Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	acknowledge_v	lord_n	zion_n	19	3	8.5807	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A62897	An epistle to the flock professing the true light which lighteth every one that cometh into the world : wherein the opposers and villifiers of the true light are (by the way) expostulated with, and they that own it are exhorted to answer the light in the consciences of others by an unblamable light, and to grow up therein, both in general and in their particular relations : given forth chiefly for the service of some in the flock and may be serviceable also to others / from W.T.	Tomlinson, William.	1674 (1674)	Wing T1847; ESTC R26323	20,917	27

which lighteth every man that cometh into the World Thou faist it is not How is it thy rule now when thou denys or opposes it Lastly let this sink into thy heart O vain Contender who strives against the Truth Wilt thou make that to be evil which leads or directs into the paths of Peace and in following of which even some of the Gentiles have found an excusing Conscience and if that excuse we have Peace with God and for want of following it how many call'd Christians dye in horrour such as glory in their Christianity over the Heathen Unbelievers But tell me shall not their Obeying that Light be accounted to them for Christianity when thy disobeying it shall be counted to thee Paganisme and Gentilisme although thou glories over them Even as formerly the Uncircumcision of such who kept the Righteousne's of the Law was counted to them for Circumcision and the Circumcision of such as kept it not was accounted for Uncircumcision What did the name of Circumcision profit them that were Transgressors and Evil doers under the Law And what will the name of Christianity profit thee who walks contrary to the Light that discovers sin and wickedness in thee Therefore own that Light that enlightens every mans Conscience and submit to it in thy life and in thy words own it in thy actions as well as in thy expressions and bring thy deeds to the Light and weigh them in the Light that they may be made manifest that they are wrought in God And thou hast also the harmony and consent of the Writings of the holy men of God concurring with that Light in thee to make the testimony of it the stronger in thee against all ungodliness and worldly Lusts Therefore if thou who art called a Christian walks contrary to it the greater will be thy Condemnation the preventing of which is the thing to be minded by thee and not jangling about the Light in words whilst thou disobeys it in practice If thou wilt needs call it natural common yet own it from the Lord then I matter not that thy calling it so please thy self in thy own terms but know That it is a Beam from the infinite Majesty which hath no fellowship with wickedness but discovers it reproves it and is contrary to it And by the testimony of it in thy self and in all men will the Lord be clear when he judges the world in Righteousness I further affirm against thee that undervalues this light that there is such a piercing sight in it that thereby the true Seed is known and discerned by all that see them thorowly as it is said in the Prophecy of Isaiah chap. 61.9 All that see them shall acknowledg them that they are the Seed which the Lord hath blessed He had been speaking a little before of the Meek the Broken-hearted the Mourners in Zion such as were under a Spirit of heaviness such as our Lord comforted and Preached good tydings to pronouncing them blessed Matth. 5. as was Prophesied of him to do Isa 61.1 That Innocent Seed whose meek quiet humble temper whose inoffensive spirit whose blameless life whosoever shall see they shall be thereby convinced in their hearts That this is the Seed which God hath blessed This Convincement seeing it shall be upon all that see them it must needs be from a light common to them all which is the true Light If any oppose this let them shew from whence it shall be that all that see them shall have this discovery of them This testimony I say the common Light will give of them in all mens hearts that see and know them in truth I shall not deny but that some may judge otherwise even of the true Seed thorow sinister respects and prejudicate received opinion or by judging thorow received traditional Notions or by the hearing of the ear or by judging according to other mens judgments or being swayed by some private concern or judging by imagination and such like false ways of judging especially they that are of a Pharisaical Spirit exalted in the formal part of any Religious Profession and judging thorow that these not judging in the common true Light that lightens every man that cometh into the world may easily give a false judgment of the true Seed whilst those whom they despise as having no Religion may judge rightly of them and sometimes even their own Consciences may from the common Light at present overswayed in them lay up in them at the bottom that which shall force them in due time to confess to the true Seed and that they mght have seen them if they had not hearkened to those false wayes of judging so that still I say the unbyassed common Light that enlightens every man is the true Light and these particular Lights through which the false judgment proceeds are not the true Light Well then If this be the true Light let every one that Professes it mind to answer this Light in every mans Conscience This you have been often exhorted to do by those who have laboured with you in the truth and there may be need still to put you in remembrance thereof that so the actions of your life may be approved of by all that know you though they cannot approve of your way or Religion as they use to speak And consider that herein you stand as the lights of the world even in your Actions in your Conversation in your Works Therefore saith our Lord Let your Light so shine before men that they may see your good Works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven It is not talking good words without living a good life that glorifies God It 's the Life the Conversation that 's approved or disapproved in other mens Consciences It 's that which gathers to Christ or being amiss scatters from him Profess what thou wilt and with what eagerness thou wilt as if thou wert Zealous for him yet if Wickedness be found in thee thou dost but harden mens hearts against the truth and gathers not into the life of truth If they see unfaithfulness in thee that thou hast more respect to thy own ends than to single truth minds thy own gain more than simple honesty makes use of advantages from anothers weakness or ignorance or tenderness to get beyond him this will be seen that it is not right in the sight of the Lord and the Light in others will judge it and thou dost not approve thy self to their Consciences And though thou maist smooth over thy action artificially with words and make fair pretences yet that doth not make thee approved in their Consciences Thou maist stop their tongues perhaps from clamour but thou dost not satisfie their minds and Consciences For It 's the voyce of thy Actions not of thy Words that takes place in their hearts And therefore there is no approving of thy self to their Consciences nor answering of the true Light in them but by thy faithful honest single upright