Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	body_n	spirit_n	worship_v	2,550	5	9.5500	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01974	Gods three arrovves plague, famine, svvord, in three treatises. I. A plaister for the plague. II. Dearths death. III. The Churches conquest over the sword. By William Gouge Doctor in Divinity, and preacher of Gods Word in Black-Friers, London.	Gouge, William, 1578-1653.; Gouge, William, 1578-1653. Dignitie of chivalrie.; Gods three arrowes. aut	1631 (1631)	STC 12116; ESTC S103284	362,085	493

returne with victory giveth proofe of his praying for the armies d d d Gen 14. 20. So doth Melchizedechs congratulation of Abrahams victory 1. Gods honour is engaged in the successe of such as professe Gods truth 2. Their cause ought to be accounted a common cause of all that are of the same profession 3. Christian sympathy and the Communion of Saints should make us account others dangers and others successe as our owne 4. If they which go out to warre be of our owne country or nation by their overthrow we incurre hazzard by their victory the more safety is brought to us that tarry at home yea we all partake of the benefit of the spoiles which they make of enemies the whole kingdome is enriched thereby if they be great If these be not sufficient motives to enforce the equity of the fore-named duty what can be sufficient Remember therfore what Vriah said The Arke and Israel 2 Sam. 11. 11. and Iudah abide in tents and my Lord Ioab and the servants of my Lord are encamped in the open fields shall I then go into my house to eate and to drinke He when he was at home was as much affected with the armies in the field as if himselfe had beene there Can any then be so carelesse of them as not to pray for them Assuredly if Magistrates and Ministers if great ones and meane ones were more conscionable in performing this duty better successe might be expected But so farre are most from obtaining a blessing upon the armies that go forth as rather on the contrary Achan like they trouble the armies Ios 7. 1. 25. that are sent out by provoking Gods wrath against them thorow their impiety and prophanesse lewdnesse and licentiousnesse Such either pray not at all or they make their prayers to be an abomination to the Lord. For he that Prov. 28 9. turneth away his eare from hearing the Law even his prayer shal be abomination Thus wicked persons are betrayers of such as out of the places where they dwell goe to warre §. 29. Of manifesting our inward desire by our outward gesture III. * * * See §. 26. Flexo corpore mens est erigenda ad Deum Bern. medit devo c. 6 INward devotion of heart must be manifested by the outward disposition of body As the many gestures which in Scripture are recorded and approved being used by Saints in prayer whereof before § 22. do afford good proofe to the point so also the manifold expressions of prayer by sundry gestures proper thereto as such as these b b b Psal 123. 1. I lift up mine eyes c c c Eph. 3. 14. I bow my knees that is I pray d d d Psal 95. 6. Let us lift up our hands e e e Lam 3. 41. Let us kneele that is let us pray f f f Psal 141 2. Let Animus in gestu corporis apparet Gestus corporis signum est mentis Corporis gestu animus proditur Bern. de modo benè viv Scr. 9. Benefits of outward gestures in prayer the lifting up of my hands be that is let my prayer be So here in this place I will stand that is I will pray As in other cases so also in prayer the mind appeareth in the gesture of the body for this is a signe of that So as by the manifestation of our inward devotion by our outward gesture God is more honoured others are made like minded and our owne spirits are quickned 1. For God he is by that means glorified both in soule and body as we ought in both to glorifie him 1 Cor. 6. 20. Ob. God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth Ioh. 4. 24. Answ True But what then Is he not therefore to be worshipped in body Fie on such a consequence Indeed God is most especially to be worshipped in Spirit All outward worship without it is altogether in vaine Isay 19. 13. But Gods delight in the spirit doth not imply a dislike or no liking of a manifestation thereof by the body He that said in regard of an upright manner of performing the things which we do Take heed that ye do them not before men to be seene of them Mat. 6. 1. said also in regard of our zeale to Gods glory Let your light so shine before men as they may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heaven Mat. 5. 16. What therefore God hath joyned together let no man put asunder Mat. 19. 6. 2. For others our outward gesture manifesting our inward affection they may be brought to adde their prayers also and joyne with us as they who saw the company of Prophets prophesying prophesied also among them 1 Sam. 19. 20. or at least say Amen to our petitions and desire God to grant them as old Elie did when he understood how Annah had powred forth her soule before God 1 Sam. 1. 17. 3. For our selves by the outward gesture of the body our owne spirits within us are much affected For there is a sympathy betwixt soule and body Bowing the body in prayer as it testifieth the humiliation of the soule so it maketh the soule to stoupe somwhat the lower Beating the breast doth somwhat the more breake the heart lifting up eyes or hands raiseth up the heart spreading the armes abroad enlargeth the desire of the heart standing erect maketh the soule the more steddy Exhortation to use seemely outward gesture in prayer Let us on these grounds both declare and helpe the inward faith and fervency devotion and contrition of our soules by the outward gestures of the body There needs no great labour after outward gesture if at least there be true devotion in the heart The parts of the body are so commanded by the soule as they will soone declare the intent thereof This is evident by the private prayers which persons truly devoted do make For when they are alone and no creature present to take notice of the outward gesture according to the affection of the heart when it is indeed fervent the eyes wil be cast up or cast downe the armes spread abroad the hands lift up or beating the breast the body cast prostrate upon the ground and other like gestures performed They who use to pray privately and fervently know this to be true I urge not this outward gesture to make men play the hypocrites Farre be such intents from my mind Men are too prone to make shew of more then is in them they need no provocations thereto Besides hypocrisie is so odious in Gods sight as it makes our best works abominable Isa 66. 3. But that be referred to him who searcheth the heart and knoweth the inward thoughts of men and to every ones conscience that will excuse or accuse him I urge a manifestation of inward affection and that by such outward gestures as are Gestures in prayer how ordered

