Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	christian_n	mutual_a	sharpen_v	45	3	16.6815	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77504	The mystical brasen serpent: with the magnetical vertue thereof. or, Christ exalted upon the cross, with the blessed end and fruit of that his exaltation, in drawing the elect world to himself, to believe on Him, and to be saved by Him. In two treatises, from John 3. 14, 15. 12. 32. Whereunto is added A treatise of the saints joint-membership each with other. As they were delivered to the Church of God at Great Yarmouth, by John Brinsley, minister of the gospel, and preacher to that incorporation. Imprimatur, Edm. Calamy. July 30. 1652.	Brinsley, John, 1600-1665.	1653 (1653)	Wing B4719; Thomason E1249_1; ESTC R208891	155,986	284

Christians are as God offers them opportunity to teach the ignorant so to admonish their remisse and carelesse brethren Where they see any thing amisse in them in a gentle and Christian way to reprove them That is one of the Lawes which God of old gave unto his people Levit. 19.17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke him and not suffer sin upon him A Law which is obliging to us Christians no lesse then it was to the Jews the ground of it being piety towards God and charity towards our neighbour And being so be we not wanting in it it being an office of greatest and truest love So David looked upon it Let the righteous smite me saith he and it shall be a kindnesse And let him reprove me it shall be an excellent oyle which shall not break my head As precious oile is to the head so is seasonable wise gentle faithfull reproof to the heart soaking into it it may do much good no hurt Let Christians look upon this not onely as their liberty but as their duty I mean to their Brethren As for others persons openly profane Pearls are not to bee heedlesly cast before such swine Reprove not a scorner saith the wise man lest he hate thee Prov. 9 8. But mark what followeth Reprove a wise man and he will love you This Christians may do this they must do to their brethren that so they may not be accessory to their sins which by their silent connivence they may make themselves Have no fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darknesse but rather reprove them saith the Apostle Ephes 5.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Convince them as by a Godly and exemplary life so by seasonable admonitions and reprehensions 3. Admonishing they are also to exhort one another 3. Exhorting one another Exhort one another while it is called to day saith the Apostle to his Hebrewes Heb. 3.18 And again Cap. 10.25 Exhorting one another This are Christians to do taking all advantages to put one another on to duty So the former ver there explains it v. 24. Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works Thus are Christians to keep an holy watch over each other prudently observing one anothers dispositions and demeanours graces and infirmities that so they may take all advantage to excite and quicken each other to all duties of piety and charity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Originall to the sharpening of love A metaphor taken from edge-tooles which are sharpened by whetting one against another Thus are Christians to whet and sharpen each other So the Wise-man explaines the Metaphor Prov. 27.17 Iron sharpeneth iron so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend Iron sharpeneth iron by mutuall attrition and thus Christians may and ought to sharpen one another by mutuall Exhortation whetting one anothers spirits exciting and quickning each other to holy duties Thus when the hands are cold or benummed by rubbing each other they come to their naturall warmth and vigour And thus Christians come to recover and keep their spirituall warmth their zeal and fervour by mutuall incitations exhortations 4. Comforting one another 4. Exhorting one another they are to comfort one another Comfort your selves together so our Translation rendereth that and the word will bear it 1 Thes 5.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Comfort one another Thus are Christians to do each to other in times of publick calamity In publick calamities Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another saith the Prophet Malachy Mal. 3.16 In those calamitous times when the Church say under many sad temptations When the proud were called happy as you have it in the verse fore-going proud and presumptuous sinners prospered and flourished they carried the flag in the main-top they were the only men They which wrought wickednesse were set up yea they which tempted God were even delivered Daring and desperate sinners they were preserved and protected and delivered from eminent dangers as if they had been Gods speciall Favourites whilest in the mean time it went sadly with those which feared God A sad temptation So it was to David When he saw the prosperity of the wicked how they were not in trouble like other men but their eyes stood out with fatnesse whilest in the mean time waters of a full cup a cup of affliction were wrung out to Gods own people the one drank wine and the other water and that of the waters of Marah bitter waters This when David saw he tels us his feet were almost gone his steps had well nigh slipt Psal 73. ver 2.3 5 7 10. And surely so it was with the Church at that time When they saw such crosse-providences Gods own people brought low his and their enemies raised to