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	wrestle_v	59	3	11.1145	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A30994	A discourse concerning the nature of Christ's Kingdom with relation to the kingdoms of this world in two sermons preach'd at St. Maries before the University of Cambridge by Miles Barne.	Barne, Miles, d. 1709?	1682 (1682)	Wing B858; ESTC R28352	25,388	69

a Greater and more Glorious Kingdom in Heaven St Aug. And I l'e trouble you with no more Expositors thinks He spake of His Church which is His Kingdom and not so properly of this world because it is here only in Pilgrimage and a state of Probation and shall not be Perfect and Triumphant untill it be seated in Heaven But as I told you before the meaning is plain enough My Kingdom is not of this world i. e. 'T is not of the same Nature and Quality with the Kingdoms of this world It consists not as they do in Outward Pomp and Grandeur but is of a Spiritual and Heavenly Temper That this is the true meaning of the words will appear First From the manner of its Institution which was not like that of the Kingdoms of this world in the servile Submission of men or any Bloudy Conquest over them He arrived at Sovereignty without Raising of Armies or Fighting of Battels neither did He measure the Greatness of His Kingdom from the Bodily Strength the Numbers of His Subjects or the Largeness of his Territories But contrariwise His Kingdom was founded in the submission of the soul He set up His Standard in the Inward Man And His Power was chiefly manifested in the Noble Conquests which He wrought over the Rebellious Wills and unruly Affections of men And this mighty work He effected after a spiritual manner By the Reasonableness of His Doctrine and the Exemplariness of His Life By the Majesty of His Miracles and the Energie of His Spirit By strict Fastings and fervent Prayers and all other severities of an Holy Life Lastly by Attesting the Truth and Dignity of His Kingdom by His Bloud And thus the Kingdom of Christ in a short time spread its Triumphant Arms throughout the world It took Possession in all the Kingdoms of the world But dispossess'd none of the Kings of the earth of their Dominions It committed an holy violence upon mens minds but left their Bodies and Estates free It conquer'd Kings and subdued their Subjects and yet at the same time establish'd the Crown upon the Head of the one by making Obedience an indispensable Duty in the other Secondly This will appear from the manner of its Administration As His Kingdom was at first founded so was it Govern'd in a manner different from the Kingdoms of this world The Obedience of His Subjects proceeds from a Principle of Filial Love not of Servile Fear He secures them in their Allegeance by His Invisible Power but never constrains them by any Visible Force He Raised no Taxes for the support of His Government but Religiously paid them where they were due He Enacted no Penal Statutes Leading to Pecuniary Mulcts or Corporal Punishments but yet He submitted to those Laws and enjoyned His Followers to do the same His Court was so far from being crowded with Ministers of State that sometimes He had no Attendants at all And when He had any they were of no higher rank than poor Fishermen He was so far from being Ministred unto that He became the Servant of All so far from being served upon the Knee that He Kneeled down and wash'd His servants feet so far from sending forth Embassadors to negotiate the Affairs of this world that He strictly commanded His Disciples to leave them All whenever they Hinder or stand in Competition with the Concerns of His Kingdom Lastly so far from Constituting Judges with the Power of Life that He Himself was sentenc'd to the most Ignominious Death Briefly as His Kingdom was Spiritual so were all His Affairs transacted after a Spiritual manner I speak not this with the least reflection upon the Greatness of the Kings of the earth or the Laws and Proceedings of their Courts of Judicature whose unhappy Circumstances are often times such that they cannot assume to themselves too much of outward state to retain the Obedience of their good nor enact too severe Laws to reclaim the Licentiousness of their bad Subjects But only to shew the difference of the Kingdoms of this world and that of the Gospel in the Administration of their Affairs Thirdly This will appear from the manner of subduing His Enemies As He Governs His Subjects so he Conquers His Enemies after a Spiritual and Heavenly manner not by the material but the sword of the spirit His weapons are not carnal but mighty to the pulling down of the strong holds of Satan As the Enemies of His Kingdom are chiefly the Invisible Powers of Darkness Legions of Devils and Armed Fiends so He conquers them by the Light of His Word and the mighty Power of His Spirit By the Ministry of Angels He countermines the devices of Satan The Captain of our Salvation trusted not in His sword or spear In His Armoury are found none of the bloudy Engines of War His Victories consisted not of slaughter'd bodies but vanquish'd spirits For He wrestled not against Flesh and Bloud but against Principalities against Powers against the Rulers of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickednesses in High Places Which sometimes He Exorciz'd by the Power of his Word sometimes He cast out by Fasting and Prayer always subdued by Proportioning His weapons to the strength and cunning of His Adversaries And thus Briefly we have seen in what Respects Christs Kingdom is said not to be of this world In Respect of its Institution Administration and the manner of conquering its enemies And now upon a review let us consider First whose Kingdom they belong to who propagate Christ's after another manner than 't was at first founded by Him Who under pretence of Zeal for the Kingdom of Heaven disturb the Kingdoms of the earth who to Proselyte Souls exercise unheard of Cruelties and Injustice over the Bodies and Estates of men who found Christs Kingdom in Bloud and make the Prince of Peace the Author of unnatural War Who out of needless Fears and self-created Jealousies of losing their Religion are guilty of such Practises as not only the Christian but even Natural Religion Detests and Abhors I hope all men will grant that the Peace of the Government is of far greater concern than the Toleration of this or that private Opinion in matters of Religion For by disturbing that the Innocent are often involv'd in Temporal miseries the Disturbers themselves if they perish in the Rebellion are in danger of eternal damnation But sure I am no man shall be call'd to an Account hereafter for not publickly exercising his own Private Opinions in opposition to the establish't Religion of the Land and which is by Him confess'd to hold all the Fundamentals of Salvation and to be free from any damnable errour Briefly the Christian Religion as it is Instituted by Christ is the greatest security to Temporal Governours And if it be made use of to the prejudice of the present Possessor or his Lawfull Successor 't is then abused the Author of it betrayed and the Great Design of it perverted