Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	according_a	father_n	son_n	5,248	5	5.4119	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A56109	A testimony of truth given forth by a servant of the Lord, on the behalf of the despised servants, and professors of truth, who are made partakers of the heavenly power, which shakes the earth, and makes the inhabitants of the land to tremble, who are by the scorners of this generation called Quakers against the many lyes and slanders which the devil is the chief author of, arising forth of the bottomlesse pit, and vented forth by one James Livesey a professed minister of Christ in the county of Chester, but by his fruits is plainly manifested a minister of sin, and so of his Father who begat him, and sent him forth to oppose the living truth of God : but his folly is here manifested and declared to open view, that the simple and honest hearted may turn from him and all such deceitful workers, and may learn of Christ the light of the world, that their souls may live.	Parker, Alexander, 1628-1689.	1659 (1659)	Wing P386; ESTC R5756	31,699	39

mentioned for salutations of love we own and practice according to Scriptures and what Christ said and commanded as to that we practice if we go into a house we salute the house and if the Son of peace be there our peace remaines but if not it returns back to us again and we shake off the dust of our feet as a testimony against such who reject the love of God and these salutaions we own in the fear of God according to the Scriptures but as for all the vain traditional customes of the world the capping bowing cringing and the like we deny and all vain customarie words which feeds the wrong part we denie and speak in the fear of God as we are moved of God by his spirit as for other things in this particular the ground being taken away the rest will wither as for the scriptures mentioned I own in the true meaning of them and in their places according to the mind of the spirit Pr. There is an opinion amongst them that Ordinances are not now in force we are to wait for immediate inspirations and Revelations Ans All the Ordinances and traditions of men which have been invented and set up in the time of darknesse and night of Apostacie since the daies of the Apostles which be carnal and fading we do deny but all the pure holy and substantial ordinances of Christ which abides and endures for ever we do own and practice as the pure spirit of God doth move and lead us and as for inspirations and Revelations first for inspirations this I say that no man upon earth can know God savingly in any other manner then by the inspiration of the holy spirit for the things of God knowes noman but the spirit of God and no man knowes the Son save the Father neither knowes any man the Father but the Son and he to whom soever the Son will reveal him he that denyes Revelation denies the knowledge of God Pr. Faith came by hearing Rom. 10.14 Now hear and your souls shall live so the promise runs Isai 55.3 Now they say your souls may live though you never hear Answ It s true that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God but where is the word to be found read the 6.7 and 8. verses of the tenth Chapter to the Romans where the Apostle speakes of the word of faith Say not in thy heart who shall ascend into heaven that is to bring Christ down from above or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ againe from the dead but what saith it the word is nigh thee even is thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of faith that we preach This was the word that faith came by the hearing of it and this word was manifested in the Prophet who saith come unto me hear and your souls shall live now whereas this opposer saith that we say souls may live though they never hear that is false we do not say so but exhort people to hearken to the voice of Christ that their souls may live and whosoever hears Christ though they never hear a covetous proud priest more who loves money and seeks gain from his quarter yet their souls shall live for such as loves mony and are envious and proud lyars and false accusers were never sent of God and shall never profit people at all such are to be turned away from and whereas this opposer Livesey speaks against Revelations and saies What need have we to waite for Revelations c. I say there is not any man that rightly knowes God nor any thing of God but by Revelation for though the Scriptures are given forth and any one may buy them for mony yet none in all the world no not the wisest nor the most learned of men can understand them except the same spirit that gave them forth do reveal and open them For as I have said the things of God knowes no man but the spirit of God And whereas he queries and saith Where hath these men a promise to incourage them thus to waite c I say many and pretious are the promises and the reward of those that wait upon the Lord for be that waits upon the Lord his strength shall be renewed and again wait upon the Lord and he will save thee there were never any that waited on the Lord in vain So I say blessed are they that wait upon the Lord and stand upon their watch and are not weary the Lord will reward them with his everlasting blessings and give them an inheritance amongst the Saints in light Pr. The great object of the