the height of temporall prosperity Now in this time They that feared the Lord spake one to another and that often As they were much in speaking to God in prayer calamitous times are praying times so they were frequent in speaking each to other for the animating incouraging each of other to faith patience constancy in obedience The like are Christians to do each to other in the like times And as in publick calamities so in private afflictions In private afflictions Herein Christians should be comfortable each to other Thus if there be a tumour in the leg or other part the hand is ready to anoint it to asswage the pain of it Thus should Christians in their painfull sufferings supple each other with seasonable consolations Which they are to do both in outward crosses inward conflicts in the sufferings both of the outward inward man Of both these may we understand the Apostle 1 Thes 5.14 Where among other Offices of love which brethren should perform one to another he willeth them to comfort the feeble minded and support the weak i. e. comfort such as were ready to sink under their crosses and support such as were ready to faint under their Tentations Let Christians have a regard to both 1. Outward crosses wherein they are to comfort each other 1. For comforting their fellow members in their outward crosses In the losse of Husband Wives Children Friends Estate in sicknesse and the like In these cases Christians are to comfort one another Which they are to do 1. By words 1. By words speaking comfort Wherefore comfort one another with these words saith the Apostle to his Thessalonians 1 Thes 4.18 speaking of such as were in heavinesse for their deceased friends whom he would have their brethren to comfort by minding them of what he had said touching the Doctrine of the Resurrection Such comfort Job expected from his friends when they came to him in his distresse that they should have spoke comfortably to him whom being deceived in his expectation he calleth miserable comforters Job 16.2 And such Comforters David in his distresse looked for as he tels us but

church-members to learne from the members of the natural bodie where the severall members have severall Offices and severall faculties the eye to see the ear to hear the tongue to speak c. And having so each one holdeth to its particular function no one member incroaching upon the office of another even so would he have it for to be in the Mysticall Bodie of the church and so let it be There being therein a like plurality of members and diversity of Offices paralell and answerable to the former the Ruler as the eye the Teacher as the tongue the Hearer as the ear the Distributer as the hand c. some having one function others another let every one look to his owne Thus is it in the Military body where there are Colonels and Majors and Captains and Leiutenants Sergeants Officers and private Souldiers every one intends his own imployment And so is it in Politick Bodies where there are Mayor Bailiffs Sheriffs Justices Constables c. every one looketh to his owne office not interrupting not disturbing one another the inferior by no means intruding upon the place of the Supeior And so let it be in the Church But I hasten Is the church one Bodie Then let all who professe themselves members thereof seek to maintain the unity of it Vse 3. Seek to maintain the Churches unity not rending and tearing it asunder by factions and schimes unwarrantable Separations and Divisions but labor to keep the onenesse the unity of this body The unity not only of those particular congregations whereof they are Members which Christians ought have a speciall regard unto not withdrawing themselves upon every slight occasion or making breaches in them but also of the church catholick So as though it be divided into severall congregations yet all they may keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace as so many lines meeting in the same center by their Associations and Combinations helping and strengthening each other all endeavouring as much as may be a Religious uniformity that they may all walk by the same Rule as of Faith and Manners so if it might be of Discipline a thing much to be desired by all those who pray for the peace of Jerusalem and without which they are not like to see what they long for But I passe to the fourth Is the church one body in Christ Then let all the members thereof know and acknowledge him for their Head Vse 4. Know and acknowledge our head Holding fast to him It is that which our Apostle chargeth upon some in his time Colos 2.19 They did not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hold fast the head They did not hold themselves to Christ alone but they would be setting up other Mediators other Intercessours with him and besides him even as Romanists at this day do For us take we heed of the like remember we that Christ is our Head our Mediator our Advocate and therefore hold we to him and him alone not admitting any other to any participation with him in his Headship Submitting our selves unto him to be governed by his lawes leaving him to the regulating and ordering of his Church seeking after a nearer union and a more free and ful communion with him The members of the naturall body the more free communion they have with the head the more active and vigorous they are whereas if that be intercepted and obstructed as in some cases it is as viz. in Palsies and Apoplexies c. they prove useless and dead The Christians life is bound