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	life_n	zion_n	34	3	9.1009	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A54031	The consideration of a position concerning the Book of common-prayer as also of some particulars held forth for truths by one Edmund Elis, stiled a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ : with a warning of tender bowels to the rulers, teachers and people of this nation concerning their church and ministry : likewise a few words concerning the kingdom, laws and government of Christ in the heart and conscience, its inoffensiveness to all just laws and governments of the kingdoms of men / by Isaac Penington the younger.	Penington, Isaac, 1616-1679.; Elys, Edmund, ca. 1634-ca. 1707.	1660 (1660)	Wing P1161; ESTC R28789	24,645	40

hides it self from all the fleshly wise of every age The Kingdom of God cometh not by observation the wisest Scribes and Pharisees could not know it by all the observations which they could gather out of Moses and the Prophets Writings nor can any now know it by any observations they can gather out of the Apostles Writings but by being born of that spirit whereof they were born and by being formed in that womb wherein they were formed by this means alone is the thing come to be known which they knew He that receiveth the same eye seeth the same thing according to his measure and coming to the life wherein they received the Truth the words which they spake concerning the Truth are easie Thus as they were writ in the Spirit so are they there along truly read and being so read they become exceeding profitable to that which so reads them but man guessing and imagining and reasoning in his carnal wisdom concerning the things of God and so gathering sences and meanings about the words and expressions of Scripture doth but build up a Babel which the eternal Life and Power will throw down when ever he appears with that which built it O that men were wise to wait for the discovery of the true Rock and of the true Builder upon that Rock that that City and Building might be raised in them which God alone can rear that they might not be left desolate and miserable in that stormy day which will shake all Buildings and Foundations and Rocks but our Rock wherein all Professors and Preachers and high Notionists and what ever sort else can be named who have stumbled at Gods living Truth and at the pure appearance of his redeeming Power which in this age hath mightily broke forth after the long dark night of Apostacy to the sight of every eye which is opened in the Spirit shall confess with tears sorrow anguish and shame that their Rock is not in our Rock they themselves being Judges For though all sort of Professors generally own Christ as the Rock in words yet most miss of the thing and the subtile Enemy hath made use of a Notion or apprehension of the thing in the carnal mind to deceive them of the thing to keep them from feeling the eternal vertue the living Power of Life in the heart which is the Arm of Gods Salvation whereby Christ draws mans lost soul and spirit out of the Pit out of the Grave out of Sin and corruption up to the Father But O how are poor hearts deceived who think by a believing of what Christ did of a satisfaction he made for them while he was here on Earth though they lye in the Pit all their dayes though they carry the body of sin about with them to the very last of their time here in the body and have not felt the Arm of God's Power breaking down their spiritual enemies their lusts their corruptions and redeeming them from them yet hope to be saved in the end and to be presented without spot or wrinkle to God! Christ had the name Jesus given him because he was to save his People from their sin and no man can truly and livingly know the name Jesus further than he feels the saving vertue of it but he that effectually feels the vertue he indeed knows the name and can bow at the name feeling his lusts and enemies bowed under by the power thereof and that raised up in him which can Worship the Father in the Spirit and in the Truth O that the sons of men knew O that the Teachers and Professors of this age knew what they have so long reviled and trampled upon Surely they would mourn bitterly kiss the Son and escape the wrath Now if the Lord please to smite any ones earthly wisdom and comprehension which is the main thing which stands in the way of the pure openings and revelations of the life and give him the feeling of any thing here written let him in fear acknowledge the Lord sacrificing to his goodness and waiting upon him to be kept in that feeling not magnifying or villifying any of his Instruments but in meekness and humility embracing the instructions of the Almighty from the hand which he pleaseth to give them forth by As for me I am but a Shell and if this party knew me who sets me up so high preferring me above many whom the Lord hath preferred far above me he would soon acknowledge me to be a very poor weak contemptible one yet this I must by no means deny that the pure Liquor of the eternal Life at