Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	scripture_n	see_v	write_v	2,759	5	5.2919	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86340	Glory sometimes afar off, now stepping in; or, The great gospel-mysterie of spirit, or Divine nature in saints: not in that philosophical and humane sense, by effects and habits of grace, but after a more evangelical, divine, and mysterious manner of in-being. Opened, affirmed and cleared, and gloriously breaking forth through a cloud of subtil pervertings, carnal objections, and dreadful condemnings cast upon it; and closed up with an account of some principles, practises and wayes which have sealed up this mysterie, and thereby held down the saints in weakness, and shut up the world in darkness for so long a time.	Higgenson, Thomas.	1653 (1653)	Wing H1948; Thomason E687_9; ESTC R206885	45,476	57

of man or as Scriptures written upon a Book without as so they neither enlighten sanctifie nor save being or coming in words sound or letter only but as they are preached and written by the spirit of the living God in the heart so they give life and blessedness being now become spirit and life in a man True knowledge of Christ what Joh. 6.63 The obedience of Christ in the flesh and his sufferings at Jerusalem if I know them only as acted and fulfilled in flesh without me as the flesh alone of Christ without the spirit profits me not Not as without or after the flesh But as within or after the spirit so this external knowledge of Christ being but a knowledge of him after the flesh wil not profit me to redemption or justification but if I know his obedience death and resurrection in that power and spirit which wrought in him and do know that the same power and spirit is in me and in all those that do believe then I come to have Eph. 1.19 and see and know the obedience and death of Christ as things within me having in me the same spirit which wrought them in Christ which spirit can make that which in Christ was wrought afar off to be near yea present within us and so I come to have the very power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings working in my flesh being made conformable unto his death Phil. 3.10 that is his death working death in my flesh after the same manner as death wrought in his flesh Thirdly God declared himself to be the omnipotent Creator by the Creation a work of Omnipotency to be Lord and King by acts of Dominion and Soveraignty Christ declared himself to be the son of God Rom. 1.4 by his resurrection from the dead a work of power so he declares himself to be spirit and life by crucifying flesh and abolishing death in Saints a work of the quickning spirit Now that whereby God or Christ declares or manifests himself to us to be what he is by and through that manifestation only he is to be truly seen and known of us to be what he is God or any glory or excellency of God is not known of the world God not known by a form of knowledge but by spirit in us but by the comings forth of glory and majestie into the world so neither the Father nor Christ are known of Saints but by the comings forth of the spirit into Saints so that God may be better tasted then known felt and enjoyed then conceived of for he passeth all knowledge and that is true spirituall knowledge of God and Christ which is not so much a conceiving of him in a form of knowledge or notion of the mind as when the Divine Nature it self is manifest felt and perceived in us Divine spiritual knowledge is not so much a work of the understanding as the thing it self known living in us And therefore in natural things the Understanding is active the Object or thing known passive because the Understanding is more noble then the Object but in spiritual things the Understanding is passive the Object active because the Object is more noble then the Understanding Man in knowing Creatures is active in knowing God is passive So I account that knowledge of God to have least of nature or man in it to be the purest highest and most spiritual knowledge wherein a mans mind is most resigned child-like and passive and God Christ or Spirit altogether active in him It is said therefore in one place After that ye knew God Gal. 4.9 or rather are known of God the Son only can reveal the Father the Spirit only can reveal the Son In thy light we shall see light the Light whereby we see God Grace Love the deep things of God is not the eye of man for that cannot see nor the ear for that cannot hear nor the heart reason or spirit of a man for that cannot conceive it but the Spirit himself dwelling in us is our eye our light whereby we search know discern and judge all things 1 Cor. 2.9 10 c. I read the Letter I hear the Word of Truth in the outward testimony that Christ is Lord that God is Father that the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts that we dwell in him and he in us but I cannot as a man call Christ Lord but by the spirit 1 Cor. 12.3 nor God Father but by the spirit Rom. 8.15 Nor can I say that the love of God is shed abroad in my heart but by the spirit given into me Rom. 5.5 Nor