Quakers is grounded on the first of Ioh. 2.27 Ye need not that any man teach this makes not for them nor their Revelations but against both See verse foregoing which speaks of Seducers Iohn meanes as is evident that they need not any of those Seducers to teach them but the spirit and the written word and the Ministers of Christ were sufficient Ans O the wickednesse of man when once turned from the holy unction and light of the spirit within how he twines and turnes and confounds himselfe as this opposer doth one while accuses the Quakers with denyal or slighting of the Scriptures and here saith their great object is grounded on 1 Iohn 2.27 what neither be contented to let us own nor disown and then like his Master brings part of the scripture and gives a wrong sense of the other part Ye need not that any man teach saith ye but the Scripture saith thus but the annointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things which is truth and is no lye and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him Here it s plainly manifest Iohn speakes of the holy unction which taught them of all things and labours to keep the Saints to the annointing within them as a safty against all Seducers and deceivers who laboured to draw from it to their own inventions And this same holy anointing we have received of God to be our teacher we do deny and turne from all such Seducers and lyars as James Livesey for such are not of God neither can enter into the Kingdome of God Pr. There is an opinion amongst them that no reverence is to be shewed no honour nor titles of honour to be given to man Magistrate or others Ans The day of Gods mighty power is come and the Lord is staining the pride and the glory of all flesh and the everlasting Gosple is preached fear God and give glory to him for the hour of his judgement is come Jesus Christ is our Captain and we follow him that did not respect the persons of men neither received honour from men who saith how can ye believe that receive honour one of an other and seeks not the honour that comes from God

all others for as the perfection of ancient times under the Law was not to forswear so the perfection of Christian men is not to swear at all And whereas this opposer that I have to deal with brings a Scripture out of the Prophets Jer. 4.2 and thou shalt swear the Lord liveth in truth c. I say this doth not at all make void the sayings of Christ because he is the end of the Prophets who saith swear not at all and whatever other Scripture may be alleadged it is not at all contradictory because Christ the Son is greater then Moses he raigns over the house of Jacob and Joseph who swore in their day Solomon swore but a greater then Solomon is here And whereas the Prophet saith thou shalt swear by the Lord this was to bring them off from all false oaths not to swear by Baal nor other false Gods but they were in those days to swear by the Lord but Christ is come as I have said who is the great Prophet who ends all oathes And whereas it is alleadged that an oath is an end of strife and therefore to be used saith this opposer But I say that whosoever doth bring that Scripture in Heb. 6.17 to maintain swearing contrary to Christ his command they pervert the Scripture for the Authour to the Hebrewes doth not speak there to prove an oath lawful at that time but he is speaking of God making a promise to Abraham and because he could swear by no greater he swore by himself saying Surely blessing I will bless thee and multiplying I will multiply thee and so after he had patiently endured he obtained the promise for men verily swear by the greater and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife the Apostle doth not bring this in opposition to Christ but speaking concerning God who swore by himself concerning his promise and giving his Son Christ who ends the strife and this I further say that those that be in strife and oathes they have not learned Christ one Scripture more I shall add as a confirmation against swearing and that is in Jam. 5.12 but above all things my brethren swear not neither by heaven neither by the earth neither by any other oath mark all oathes are forbidden but let your yea be yea and your nay nay least ye fall into condemnation Pr. There is an opinion amongst them that singing of Psalms is no Gospel ordinance especially not to be used in mixt Assemblies Answ This is false for singing of Psalms according to the Scriptures we own singing with the spirit and with understanding making melody in our hearts to the Lord according to those Scriptures Col. 3.16 Ephes 5.19 And whereas another Scripture is alleadged Jam 5.13 if any be afflicted let him pray is any merry let him sing Psalms this is owned by us but the question will be who are they that are truly merry I say that none are truly merry but the ransomed of the Lord who have passed through many tribulations and fiery tryals whose garments are washed with the blood of the Lamb such shall return to Sion with joy and singing and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads But the songs of the wicked shall be turned into howling and weeping and such we do deny and all such as take Davids words a man after Gods own heart and turn them into Rhime and Meeter and a company of mixt people of proud ones covetous envyous wrathful scoffing and scornful ones