Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	word_n	world_n	worst_a	85	3	8.3535	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86197	A sermon preached before the Right Honourable House of Lords, in the Abbey-Church at Westminster, Wednesday the 28. of May 1645. Being the day appointed for solemne and publick humiliation. / By Alexander Henderson, minister at Edenburgh.	Henderson, Alexander, 1583?-1646.	1645 (1645)	Wing H1443; Thomason E286_3; ESTC R200073	26,557	39

added in the administration of the Kingdome of Christ after his ascension into heaven both at the first planting of the Gospel in the primitive times and in the time of reformation of Religion in divers Kingdomes and Nations And therefore as naturall sense correcteth the errors of our imagination and maketh us see the folly of our fancies and as naturall reason correcteth the errors of our sense and maketh us judge otherwise then our sense teacheth so must the divine power and superior faculty of faith correct the errors of our naturall reason If we will acquaint our selves with the secrets of the Gospel and with the proceedings of the Kingdome of Christ we begin no sooner seriously to think upon them but we seem to our selves to be transported and carried to another world and are constrained to acknowledge and confesse to the glory of God that flesh and blood doth not reveale these things unto us The second duty required of us is this When the Lord hath opened the eyes of our understanding to behold somwhat of the secrets of this spiritual Kingdome we are to draw neere to joyn our selves unto it and become the subjects of Jesus Christ To which purpose it is necessary to expresse the matter briefly that we first know our estate by nature all of us by nature being subjects yea slaves to the Kingdome of Sin and Satan no man is excepted Kings Princes Nobles as base slaves this way as any other although walking in gold chains Next that we acknowledge Christ to be King and Lord of his people putting our confidence in him as having all sufficiencie for life liberty salvation and every good thing yea endevouring to feele the Kingdome of God within us and his Scepter set up in our souls formerly tyranized over by strange Lords And thirdly that we make a resignation of our selves in all humility and obedience to do his will for it is the quality of his subjects to be a willing people or a people of willingnesse Psal 110.3 If every one of us had many wills we ought of sacrifice them all and turn each one of them in a willingnesse to serve him According to this is it that his people are called Amminadib or my willing people Cant. 6.12 The word used to expresse willingnesse signifeth Generosity or Noblenesse opposed to Churlishnesse Isa 32.5 The vile person shall be no more called liberall nor the churlish said to be bountifull Nabal shal not be called Nadib The true subjects of Christ were they never so meanly born although like the wretched infant described Ezek. 16. yet being born again they deal nobly with him but others whatsoever be their extraction and were they never so nobly descended they deal but churlishly with Christ A noble man that giveth not himselfe willingly and cordially to the Son of God accounteth it not his chiefest honor to be a subject of his Kingdom in Scripture language is not a Nobleman but a Nabal a Churle and surely to deal churlishly with Christ who hath been so benigne and bountifull unto us and is so worthy to be served is the most base churlishnesse and the greatest churlishnesse in the world If we would consider what we are without him what we may be through him and that there is a necessity either to be the slaves of sin or to become the subjects of Christ yea either to be his free subjects or his bound-slaves and captives we would willingly offer our selves in this day of his power The third duty is when we are acquainted with the nature and secrets of the Kingdome of Christ and are now become his willing subjects then to be zealous in using all good means each one according to his place for advancing and establishing the kingdom of Christ A point very necessary to be considered because as Herod and all Jerusalem with him were troubled when they heard that the King of the Jewes was born So are great ones that are in authority and the multitude of the people much troubled when they heare of the Kingdome of Christ Kings and great ones because they conceive the advancing of Christs Kingdome to be a diminution of their greatnesse and power wherein they bewray both their ignorance and ingratitude ignorance of the nature of his kingdome which is spirituall not only in the internall but externall part of it He that would establish a spirituall Kingdom doth not take away but on the contrary doth both confirm and sanctifie the temporall Kingdome wherein it is established The Son of God never imposed such a hard condition to Kings and Nobles that were to become Christians as to forsake their crowns and dignities except in their affection and in comparison of the excellency of the Kingdome of Christ Ingratitude not only because by him Kings reigne but Jesus Christ having proclaimed a Jubilee a great liberty to Kings Kingdomes from the tyranny the servitude the usurpations and impositions of the Pope This is all the thanks that they return that they either put away the Gospel from themselves and their Kingdomes or will receive but so much of it as they think meet which is rather to reigne over Christ then that Christ by his Scepter reigne over them As for the multitude of the people they have no desire to heare of the setting up of the Kingdome of Christ because they are afraid of poverty and other such miseries as may be brought upon them by innovations measuring all by their worldly gain and ease and considering no other wayes of changes but as they import some earthy benefit to their own privat So was Jerusalem troubled when Christ was born so were the Gadarens when he came into their countrey It cannot be denied but the Lord hath done a great work in this land yet there be many of all ranks that wish it had never been begun by reason of the trouble and losses they have sustained not considering nor knowing that a little of God and of Christ and of his Spirit and of the Word and of the Ordinances is much more then the greatest things of the world and that it is better to suffer with the people of God and for God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season When things are equally ballanced the worst things of Christ that is his crosse and sufferings is better then the best things of the world Upon the contrary therefore I shall desire these seven things about the Kingdome of Christ and the matter of religion may be diligently taken heed unto 1. Take heed of selfe respects these are of two sorts one is privat when men look so much to themselves that they forget the publick or if they look to the publick and seem to be zealous about it it is alwayes with reflection upon their own privat were the circumference never so wide themselves are the center and all the lines of their actions have their concentration there Privat spirits are evill spirits whether they