its pleasure springeth up and issueth out through me though I can also in true understanding say that it issueth out far oftener and much more abundantly through others Let it have its honour where ever it appears and the Lord bring down that in peoples hearts which hindreth the owning and receiving of its virtue A Warning of tender Bowels to the Rulers Teachers and People of the Nation concerning their Church and Ministry THat there was a Fight between the Dragon and his Angels and Michael and his Angels concerning the New-Testament-Church and Ministry is manifest even from the Letter of the Scriptures Rev. 12. That the Dragon and his Angels though they could not get the better as relating to the Power yet that they did get the better as relating to the Form insomuch as that they overcame the third part of the true Ministers and drew them from their standing in the Firmament of Gods Power off to their earthly Ministry and that the Church her self also was fain to fly into the Wilderness from the face of the Dragon for her safety and preservation where she was to be nourished and sed by God all the time of Antichrists Reign this likewise is not onely revealed in the Spirit but is also manifest from the Letter Rev. 12. That after this flight of the true Church and overcoming of the true Ministry the Dragon erected his false Church and Ministry which had but at best the Form without the Power over all Nations Peoples Multitudes and Tongues this is also as evident to them that read the Prophecies of the Revelation in the Light of that Spirit that wrote them Is nor the false woman after the true woman was fled manifestly described Rev. 17. which hath a bewitching Cup of Fornications v. 2 and 4. Mark She hath not the true Cup of Blessing her cup is not filled with the Wine of the Kingdom it is not the Cup of the true Spouse which keeps chast and loyal to the bed of the Husband but the cup of Fornications wherein is a Form of Doctrine and Discipline and Order and Church-Government which leads from the life which be witnesses from the Power which luls asleep in a Form of profession and worship of Christ without knowledge of guidnace by and subjection to his Spirit And this is the Government Ministry and way of Antichrist where ever it is

THE CONSIDERATION OF A POSITION Concerning the Book of Common-Prayer AS ALSO Of some Particulars held forth for Truths by one EDMUND ELIS stiled a Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ With a Warning of Tender Bowels to the Rulers Teachers and People of this Nation concerning their Church and Ministry Likewise a few Words concerning the Kingdom Laws and Government of Christ in the Heart and Conscience it 's Inoffensivenesse to all Just Laws and Governments of the Kingdoms of men By Isaac Penington the Younger Behold I come as a Thief Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his Garments lest he walk naked and they see his shame Rev. 16.15 LONDON Printed for Robert Wilson at the Sign of the Black-Spread-Eagle Wind-Mill in Martins Le Grand 1660. THE PREFACE CHRIST the Eternal Son of God the substance of all the Types and Shadows of the Law was made a Priest to God not after the Law of a carnal Commandment but after the Power of an endless Life He came in the Power of the Father he received the Power he ministred the Power and in the Power Thus he gathered together living stones built them into a living Temple for the Father of life to dwell in that they might be filled with the Power dwell in the Power and be to the glory of the Power The Church of Israel the Church of the Old Testament the Church of Moses was gathered by the Letter was to be ordered by the Letter was to keep and observe the Law of the Letter was to have Priests and Sacrifices according to the Letter but the New Testament Church was to be of true Jews of Jews gathered in the Power Circumcised by the Power renewed in the Power c. So that he is not a Jew any longer who is one outward nor that Circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter We are the Circumcision saith the Apostle which Worship God in the Spirit and have no confidence in the flesh The New-Testament state is a state of substance even of that spiritual substance which the Law held out in shadows The Jew is inward the Circumcision inward the Sacrifices inward the Church inward the Ministry inward the Worship inward all is in Spirit in Life in Power in Vertue the whole state is answerable to the High Priest of our Profession even after the Power of the endless life By the Eternal Spirit was he made a Minister by it he preached the Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel c. Luke 4.18 through it he offered up himself a Sacrifice without spot to God Heb. 9.14 and in the same Power runs the vein of the whole dispensation of the Gospel for it is a ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 Take away the Life take away the Spirit ye take away the stones of this Building ye take away the Church ye take away the Ministry ye take away all Now about this inward Building there was