up in Christ whence it is that he is called their life Col. 3.4 And therefore holding fast this head seek nearer union and further communion with him But I promised to give you but a taste of these Come we now to the fifth and last upon which I have a speciall designe as conceiving it to be a branch Vse 5. A fruitfull Branch The Saints Joint-membership which may afford us a great deal of good fruit such as will be well worth my shaking and your gathering much matter which will be very usefull unto you and to all Christians in reference to their church state Where let me only premise one generall caveat what I shall speak of Church members A Caveat concerning the word Church-members and their mutuall respects and duties let it not be construed in too strict a sense as intended only to the members of particular congregations in reference unto that particular body whereof they are members True it is I will not deny what I have already yealded that the Apostle here in my Text in laying down the Doctrine hath a speciall eye to such a particular Relation And so shall I have in the Application But as he doth not so neither shall I impale and confine what I am to say within so narrow a room As for a particular Church as I said before it is but a part a member of the Church catholick visible so much is by some collected from that Text forecited 1 Cor. 12.27 where out Apostle telleth his Corinthians that they were the Body of Christ and members in particular The Originall hath it word for word Members of a part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So the vulgar Latine as also Ambrose there renders it Membra de or ex membro possibly by the change of a letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrysost ad loc Aliquatenùs Nam omnes Ecclesiae per orbem dispersae diversa sunt unius corporis membra Beza Annot. Vide Calvin Con. ad locum as Beza conjectures and Heinsius approves it reading it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 members of a member that is as Chrysostome and Beza gives the sense of it members of that Church of Corinth which was but a part a member of the catholick christian Church but that I will not stand upon conceiving that it may admit of another construction more apposite and agreeable to the scope of that place to which Calvine directs me Neither need I seeing it is a truth clearly held forth by the Spirit of God in the very language of the Scripture which speaking of the church catholick calleth it the church without any other addition or modification As in the ver there fore-going ver 28. God hath set some in the church c. so often else-where But speaking of particular Congregations calls them churches Here what the Spirit saith to the churches Revel 2 3. c. Or the church at such a place and such a place clearly importing that the one is a totum Integrale the whole Body the other parts and members of it And being so parts of an Homogeneall Body what I say of or concerning the one let it be conceived as intended also to the other This generall caution being premised which as my selfe shall so I shall desire you to carry a long with you now come wee to particulars Are the members of the Church Joint-members Vsefull Instructions

from the consideration of the Saints Joint-Membership 1. Negative Instructions members one of another from hence we may take up many usefull Instructions usefull to all the members of this mysticall Body which I shall divide into two ranks Negative and Positive The former shewing what Christians should not do the other what they ought to do Begin with the former What church-members should not do Let them not envy one another 1. Church-members not to envy one another an evill which all men by nature are prone and subject to The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy saith Saint James Jam. 4.5 The spirit of Satan or the spirit of a man so far forth as he is unregenerate being depraved and corrupted among other lusts it enclines and puts him on to envy Thus we read of the Patriarchs that being moved with envy they sold their brother Joseph into Egypt Acts 7.9 Thus even christians are too apt to envy their Brethren But thus let it not be Let not Inferiours in the Church envy their Superiours Those who have lesser either gifts or estates envy those that have greater Let not private christians envy publick officers Those who are under Government envy those who are set over them in the Lord. To that end let them remember what they should never forget that they are members one of another so as what the one receiveth is for the benefit and advantage of the other Livius Hist Lib. 2o. It was the argument which Menenius Agrippa in the Romane story is said to have made use of a story taken up and made use of by divers Expositors writing upon the Text for the quieting of a mutiny among the Plebeians P. Martyr Pareus Grotius ad Text. the common people in Rome who envying the wealth honour and pomp of their Senators were ready to have made a defection from them Thereupon he tels the fable of the Members and the Belly how that they fell foul with it complaining that they were faine to labour and take pains to maintaine that whilest that onely spent what they got whereupon they withdrew their wonted allowance which having done in conclusion by pining it they starved themselves And by this argument taken from the communion betwixt the members of the naturall Body hee appeased that tumult and reduced them to due subjection let