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	zeal_n	175	3	7.5394	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96887	A conference of some Christians in church-fellow-ship, about the way of Christ with his people, and the result therefrom. This serveth only by way of introduction to take off the reproaches, that are cast upon pastour and people, whose earnest care and endeavour is to walke with a right foote in that holy way. Which is held forth here by the light of the sacred Scripture, as it appeares unto them, and how curious and circumspect their walke should be, who pretend to it, and to walke therein. The scandalls in and against the way are removed as they could be.	Woodward, Ezekias, 1590-1675.	1656 (1656)	Wing W3485; Thomason E868_4; ESTC R207653	29,701	36

that wee humbly conceive you should have Commended him for vvee must take leave to set it downe because that brought him upon the stage where he at this time stands covered-over with as much filth as uncleane Mouthes most nasty and filthy hands and some pretty cleane too in comparison can possibly cast upon him You must remember what you cannot forget nor wee neither the Towne and Country taking notice of it so visible it was being not done in a corner when he preached first your Lecture at the Chappell neare him we thought and thinke so still part of his charge Not to mention the affronts against him at that time before he came to the Pulpit His text you know was Hos 12. 10. I have also spoken by the Prophets having cleared the knowne Doctrine of the text and grounded it and comming to make Application of it A Consectary two or three he pressed first and this for one That the Minister of Christ being the Mouth of Christ and standing in his stead must speake and doe in the matters of Christ as the Lord Christ would speake and doe if he were here upon Earth You know and wee know he spent but few Minutes upon this indeed he spake feelingly as one that felt the weight of his charge and smartly and was there not a cause being in his owne place and knowing full well the horrid doings there Sir wee make bold to tell you and in as much love as you can conceive is due to you from us had your force been right and your way good and not complying too much with the Ministers way of that Chappell You had commended our Minister given him the right hand of fellowship and taken him at that time into your bosome But what agreement when your wayes lie so crosse which will appeare we conceive through-out the following discourses to the way of Holinesse you and we are charged to walke-in Till you shall take this into your thoughts and muse upon it things will be as they are carried on headlong to the great dishonour of God reproach of His Word and scandall of His people as we suppose for the close of this in much love we entreate you to examine what an affront was put upon the Word when at your earnest request our Pastour tooke a turne in that Lecture you know when and where examine we pray you what the man did you commonly call the Clerke but might as truely call a Beast If he turne his backe upon the Word as he more than seemed so to doe then going forth of the place as others did at the time when the said Minister went up into the pulpit And upon your examination of the matter we know what is your duty to doe if you will doe it For Sir it is our perswasion did your Brethren whom we honour we thinke as much as you doe understand well and thorowly how matters are carried there how unbecoming the Gospell and crosse to the prosperity of the same they would have things corrected or they would not we thinke they should not unlesse they be of your perswasion take their turne there Looke to it Sir and be perswaded that for the Glory of God and our Deare Saviour and that His Gospell may run and be glorified and that you may correct what is amisse and have peace at the Last have we spoke hitherto and shall speake for God forbid we should be silent in such matters as these being called upon to speake and give our opinion SECT IV. IN the next place we come to speake a little for our selves our matters so requiring yea constraining for we are as unwilling to doe it as you can thinke us in some respects but in some other most willing Wee are Sir and you know it and wee blesse God from our hearts He hath made us know it too most unworthy ones Truely Sir our inward thoughts are all thoughts are inward but these are closest unto us and most fixed there that we are such unworthy ones in and of our selves confidered that we cannot thinke we have thought our selves low enough till we have thought our selves to nothing yea worse than nothing as in our selves still and if such nothings now now that He hath pleased to reveale His Son in us to plucke us out of our blood to wash us thorowly and so to sloud it away looking upon us and accepting of us in Him in Whom to be accepted is our Labour our ambition the topp of our glory and crowne of rejoycing we were saying If such Nothings now what