Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	divide_v	obedience_n	suffer_a	18	3	16.6532	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A31961	An Exact collection of farewel sermons preached by the late London-ministers viz. Mr. Calamy, Mr. Watson, Mr. Jacomb, Mr. Case, Mr. Sclater, Mr. Baxter, Mr. Jenkin, Dr. Manton, Mr. Lye, Mr. Collins : to which is added their prayers before and after sermon as also Mr. Calamy's sermon for which he was imprisoned in Newgate : his sermon at Mr. Ashe's funeral and Dr. Horton's and Mr. Nalton's funeral.	Calamy, Edmund, 1600-1666.	1662 (1662)	Wing C241; ESTC R1910	251,365	374

Keeping and propagating one of the most glorious truths that Iesus Christ was risen from the dead yet a thing that is farthest off from sense and reason wherein I suffer trouble mark Paul does not say wherin I make trouble no but wherein I suffer trouble as an evil doer unto bonds but the word of God is not bound If this blessed and glorious Apostle would have had the faith of God bound and have contented himself with sinful silence and not propagated the Gospel Paul might have been free but Paul would not have the word of God bound therefore Paul would suffer for it Shall we go higher a great deal then this You have the glorious commendation of the Lord Jesus Christ upon this account that he gave a free and full account of the Doctrine of his Father and of his glorious person before Pontius Pilate a bloody Persecutor It was not by saying to his Disciples Fight nor by saying my Kingdom is not of this world but that he gave a glorious confession before the face of Pilate of the righteousnesse of his truth Doctrine Gospel and of his person Fear to ensnare the freedom of the truth with your own liberty do not ensnare it to your own lusts nor to the will of any man O that we could study and improve these Scriptures more it would make us fear God more man lesse this is that that would make us say as holy David Ps. 119. 161. Princes have persecuted me without a cause but my heart standeth in awe of thy words for he that hath the most fear fear on you and upon you you will be more afraid to fall into his hands It is a childish thing for a Christian to tread down the belief of any Doctrine or practice any worship for fear of man who hath no more power to hurt us then we give him our selves by our fear Fear not him that can but kill the body c. It was the way of Gods people formerly that they came to divide between duty commanded by God and commanded by man you may read in all the dayes of Antichrists persecution from the beginning they came to divide in matter of obedience to God and his truth and worship and obedience to man Christians nothing but a suffering spirit will help you to this for there is no other way of Obedience in this case to authority but to suffer under it meekly Patiently as lambs This made the three children to divide between the command of God What sayes Nebuchadnezzer Every knee that bows not shall be cast into the Furnace very well as for that matter say they O King we are not carefull to answer thee for we will not bow down c. What will they not Obey him yet they will obey him by suffering as becomes Christians as is the example of Christ as if they should say Truly we are terrified with hell too We are terrified by the threats of the great King and we are likewise terrified by the threats of the great God he is able to deliver us out of your torments you are not able to deliver us from his torments so in the case of Daniel Arm your selves with this Resolution of suffering and lying down patiently and meekly under those things that you cannot do so that God may be honoured by your holy resolution upon this Account for truly you never do contend successfully for the faith of the Gospel till you contend by suffering for it is said They overcame by the blood of the lamb you never make Religion your businesse till the world see you can let such great things go as life estate liberty to keep it Then wisedome is justified of her children You never glorify the truths of God so much by practice or writing as by suffering for them Those glorious truths against Popish justification mixing of works with faith Transubstantiation Purgatory Idol-worship against all those things that were superadded contrarie to Gods justification there is such a glory upon the truths that it is hard for the Popish power ever to darken them again because we see them written in the honourable and blessed scars of the witnesses and burnings of those glorious Martyrs If you would take one another by the hand when God takes away our faithfull guides and say Brethren Sisters Friends come let us hold together there 's no way in the world to hold on together like suffering for the Gospel really would get more advantage by the holy humble sufferings of one gracious Saint meerly for the word of righteousnesse then by ten thousand Arguments used against Hereticks and false worship Compare Phil. 1. 12 13 14. with the 27 28 and 29. verses How is Paul's bonds a furtherance of the Gospel Paul no doubt was called an evil doer one that sowed Heresie and was hated every where saith he Many of the Brethren of the Lord waxed confident by my bands and were much more bold to speak the word without fear Here 's the great encouragement and then he comes to give you a precept and that 's in the 27. verse and he speaks it as one that was leaving of them Onely let your Conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ that you may stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel and in nothing terrified by your Adversaries for unto you it is given not onely to believe but also to suffer c. It is given to you as a duty given to you as a priviledge O that you would confirm one another and in slippery times hold up one another by the hand do it in going after Gods call and in this way suffering for those truths you cannot otherwise hold and maintain Truly Christians you had need be armed with Resolution for the world is alwaies counting the things Gods people have suffered for very little and they count it prudence not to meddle therein Those men that have easie soft terms to comply that they have a latitude to do any thing I believe some Christians are of that opinion that they would even think the Saints of God were ill advised to venture their all upon those truths they see others died and suffered for It 's a sad thing many Christians study to draw out the lines of obedience as far as the honesty of the times will give them leave but no farther that they would go on with the Lord Jesus to the High Priests h●…ll and there deny him or that would be willing to do anything for Christ but are willing to suffer nothing for Christ you very little honour Jesus Christ in this and you will very little honour your selves at the last It is upon this account that Christians if they see even against plain conviction of Conscience and the word that there are super-instituted things broke in as in Conscience they cannot submit to yet they can comply why they may be used lawfully though not superstitiously But saith

