Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	able_a	according_a	act_n	65	3	5.2692	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85177	The oppressed close prisoner in Windsor-Castle, his defiance to the father of lyes, in the strength of the God of truth. Occasioned by some late, scandalous and slanderous reports, raised and dispersed to the dishonour of that noble cause, wherein he (with others of the Lords servants) is so deeply engaged. As also, a seasonable word, concerning the higher powers: concerning the payment of taxes and tribute-money by the saints to those powers: and how far a minister of the Gospel may intermeddle in state-affairs without sin. / By Chr. Feake, in his prison-watch-tower.	Feake, Christopher, fl. 1645-1660.	1654 (1654)	Wing F572; Thomason E820_10; ESTC R202087	97,195	127

and Imployment was to strike upon the ears of men as it were with another kind of sword the two-edged sword of the Spirit but now he had laid that aside for the present yea and Christ himself against this juncture of time had bid him that had never a sword that is of iron and steel to seel his coat and buy one which kind of trading and merchandize I beleeve they did not use to meddle with in former time Other Instances might be given but I forbear for these were extraordinary cases and I shall nor urge them But beside to intermeddle may be taken in a good sense in that Prov. 18.1 Through desire a man having separated himself seeketh and INTERMEDDLETH with all wisdom I know Tremelius carrieth it in another way but it is varied in the Margin thus He that separateth himself seeketh according to his desire and INTERMEDDLETH WITH ALL WISDOM So the English Translators But Trem. hath a marginal note in omni essentia in every essence or being It looks something like the character of a grave Philosopher such an one as Socrates or Plato who intermeddles with all wisdom or with every Essence yea it s worthy to be weighed what Solomon speaks in the person of a Preacher Eccl. 1.12 13. I THE PREACHER saith he gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all Things that are done under Heaven Doth not this expression seem somewhat like that Proverb of his last mentioned That which is there called an intermeddling with all Wisdom or every Essence seems to be in this place of Ecclesiastes called A searching by Wisdom concerning all Things that are done under the Sun And undoubtedly it is no disparagement to Gospel-Ministers to be Christian Philosophers or Lovers of that Wisdom which is to be found and obtained by conversing or inquiring into the word of God into the works of God and therefore their intermedling in all such affairs from such principles cannot be interpreted in an evil sense as if it savoured of pragmaticalnesse or anything like it This for the interpreting of the second term And hitherto I suppose I have not swerved from the truth in my explications The third and last expression is likewise to be brought to a fixed conclusion and determination that we may rightly understand the question throughout every part of it and my meaning in this viz. who are Ministers of the Gospel I shall first signifie negatively and then positively 1 Wherefore first I do not intend the Pontifical and Prelatical Clergy for from the highest Archbishop as such to the meanest Curate there are none of them whom I look upon under that notion Although we do know for we have heard them that by the help of good natural parts and their superadded acquired abilities otherwise namely by reading meditation imitation and exercise in preaching they have excelled many Ministers of the Gospel truly and properly so called and acknowledged by God and man But as it is one thing to serve God in the oldnesse of the letter and another to serve him in the newnesse of spirit or the spirit so it is frequently found that a man may be an able Minister of the New Testament according to the letter but not according to the spirit and the ministrations thereof See the distinctions Rom. 7.6 2 Cor. 3.6 Divers of these Episcopal Preachers indeed did likewise intermeddle in State affairs for they were Justices of Peace and Privy Counsellors to Kings and Queens but I never approved of them or their imployment in reference to the Ministry or Magistracy in both which they did intermeddle more than they will have thank for when they appear before the Judgement seat of Jesus Christ to receive every one according to his works and what he hath done in the flesh whether it be good or whether it be evil So much for these I have done with them 2 Neither secondly do I mean the present Vniversities Vice-Chancellors Doctors Proctors Heads of Houses Deans Prebends Cannons with the rest of their Brethren by what Academical Name or Title soever they are dignified or distinguished Although I know likewise that many of them have gifts for the preaching of the Gospel and I hope are truly godly But to speak freely undoubtedly it would become those of them who know their Lords will to take care to do it for it cannot be denied that they sinfully intermeddle in the things of the world though they pretend to be married to the Lord and so are to take care