do I know that he dwels in me or I in him but hereby because he hath given me of his spirit 1 Ioh. 4.13 And so I come to know all these things and all Truth and all Gospel-mysteries which appertain to life and godliness by having the spirit dwelling in me that is 1 Ioh. 2.20 27. by having that dwelling in me which is the substance life activity fulness glory and power of all Truth and all Gospel-mysteries for the Spirit Father Son and Truth and our knowing of them are all one and where truth is there is the Spirit and where the Spirit is there is truth True knowledge of God is by God his dwelling in us Fourthly What then is true knowledge of God and true blessedness but to enjoy him whom we know and to have him to be in us in our soul what our soul is in and to our body and he is then truly known and apprehended by us when he is that in us and through us and over us what we know and apprehend him to be Joh. 8.32 and then we know Truth when the Truth sets us free that is as Truth in it self is liberty and largeness and blessedness and there are no bonds nor sorrow in it So we then come to know Truth to be so when it brings in its own liberty and blessedness into us setting us free from the bonds of sin and sorrows flesh and death And so Gospel-mysteries are then truly known of us when the substance glory and life of the heavenly things themselves are presented to us and revealed in us And as our truest knowing and seeing of a thing is the manifestation of the thing it self unto us as of Light which is best seen and perceived by its own beams piercing the eye so our truest knowing and perfectest seeing of God as Light Fulness Wisdom and Power is by the out-shining of the Light it self and Glory of God into us 1 Cor. 4.6 for we know not God as the everlasting Light unless we know him to be Light in Darkness Light in Heaven Light on Earth Light in all the World Light in us and through us Nor do we know him as perfect fulness if we know him as here and there in Christ and not in Saints but as in Heaven in Earth in us and

2 Cor. 5.21 that is holy and without all spot of sin in the sight of God to restrain it to the weakness and imperfection of humane Laws and Justice Further those Books do present unto me the Covenant of the Gospel under conditions to be performed by the Creature before the grace and riches of glory in the Covenant become his after the form and example of mans Covenant whereas the whole and every part of the Covenant is free and perfected by God alone first in forgiving sins and remembring iniquities no more and then in putting the spirit into them which brings forth in them faith love and obedience Again they bind up the free spirit of grace to one way that he reveals not the love of God and reconciliation by Christ to any but whom the Law hath first wounded and sore bruised into repentance and sorrow for sin after the custom and manner of men who forgive not the Offender until he ask pardon and confess his Offence thus binding up the everlasting kindnesses of the Lord to the narrow kindnesses of man whereas some are melted with Love as others are bruised by the Law Moreover they confine and restrain the office and power of prophesying or teaching to certain measures and attainments of humane wit and worldly wisdom the anoynting alone which teacheth all truth not giving a sufficiency of light and knowledge for the work of ministring without natural Learning without running for help to flesh and blood They invest the General-Church-Assembly of a Nation with a commanding and coercive Authority over the conscience in matters of faith and Divine worship which lie up as high as in the hands of the spirit they bring down into the hands and power of man herein proudly affecting or aemulating the image and greatness of the civil power they do command over the spirit as he doth over the bodies of men They affirm faith love humility patience temperance c. to be several habits principles or graces in a Saint whereas the Scripture affirms 1 Cor. 12.11 Gal. 5.22 they are not many but one and are but the different effects and actings of the same grace which is one in all and fruits of the same spirit who is one in all Lastly those Books do deny any other coming of Christ until the last Resurrection and so by this Doctrine shut out the Kingdom of the fifth Monarch the Son of God and Saints and the new Jerusalem out of the world and also hereby quenching all that light and glory which shall arise upon Sion Isa 60.1 and that spirit which shall be poured upon sons and daughters in the last days And thus in all these instances it is to be clearly seen that God hath been set at a great distance from Saints by these carnal misty and corrupt doctrines of men so that grace and truth the righteousness and spirit of Christ could not appear in their heights and bredths fulness and glory as near unto us and within us being described and as it were engraven after some similitude in nature and conceived and drawn out as here appears by the short measure and imperfect rule of natural Reason the boundless things of the spirit