the like argument be usefull unto Christians in a like way Is it so that others have gifts and offices in the Church for that I have now properly to deale with above themselves let them not envie them repine and murmure at them So did the Israelites at Moses and Aaron of whom the Psalmist tels us Psal 116.16 They envied Moses in the camp and Aaron the Saint of the Lord. This did Corah and his confederates as you may read it Numb 16.2 They envied Moses as a Magistrate and Aaron as a Minister one set apart for the Priesthood And how many are there who as if they had taken a pattern by them do the very like at this day They envy Moses and Aaron the Magistrate and the Minister And why because they are the one in the common-wealth the other in the church advanced above themselves But this let not any of you do no reason you should What they have is for your good He is the Minister of God to thee for good saith Paul of the Magistrate Rom. 13 4. And it is no lesse true of the Minister you and they are members of the same Body and being so ye are members one of another and therefore no reason you should envy one another So the Apostle himselfe maketh use of this very Argument in that Text which I have and shall have the frequenter recourse unto in as much as as Pareus saith of it it may serve as a commentary upon this I have now in hand 1 Cor. 12. where having to deale with some who envying the Offices or Gifts of some others were ready thereupon through discontent to fall off and seperate from the Church hee tels them ver 14 The Body is not one member but many If the foot shall say because I am not the hand I am not of the body is it therefore not of the body And if the ear shall say because I am not the eye therefore I am not of the body is it therefore not of the Body c. And so he goeth on willing every one to content himselfe in the station wherein God had set him not being discontent with others who were preferred before themselves This being a thing not onely of conveniency but of necessity that there should be such a disparity and difference among the members as of the naturall so of the mysticall Body So it followeth ver 17 18 19. For if the whole Body were an eye where were the hearing If the whole were hearing where were the smelling But now hath God set the members every one of them in the Body as it pleased him And if they were all one member where were the Body Let the consideration hereof for ever lay this evill Spirit of envy Church-members being members of the same Body they are members one of another And being so what any one hath is usefull to the rest and therefore let them not envy one another There is a first Instruction 2. Whilest they do not envy let them not disdaine one another 2. Not disdaine one another A usefull and needfull lesson for Superiours such as God hath preferred and advanced above their brethren betrusting them with offices honouring them with gifts or with successe in their labours or in any other way above their brethren let not them disdaine Inferiours despising them insulting over them thinking meanly of them looking overly upon them Thus as the History tels us that matchlesse Philistine looked upon David when he saw him being but a youth a stripling a childe in comparison of him he disdained him saith the Text 1 Sam. 17.42 And truely thus Superiours both in Church and State are subject to look upon their Inferiours men of greater estates are subject to despise their poor brethren though richer in faith then themselves So Saint James chargeth it upon some in his time Jam. 2.6 Ye have despised the poor Thus aged persons are sometimes apt to despise young ones though it may be their seniours in grace Thereupon was Pauls advice to Timothy that he should carry himselfe the more warily That no man might despise his youth 1 Tim. 4.12 And writing to his Corinthians concerning him he giveth them charge that no man should despise him 1 Cor. 16.11 And thus the strong Christian is apt to despise the weak whereupon the Apostle giveth that caveat to these his Romans Rom. 14.3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not He that knoweth his liberty despise his weaker brother This take you heed of This is a thing which the members of the naturall Body will not do The more principall and noble parts

he found none Psal 69.20 Christians let not your brethren take up the like complaint against any of you This is one of Gods Attributes He is a God that comforteth those which are cast down 2 Cor. 7.6 And it is one of the best Offices that one man can performe unto another Job speaking of himself in the time of his prosperity and what respect he then had from the people he saith he was as one that comforteth the mourners Job 29. last Let not Christians herein according to their power be wanting to their brethren Blessed bee God saith the Apostle who comforteth us in all our tribulations that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of God 2 Cor. 1.4 Thus do God's Patients receive heavenly Cordials from the hand of their great Physician not only for their own sakes but that they may be able as occasion is offered to minister to others of their brethren comforting them by words 2. But not by words only 2 In deed When need requireth they are to minister unto them reall comforts Such a Comforter was Job in the time of his prosperity to the afflicted distressed The blessing of them which were ready to perish came upon me saith he ver 13. of that 29. chapter and I caused