were we then when we lay-in Evill like a Carrion in the Ditch but more corrupted and corrupting being under the power of a lust within and that wicked one without What were we then better than others Children of wrath so soone as we were the Children of men And had not Grace withheld us and an All-mighty-Hand raighned us-in we had been as mad with rage against the Saints and stood as crosse to their way of Holinesse as once Paul was before he came to his right mind And in every myre of sin we could have reached unto we had wallowed with great delight as a swine doth and as they now doe who lye with the world in wickednesse for thitherto our will hurried-us driving us as fast from God as doth the most impetuous streame run from its fountaine And all this while pertaking by priviledge of our Infant Baptisme of all Gospell Communions we should have thought our condition unquestionably blessed taking Sanctuary under the shaddow of a Church whose height like that Tree reacheth unto heaven and the sight thereof to the end of all the Earth But He from Whom wee were running by His Spirit in His Word laid-hold-on us and so being mercifull to us delivered us out of our own hands and from our selves as Lot out of Sodom the greatest Enemies to our soules we know in the world the God or Spirit of the world not excepted and gave us an and gave us an hand of faith whereby we laid hold on Him And now He vvill hold us fast and give us power to hold Him and to vvalke in all pleasing before Him And now vvhat shall we say Even so Father because it pleased Thee Who at first spake light out of Darknesse and caused it to shine into our hearts even the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ The thoughts of this comming strongly upon us at the time vvhen wee vvere seeking His face engaged us being so pressed unto it from vvithout to give an account of the Truth of the way our walke and practise in it And so having beleived we shall speake This then was the prime and chief prevailing motive to make further enquiry into these things and to give our experiences about them as we are perswaded duty bindeth us and our engagement is to doe for If these things be so as even now we have spoken and the

replanted by forraighners for seventy yeares space but the roome kept empty till the returne of the Naturalls Surely looke what the Spirit spake to the Angell of the Church in Philadelpha there He spake unto us Because thou hast kept the word of my patience I also will keepe thee from the houre of temptation which shall come upon all the world to trie them that dwell upon the Earth 3. In the last place to stop the mouth of carnall reason That enemy and adversary of all righteousnesse and let alone will have all the talke though in the issue it will prove to be but contradicting and blaspheming the word of His Grace the way and practise of His holy Ones This we say to him who accounts that time runs-out to waste which is taken up in holy conference about what hath been heard and what profit they have received thereby That this man hath never heard to purpose the Word hath not been prevaling with him to Conversion for if so The recalling of it and meditation upon it had been sweet unto him and he would observe time and place as he doth often alone by himselfe so also sometimes as his affaires may give leave among others also to tell his experiences that way what furthered or hindred in that worke of profiting by hearing that so he may promote the good of others as his owne for how desirous is he That all were as he is excepting his reproaches and scornes for the Name of Christ Holding forth the word of life He that is rich enough in grace is nothing worth and he that sayes he hath enough of the Word hath none at all to purpose or to profit by it Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdome Col 3. 6. We we about to set downe a little of that much Zanche hath upon those words but wee intend to be short wee will onely heare what Holy Sibs speaks to this matter They that are acquainted with their owne wants thinke it an happinesse to have plenty and they that know their naturall weaknesse know they need all spirituall supports and helps to keepe the vessell of their Soules in perpetuall good case They know also that the more they know as they ought to know in desire and endeavour living-up to what they know the fitter they are for doing and suffering for communion with God and for all passages both of life and death therefore they cannot have too much care this way 7. One thing more wee would adde for the clearing of our practise and removing an offence not given we hope but taken against us That wee attend the publike place of hearing with all care and attention and our private exercise at home and at our private meeting place with all Diligence ordering matters so by the help of Grace that th' one hinder not but further the other Some are all for reading and praying at home For they have good bookes there to reade and pray-by both Others againe