an outward Court which had its Being State and Honour from the presence of the inward life The vertue of the inward Building did cast a reflection and bring forth an outward state as it cannot but do where ever it appears in its riches and glory This state stood firm in the dayes of the Apostles till Gods measuring and removing of his Temple Altar and Worshippers and his giving up of the outward Court it having lost the life and vertue which flowed into it from the Temple while the Temple remained within it to the Gentiles who under the Gospel are such as are Uncircumcised in Spirit can Worship in the outward Court without the Spirit The enemy indeed fought hard against the Life and Power but he could not there prevail the Gates of Hell could not prevail against the true Church which brought forth the Man-child nor against the Man-child whom she brought forth but the Man-child was caught up to God and the Woman fled into the Wildernesse Then that Church State and Worship which depended upon their presence was dissolved For how could it be otherwise when both the Man-child which was the Head of the Church from whence the Vertue Life and Influence did flow into the whole Body and the Woman or Church her self also vvere both gone out of sight So that the Ministry of Eternal life the Temple vvherein the life vvas ministred being both removed they are neither of them henceforvvard to be found in that place vvhere they vvere beheld before and vvhere most eyes vvould be ready to look for them again but there vvhere the Spirit had hid them Novv mark diligently vvhat kind of esteem the true Church hath had in the World ever since her disrobing her self of her outvvard garments and flight into the Wilderness and hovv her true Seed have been handled The Dragon immediatly casts a flood after her her beautiful raiment being put off and she clothed in the habit of a Widovv the eye of the World could no longer see and acknovvledge her to be the Church but disdain reproach revile her This is her lot all the dayes of Antichrist she is misrepresented by the Dragons flood of reproaches and looked upon as a strumpet as one that pretends to Christ for her Lord and Husband to his Spirit to his Kingdom to his Truth vvithout a just right and the remnant of her Seed are still made War vvith by the Dragon Who have been the hunted ones the hated the persecuted in all Nations but the tender-conscienced vvho receive the Lavv of Christ into their hearts bovving to him in their Worship and Conversation and dare not bovv or Worship according to the Doctrines and Cammandments of men Novv the true Church or Temple being thus removed the outvvard Court becomes the Habitation and Place of Worship among the Gentiles all the time of the Churches abode in the Wilderness The Spirit of the Lord having left it the heathenish spirit man's earthly Nature and Wisdom the spirit of Antichrist enters into it and upholds the Form of the former Building so far as it judgeth necessary and here it is found Worshipping and making a great shevv of Holiness and devotion but in the mean time makes War vvith the true Worshippers vvho cannot Worship in the outvvard Court since the Spirit of the Lord hath left it and given it to the Gentiles but follovv the Church into the Wilderness and Worship in that Temple vvhich God hath removed thither O vvhere is the eye vvhich can read these things as they are vvritten either in the Letter or in the Spirit Antichrist is a Mystery of Iniquity vvhich vvorks and gets up and reigns under an appearance of Godliness and he that vvill discern him and his false vvayes of Worship must have that eye vvhich sees beyond the appearance of things into their nature

filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 Now that the corrupt Tree shall never be cut down whilst man is in the body that the heart shall never be throughly circumcised to love the Lord but be in danger of offending God through the love of the Creature this doctrine and belief springeth not from the pure Fountain of Life and Power but the reasoning part hath gathered it from it's conceivings beneath the Power The Seed of God cannot sin for as he is pure which begetteth so is that pure which is begotten of him nor can man sin who is born of it and abides in it and if God please to perfect the Birth and the work of Circumcision What can hinder a man from being wholly born of it from abiding in it Indeed a man that strives in his own strength either against sin or towards holiness may well doubt of ever having it accomplished but he that feels the Eternal Power beginning the work and carrying it on daily cannot doubt but he can perfect it yea and is encouraged by the feeling thereof to hope and wait on him for the perfecting of it As for his instances of David and Peter they reach not the thing For though David and Peter did fall yet both David and Peter might attain an higher state before they went out of the body then they were in before they fell David was a great Prophet and Peter a pretious Disciple but yet there was an higher Estate to be