difference that the Kingdom of Christ is not of this world For first Christ being called before Pilate and being demanded whether he was a King answered That his Kingdome was not of this world therefore his Kingdome is not a temporall and earthly Kingdome nor would Pilate have pronounced him innocent and guiltlesse if he had made any claime to Caesars Kingdome This is very strongly proved by the following words If my Kingdome were of this world then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews which yet maketh nothing against the taking of Armes by such as are in authority for the defence of Religion and the just Liberty of the Professors thereof Secondly Christ refused to be a King when it was offered unto him and told his Disciples That the Kings of the Nations have dominion over them and they that are great exercise authority but that it should not be so with them but that whosoever would be great among them must bee their Minister Matth. 20.25 Thirdly he refused to be a Judge of secular quarrels or a divider of inheritances Luke 12.14 He came from heaven for things divine to work upon the consciences of men and was appointed to be Judge of quick and dead but never medled with the office of a temporall King Fourthly he acknowledged that Caesar was King saying Render to Caesar the things that are Caesars Nor did the Prophets prophesie of any earthly Kingdome of Christ For the Kingdome that they prophesied of was to bee established and confirmed by him but the Kingdome of Judea was ruined and overthrown for refusing him to be their sprituall King There shall not a stone be left upon a stone in Jerusalem the chiefe Citie of that Kingdome because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation saith Christ This yet appeareth further if we consider the qualities of these two kinds of Kingdomes more particularly The Kingdomes of the world endure but for a time and the periods and endings of them are matter not onely of discourse before they come but of tragedies after they are come but the Kingdome of Christ shall not be destroyed for ever And of his Kingdome there shall no end Dan. 2.44 After his departure out of the earth his Kingdome was in the greatest strength and in a most flourishing condition he then was gloriously manifested to be a King The Kingdomes of the world are governed by the rules and counsels of humane prudence and policie but the Kingdome of Christ by lawes of another kind by the simplicity of the Gospel which to the naturall man is foolishnesse The Kingdomes of the world are supported by taxes and tributes ceasments and subsidies but no such thing in the Kingdome of Christ The Kingdomes of the world consist in riches honour power of men externall splendor and earthly greatnesse but in the Kingdome of Christ poverty and humility triumph over the world under the Standard of the Crosse The Kingdomes of the world have carnall weapons and strength of Armes to pursue their ends but the weapons of the Kingdom of Christ are spiritual to procure spirituall obedience unto him Many such differences may be observed by which we may clearly perceive that the Kingdome of Christ is not of this world Yet one thing we must remember for preventing mistakes and which being rightly taken understood would put an end to many of the questions which are so much debated at this time about Chruch-government It is this That we are to distinguish between that which is of this world and that which is externall and visible in this world The Kingdome of Christ is not of this world yet some part of this Kingdome is externall and visible in this world for there be two parts of the spirituall administration of Christs Kingdome the one is the internall operation of the Spirit accompanying the externall means which are his Ordinances appointed by himselfe and his owne authority the other is the externall dispensation of these means and Ordinances by such officers as are called the Ministers of the Kingdome of Heaven This doth appertaine to the Kingdome of Christ and shall continue no lesse then the former till he render up the Kingdomes into God the Father 1 Cor. 15.24 This part of the administration of Christs Kingdome although it be externall yet it is not of this world but spirituall for it comes from the Spirit and is done by the gifts of the Spirit The Word and Sacraments which are the matter of it are things spirituall for the manner of doing it is by the evidence of the Spirit the spirits and souls of men are the object of it the end thereof is spirituall edification and the effect the ministery of the Spirit So that in this respect also the Kingdome of Christ is not of this world but a spirituall Kingdome in both parts of the administration theoreof The Text thus expounded is a fountaine full of springs of Doctrine As first that although Christ was a King a Governour and Commander as hath been formerly shewed and was a Prophet also and it may be now exercising that office and testifying of his own Kingdome before Pilate yet is it no warrant for Captaines or Commanders to preach the Gospel and to become Prophets because first he was a spirituall King and Commander and not a temporall and next because he had a speciall calling The Apostle Rom. 10.14 telleth us that men cannot preach unlesse they be sent And this calling the Apostle judgeth to be so necessary that the Son of God would not undertake that charge without a singular vocation Heb. 5. Although a private man who runneth unsent and an Ambassador who is authorized and sent speak the same things yet the one wants the authority which the other hath Secondly although Jesus Christ knew well that all that he could say was not able to deliver him from death or to do any good to the heart of Pilate for his conversion yet he findeth himself bound to answer calumnies and unjust accusations and to give a testimony of the truth And so must the servants of God do although their words do no more but serve to blindfold and indure blind and hard hearts yet must they speak out the truth It was the practice of the Prophets Apostles and holy Martyrs and in this as in other things Ministers and all others who have by their place any calling to give testimony to the truth must do their duty committing the event unto God Thirdly although Christ at this time was brought very low in the eyes of the world yet he spareth not to speak of his Kingdome and to call himself a King Humiliation and exinanition is in it selfe no derogation to right but the right is the same in the estate and case of humiliation and in the estate and case of exaltation the case may change and the estate be altered but the right is without change and standeth unalterable So was it with