are all at the publike and nothing at home To this onely this may suffice That the use of the private exercises with the neglect and contempt of the publique have a curse upon them And the use of the publique with the neglect and contempt of the private have the same curse too for both th' one and the other are indeed not used but abused 8. Thus we have given you an account of the way the Lord hath been pleased ●o draw us unto by His good Word and Spirit and to fix our foot-in how also wee have passed-over the offences have been given to us in our way and removed as we could those that have been taken against us more we have to say but we referre it to another place yet this we cannot forbeare to say That wee finde this way so pleasant and good so saith the Spirit the flesh is a flug an enemy rather and so saith nothing or else contradicteth and blasphemeth or would doe so were it let alone to doe what it would but so pleasant it is and so saith the Spirit That wee would not for a world be in the way in the dayes of our ignorance we were-in And wee wish from our hearts so well we wish you That you were in the same way too though it be as neglected and reproached a way as the Church her selfe is This is Zion which no man seeketh after A sure way-Mark it is that it is the right way cleane crosse to the way of the world where flesh and blood finds Rehoboth roomth enough nothing to crosse it or to put it to Cost therefore right in every mans own eyes though it be the way to hell going downe to the Chambers of death But Zions way or the way to Zion lyeth so crosse to flesh that it can as well choose to walke upon burning coales as upon choice to walke in this way till it be mortifyed The serious thoughts of this put us first to a stand caused us to looke round about us and consider in what way our foot stood To put it to Question and not take resolution from flesh and blood Is our way Right for indeed Sir wee were we will not say in the same way with you but in the way of the world we were while wee lay with the world in wickednesse Is our way right in our Lord's eyes For every way of man is as we reade right in his owne eyes Prov 21. 2. but that way is an abomination to the Lord. Indeed thus through Grace we reasonedupon the way and saw clearely the Lord being mercifull to us and anoynting our eyes with His eye-salve That the way so right in our owne eyes was our owne way a way of sin and death very pleasing to flesh putting it to no cost none at All therefore infinitely displeasing to God And so we concluded That they have a very difficult worke if not a desperate cause in their hand who would maintaine That way right in a man 's owne eyes to be the way of Gods Holy ones with whom He walkes and they with Him circumspectly sure according to their charge in desire and endeavour exactly full up to the rule But we must contract we have told what first put us to a stand and enquire for the old-way that good way paved forth as a Causey-way and traced by the footsteps of the Lord 's Anoynted 2. This moved with us very much to hasten out of that way of the world so right in its owne eyes and stirred-up our Spirits against it as much almost for we want his zeale not altogether as Paul was stirred when he beheld those abominable Idolaters And as Luther was stirred in his Spirit against Popery observing the Popes giving pardons for we know not how many yeares Indeed we have heard that gave the first offence to that Gideon of our times or but a Century of yeares by-past And how did he bestirre himselfe after that time take it in passage and

Lord God hath laid His hand upon us and by His Finger His Holy Spirit written the Law of our Relation upon our hearts as He Upon Gal. 2. 20. pag. 36. standeth to us and we to Him in Jesus Christ we borrow this expression from that Man of God M Bridge who to us spake much in that little and surely it containeth much and we have made through Grace much of it as may appeare throughout our seventh and last Section Not doubting but whosoever shall enquire at that Law of Relation what is to be done as to Church Administrations shall have full resolution therefrom and so end the matter Therefore here we shall be very briefe making mention of it onely in Reference to our selves our way and walke and this we were saying If the Lord hath don thus with us as having beleived we have spoken then we humbly conceive these things must follow 1. We must follow the Lord fully as deare children by the guidance of the Holy Spirit of Faith and Adoption which the Sons of God have another from that of the world which rules in the darknesse thereof We must walke by rule even as He walked 1 Joh. 2. 6. If children of the light we walke in the light even as He is in the light 1 John 1. 7. Else 1 we should cleane crosse the end of our Election chosen in Him that we should be Holy and without Blame before Him in Love Eph 1. 4. And 2 wee should else crosse the end of our Calling As He who hath called you is holy so be ye Holy in all manner of Conversation 1 Pet 1 15. 