folded up within the limits and streits of Nature SECT XVIII The third veil which hath been upon the truth of the spirit in Saints THese Systems and Models of Divinity or Canons and Articles of Faith have been the pattern and platform of all the faith and worship the Judge of all differences and controversies the Touchstone of all opinions the Measure of all light and spiritual knowledge beyond which the spirit might not teach nor they profess the key of all Mysteries and the sum and substance of all Doctrines Interpretations and Expositions upon Scripture-truth caught or written in former times And thus the Church of Christ in those days being rather under the rudiments of men then the clearer teachings of the anoynting in them could not see in any other light then through the principles and traditions received from their Teachers Which principles as they had in them some light much smoke some Divine truth much carnal reason Reason of the low attainments of Saints in former times so they begat in the believers of those times like faith like knowledge like communion like spirit of bondage and of liberty of fl●sh and of spirit so that their faith was more adherence which is coupled with some darkness of fear then assurance which is the clear sight of love scattering all fear their strength was the strength of Babes not of strong Men their Communion with God stood more in bitter complaints and beggings then in quiet faith joy and praises their knowledge and beholding of the glory of the Lord was by reflexion rather then through direct beams through the shadowy and imperfect illustrations of worldly similitudes and humane eloquence rather then the pure irradiations of the spirit in them And in present times and from hence doth proceed all that darkness which is yet in the temple of the Lord that dimness and legality in Teachers that unstableness and dulness in people ever Learning and never able at least to find the clear knowledge of the truth and all those carnal childish and confining apprehensions principles and practises wherein Saints do know and approach to God as a blessed Being indeed but as one without them and at a distance from them judging and likening the spiritual knowledge of God to the natural knowledge of a creature and that the fruition or enjoyment of God is in contemplation of his glory as without us that Saints are perfectly justified from the Law guilt and condemnation by the death of Christ but not from the spot and stain of sin so as to be perfectly holy in the sight of God by the pure and spotless righteousness of Christ that believers after every falling into sin are brought again under the Law until repenting whereas the spirit sayes Rom. 6.14 Rom. 8.15 ye are no more under the Law but under grace that Christ is here or there in this form of fellowship order of gathering and way of worship and not in any other these and many other low and dark Principles formerly were and still are as a veil upon the face of truth and upon the hearts of most Saints not so thick a veil as to hide all Light knowledge and grace from them yet so thick as to hide deeper Mysteries higher communion a greater glory of light and love from them the summe of all is Attainments of most in former and in present times what Gospel-truths are either for regeneration into the faith and such are some true discoveries of free love and righteousness by Christ c. or they are for edification from faith to faith and such are deeper discoveries nearer union sweeter and choicer embraces richer understanding of more heavenly Mysteries as of Saints presented perfect in Christ Jesus Col. 1.28 of Christ

1 Cor. 15.28 one Father one God all in all From all which it is clear to him that loves to see the truth not through the mists veils or disguises of subtil chaffy distinctions of science falsly so called of glosses received by tradition of prepossessed principles rudiments or opinions of bitterness passion rash prejudicacy and overhasty censoriousness but as a child wained from all these breasts desires to see the truth in the simplicity purity and undefiledness of it to him it is clear with no other arguments then its own beams of light that the same glory or spirit or Divine nature which is in Christ is also in Saints he being not heir alone but they fellow-heirs with him SECT IX A Further testimony to the truth of this Mysterie is gathered from Ephes 4.11 12 13. Eighth testimony to the spirit in Saints And he gave some Apostles c. for the perfecting of Saints c. till we all come in the unity of the faith c. Col. 1.28 That we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus which perfection is Christ in us v. 27. Revel 21.3 Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them God himself shall be with them First Truth is that Mysterie that is to be made manifest that of God that is to be revealed Col. 2.2 3. the deep things of God that are to be brought to light In-dwelling of God himself in man is the end of all truth and administrations of truth called also the Mysterie hid in God the Mysterie of God and of the Father