for the things of the Lord This is plain in regard they have accepted several worldly Offices and Authorities which they exercise after the Rudiments of the world for they cannot exercise them according to God or to Christ for they are none of the things of Christ Oh! that they are farre from imitating the Apostles and walking in their steps the Lord knows and we also for they gave over the serving of Tables which yet was Church-work that they might give themselves continually to prayer and to the Ministry of the word And therefore before I go any further I do publickly bear witness on the behalf of the Lord Jesus against all that kind of medling in State-affairs which doth in the least hinder or interrupt the fervants of the Lord in the exercise and improvement of that Ministry which they have received in the Lord and for and from the Lord. For let us consider what the Apostles say in that place forementioned Act. 6.3 It is not reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we should leave the word of God and serve Tables A sentence it is worthy to be written in letters of gold yea to be written with the Spirit of the living God not in Tables of marble stone but in flespy Tables of the heart But alas where shall we find such a spirit among the Ministers of these times who generally leave the word of God and do worse than serve Tables in that sense which the Apostles intend for thy serve and worship and wonder after the Whore of Babylon and the Beast that carrieth her yea and the very Horns of that Beast that carrieth that Harlot this is truth the Lord knows in whose sight I write these things and yet they 〈◊〉 call themselves and expect that others should account of them as of the Ministers of Christ and faithful Stewards of the Mysteries of God But it is to be justly feared that Jehovah will write down other Titles in the books of his Accounts and Remembrance Thousands will not look like the Ministers of the Gospel when those books and the book of the New Testament shall be opened in the sight of all the world although now they go under that notion among almost all sorts of people But enough of these also for the present let us proceed 3 Neither in the third and last place by the Ministers of the Gospel do I here intend or understand the Parsens Vicars Rectars

is done is by their Prayers and Intercessions Answ All this is readily and easily answered as first Ministers do not lose the priviledge of Saints when they are made Ministers by Christ and his people no more than an other officer of a Church of Saints doth lose or is deprived of the privilege of a member upon his being chosen into office So that if God gave him this privilege as a Saint of ruling governing disposing the affairs of Kingdoms he may still claim it and make use of his Commission after he is become a Minister of the New Testament And as for the second part of the Objection I acknowledge he there speaks of disposing by prayer and intercession only but this doth not in the least invalidate my Assertion because to set up and to pull down to Govern Rule and dispose the world and the Affairs of Kingdoms by prayer is one way of meddling with matters of State and an excellent way Especially if that Spirit which accompanied the first Christians be but President and predominant among those privy Councellors who meet in Christs Name to set up and to pul down according to their Commission for those whom I mentioned made notable work with that act of State and that State-policy whereby Herod and Pontius Pilate proceeded to murther the Prince of Life The Faith and Prayers of the faithful remnant have been in all ages and will bee henceforward much more dangerous to the Kings of the earth and their Affairs than the greatest quantity of Gunpowder set on fire in any Magazeen whatsoever can be to any City or Town where it is if once they spring a Mine as I may so say they overthrow whatsoever they did undermine with a more irresistable force than is imagined or beleeved For est quaedam precum omnipotentia as he said The true fervent praying against States their Laws and Government c. is meddling with a witness and yet it is hardly known who burts them but at the last day it will be known what execution hath been done upon the Empires and Monarchies of this world by the Lords people in the several exigencies of their Affairs for we know that the Affais of State Reason of State State-policy and the Laws of the Land have above all other things obstructed the deliverance of the choycest servants of the Lord from age to age I could illustrate this Point of the Ministers and peoples meddling by prayer with the things and interests of men and of the worldly Powers and in some measure shew of what excellent use it will be to overthrow the Thrones of Kingdoms c. But I refer it to the true Ministers and the few faithful Brethren in Christ to exercise themselves herein day and night as I hear they begin to do But let them remember and not forget upon any terms that Faith is the very life and soul of prayer and if you meddle with these or any Powers abroad without that you will meddle to no purpose But let no man imagin that because we have