the widowes heart to sing for joy And such comforters God expects Christians should be to their brethren in their distresses and wants Not only giving them a few good words and nothing else there is but cold comfort in such an almes If a Brother or Sister be naked and destitute of daily bread saith Saint James to such comforters and one of you say unto them Depart in peace be ye warmed and filled notwithstanding ye give him not those things which are needfull for the body what doth it profit James 2.15 16. For the hand only to stroak the foot being in pain is to little purpose unlesse it also apply somewhat to asswage the pain Words being but wind though they may refresh the spirit yet they will not cloath the back or fill the belly Christians where God giveth them ability must be real as well as verball comforters to their brethren in their outward distresses 2. And so in their inward conflicts 2. Inward conflicts Soul-Afflictions When the spirits of brethren are dejected and cast down in the apprehension of sin or wrath How to deal with penitent offenders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Castigario illa quae à Presbyterio fieri solet more Judaico Grot. ad loc A pluribus Sic distinguitur haec in Presbyterio facta increpatio tùm à privata tùm à publica coram universae Ecclesiae coetu quod factum fuisset necessariò si fuisset Satanae traditus now is a time to minister comfort to them Thus the Apostle willeth his Corinthians to deal by that their scandalous brother the incestuous person who being for a time under an Ecclesiasticall censure was brought to deep humiliation and sorrow for his sin he willeth them not to deal too rigorously with him but rather to comfort him Sufficient to such a man saith he 2 Cor. 2.6 7 is this punishment or censure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was inflicted by many viz. by the Presbytery of that Church as Beza and Grotius and many other rightly expound it So that contrariwise you ought rather to forgive him and comfort him lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow So it was as Beza Gr. Ann. ad loc Beza most probably conceives of it that this brother having been sharply reproved by the Church Officers and being under a suspension or abstension from communion with the Church some there were who having been before taxed by the Apostle for their too great remissnesse and carelessnesse now they would have him further proceeded against to be delivered up unto Satan by the sentence of a more full and formall Excommunication which was to be done in the presence and with the consent of the whole Congregation But Paul understanding of his deep humiliation and repentance willeth them to forbear that rigour not to proceed any further against him which had he been already excommunicated they could not have done but rather to forgive to gratifie him as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifieth viz. by granting some indulgence to him remitting somewhat of that summum jus that extremity of the highest censure which he had deserved and to comfort him receiving him into communion with them again that so he might not be swallowed up in the gulfe of despaire A notable and famous president Locus diligenter observandus Donec enim quâ aequitate clementiâ temperanda sit disciplina Ecclesiae ne rigor modum excedat Calv. ad loc teaching Christians such as are under a regular Church relation how they are to deal with their lapsed brethren in whom they see tokens of humiliation and repentance In this case they ought not to be rigorous in seeking extremities against them for casting or keeping them out of Church communion but receive them comfort them renewing and confirming their love towards them as it there followeth ver 8 So tenderly should Christians handle their fellow members as the members of the naturall body would do theirs So the Apostle directs his Galatians chapt 6. ver 1 2. Brethren if any man be overtaken in a fault yee which are spirituall restore such a one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set him in joynt again in the spirit of meeknesse c. Bear ye one anothers burdens c. Thus are Christians to deal by their penitent brethren not overloading burdened souls but supporting comforting them But I see the thread of my discourse is already drawn forth beyond the staple which at the first I intended it I shall be brief in that which remains 2. Forbear one another Thus edifying one another let them also forbear one another and forgive one another I put them together because I find the Apostle so doing Col. 3.31 Forbearing one another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A duty pressed by our Apostle upon his Ephesians ch 4.2 With all lowlinesse and meeknesse with long suffering forbearing one another in love Christians must make account sometimes to meet with provocations and that from brethren So it is among naturall brethren differences sometimes happen among them and those not easily reconciled A brother offended saith Solomon Prov. 18.19 is harder to be won then a strong city and their contentions are like the bars of a castle which being strong will neither bow nor yeild And thus it sometimes happen to mystical brethren Differences fall in betwixt them as did betwixt Paul and Barnabas Act. 15.39 which rise to some height But thus it should not be and thus it would not be had Christians but learn'd this lesson to bear with one anothers infirmities to forbear one another the