for such as these to sing Davids experiences his prayers and prophesies his weenings wastings roarings cryings tremblings and such like this is a great wickedness to speak Davids words and say O Lord I am not puft in mind I have no scornful eye I do not exercise my self in things that be too high c. when both Priest and people are proud and scornful such singing we do deny and as sure as God lives it shall be turned into howling and weeping and bitter lamentation Pr. There is an opinion among them that the spirit is the rule they ought to walk by the spirit is our guide teacher and leader Answ That which was the Rule and guide of the people of God before the Scriptures were written and their rule and guide that writ the Scriptures is our Rule and guide now and that was the spirit of God which led and guided them in the way and truth of God and it is written in the Prophets all the children of the Lord shall be taught of the Lord and this was the promise of Christ to send the Comforter the spirit of truth which should lead and guide them into all truth and this is according to the Scriptures and stands over the head of all gain-sayers and opposers but this is so plain that no reasonable man will gainsay it for as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God Pr. There is an opinion amongst them that the Trinity of persons is a lie and that there are not three persons in the God head Answ What the Spirit of the Lord doth own we own and what is written in the Scriptures by the motion of the spirit we own There is three that bear record in heaven the Father the Word and the holy Spirit and these three are One and this we own as for three persons I have not read of such a thing in the Scriptures God is an incomprehensible spirit and is but One Father Son and Spirit three in manifestation but all one in power one God over all blessed for ever Pr. There is an opinion amongst them that the Ministry of England is Antichristian and our Ministers no Ministers of Jesus Christ. Ans 1. Such as are brought up at Schools and Colledges and there learn Aristotles moral and Philosophical Arts and sciences and there take certain degrees and orders as Batchelor of Art Master of Art Batchelor of Divinity Doctor of Divinity and the like and are trained up there certain years and so made Ministers in and by the will of man such are Antichristian but such are the Ministers of England therefore no Ministers of Christ Ans 2. Such as make contracts and bargains with people for certain set stipends and great sums of money as 80.100 200 300. pounds or more or less by the year and will not preach without money such are Antichristian but such are the Ministers of England therefore not the Ministers of Christ Ans 3. Such as denies the Doctrine of perfection the life of pure Religion the work and end of the Christian Ministry Eph. 4.11.12 13. Col. 1.27.28 29. and say that none can be perfect or free from sin while they walk upon the earth but must alwayes live in sin and sin in them such a Ministry is Antichristian But such are the Ministers of England therefore not the Ministers of Jesus Christ Pr. I would gladly know if the Ministers of England be not the Ministers of Christ what

8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony c. Ans To which I say the Law is light and was written in the heart and the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophesie which spirit is a discerner and a tryer of Doctrines and opinions but that the Scriptures themselves are the touchstone and tryer without the spirit I deny I put it upon Livesey truths opposer to prove but to give a little light to the people who do not understand aright this I say that in tryal of things and spirits there is three things to be considered of that is the tryer and the thing tryed and the Rule to try by Now if I grant the Scriptures to be a rule yet a blind man cannot see them nor walk according to them so that whosoever doth Judge of things or go about to try spirits if he have not the spirit of God in his own particular he cannot try nor Judge aright whereas he speaks of conscience being Regula regulata non regula regulans I say the conscience is not the rule but the light or spirit of God which exercises the conscience towards God man that is the true rule for as many as are the Sons of God they are led by the spirit of God Pr. And whereas he further saith It may not be unseasonable nor unprofitable to give you of this Congregation a short draught of some opinions owned and maintained by the Quakers A. To which I say in the fear of God I declare unto you who are hearers of the said Livesey that to hear a lyar and a false accuser is both unseasonable unprofitable and hear him so long as you will you shall never be profited by him nor converted to God for being out of the Counsel of God himself he cannot bring others unto God and that he is a lyer and a false accuser I shall make it plainly manifest as I come to his charges against those people for I have read over his Book or Papers and I find a great heap of filthy stuff for wanting matter wherewithall to accuse he himself layes a false foundation and then goes to build inventing lies and false things and calls them the Quakers opinions and so heaps a great deal of stuff together and to colour his deceit gathers up several texts of Scriptures