not an Answer all this while therefore we are not heard for Faith waites upon God for the bringing forth his purposes and counsels in his own time and God forbid wee should limit the holy one of Israel or prescribe to him a method or manner of proceeding in the production of those antient Decrees which are to be brought forth in the time appointed of the Father So much for this first way of meddling with State-Affairs The other Doctor of the Divinity aforesaid is also of great reputation and therefore I hope my adversaries will not turn away from his Doctrine in this matter I am bold to call him forth to plead for this Truth for his Preached and Printed Principles do very much tend in my apprehension to the justification of the practice of those Ministers of the Gospel who do or shall hereafter intermeddle in State-Affairs as becomes Ministers for no otherwise would I have any one to meddle than as becommeth him in the judgement of the spiritual man There is one notion of his in the Sermon which I mean which certainly had the preheminence of many others in his mind and judgement and which I shall transcribe in the first place and then improve it according to its natural tendency as the Lord shall help on the behalf of his own Truth and Interest so suddenly and unworthily deserted by those who seemed very stout Assertors of it not many years ago The words of Dr. O. in the Serm. on Heb. 12.27 All the PRESENT STATES OF THE WORLD are cemented together by Antichristian lime as I shall shew afterwards Unless they be so shaken as to have every cranny searched and brushed they will be no quiet habitation for the Lord Christ and his people This I find in the 14 page Again in the 25 page I find him speaking to this purpose The Heavens and the Earth of the Nations in their present constitution are directly framed to the interest of Antichrist which by notable advantages at their first moulding and continued insinuations ever since hath so riveted it self into the very fundamentals of them that no digging or mining without an Earthquake will cast up the foundation-stones thereof Yet again to the same effect p. 35. Is it not evident to him that hath but half an eie that the whole present constitution of the Governments of the Nations is so cemented with Antichristian morter from the very top to the bottom that without a thorough shaking they cannot be cleansed And a little after This onely is certain It the said shaking shall not stop nor receive its period before the interest of Antichristianity be wholly separated from the power of those Nations Thus far the other Doctor 1 Now first We see plainly or may see that he for his part meddles with States and Governments of Nations all along throughout the Sermon 2 He doth particularly declare the nature of their Constitution both foundation and superstruction shewing also how the interest of Antichrist is intermingled or interwoven in all or most of those States in Europe and that from the top to the bottom 3 He declares and foretels the shaking translating and new molding of all those States and Kingdoms 4 He affirms that every cranny must be searched for that Antichristian morter or lime and sand which doth cement the constitution of the Governments of the Nations and that this shaking searching c. shall not stop nor receive a period till the interest of Antichristianity be wholly separated from these Nations From all which and many other passages in that Sermon I do make this inference That the Ministers of the Gospel may lawfully or without sin yea must necessarily intermeddle and be imployed in searching into the Affairs of these Kingdoms and States Yea further for ought I can discern they must be imployed by their Lord and Master as the chief laborers which are to brush and clense the

promising conforming to such prohibitions as that I am made more fervent in spirit against the abominations of these men from the Highest to the Lowest and for the promoting the Interest of my Lord against the Court-Interest lately set up in contradiction to their own solemn Declarations in the sight of God Angels and Men not many yeers ago It is co●●●rtable to consider That true spiritual Christians have an unction which teacheth them of all things ● Joh. 2.20 27. and they accordingly from that unction have learned to distinguish betwixt the Power and the Weakness of the Rulers betwixt the Ordinances of God and of Men for by the light of the word of truth they know that righteous Laws are the strength of the Higher Powers and that Tyranny and the Results and Consequences of Arbitrariness in Government are their weakness and their folly and not onely so for the knowledge hereof may in some degrees be attained by such as know not Christ but they are able in the power of a higher Spirit then that of the proudest Monarchs to tell them THIS IS A TYRANNICAL WAY OF RULING AND THAT IS A PLAIN CONTRADICTION TO THE LAW OF CHRIST and shall be broken and destroyed though all the Kings of the earth should joyne their Power and Policy to uphold it It is one thing to know wherein Rulers do commit open Abominations and it is another thing to testifie openly against those publick wickednesses