administred even the receiving that which the Prophets prophesied of and which the Disciple was to wait for The Disciples who had known Christ and had been taught by him and had received a Commission from him to whom all Power in Heaven and Earth was given yet were to wait for a Further and Higher State even for receiving the Promise of the Father the Power from on High that he that was with them might be in them John 14.17 John was as great as any Prophet and yet he that was least in the Kingdom was greater then he Read the Acts of the Apostles behold what a pretious people was brought forth even in the beginning of the Apostles Ministry how full of Faith how stripped of the world how single-hearted to God and one towards another Acts 2.42 c. and Acts 4.32 c. What would these be abiding and growing up in the Vine The cutting off of sin is necessary while in the Body but to make the committing of sin necessary while in the Body is a great Derogation to the Power of Gods Grace and to the Mystery of Faith which overcometh the evils of the Heart and the Worldly Nature within purifieth the Conscience from dead works and is held in the Pure Conscience O that men knew the Power and the Faith which stands in the Power For then would not they judge it so impossible to be cleansed by the Faith through the Power O that Light that Light that Pure Light of the Spirit wherein the Living Blood runs which cleanseth from all sin and keepeth clean them that abide and walk in it If this were but a little felt such Doctrine as these which are gathered in the comprehension from words read without being let into the thing it self would soon vanish and find no place in the Heart where the Power dwells nor in the understanding which is renewed preserved and fed by the Power For the things of God are to be known and held in the understanding which is given of God which understanding is of the Spirit and is Spiritual and not wirh the natural understanding which cannot receive the things of the Spirit but onely a carnal apprehension and sence of the words of the Spirit according as a man can beat them out with and comprehend them in his reasoning part To the fifth That the Souls of the faithful are alwayes growing in grace whilst they are in the body and at the instant of death or separation from the body our Lord Jesus shall present them to the Father without spot or blemish Answ Christ presenteth to the Father when he hath purified the heart and mind and made it fit for Gods pure life and presence He hath received the fulness from the Father and hath freely given of his grace and of his truth to the sons of men to regenerate them to cleanse and sanctifie their hearts and make them fit for God to dwell in He sitteth in his Temple as a Refiner and Purifier of Silver who is like a Refiner's Fire and like Fuller's Soap and when he hath purified his Disciples his Children his Levites he presenteth them to the Lord for the Lord to Tabernacle and dwell in when he hath throughly consecrated them he presenteth them as Kings and Priests to his Father to offer up an Offering for Righteousness and to reign with him in his Kingdom Mal. 3.3 Rev. 1.5 And there were some so purified by the leaven of the Kingdom which purgeth out the old leaven by degrees even till at length it hath made the lump wholly new that to them all things were pure Titus 1.5 There were some come unto Mount Sion and unto the City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels to the general Assembly and Church of the first-born which are written in Heaven and to God the Judge of all and to the Spirits of just men made perfect and to Jesus the Moderator of the New Covenant and to the Blood of Sprinkling Heb. 12.22 23 24. Thus it was before the Apostacy yea and after the Apostacy there were some found standing on Mount Sion again such as had learned the New Song such as were redeemed from the Earth such as were not defiled with Women with any of the false Churches or their false wayes of worship but had kept their Virginity in the Wilderness If ye would know who these were they were the first-fruits unto God and the Lamb after the Apostacy who were throughly cleansed by the Spirit of burning insomuch as in their mouth was found no guile but they were without fault before the Throne of God Revel 14. v. 1. to 6. The Work of the Spirit of Christ in the heart is an inward work and doth not consist in outward time or seasons but in spiritual degrees and seasons which when they are finished the heart renewed the spirit changed the work wrought out then the glory of the Father is revealed the entrance into the everlasting Kingdom Ministred and then there is a sitting down in the everlasting Mansion even with Christ in the Heavenly places which he hath prepared where they that are redeemed and purged and sanctified sit together with him and as the body cannot hinder his entring into the spirits of his Saints and his dwelling in them no more can it hinder their entring into him and dwelling in him Now there are several exercises of Spirit several measures