King of Kings and Lord of Lords the Lord of all By these Titles is he known in the way of eminencie What is most eminent in Rulers Princes or Kings all their excellencies and flowers of perfection are most eminently and egregiously found in him in the way of negation all their errors infirmities and imperfections which are many and too many are farre from him and in the way of causation as they speak for with him is the originall and prime cause of all that is excellent in them Secondly by the many great and glorious promises and prophesies of the Kingdome of Christ which cannot be reckoned up so many are they in this shortnesse of time and are to every one that readeth the Prophesies of the old Testament so obvious Thirdly the same is manifest by the administration and execution of his office in giving lawes unto his people and executing them in giving gifts unto his servants for the good of his people in ruling his people by his Word and Spirit in defending and delivering them from their enemies and in subduing and destroying their enemies in the end Fourthly the same is evident also by the homage and honour which the whole Church militant and triumphant give unto him And I beheld and I heard the voyce of many Angels round about the Throne and the living Creatures and the Elders and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands saying with a lowd voice Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdome and strength and honour and glory and blessing And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are of the sea and all that are in them heard I saying Blessing honour glory and power be unto him that sits upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever Rev. 5.11 12 13. It requireth an heart ready to indite and a tongue as the pen of a ready Writer to set forth the praises of this King Psal 45.1 Only three things I would say from the descriptions which we have in Scripture One is that the Kingdome of Christ was first made known to the Church when the promise was made to our first parents The seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent Gen. 3.15 The second is that since that time till this day he hath been reigning in the midst of his enemies not onely after his coming in our flesh but before the times of the Patriarcks and Prophets and ever was known to the subjects of his Kingdome The third is that his Kingdome hath been sometimes more obscure and under a cloud as in the times of the old Testament howsoever even then his hand was stretched out in delivering his people out of Egypt in leading them through the wildernesse and possessing them in the land of promise And at the time of his suffering howsoever the beames of his bringhtnesse did shine through the dark cloud at other times the lustre and brightnesse thereof hath been more apparant as at the time of his exaltation Thou art my Sonne this day this day of thy glorious resurrection have I begotten thee fulfilled the decree and declared thee to be the Sonne of God A Commentary whereof we have Phil. 2.9 10 11. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earch and things under the earth And that every tongne should confesse that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father And Ephes 4.8 When he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men These were his servants who were sent forth to preach and proclaim him to be King And although men ought to be sparing in determining the manner the measure the time and indurance of a greater glory of the Kingdome of Christ on earth to come yet have we reason to hope for great things at the bringing in of the ancient people of God but ought so to hope for it that for the present we may behold Christ reigning in his spiritual Kingdome and to take heed that the expectation of that which is future be not a prejudice to that which is present and is come to passe in our dayes more then in former times Some perhaps may think that this is no great matter or deep mystery since no man can acknowledge Christ to be the eternall Sonne of God but he must also confesse that he is King and Lord and that all honour and Titles of honour are due unto him To which I answer first that there be many whatsoever for their credit they may professe to the contrary who do not in their hearts beleeve that the Lord God as a great King ruleth the world for they fight against the light of Nature and abuse their power and policie no lesse then if they could rule the world without God God is not in all their thoughts Psal 10.4 Secondly a man may know that God is King and Ruler and yet be ignorant that Christ God and Man is King Nature which teacheth that there is a Godhead leadeth also to a providence but the other is a grand mystery which cannot be conceived but supernaturally Thirdly we are to understand that Christ hath a twofold right unto his Kingdome one by nature as he is God the other by donation as he is Man To me is given all power in heaven and in earth so that the man Jesus Christ which is a great mystery and which the world beleeveth not hath prerogative and power above all creatures in earth and in heaven above all Nobles Princes and Kings and which is more above all Angels Principalities and Powers Having thus shewed that Christ hath a Kingdome which made him to say My Kingdome I would now make some use of this point but that I conceive it to be more convenient first to speak of the quality of the Kingdome of Christ and having joyned both together That he is a King and that his Kingdome is not of this world to give the uses of both at once The quality then of the Kingdome of Christ negatively is this That his Kingdome is not of this world it is not an earthly or worldly Kingdome and therefore by consequence must be a spirituall and heavenly Kingdome As it is a Kingdome it hath many things common with the Kingdomes of the world both the one and the other are of God both for God and his glory both for the good of the people This being a perpetual difference between a Tyrant a King that a Tyrant conceiveth the people to be for him and his ends but a King knoweth that he is set over the people for their good both have their Lawes and rule by them both have their enemies which oppose and disturb their peace But this is the great