and makes a great noise as though he had confuted the Quakers opinions when indeed it is nothing but his own lies and inventions that he hath confuted like unto a distracted man creating imaginations and then fights with his own created images as this opposer doth as I shall make it manifest in due time and so that which he casts upon the Quakers will justly fall upon his own head for where envy lying and false accusing is that Religion is not of God but to turn back his own words is a mellany of froth filth vanity and villanie lies and lewdness errors Heresies and blasphemies which they have invented and through covetousness and love of money have deceived the Nations long with which grieves the hearts of the righteous but the Lord in due time will throw down Babylon and mar all her Wars and spoil all her Merchants and the great Whore which hath made all Nations drunk with the cup of her fornication shall be cast upon a bed of sorrow and all who have committed whoredom with her shall drink the cup of fury and indignation of God and the Beast and false prophets which have deceived the Nations shall be cast into a lake of fire burning with Brimstone But I shall be as short as I may have liberty from the Lord and come to his charges and accusations against those whom he calls Quakers and the first is this Pr. There is an opinion amongst them that salvation is attainable without Jesus Christ Answ That is a wicked lie I detest and abhor that spirit that uttered forth those words there is no such opinion among us who are scornfully called Quakers we profess salvation by Jesus Christ and not by any other thing or things for of our selves we are not able to think a good thought nor speak a good word nor do a good deed but our strength and sufficiency is in Christs and Christ is in us the hope of our glory and by him are we saved and made free from the devils bondage and slavery and from lying and slandering and it it Christ in us that works our works and enables us to perform and do his will and we are Gods workmanship Created in Christ Jesus unto good works and so I testifie that salvavation is attainable in Christ and not without him and that lying spirit in Priest Livesey I do deny and this is his foundation upon which he builds and the foundation being a lie and rottenness the building cannot stand Gods vengeance and wrath is kindied and all lyars and deceitful covetous hireling Priests shall be as stubble before the fire and the Lake is the lyars portion Rev. 21.8 as for the Soriptures mentioned by him I own them in their place and they stand a testimony against the lyar and false acculer and such denies Christ though in words they professe him so let every one who hears or read these lines examine your selves whether or no you be in Christ and Christ be in you for except Jesus Christ be in you ye are Reprobates 2 Cor. 13.5 Pr. There is an opinion amongst them that the Scripture is not the word of God Answ The Scriptures of Moses and the Prophets Christ and the Apostles are words of God a Declaration of the things of God and they testifie of Him whose Name is balled the Word God Rev. 19.13 Pr. There is an opinion among them that every man coming into the world hath in him and connatural to him a saving light Ans As this is laid down it is false invented in a false deceitful deceived heart manifesting his wickedness that gave it sorth But for the satisfaction of the upright I shall declare the truth and that is this we say that Jesus Christ is the light of the world and so it is written in the Scripture Joh. 8 12. and he lighteth every man that cometh into the world according to to the testimony of Joh. 1.9 and though darkness may be over the Nations yet light shineth in darkness but the darkness doth not comprchend the light and this light is a manifestation of the fathers love in Jesus Christ and is Gods true and faithful witness which reproves in secret for sin and evil and doth make it manifest in the heart and conscience and reproves him or her that acts and commits it and that which reproves and makes sin manifest is light as it is written all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light for whatsoever makes manifest is light Ephes 5.13 this light is the key that opens the door where the heavenly treasure is and no man or woman in the world

c. Quakers allow womens preaching as spiritual Ans God hath spoken by his holy prophet saying it shall come to passe in the latter daies that I will pour forth of my spirit upon my Sons and daughters upon my servants and handmaids and where the spirit of God is there is liberty it is not to be quenched neither in Son nor daughter where the seed is witnessed either in male or female to wit Christ who is one in the female as well as in the male and where he rules and reignes he may and ought to speak and this is according to Scriptures but let the woman be silent as saith the Scripture Pr. Papists look upon miracles as signes of the true Church so Quakers Ans This is but the mans imagination because he would have ●o●ething to say as for miracles I do not look for them but if any by the power and spirit of God do work miracles as some have done among us we do own it and give God the honour whose work and power it is and not any work of the creature Pr. Papists put a high esteem on visions and Revelations