and of Christ treasures of wisdom and knowledge the end and perfection of which truth and of all light science knowledge administrations spiritual gifts and powers is the revealing and in-dwelling of God himself in them Secondly the way and maner how this truth is brought forth into the world is through various wayes of administration through doctrine divine worship revelation letter and spiritual gifts all which serve to administer truth and things in heaven to men on earth and as truth is brought forth at sundry times in diverse manners in different degrees of light and is sometimes more dark shadowed and legal after more clear naked and Evangelical so is the administration varied and changed from one degree of light to another Thirdly the spirit bringing forth truth through the administration gives unto men light and knowledge The end of spiritual gifts spiritual gifts and powers otherwise called illuminating and sanctifying graces which are given to this end that through them men may become changed sanctified and made capable to know believe glorifie and own that light and truth which is brought forth under that particular administration and as the administration carries in it more or less light grace and holiness so is the illumination and sanctification of Saints under that administration differing in the measure of light grace and holiness Measuring line of all administrations without and gifts within what it is Fourthly administrations do differ from and exceed one another in glory as they carry in them more or less of that highest end whereunto they do subserve and administer which is the compleating of Saints to one living holy Temple for the Lord and God himself dwelling in them in like manner the Saints do exceed one another in light love and holiness as their union and communion in and with God and God in and with them is in some more then others more compleat and perfected the Ministery of the Prophets had more glory then that of Moses the Ministery of John more then the Prophets he that is least in the kingdom of heaven more then all one excelled another as they had in them the nearer approachings and clearer dawnings of the Day and Sun of righteousness upon the world The end of all administrations and gifts Fifthly so that the end of all administrations without us and all spiritual gifts within us is to bring the Lamb and the Bride together the spirit and the Spouse into one to perfect and finish up the Mysterie which is already in Saints yet hid Ioh. 14.20 which is Christ in the Father Saints in Christ and Christ in Saints the present time is a time wherein Christ is gone to the Father hid in God as it were at a distance from Saints and therefore a time of darkness and of the shadows of the Night 2 Pet. 1.19 stretched upon the world administrations and letter without and gifts of grace within are as lesser lights or stars shining in this dark Night or world until the Lord himself come into Saints and swallow them up as an imperfect lesser and weaker glory is swallowed up of a greater and more perfect or the Morning-star of the Sun so that faith hope knowledge prophesies c. can no more abide when that which is perfect is come then the stars can abide in the clearest day 1 Cor. 13.8 9 10. These things thus considered do contribute their illustration to the further clearing of this Truth that the spirits in-dwelling in Saints which is now in them and shall abide in them for ever is somewhat higher then gifts and graces for these must be done away and if something higher it can be no less then the spirit and God himself dwelling in them SECT X. THE spirits in-being in Saints is further manifestly held forth in 2 Cor. 13.5 Know you not your own selves The ninth testimony to the spirit in Saints how that Iesus Christ is in you except you be Reprobates Rom. 8.9 Now if any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his First no Creature no good God makes not happiness sin makes not misery unless within us no not the highest good it self which is God doth make man or his soul endued with virtue good or blessed so long as it is without the soul in like manner no sin nor unbelief nor spot defiles a man or makes him reprobate or miserable except it be within him if there be no light in the eye the body is darkness though the light shine round about the enjoyment of a thing is perfected in oneness with the thing God is Light Love and Blessedness yet as he is withomt me or separate from me so I neither see his Light tast his Love nor am blessed with his blessedness but as he is within me and is known loved felt and perceived by me darkness within makes darkness without the whole earth is full of his glory yet most men see not this glory in the earth without because they see not his glory within them the glory of nature men can behold because they have the eye of Nature Eccl. 3.11 or the light of Reason planted in them but the glory of God in nature they cannot see because they have not the light of God the spirit dwelling in them Secondly Gospel-truths as they are Doctrines preached by the voyce