without respect of persons But more of this afterwards in its proper place for here it is a Digression from the point in hand I have many things to bring out of that treasury which the Lord hath put into this earthen vessel and should rejoyce to have an opportunity to exemplifie those Truths by lively voice which have been set upon my spirit in this prison where I have remained this nine months and more for I finde it very difficult to express my minde by writing but this I have to encourage me The Lord is able to bless my Indeavors this way for the present seeing I am so unrighteously hindred from preaching the Gospel by the Powers now in Being Having spoken thus much to the first general Qualification That I do own the Powers that are but how ACCORDING TO GOD or ACCORDING AS GOD HIMSELF HATH COMMANDED having particularly explained my meaning to own them by submitting to their Laws whether Arbitrary or Rational according as may consist with our Allegiance to Christ and the direction of his word and spirit which in very many cases directs us to obey passively but to die rather then to fulfil their Law by active obedience I shall now go on to the next limitation which is to own them in paying tribute custom and honor and fear as I have expressed in the forementioned Epistle I shall now go on to the next Limitation which is to pay them Tribute and Custome Honor and Fear as I have expressed in the fore-mentioned Epistle And because I do own the Higher Powers in this particular also I shall explain my self herein likewise A Discourse concerning Taxations from Scripture according as I intended when I wrote though then I had not any thoughts that I should bee brought upon the Stage to give so publick an account of my Principles and Practice in the payment of those Taxes which I and others of my Brethren are still burthened withall though some Abatement is now spoken of But first for the better and more effectual satisfaction of the people of God I shall communicate what I have met with in the good word of God concerning this thing for it is suitable to my Office and may bee useful to the Saints to understand something concerning the first practice of this Oppression and which will bee more welcome when their Taxations will bee removed and have an end It is to bee remembred That one of the Higher Powers is described very briefly and emphatically thus Heb. One that causeth an Exactor to passe over He did suddenly stand up was as suddenly pulled down Whether Moses Joshua the first Judges which preceded Monarchy were Raisers of Taxes Dan. 11.20 There shall stand up a RAISER of TAXES c. but within few dayes he shall be destroyed neither in Anger nor in Battel It is worth our observation That the Spirit of God gives him no other Title as if this Taxing of the people were the Beginning and the End of his Reign Before I speak of particular Instances I desire the Reader to search the Scriptures that so he may be able to satisfie himself in this Question viz. Whether Moses Joshua or the Judges did practise the way of Assesments and Impositions upon their Brethren which now are so current and have been so much in use in the Nations round about as well as here at home so that it is as it were another nature as it happens to those Porters who carry Burthens custome makes that to seem but light to them which to another not conversant in such Imployment would be found a Burthen too heavy for him to bear The children of Israel were made a FREE PEOPLE by God when he took them out of the House of Bondage and so might have continued under their Judges Jehovah being their King and Lawgiver If they had not set up a King after the manner of the IDOLATROUS NATIONS round about them There is not a more broad black badge of absolute slavery under absolute Sovereignty than for a people once made free by Gods especial Providence to be contented to bee Taxed and Assessed by the Arbitrary power of a Sovereign Lord afterward I shall begin this Epitome of the HISTORY of TAXES Monarchy and Taxes born brought forth among Gods people in Samuels time with the History of Monarchy set up in the midst of Israel rashly and unadvisedly by themselves when they were blessed with Samuel one of the best Governours that ever the people of God injoyed for it appears to mee that these Burthens upon the Lords people came in with Kingship or at least the way was prepared for Bondage to return upon them when nothing but a King would serve their turn For when the Lord bid Samuel protest solemnly unto them It is the manner of Kings to take the peoples goods in part or in whole 1 Sam. 8.14 15. 16 17. verses and shew them the manner of the King that shall reign over them Among other heads of Arbitrary power which he reckoned up before them hee tells them plainly THAT THEIR KING WOVLDTAKE THEIR FIELDS AND THEIR VINEYARDS AND THEIR OLIVEYARDS even the best of them and give them to his servants And he will TAKE saith Samuel THE TENTH OF YOVR SEED AND OF YOVR VINEYARDS and give to his Eunuchs and to his servants He will TAKE THE TENTH OF YOVR SHEEP and yee shall be his servants c. Now although the total sum of the charge besides their bondage otherwise