equalling them with or preferring them above the written Word so Quakers Ans True visions and true Revelations seen and revealed by the true spirit I must needs own if a Turk or infidel should professe the truth it s no worse for their professing of it And so I say that which is revealed by the same spirit which was within them that gave forth the Scripture is one and the same with the Scriptreu for the Truth is the same yesterday to day and for ever Pr. The Jesuites say a man may be saved if he will if he will follow the light c. and the Quakers Ans I have formerly answered to this point yet this further I say the saving power is not in mans will but in Christ the light and whosoever believes in and followes the light shall be saved and he that believes not but followes his own will shall be damned Pr. The Papists extenuate imputed Righteousnesse in setting up their own Inherent Righteeusnesse so Quakers Ans All our own Righteousnesse is as filthy rags and we do not set it up but deny it together with all unrighteousnesse but we exalt and set up Christ who of God is made unto us Righteousnesse Justification Redemption and all other things who dwels in us and is our life and we in him and have our peace Pr. Papists say they can keep all Gods commandements perfectly fulfill the law in their own persons so Bell and the Quakers Ans Through the strength and power of Christ that dwels in us we can do all things and his commandements are not grievous but joyous to us and Christ doth fulfill the Righteousnesse of the Law in us who walk● not after the flesh but after the spirit and whosoever saith he knowes God and keeps not his commandents is a lyar and the truth is not in him Pr. The Church Papists hold that their Church is infallible which at last is the Pope so Quakers Ans We do not hold the Pope to be the Church neither do we believe the Pope to be infallible any more then the Priests and Church of England Pr. Jesuits say there is no foundation for Insants Baptism in the written word Pr. The Jesuites say baptism is of mans institution so Quakers Ans We are bold to affirme it and say there is no command nor example nor practice in the Scripture for Infants baptism it is an invention of man and I lay it upon all the Priests of England and Papists and all who practice it to bring me a proof of it from the Scriptures or else confesse their sin in doing that which was never commanded nor by any of the Ministers of Christ practised Pr. Jesuites make their Pope a God c. Quakers make themselves Gods curse men damn them to Hell Ans It seemes this Priest is wholly given up to the Devil in venting forth so many and grosse wicked lyes we do not make our selves Gods but denie our selves and take up the Crosse and and follow Christ But we do witnesse that God dwels in us and we never curse men nor damn them to Hell but we testifie against sin which if not forsaken and repented of will lead men to Hell for the wages of sin is death Pr. Jesuites call us heriticks dogs c. and the Quakers calls us the brood of Cain Baals Priests false prophets Seducers c Ans They that are envious and wrathful are of Cains generation and off spring and if we find any of the priests of England in that nature we must tell them the truth it is no other language then what the spirit of the Lord hath given to deceivers and false prophets in times past and the priests of England being found in the same steps and covetous practices we do them no wrong to give them their right names Pr. Papists place most in external observations seeming authority so Quakers Ans The lyar will arive at Hell at last when he hath filled up his measure once more I testifie that we do not place most in outward things but in Christ is our strength who works in us to will and to do of his good pleasure Pr. Papists prefer Jeromes version of the Bible before the Hebrew and the Greek so Fox and others deny Greek and Hebrew to be the original preferring the English Ans Where did ever this opposer hear Fox and others speak of preferring the English before the Greek and Hebrew the English we own in its place and so Hebrew and Greek but not any of these Languages can open the mysteries of God therefore let all flesh be silent before the Lord and let God alone be exalted Pr. The Jesuits cast off prayer to God and pray to Saints c. Quakers have cast off prayer to God when do they pray in their families meetings c. Ans H●re is a Charge and a question laid down the charge is that Quakers have left off praying to God Now if the Quakers have not left off prayer to God then Ia. Livesey is a lyar but they have not left off prayer to God as thousands in this Nation can testifie but pray often both in their meetings and in their families as the spirit of God doth move and guide them therefore is Livesey a lyar Pr. The Jesuites say that the Empire of learning is within the heritage of the Jesuits so Quakers say we are in darknesse all our eyes are out theirs onely open A. Every tree is known by his fruits so we say of the Priests of England after all their talking and profession and having received so much mony see what may be reaped in their fields even a great Crop of corruption pride and covetousnesse reigning in themselves and what can be expected to be brought forth in people but like Priest like people wandring astray like sheep without a