he confesses that when they were come into the Land of Canaan they are it ●…tting or lying unless he dreams of some such practise in the Wilderness when ther was no Passeover 3. Suppose a Command for standing yet it might be only pro hâc vice whilst that posture might be symbolical of their hasty departure out of Egypt and that sitting should ever after enure when providence should allot them more setled Habitations A posture more accommodated to express the fixed condition of the Church in the Promised Land 4. If God commanded them to eat the Passeover standing throughout their generations without any exception in the Canon of the institution without any dispensation from the Institutor himself then they did most certainly transgress were guilty of sin continued in lived in dyed in sin through all their generations for sin is nothing else but a transgression of a Law and then our B. Saviour himself had transgressed his Fathers Law which he came to fulfil And thus blasphemy must be added to folly to make way for an Argument that may secure the Imposition of Ceremonies I shall therefore conclude with more reason thus Christ ate the Passeover in a Table-gesture therefore God Allowed it rather then thus God forbad sitting and yet Christ sinn'd not though he ate it sitting From hence I will thus Argue with our Enquirer Either God commanded the Jews to stand at the eating of the Passeover in all ages or not If he did so command them no cunning will excuse them from sin who ate it sitting If he did not so command Then this instance comes home to his purpose just as his others did for it can never prove that God lays little stress upon Commanded Circumstantials because he laid so little upon uncommanded ones Positives may be altered changed or Abolished by the Legislator when and how far he pleases but this will never prove that he lays little stress on them whilst they are not changed not Abolished Nor will it prove that Man may chop and change barter and truck one of Gods least Circumstantials because the Law-giver himself may do it He that may alter one may for ought I know alter them all seeing they all bear the same Image and Superscription of Divine Authority and he that has a commission to abolish one I am confident has as good a Commission to abolish all the rest which none pretend to but the Pope George Fox and this Enquirer § 2. His next instance which comes home to his purpose is in David who distributed the Priests into Orders for the conveniency of their ministration and besides that he institututed Instrumental Musick to be used in the worship of God without any Commission from God that Appears But this instance is further from home then any of the rest For. 1. That one word of his that Appears will destroy his whole Argument For it was not simply necessary that it should Appear to us at this distance of time and under our present dispensation That every Prophet or pious Reforming Prince had a commission in particular for every Alteration he then made in or about Gods worship for seeing we know they had a standing Prohibition upon Record not to Add to or take from Gods institutions it is supposed that they were Armed with such a Commission and received particular instructions from the Divine will though the wisdom of God saw it not good to exemplify those Commissions and Instructions It was enough that when God Authorized any such extraordinary Commissioners to Regulate the concerns of his service they produced their sealed Letters Patents to that age and people who were concern'd to obey them 2. David did not ordain Priests and Levites he created no new Order or Office of his own head and heart all he did was this seeing the whole Number of the Priests must attend upon the Sacerdotal as the whole Body of the Levites upon the Levitical service and yet all could not at once engage therein without confusion and distraction he casts them into regular Courses that in successive Revolutions they might all share in the work and duty 3. David was an Eminent Prophet who received directions from God in affaires of less moment and as I cannot easily believe it that God would call him to an employment without sufficient advise how to manage it so neither can I conceive that so holy a Person would enterprize any thing of this Nature without such advise when he might so easily have it from God And that which fully satisfies me herein and may do as much for another that is not highly concern'd to quarrel plain Scripture is this That when David had order'd the Levites 1. Chron. 23. 4. 5. 6. And the Priests Ch. 24 And the Singers Ch 25. And the Porters Ch. 26 And the Captains and Prin●…es of the Tribes Ch. 27. And was come at last to give his Son Solomon particular directions about the Temple Ch. 28. the Scripture tells us v. 12. 13. That David gave to Solomon his Son the Pattern of the Porch and of the houses thereof and the Pattern of all that he had by the Spirit Also for the Courses of the Priests and Levites and for all the work of the service of the house of the Lord And v. 19. All this said David the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me even all the works of this pattern And as David had special direction from the Lord thus to distribute the Levites Priests Singers Porters for the Conveniency of their ministration so was he to make particular Application to God for the determination of the most minute Circumstances One would think that if there must be so many Divisions of Priests Levites Porters and Singers it had been a most inconfiderable Circumstance which of these divisions should begin the Round or Circular combination that they might winck and chuse and yet David used even in this punctilio a great and solemn Ordinance of God viz. The Lot wherein the Alseeing and Alruling God Controuls the Contingency of the voluble Creature for when the Lot is cast into the Lap the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. 16. Prov. 33. So that the very Porters and Singers were chosen as solemnly and with respect to Gods determination to the order of their Courses as Matthias