2. 9. And 3 we should else crosse the end of Gods Discovering to us His Gospell and way of Holinesse It was that we should walke thereafter having a Conversation as becometh Phil 1. 27. least our unholy practise should give our holy profession the lye but we hasten 2. If we can say Truly our fellowship is with ths Father and with His Son Jesus Christ 1 Joh 1. 3. Assuredly then we can not but seeke after and bend towards a Communion and fellow ship one with another that we may watch over each other help to beare each others burthen supply each others wants pertake of each others Graces doe all things as becommeth a Communion of Saints on earch which is saith that Learned Man Upon Job 16. pag. 25 4. the Lower heaven of the Saints serving each other in Love For thus wee have concluded That as it is with lines in a Circumserence the nearer to their Center the nearer one to another So nearnesse to Christ cannot possibly consist with a strangeresse or distance one from another for wee are members one of another 3. If as He is so are we in this world 1 Joh 4. 17. That is as we have heard it expounded If we have His image in us and stamped upon us if His Love be shed abroad in our hearts If He be in us by His Blessed Spirit we in Him by our faith If he dwell in us and walke in us 2 Cor 6. 16. Then ought we to walke even as He walked which was said before But from hence we humbly conceive these two things will follow 1. Wee must come out from among them and be seperate from the world so farre as is possible and not goe out of the world 1 Cor 5. 10. in all times and places specially at the Lords Table for so saith the Lord Be ye seperate and touch not the uncleane thing if ye expect that I should receive you and be a Father unto you and ye Sons and Daughters unto Mee 2 Cor 6. 17. Surely they that walke with God as friends cannot walke with the world be companions with the men thereof upon choice their affaires not requiring and when they plainly see they can give no good unto them But if they could have the least hope they could by conversing with them communicate good unto them they would most willingly doe it yet then not as companions with them but Physitians to them for what fellowship hath righteousnesse with unrighteousnesse what Communion hath light with darknesse and what concord hath Christ with Beliall And 2. Wee must meet often in some place besides the common meeting place else how can we speake often one to another so making full proofe that we feare the Lord Mal 3. 16. Surely it is cleare from that place That that was the manner and practise of the Saints of old And M. Rogers in his fift Treatise pag 109. gives us a famous Instance of some brethren with their Pastour that met together in the yeare 1588. privately in one house there to complaine to each other of their sinnes and wants and to finde out the remedies against the same That holy man in the same place gives us to know the good of that Conference which he brancheth forth into many perticulars if we well remember but we finde them contracted into three 1. This meeting was a great whetting-on to them to frequent the publique Ministery more carefully and fruitfully aftervvards 2. These two kinds of meetings publickly in the Church and privately in their houses thus carried did knit them together in that bond of brotherly love which during life could never be broken 3. It was a meanes to make them have Christian conference and godly communion in greater account Wee vvill take leave to adde hereunto that holy Man's words Mr. Tilling Serman p 200. now with Him whose he was and whom he served The reason why there is so little of the Spirit given forth though it be the great New Testament promise is this Because Saints are no more in assembling together Saints are not found as they should be in their worke of Assembling together When the Lord Christ gave His Spirit to His Apostles immediately at His Resurrection it was when they were assembled together Joh 20. 19. 22. When the Disciples were assembled together He breathed on them and said unto them receive the Holy Ghost And so we reade in the 2 Acts where wee have the more full giving-forth of the Spirit It was when the Saints were assembled togetehr when they were all with one accord in one place He might have given it to them one by one when they were alone But our Deare Lord chooseth to give-forth the Spirit when they were Assembled together To assure us how much He loveth the Assemblies of the Saints He will not give to every one in a corner alone but when assembled together So that if Saints neglect their meeting together there may be little enjoyment of the Spirit though it be the great promise of the New Testament Administration There is much more to be said for this meeting together of the Saints and there is much said against it vvee shall referre both this and that to another place the last Section 2. Wee proceed to remove an offence taken against us we say taken for God knowes we