Luk. 13. 11. The woman whom Satan had bound eighteene yeares So e Ioh. 5. 5. the man which had an infirmity thirty and eight yeares So sundry Lepers Demoniacks men women and children at point of death and many others visited with incurable maladies Divine power is not limited with any naturall bounds it is not restrained in that compasse which is prescribed to creatures It can affoord succour when creatures may think no succour can be affoorded Instance the remedy which God affoorded to man after his fall Yea when men may thinke the Divine wrath to be implacably incensed there may be thoughts of mercy in God After the Lord had drowned the world He smelled a sweet Gen. 8. 21. savour and said in his heart I will not againe curse the ground After he had threatned to dis-inherit Israel Moses praying for them he said I have pardoned according to thy word Num. 14. 20. What encouragement have we now to continue our instant prayer to God for staying this plague that now so rageth among us What though it increase hundreds every weeke f Isa 59 1. Behold the Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot save nor his eare heavy that it cannot heare Though g 2 Chro 20 12 we know what to do yet let our eyes be upon the Lord. Many thousands are fallen dead before us yet are there many living among us Christ our true Aaron our true and great High-Priest he standeth betwixt the living and the dead He by his intercession will pacifie the wrath of his father and procure his favour for the living Only as they who were stung with fiery serpents looked on the Brasen Serpent so let us with the eye of faith looke on Iesus on high at the right hand of his Father Let not the multitudes of them that are dead nor the present raging of this plague too much daunt us let us continue to offer up our incense to God and expect his time for deliverance and deliverance in his time To encourage us the more hereunto let the next point be well noted §. 67. Of the efficacy of right meanes III. * See §. 64. Legimus Aaron adversum ignem Israelis populum devorantem occurrisse stetisse medium opposuisse murumpro salute pòpuli c. Sicut enim murus hosti opponitur adversario occurri solet ex adverso contraque venien ti●ta Dei sententia sanctorum precibus frangi tur Hier. Com. l. 4. in Ezek. 13 VVArrantable meanes rightly used proove effectuall This might be exemplified by all those extraordinary meanes which in Scripture are recorded to be prescribed or otherwise warranted by God But to insist only on such ordinary meanes as are warranted to us and to the whole Church of God in all ages take a view of the prayers which Saints from time to time have made unto God for obtaining good things and for removing evils yea of their fastings of their teares of their manifold humbling of themselves and you shall find them ever to have beene effectuall if they have been rightly used as I have a See The whole armour of God on Eph. 6. 18 § 20 21 22 c 97 104. elsewhere more fully declared Gods power wisdome truth and other like attributes are engaged in the meanes which he himselfe doth warrant If they being rightly used should faile in their efficacy he that hath ordained them might be thought improvident in choosing such means or impotent and unable to bring what he intended to effect or unfaithfull and carelesse in making that good to his people which by his Word he hath made them expect But farre are all such things from God All things therefore ordained by him shall assuredly be effectuall to effect that for which hee hath ordained them if at least there be not a failing on mans part in the right manner of using them For we may confidently think and say that where warrantable meanes have failed of their efficacy the fault hath beene in mans using them amisse An Apostle hath taught us so to avouch For saith he Ye aske and receive Iam. 4. 3. not because ye aske amisse Be wise now in observing what meanes God hath warranted for effecting any thing that we desire and also what circumstances he hath prescribed for the right manner of using them Be conscionable carefull so to use those means and then in faith depend on God for his blessing For thus doing take a few instances 1. c See The whole armour of God on Eph. 6 16 § 19 God hath sanctified the Ministry of his Word for What meanes God hath sanctified How to be used breeding and increasing faith and other needfull Christian graces Frequent therefore the Ministry of the Word attend to it reverently mixe faith with thy hearing and unto all adde obedience thereunto 2. d See there also § 66. The Sacraments are ordained to seale up Gods promises for further strengthening of our faith Take order therfore for your children in due order according to the direction of Gods Word to be baptized And believe the extent of these promises c Gen 17. 17. I wil be a God to thee to thy seed after thee d Psal 112. 2. The generation of the upright shal be blessed e Act. 2. 39. The promise is to you and to your children f 1 Cor. 7. 14. Your children are holy And as for the other Sacrament make conscience of a frequent participation thereof But see that you examine your selves and so eat of that bread and drink of that cup. 3. e See The whole armour of God on Eph. 6. 18. §. 20. Prayer is a prescribed meanes for obtaining divine benediction on every thing that we take in hand Pray therefore continually lift up pure hands without wrath pray in saith 4. f Ibid. §. 104. In extraordinary cases prayer is to be sharpned with fasting Therefore pray and fast In your fasts humble your soules as well as your bodies make confession of your sinnes and renew your repentance 5. g Ibid. § 112. Vowes are warranted for binding us the more firmly to duty and restraining us more straightly from sinne Vow therefore in truth righteousnesse and judgement Vow with an unalterable resolution to performe what you vow §. 68. Of Gods power over plagues IIII. * See §. 64. GOD hath an absolute power over plagues Suddenly as soone as he will he can restraine them and keepe them from devouring any more As he can say to the sea Hitherto shalt thou come and no further and here shall thy proud waves be stayed so can be say to the Iob 38. 11. pestilence So long shalt thou continue and no longer so many shalt thou destroy and no more b 2 Sam. 24. 13 15 25. Did not the Lord before hand threaten to send a plague upon Israel in Davids time three dayes and answerably it continued till the time