not esteem the Gospel according to the vessel according to the disparagement of the Vessel a Vessel of dishonour in respect of its matter may be a Vessel of honour in regard of the Gold that is in it those Members of the body that are weak and in themselves lesse honourable we afford a great deal of honour upon them in decking and cloathing them So the Ministers Work and Employment and the Doctrines they bring are excellent and of great use when all is done we have that we serve for according to the employment we are put to we are honourable though outwardly mean Wicked and base men are called fil●…i terrae they are sons of the earth Iob 30. 8. Children of fools yea children of base men they are viler then the earth i. e. Men of no account as one saith the earth groans under such ingracious persons but gracious persons are Vessels of honour as it was said of the Giants of old so it may be said of these They are men of Renown and so we should esteem of them Worldly men look at the outside and so esteem of them so was Christ dealt with Is not this the Carpenters Son So those Teachers in Corinth endeavoured to render St. Paul his presence weak and his speech contemptible 2 Cor. 10. 11. that so they might make his Ministry contemptible also But this glorious Treasure is in Earthen Vessels You know saith St. Paul Gal. 4 13. that through infirmity of the flesh I preached the Gospel unto you at first This was their commendation v. 14. But my temptation which was in my flesh you despised not nor rejected but received me as an Angel of God even as Iesus Christ. All his weaknesses and whatever was matter of discouragement they did not despise but honourably entertained him even as Christ himself So it was the commendation of the Thessalonians 1 Thess. 2. 13. that they received not the word as the word of man but as it is in truth the word of God looking to the mighty God to make it effectual so should all others do upon this consideration 2. Seeing Ministers are earthen Vessels in tegard of moral infirmities which adhere to them in respct of their corruptions and weaknesses judge of them as men but esteem of what is righteous in them though they have great advantages against sin and be very carefull against sin yet notwithstanding they are not totally exempted and freed from sin as they are Ministers so they are men 3. In regard that Ministers are earthen Vessels in respect of their frailty Seeing then they are so ●…rail and transitory therefore accordingly you should make use of them deal kindly and affectionately with them in that they are quickly broken What is sooner broken then a Glasse or an earthen vessel Ministers are quickly taken away and therefore you should be tender of them while you have them Where are all the Fathers Do the Prophets live for ever the word of the Lord indeed endureth for ever but the Preacher of it doth not the Gospel is eternal but the Dispenser is mortal the Calling is lasting but the Minister is transitory and therefore you should carry your selves with all tendernesse and respect to them take heed of grieving their spirits seeing they are so soon broken Endeavour also to improve by them and to get as much good as you can by them It is a great argument to work while it is day because the night comes when no man can work whilst God affords means and opportunities make use of them we are but passengers therefore this is a great ground for you to endeavour to get all the good you can by your Ministers seeing they are frail Lastly By way of improvement Take notice of the wayes of God as different from man God pnts excellent treasure into Earthen Vessels we keep treasure in strong holds in the strongest Repositories Gods ways are not as our ways he goes another way then we doe he makes use of the poorest meanest and most frail creatures sometimes he layes aside many times men of greater abilities parts and quality and makes use of weaker to do this great Work Chrysostome makes and expostulation If it be excellent t●…easure why in earthen Vessels Therefore it is a Vessel of Earth because an excellent Treasure Thus Gods waies are unsearchable This is the improvement Now besides this interpretation given of it there is another that will not be impertinent Some understand by Earthen Vessels the expressions words and phrases of the Ministry through which the doctrines and truths of the Gospel ate conveyed this is agreeable to what went before Some false Teachers in Corinth pleased themselves with eloquent and enticing words of worldly wisdome and so endeavoured to render Pauls preaching despicable in regard of the plainnesse of it therefore saith the Apostle we have this treasure in earthen vessels i. e. familiar conveyances that so we may easily understand it Thus I have explained this Earthen Vessel and so have done with the first considerable part viz. the dispensation it self This Treasure we have in Earthen Vessels and come now to the second viz. II. The account of this Dispensation That the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us Which words may be considered two waies 1. Either absolutely as lying in themselves Or 2. Connexively to the words before going 1. Take them absolutely as they lie in themselves and two things are exhibited 1. The excellency of the Gospel and Ministry it self called Power 2. The Author and Original of it laid down two waies positively of God and negatively not of 〈◊〉 1. The excellency of the Gospel and Ministry thereof called Power There is a great deal of power and efficacy in the Gospel it is in its nature powerful and efficacious so the ministry of it Romans 1. 16. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth See 1 Cor. 2. 4. Paul's preaching was in the demonstration of the Spirit and of Power c. 'T is called the Arm of Gods Power the sword of the Spirit Ephes. 6. 17. 'T is quick and powerful and sharper then any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit c. Heb. 4. 12. and many other places We may conceive it to be so according to the various effects and consequences of it viz. as to 1. Conviction 2. Conversion 3. Consolation 1. 'T is powerful in regard of conviction it is a word of conviction and one part of the Work of the Ministry is by the Spirits co-operation to convince the World of sin to open mens eyes to shew them the vilenesse of their wayes to discover such courses to be sinful the Conscience is awakened by the Spirit in the Ministry of the Word herein it is powerful and efficacacious There are divers instances in Scripture how powerful the Word hath been in